Beautiful Torture *Book Two of the Beautiful series*

2) Bone

With that thought in tow, she finished washing in the pond and picked her way back through the brambles to the nearly packed camp. Hunter was smothering the remaining embers of their breakfast fire. Both men turned when she reached them, a similar look on their faces. A mix of admiration and love.

"What is the plan for today?" She asked, if only to distract from the odd sensation their duel attentions left her with.

Alexander cleared his throat, blinking back towards the saddle strap he was securing. "We will Reach Naria in less than a fortnight. The town of Bone is but half a days ride from here, a tiny little place but on my last visit, years ago, there was a comfortable inn and tavern with food and lively music. If we dress appropriately, we can blend in and enjoy one night's comfort. I know we have been on the road a while..." he trailed off without meeting her eye.

Lucy scowled and immediately crossed her arms over her chest, wrinkling the bodice of her hickory brown riding dress. "Do not think I do not know what you two are up to!" She rounded on Hunter who made a very poor impression of an innocent, blameless Familiar. "You," her finger jabbed him in the shoulder, "need to stop sharing my thoughts with this one," she thumbed over her shoulder towards the dark King before whipping back around to glare at him. "And you need to stop worrying over me. I am fine...not to mention this town of Bone sounds quite ominous for my tastes."

Alexander laughed, shaking his head in wonder at his tiny little demi-goddess. He dropped the strap and ambled over towards her, catching her narrow waist between his hands and pulling her against him. He looked down at her, being more than a head taller, and smiled. The sight was something Lucy had still been getting used to after the weeks of his cold stares and angry eyes.

"Did you stop and think that perhaps we may be in need of a little comfort and not everything is some involved ploy to pamper you?"

His obsidian gaze flashed briefly to indicate Hunter who, in turn, nodded and smirked. "Oh, yeah, I am dying for a feather bed. Do not know how I have survived this long without one." His tone twisted in sarcasm, but good nature swirled within the yellow green depths of his iris'.

Lucy's scowl deepened. The fact they were working together was not a good sign. Something in her stomach twisted, warning her that this meant the path ahead was likely not going to be an easy one. Not at all.

<><><>

Lucy caught the scent of Bone before the town came into view over the horizon. The sun dipped steadily lower, kissing the earth for it's final descent into dusk, and she shifted uncomfortably in her travel-worn saddle. A rough mile away, pulling into view, she found it was a coastal sea-town with briny air and melded shades of gray skies. Beyond the rocky coast that crested with jagged points, like sharpened teeth, the shadow of impending night smoked from the sea's edge. Skeletal-like trees dotted the highs and lows of the shore without the faintest hint of green life clinging to the clawed branches. No, what adorned them was far more disturbing than a splay of leaves. Lucy squinted, trying to surmise the dangling spheres. Hunter's low warning to look away did not come soon enough.

She gasped in realization, her fingers achingly tight around Flicker's reins. They were human skulls, powder white with gaping eye sockets, swaying menacingly in the gentle breeze. They seemed to watch her, unseeing, accusing. A faint dizzy spell overwhelmed her head. She started tipping sideways, breathless, before a strong hand steadied her at the last second. Her gaze jerked up, meeting Alexander's smoldering eyes.

"It is alright, Luce," he murmured gently, but did not release her until she had caught her breath again and gave a tight, little nod. Lucy tugged at her cloak hood, wishing she could disappear into it altogether.