Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Gideon."

"Lyv."

She shook her head. "Really, though. Please reign it in. You might be the captain of the guard, but guess what? The queen is a vindictive bitch who will tell you you're relieved of your duties by putting a sword through your stomach just as she did with the previous three."

"So far I've lasted twice as long as all of them. I think I'll take my chances."

"Gideon."

The male in front of her heard the hitch in her voice. She wasn't joking around like he was trying to. Gideon took a step forward, wrapping her in a hug before leaning back to look at her.

"What were you doing at that café anyway? The last I saw of you, you were playing with some of the children. I stepped away for a moment to get something to drink and the next..."

"It was nothing. The heat got to me."

Lyv didn't know why she tried lying to him anymore. He always knew when the memories would hit her like a tidal wave. Most of the time, he knew she had to work through it herself, but he was never far away if she needed him. He would keep watch over her, waiting for that hitch in her breathing to subside.

At first, she didn't know how to keep herself from drowning. He helped her even more then, keeping hold of her hands, his forehead pressed against hers, their gazes locked. And together they would breathe. Breathed until the world stopped spinning. Breathed until those flashes would rewind in her head and back to when she was happier.

It had been a little over a year since her mother had Amory executed in front of her. She should have been able to block those images in the throne room. She only wanted to keep the ones of him smiling and laughing, the way he would tug on her braided hair before pulling her close to kiss her.

"I thought they were getting less frequent," Gideon said to her quietly then.

"They were. Sometimes things just happen and I wish that he could be here to experience it with me."

Gideon's arms tightened around her. He didn't say anything.

The door leading into the front room of the tavern swung open as if someone kicked it. Gideon's glamour immediately slipped back into place as he let Lyv go, his hand going for his sword.

But it was Jules, the tavern owner and one of the few people who knew about everything, including who Gideon really was. She was carrying a crate of what looked like new bottles of ale.

"What in the world are you two doing back here?"

Gideon grinned at her as he took the crate from her. "Running away from responsibilities, just like always."

"Then I'll shove more on you," she told him, pointing toward the crate. "Put that in the back room with the others and then come up to the bar. I need you to fix that tap you broke again. You promised me last week you would."

"Responsibilities, Jules. I'm captain of the palace guard."

"And I'm surprised you're still alive with all that back talk to the queen."

Lyv gave him a satisfactory smile when he glanced at her. "See. Even Jules thinks it, too."

Gideon wanted to throw his hands up in defeat, but he was still holding the crate. He resorted to rolling his eyes. "You females. I give up. But you only get me for a half hour, Jules. Lyv's been called for an audience with her mother."