Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

They didn't splurge on their room at the inn they stayed at the first night. Instead, they ended up at an apartment that was already fully furnished...and there was a reason for that.

"It was mine and...Amory's," he explained hesitantly when she looked at him funny after he pulled the keys from his pocket. "I kept it because I knew we would be coming back and even after I left for Escarral for you."

"Won't it be suspicious if someone other than Gideon is living here?"

"No, this place was...a sort of hideaway. I had quarters at the palace but needed something else. I used a fake name for the lease, so it won't come back to me."

"And that fake name, just in case?"

Gideon grinned. "Vandor. You weren't the only one who wanted a secret identity."

There was a good-sized kitchen with beautiful white cabinets and black stone countertops, cozy living room with a big plushy sofa and plenty of books in the wall of shelves, and two rooms with their own bathing rooms. Gideon obviously took his own and Lyv Amory's.

It was just like his room back at the cottage – only the necessary furniture. The sheets on the bed looked freshly washed, furniture wiped clean of dust, floors mopped, and his things tucked away in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe.

"When I knew we were coming here, I had someone come clean and stock the kitchen," Gideon said from the doorway. He was looking around as she opened the wardrobe doors to find a few pieces of clothing still hanging off to the side and two pairs of boots sitting at the bottom.

"You kept his things."

"I kept them for you, just like the ones in the cottage. And there was something else locked up in the safe in the hall closet," he told her. "Just...let me know when you want me to show you how to get into it."

"What is it?"

His eyes dropped to her hands as she unconsciously twisted the ring on her finger.

She knew exactly what it was then.

"Just let me know when."

It didn't take them long to get settled, not with what little they had. Lyv hung her clothes in the wardrobe next to Amory's, setting her boots and flats beside his, and set up a small area on the desk with her healing supplies next to his ink pens and parchment. And the note from him...she put that in the drawer of the small bedside table, close enough for her to get whenever she needed it.

***

Their first week in Ayveri, Lyv tried not to marvel at everything, but she knew she would never get used to it. With their money from Escarral exchanged for that of Dalcaine's, they were free to do whatever. There was no questioning how two Fae siblings from Waiter had gotten so much Escarrali coinage. Or how they knew where to go to do so. Gideon had done all the talking with the trader and was grinning when he turned back to take the money bag from Lyv.

Lyv was quickly becoming used to the layout of city, especially when Gideon took her out every day to explore the streets and shops, telling her every story he could remember. He even took her to the pixie gardens, which was where all of the pixies in the city lived when they were flying around. The garden itself was breathtaking with all the trees and flowers and blooming bushes. But hidden within the foliage were tiny houses for them. They peered out and smiled at her as they went by. Lyv was in awe at them all, so distinct from where they were from. Gideon had told her about their colorings long ago. Those like Jett who were from Waiter all had white hair, those from Asturia had shades of blue and silver, those from Eld had reds, oranges, and yellows, and those from Aarden greens and purples.