before going inside.
Aston looked up again, his eyes glancing at the sign. The triangular board depicted the silhouette of a knight on a horse, a plume rising from his helmet: Knight’s Inn. It was fitting, he thought. He handed Sterling and Edward over to the inn’s stable hand and followed Jade inside. He was surprised he didn’t find her in the main room.
Aston walked to the desk at the front of the inn, clearing his throat to get the innkeeper ’ s attention. When she looked up at him, she immediately stopped what she was doing and leaned forward, exposing a good amount of her chest for his eyes.
“I was wondering where the young woman who just walked in went,” Aston said, deciding to get right to the point.
The woman frowned and straightened, crossing her arms over her chest. “Upstairs, third room on the right,” she said, looking down at her desk.
Aston pulled his coin purse from his pocket and opened it. “How much for the room?” he asked.
The lady waved him off. “It’s been taken care of.”
Aston frowned as he put his purse away before heading up the stairs. He found the third one and knocked, not wanting to intrude on Jade.
“Come in,” she called.
Aston stepped inside and smiled. Jade was lyin g on the only bed in the room, her arms crossed behind her head, her legs taking up most of the rest. She pulled her legs together when he walked in and patted the empty side of the bed beside her.
Confused, Aston w alked over and sat beside Jade, glancing around the room. A tall wardrobe occupied one corner, and there was a single window overlooking the town with thread-bare brown curtains. Aside from that, the bed was the only other furniture in the room.
“Well, lay down. Get some sleep,” Jade ordered , interrupting his thoughts. She folded her arms back under her head and closed her eyes.
“This isn’t proper,” Aston said, uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and looked away from the princess, folding his hands in his lap and squirming.
“Well, I didn’t think to get two rooms. I thought it would be pointless. Besides, if you are going to be my protector, you need to be in the same room as me,” Jade stated , opening her eyes again and looking over at Aston.
Aston looked down at her and sighed, giving in and laying down beside her. “How did you pay for this room, anyway?” Aston asked.
Jade cringed . “I ‘borrowed’ some money from my parents when I left,” she answered.
Aston laughed and turned onto his side , facing the wall away from Jade. He felt Jade turn around as well. Aston didn’t intend to sleep. He didn’t want to fall asleep and not wake up in time to catch the Rogue. The knight didn’t want to have to go back to Fridel. By now, everyone would know what he had done, and the price on his head would be high.
He heard Jade’s slow breathing and knew she’d fallen asleep. He go t up slowly, careful not to jar the bed and wake her. He left the room , locking the door behind him, and went downstairs, going to the stable to grab their bags. When he reached the room again, Aston remembered the letter Richie had given him from King Aric. Curious, he dug the letter from the pack and went downstairs to read it.
Donn,
I appreciate the help you sent. Prince Talbot held everyone together when The Rogue Royal got away. You should know I don’t blame your knight or your son for what happened to Duke Aeron. If Aston and Talbot had not been there, we wouldn’t have found The Duke when we did, and my daughter might be dead as well. I want you to thank Talbot for staying with her while Aston went after t he Rogue. She is a fragile soul, so like her mother.
That said, I have news of her. My daughter has run away. I haven’t seen my s on in a month and now sh e is gone as well. I don’t know where I am failing as a fathe r , but I fear she was angry with me. I had arrang ed for Duke Aeron’s eldest son, Marquess Jacob, to marry h er, but my daughter is spirited .
If
Aston looked up again, his eyes glancing at the sign. The triangular board depicted the silhouette of a knight on a horse, a plume rising from his helmet: Knight’s Inn. It was fitting, he thought. He handed Sterling and Edward over to the inn’s stable hand and followed Jade inside. He was surprised he didn’t find her in the main room.
Aston walked to the desk at the front of the inn, clearing his throat to get the innkeeper ’ s attention. When she looked up at him, she immediately stopped what she was doing and leaned forward, exposing a good amount of her chest for his eyes.
“I was wondering where the young woman who just walked in went,” Aston said, deciding to get right to the point.
The woman frowned and straightened, crossing her arms over her chest. “Upstairs, third room on the right,” she said, looking down at her desk.
Aston pulled his coin purse from his pocket and opened it. “How much for the room?” he asked.
The lady waved him off. “It’s been taken care of.”
Aston frowned as he put his purse away before heading up the stairs. He found the third one and knocked, not wanting to intrude on Jade.
“Come in,” she called.
Aston stepped inside and smiled. Jade was lyin g on the only bed in the room, her arms crossed behind her head, her legs taking up most of the rest. She pulled her legs together when he walked in and patted the empty side of the bed beside her.
Confused, Aston w alked over and sat beside Jade, glancing around the room. A tall wardrobe occupied one corner, and there was a single window overlooking the town with thread-bare brown curtains. Aside from that, the bed was the only other furniture in the room.
“Well, lay down. Get some sleep,” Jade ordered , interrupting his thoughts. She folded her arms back under her head and closed her eyes.
“This isn’t proper,” Aston said, uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and looked away from the princess, folding his hands in his lap and squirming.
“Well, I didn’t think to get two rooms. I thought it would be pointless. Besides, if you are going to be my protector, you need to be in the same room as me,” Jade stated , opening her eyes again and looking over at Aston.
Aston looked down at her and sighed, giving in and laying down beside her. “How did you pay for this room, anyway?” Aston asked.
Jade cringed . “I ‘borrowed’ some money from my parents when I left,” she answered.
Aston laughed and turned onto his side , facing the wall away from Jade. He felt Jade turn around as well. Aston didn’t intend to sleep. He didn’t want to fall asleep and not wake up in time to catch the Rogue. The knight didn’t want to have to go back to Fridel. By now, everyone would know what he had done, and the price on his head would be high.
He heard Jade’s slow breathing and knew she’d fallen asleep. He go t up slowly, careful not to jar the bed and wake her. He left the room , locking the door behind him, and went downstairs, going to the stable to grab their bags. When he reached the room again, Aston remembered the letter Richie had given him from King Aric. Curious, he dug the letter from the pack and went downstairs to read it.
Donn,
I appreciate the help you sent. Prince Talbot held everyone together when The Rogue Royal got away. You should know I don’t blame your knight or your son for what happened to Duke Aeron. If Aston and Talbot had not been there, we wouldn’t have found The Duke when we did, and my daughter might be dead as well. I want you to thank Talbot for staying with her while Aston went after t he Rogue. She is a fragile soul, so like her mother.
That said, I have news of her. My daughter has run away. I haven’t seen my s on in a month and now sh e is gone as well. I don’t know where I am failing as a fathe r , but I fear she was angry with me. I had arrang ed for Duke Aeron’s eldest son, Marquess Jacob, to marry h er, but my daughter is spirited .
If
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