5

Sten sat back and patted his belly. “Nothing like hot stew and bread when you’ve been traveling all day.”

“I agree,” Cohen said, breaking off another piece of the brown bread.

Karl just nodded, his mouth full.

Taegis quietly sipped on the ale next to Damien. Every few seconds, Damien glanced up at the first door along the balcony and wondered what was taking Selene so long.

“How do you think she’s doing?” Taegis asked as he placed his tankard down.

“Doing?” Damien said, bringing his mind back to Taegis’s question.

“Lady Selene. Her whole life has changed in the last few days, yet she seems to be holding up rather well. Or at least that’s how she appears.”

Damien studied his empty bowl and tapped the wooden spoon against the side. “I’m not sure. Compared to most women I know, she is strong. I haven’t seen her cry once since we left.” But he could tell she was exhausted. Was it from the long days of travel or was there something more?

Taegis leaned in closer and spoke quietly. “I saw how you reacted when you bonded with Lady Selene. I take it you found out more than you bargained for.”

“You have no idea.” He tapped his bowl again. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to Selene about it, and even though he was privileged to the knowledge of her gift via their bond, his men were not. So even if he were to try to broach the subject, her house secrets would probably prevent him from saying anything to others, as it had prevented Selene’s father, Caiaphas. When they arrived at Northwind Castle, he would speak to her.

Damien paused his tapping and looked up at the balcony again. “Something’s wrong,” he muttered. He stood and turned to go to the counter to get Mildred to check on Selene, then realized how odd that would appear since she was his wife and there was no reason why he couldn’t do it.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked one more time at the balcony, then dropped his hand and started for the stairs. Taegis was already on his feet, following.

“You think something is wrong with Lady Selene?” Taegis asked as pairs of eyes turned in their direction.

“I’m not sure, but it’s been a while. She should have been out by now. And I feel—” He stopped at the foot of the stairs, on the other side of the wall and away from the looks around the inn. Was it danger? No. “I feel responsibility.”

Taegis nodded.

The two men headed up the stairs. At the top, Damien turned toward the first door and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again, his heart beating faster. Nothing.

“Selene,” he said, using her first name as he knocked for a third time. No answer.

He reached for the lever and pressed down on the metal handle. “Wait here,” he told Taegis, then entered.