Free Born Of Fire And Darkness (Book 2) by India Drummond

keep us waiting all morning?” she asked.
    Korbin suppressed a smile. “Perhaps he wanted to allow time to rest and refresh ourselves.”
    “I don’t need rest.” Irritation bled through her voice. “We hurried on the road because I want to speak to him as soon as possible. If we meet this morning, perhaps we can begin our return journey at once.”
    “Perhaps,” Korbin said. “I suspect we will be expected to stay at least a short while as the emperor’s guests. It’s been a long journey. Aren’t you tired? I know I am.”
    “I’m needed in Vol,” she said, her tone irritated and insistent.
    “I know.” He wanted to touch her hand, but didn’t.
    Although he understood her impatience to see the emperor and return to her life in Vol, he was glad for the morning’s respite. His body ached after being cooped up for so many days and he longed to stretch and relax a while. After breakfast, he went for a walk in the city. Octavia declined to join him, which was no surprise. He suspected she was tiring of his presence and of constantly avoiding the unpleasant memories this journey forced her to face.
    Durjin was an immense city, four times the size of Vol, at least. More crowded, too, with houses towering four or five stories into the air. The roads wound and twisted, and the area was hillier than he’d expected. The more elevated a district’s position, the richer the inhabitants. The emperor’s palace sat atop the highest hill overlooking the city. The spires of some of its taller points could be seen over the walls that encompassed it, even from the merchant quarter of the city. Fashioned of brilliant white stones, it shone like a beacon in the morning sun.
    Around the palace, twisting roads with manor houses and expensive shops covered the hillside. About halfway up was the inn where Octavia and Korbin had spent the previous night. He was a minor Dul himself, so normally he would have been housed somewhere at the bottom of the hill, perhaps near the temple complex. But he was the guest of the emperor, so that meant he warranted a better place.
    Octavia had voiced both surprise and relief that they weren’t expected to stay at the palace. Even the inn that had been chosen for them was too rich for her taste. No doubt someone had spent some time evaluating the implications of every detail of the visit to be sure Korbin and Octavia were honored the right amount, but not too much. It was the kind of nonsense Korbin hated about the senate and being of noble birth in general. The longing to return to the simple life on Chelotti Strand nearly overwhelmed him again as he wandered the cobbled streets.
    In one shop window, a long sash caught his eye. He thought it would suit Octavia, her olive skin and lovely dark eyes. On impulse, he bought it. The shopkeeper offered to wrap it in a manner “the Dula would find pleasing” and deliver the purchase to Korbin’s inn, but Korbin declined and took the parcel with him.
    Lost in thought, Korbin kept walking, carrying his package and wondering if Octavia would like the gift or think him presumptuous. The road wound down toward the city, and he took one turn, then another, paying little mind to the direction he took. A half-hour later, he found himself down at the temple square. Eight spired buildings loomed overhead, and Korbin stood a moment, staring.
    He stepped back, then laughed at himself when he realized he was actually worried about running into his father. They hadn’t spoken in many months, not since he and Graiphen had met the emperor together, unmasking Seba as a dark conduit. Only then did Korbin realize he hoped he wouldn’t have to encounter his father on this journey, but avoiding him might not be possible.
    Octavia obviously felt the same way, and Korbin wasn’t convinced she was prepared to confront the man, either. Her evident fragility surprised him, considering that their time spent together before had revealed her to be fearless. Something had