The Lion's Gambit (Book One) Fully Released

Chapter XVII - Consequences

Tara glanced at Grace and Kota before lifting her elbows off the counter. "What? Why do you need another exit?"

Kota moved further into the emporium as he glanced around the room. Putting his hands together with hers, he stared into her eyes. "It looks like my past has caught up to me. I have little time, so I will say I did not kill the king. I am chasing a woman named Cordelia, who can call upon lightning, and the same woman gave this curse to me in the first place while plotting to destroy the kingdoms."

"I remember you promising me not even a minute ago that you would bring nothing here, Grace. And, Kota, that clarifies nothing. That leaves more questions than answers," said Tara, moving her hands out of his before crossing her arms.

Confused, she stood there thinking of what he had said.

Kota walked over and grabbed Grace's hand, pulling her further into the emporium. They moved into the middle of the shop, away from the front door.

"He did not kill the king, as they will say he did," Grace explained to Tara. "I am the daughter of King Gerald of Damira, Princess Grace Winters, and this is my brother, Kota Winters. Please, is there another way out of here?"

Tara, still confused, watched as Grace turned around and tugged the back of her tunic, uncovering her right shoulder. She revealed the birthmark that all those in the Damirian royal family had. Tara moved closer, examining the mark meticulously before hearing footsteps on the wooden steps right outside her shop. She ushered Kota and Grace behind the front counter, and they knelt as low as they could get behind it. She held her finger to her lips to instruct them to stay quiet as she rounded the front counter. Tara then glanced around as she reached for the page from Grace's journal, and she placed her left hand on it as the door opened.

Kota ducked back under the counter as the bell on the door rang and several metallic footsteps echoed throughout the shop.

"Hello. You guys are some scary-looking customers! Welcome to our emporium, Wonders of the World. Are you looking for some mysterious trinkets from another land, or weapons, as you have a lot of them?"

Kota could see her hand stretched out over the top of the counter as if she was showing them the area. He looked at Grace as the footsteps got louder, moving toward the counter before they halted.

There was a slight pause before they heard a deep, masculine voice. "We are not here to shop at this... whatever it is. We are here looking for a group of fugitives that entered this town. I heard they were looking for something special and came here."

"It is an emporium. Fugitives? I wouldn't know anything about that. It has been a slow day here for me," answered Tara, keeping her calm while the footsteps started again as whoever was with the man moved further into the shop.

Grace took a silent, deep breath as she looked at Kota.

After a few more sounds of metal boots, the man added, "It would have been three women and a man. The man's name is Kota Winters, and he has a bandage over his left hand. If you could offer anything up, I would split the earnings somewhat. Might make this shop look a little better."

Kota and Grace did not move a muscle as they heard a piece of parchment being rolled out and placed on top of the counter. The man pointed at something on the parchment, tapping his finger against the counter. They could hear Tara moving a little closer to the parchment.

"What happened here?"

Grace pointed to Kota as a pair of boots came into view around the edge of the counter, and the man examined the dummy on top of the table. Kota nudged his sister back as far as he could, keeping her more behind cover and trying to stay out of sight.