“Yes, Hotel Head.”
The man said nothing more as they climbed the final flight of stairs to the fourth floor, then made it to Reginald’s rooms at the far end. The other two Giants were there and nodded to Adrian, hustling them all inside, then backing out with bows of fealty as Dusk was laid on a pearl-grey fainting couch in Reginald’s apartments. Layla had a feeling who the Giants would go to bat for if it ever came to a conflict over Adrian leading this Hotel.
But she had no time to think about it as Dusk stirred. He didn’t linger on the chaise but rose, going to the crystal sphere. Setting his hands to it, Dusk shivered all the crystal away except for the patches that kept the Head Courtier from bleeding out, and then Adrian moved over, helping lift Reginald to the bed. As they tucked Reginald in, Layla found silk sleep-pants in the closet for Adrian and Dusk. They received them with sightly bemused glances, as if their nakedness hadn’t bothered them, but they donned them.
Leaning over the bed, Dusk pressed up Reginald’s eyelids with his thumbs, inspecting the Siren’s bloodshot eyes. Layla and Adrian hovered as Dusk pressed his fingers to Reginald’s neck, timing the beats as he watched the maritime grandfather clock in the living area.
“Is he healing?” Layla asked.
“He’s in bad condition, but yes, his wounds are already healing.” Dusk glanced her way. “He doesn’t need my help; it’ll be nothing but scars in a day or so, and nothing at all after a week. Rikyava will be the same, fortunately, with a little help from Rake to control her pain and speed things up.”
Dusk and Adrian shared a look and Layla understood it. That bite Bastien had given Rikyava had been bad. It hadn’t been quite as accurate as Hunter’s bite that killed King Arini, but it might have severed her spine or worse had Adrian not gotten his fire down Bastien’s throat and forced him to let Rikyava go.
Layla watched Dusk place a palm on Reginald’s chest, closing his eyes and lifting his chin. She felt a low rumble pass through the room, the same kind Dusk used to heal, though this was more subtle. As Layla watched, a bold presence swaddled in tiger-striped taffeta suddenly whisked into the room. The Madame closed the door quickly behind her, and stepping up beside Layla, she watched Dusk with Reginald, worry in her golden tigress eyes.
“How is he?” The Madame arched her Elizabeth Taylor eyebrows at Dusk.
“He’ll sleep a while,” Dusk pronounced, rising from the Head Courtier’s bedside. “I don’t sense any significant danger. He’s just exhausted.”
“Small victories, I suppose.” The Madame gave a flick of her fan as she stepped to the living area near the leviathan-carved fireplace. Her brows knit as she swept to a seat at a high-backed chair in the living area. Her golden eyes were grim as everyone took seats.
“Well. We have the worst kind of problem on our hands, my dears. The Board is calling for your head, Adrian.” The Madame’s gaze was level, giving it to him straight. “They don’t just want your resignation as Hotel Head for the antics unleashed upon our fair establishment today. They’ve already ousted you from Ownership and they’re calling for retribution under the Old Laws. They want a patsy for everything that’s happened in the past months, Adrian, and you are the most convenient target, dear boy. I’m so sorry. They’ve invoked theRisorgimento, the reorganization of this Hotel branch. A vote is already in progress among the members of the Owner’s inner circle… to see if the destruction here merits thePunizione Completa.”
“Thecomplete punishment?” Layla growled. “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”
“Because it’s a death penalty.” Dusk spoke softly, sharing a look with Adrian. Adrian had gone ashen, his hand at his mouth, his fingers brushing his lips. “They’re literally calling for Adrian’s head, by the oldest Hotel laws.”
“Well, they can’t have it!” Layla growled, incensed as a weak flare of heat simmered up around her, though her Dragon was exhausted. “What about the Intercessoria?”
“They don’t get involved when the oldest Hotel laws are enacted,” the Madame fretted with her fan, watching Adrian. “The Hotel pre-dates the Intercessoria, my darling. Adrian must leave the Hotel at once, before the vote ends – go into hiding for the time being. Dusk, Rikyava, and I may be able to smooth out Reginald’s attack with the Board, earn him only a suspension, but—”
“Someone has to take the fall.” Adrian glanced up, a hard decision in his eyes.
“No.” Layla breathed, her hand reaching out and touching Adrian’s. He twined their fingers together, his gaze infinitely sad as he held Layla’s hand.
“I have to go,” he spoke softly. “Bastien had a number of allies on the Board, especially in the Crimson Circle, their innermost elite. I don’t have any friends there, Layla. If the vote goes badly…”
“They’ll hunt you.” Dusk breathed. “No matter how far you run.”
“The Intercessoria might protect me,” Adrian shared a glance with Dusk. “I’m still one of the top witnesses in their investigation on Hunter.”
“Small potatoes,” Dusk breathed back, something scared in his gaze now, “when we’re up against the entire Hotel Board, including the Crimson Circle.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” With a decisive glint in his eyes, Adrian rose. Command roared from him suddenly, even though Layla could still feel how tired he was. As if this was all part of the game Adrian played, he suddenly adjusted, approaching this new development against his life with cunning intensity and an utter lack of fear. Turning to Dusk, he set his jaw, a searing every-color light flashing through his eyes. “Dusk. Is your portal through the Thin Ways still active?”
“Yes. I never shut it down.” Dusk’s gaze was knowing as a secret passed between them, something Layla wasn’t party to.
“Leave Layla here with Reginald, keep the Giants on the doors for a little while.” Adrian spoke brusquely, though he raked a hand through his hair again, his gaze determined. “Until you’re certain no one will be seeking retribution from Reginald’s flesh, or Layla’s. I’ll rendezvous with you when I’m done running. Maybe a few weeks.”
“Be careful, Adrian.” Dusk spoke softly.
But Adrian was already sweeping forward, gathering Layla up and pulling her into a hard embrace. Tears shone in his bright aqua eyes as he wrapped her in his arms and in the exhausted magic of his coils. And she felt it in him then – how much he loved her. As they held each other, for what Layla knew could quite possibly be the last time if the Board got their way, Adrian pulled back from their embrace, cupping her face tenderly in his hands. As he smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks, Layla watched his tears fall – as her own tears slipped down her cheeks.
“Wait for me.” He breathed. “I’ll come for you soon… I swear it.”
“I will.” Layla hitched a breath, trying not to sob. “I will.”
With that, Adrian Rhakvir kissed her; hard. Layla kissed him back, feeling their Dragons swirl together for one final embrace; coiling tight, never wanting to let the other go. She felt the cord of their Bind brighten between them, so impossibly bright, burning like the sun in the cosmos. And when he finally released her, it was with a will – hauling himself back from their Bind with a desolate look like it was ripping out his heart.
It ripped out Layla’s also.
Stepping backward, Adrian made it to the doors, though his hand spasmed up to his heart as if it hurt, pain in his gold-aqua eyes. Reaching out, he ripped a midnight blue peacoat of Reginald’s down from a coat-rack and slung it on. His body was already wavering with a tired mirage of light and wind, turning him into a hunch-backed old man with a balding head and doughy, deep-set grey eyes, a man Layla had never seen before.
And in a quick moment, he was out the door.
Gone.
