Then she’d never have to tell anyone what he’d told her.
Because for two days, Nikolett had held tight to the information he’d revealed.
In the darkest hours of night as she lay awake beside Eric, she let herself admit that she knew who the Spaniard was. Who he had to be. The pieces were there—maybe not all of them but enough.
In the cold light of day, the idea always seemed ludicrous; she put it away.
Now, for the first time, they were going to have a meeting to discuss what had happened, and what to do next.
Nikolett let herself be selfish, leaning into him. “Eric, I’m tired.”
“You aren’t sleeping, are you?” He kissed the top of her head. “Sit this one out and rest. I’ll?—”
“I don’t mean I’m tired and need to sleep.” Though she did. “I mean I’m…I’m weary.”
She’d never felt like this before—truly and utterly defeated.
Maybe because she knew that her time with Eric was limited. Maybe because some part of her wondered if she should have gone with Gus, and in doing so protected Eric.
She was going to lose him anyway, and more than likely, this meeting was the beginning of that end.
They met in the Great Hall of Triskelion Castle, taking the winding route through the massive stone building from his apartment to the large hall. Instead of a small table, as there had been when they met here with Colum and she laid out all the reasons she and Columdidn’thave to marry, this time there was a large table.
Nikolett stopped short, shocked by what she saw.
Leadership from each of the nine territories were present at the meeting. Either an admiral, vice admiral, or security minister.
“Why are they here?” she whispered.
“Because we were attacked.”
“That’s why they should stay away. What if?—”
“I didn’t order this. Everyone showed up. Asked what they could do to help. What we needed.”
A swell of emotion made her throat tight. If she’d told someone what Gus said, maybe they wouldn’t have come. Maybe they wouldn’t be trapped on this island with her and Eric and Gus.
“Nikolett, breathe.”
“How did they even get here?”
“Ferry from Dublin. The archive security has been massively upgraded and we used it as a secure stopover.”
Nikolett looked at Eric, his face so beloved, and her heart started to break.
This was good; maybe it was better if it broke bit by bit, splitting along the crack he’d already made in it. It might hurt less if it happened slowly rather than all at once.
Concern etched his features as he studied her, but he tugged her into the room, pulling her to stand by the head of the table. By his chair.
Then Eric, in front of powerful, influential people from each of the nine territories, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Nikolett savored it, not caring if they had an audience. It might be the last time he kissed her.
When she finally opened her eyes, she stared into his beloved blue gaze then forced herself to look away and scanned the table. There were a few surprised faces, a few smiles, but most of them looked…relieved.
“Finally,” Antonio, admiral of Rome, grunted.
His sister, sitting beside him, snickered. Though she held no formal title in a territory, she’d been raised at the right hand of power, and Eric occasionally appointed her as his stand-in.
