Valentine spreads his hands. “Mr. Delaney has already taken care of it, Ms. Larkspur. Now, if you don’t mind changing, I’ll have the dresses tailored and brought to the address of your choosing by the end of the week.”
* * *
I meetSeven back at his place that night. His face lights up when he sees me. It’s easier now that my parents and Arden know about our relationship, and I happily throw myself into his arms.
“Thank you for the dress,” I whisper.
I feel him smile against the side of my neck. “I can’t wait to see you in it.”
Luck coils around me, and I inhale sharply at the pulse that sizzles in my blood. But I shake my head and push him away. “Uh-uh. If we start this, we’ll be distracted for the rest of the night.”
He looks at me through his lashes, his tongue grazing his bottom lip. “Sounds good to me.”
I place a hand on the center of his chest. “First tell me how it went with your father.”
With a groan, he turns from me and mumbles something about needing a drink. He pours himself one at the bar, then holds up an empty glass in lieu of asking me what I’d like.
“Vodka and tonic.”
He fixes me the drink and hands it over.
“Did you get him to talk?”
“The problem wasn’t getting him to talk.” Seven sips his bourbon. “The problem was that what he said made no sense, and when he said it, he was entirely naked and writing on the walls in his own blood.”
I scowl. “I had a similar experience. So he didn’t tell you anything about Rayrcore or where the malivite mine is?”
“He told me that it was my holy duty to bulldoze the wall and free the unseelie.”
I squint at him. “What now?”
“Exactly what he said. ‘Walls. There are too many walls, Seven. Too many rules. Tear it all down. Let the strongest survive. We are the strongest.’” He does an uncanny imitation of his father’s voice, and I shiver at the accuracy.
Blinking away my confusion, I ask, “And this has what to do with Rayrcore?”
He snorts. “Absolutely nothing. I learned nothing about the mine or the malivite. I recorded our interaction if you’d like to watch it. There’s an especially poignant moment where he takes a piss in the corner of his cell while he’s talking to me.”
“Eww. No, thanks. I trust your assessment.”
He takes another long drink. “How’d it go with River?”
I straighten, feeling all the blood drain from my face. “There’s something I have to tell you. Only maybe I shouldn’t. It isn’t really my story to tell. But it does relate to this and to you and I did find out here, while you were in with your doctor.”
He sits down in the chair across from me and runs his fingers through his hair. “I give you full immunity. I will not shoot the messenger.”
“It’s not that… It’s just…”
Seven arches one brow at me. This is important. Sorry Eva, I need his help if we’re going to save River and that means he needs to know now. “Your sister was the third,” I blurt.
His eyes narrow to slits. “Third what?”
“Eva was the one with River the morning of the murder. She’s the one who made the bargain and why River couldn’t say her name. She’s broken the bargain now and is prepared to tell Godmother the truth to free him.”
Seven’s eyes widen. He crosses an ankle over one knee. “My sister is having an affair with two satyrs?”
I nod slowly. “River and Patrick. More than an affair, I think. I met with Eva and River today, and they seemed happy. I believe they have genuine feelings for each other.”
Seven’s lips press together. “I’m not sure what to think about that.”
