I stared at him, briefly stunned into silence.
Then, deliberately, I turned my gaze to the fire.
Alaric continued to stroke Wraith as he waited. In my peripheral vision, I saw Wraith stretch out her limbs, then her individual toes, yawning.
I felt my jaw clench slowly as I considered different ways to answer.
In the end, I didn’t like any of them, though.
“All right,” Alaric said, sighing in defeat when I still hadn’t moved. “But, just so you know, I’m worried about him, Leda. I really don’t think he’s okay.”
My jaw clenched as I leaned over to the table to set my teacup on the tray. I told myself to remain silent, to say nothing, but, like before, I seemed physically incapable of doing that.
“Why?” I asked. “What’s wrong with him?”
Alaric let out a rueful chuckle.
“Well, that’s certainly a question that can’t be answered in the next…” He pulled out a silver pocket watch with the hand not holding his glass and flipped it open. He peered down at the time. “…forty-seven minutes. But suffice it to say, I have reason to forgive some of Cal’s less-flattering quirks. He comes by it honestly. Most of it, at least.”
I managed to stay silent that time.
I took another long drink of Alaric’s bloodwine, maybe to make sure I did.
When I didn’t ask or say anything, Alaric exhaled another frustrated breath.
“Does it really not bother you that I am simplydyingof curiosity?” he asked. “Wouldn’t it make you feel better to end my agony? Not to mention, I’d let you spend as long as you wanted complaining about him at the top of your lungs, particularly if I knew the entire context. What if I promised I’d absolutely take your side in whatever it was?”
I forced a smile, but struggled to mean it.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about––” I began.
“Nonsense,” Alaric admonished. “What in Osiris happened between the two of you? Did he make a pass at you? Didyoumake a pass at him? Did you have the ill judgement to shag the imbecile while drunk? Is that where you both disappeared to, the night ofEleusínia Myst?ria?I wouldn’t blame you if you had, you know. He truly is obnoxiously beautiful. And I’ve suspected for quite some time that the depth of his ‘loathing’ likely concealed some kind of masochistic crush. We’ve all made poor decisions when––”
“No,” I said coldly. “Gods, no.Honestly,Alaric––”
A sharp buzzing sound from the front door cut me off.
Alaric and I both froze.
We looked at the door, as if pulled by the same string.
The Keep management and staff never used the buzzer. They always knocked.
My heart thudded in my chest. I told myself it was ridiculous, that there were any number of reasons someone might use the buzzer. Maybe I’d overdone it with the chimaera and we hadn’t heard them knock. Maybe they’d hired a new bellhop. Maybe one of the books I ordered got delivered to the wrong door.
Alaric and I both tended to be a little paranoid when it came to locking down the room. Neither of us had any illusions about what would happen if we got caught conducting our little investigation. While I had my doubts they’d kill Alaric outright, he was far more certain they would. He seemed to believe, even if his father stood on the other side of that door, his blood wouldn’t protect him. The Greythorne patriarch wouldn’t hesitate.
He’d told me, again and again, it was more religion than politics.
I uncurled myself from the couch and started to rise to my feet, but Alaric grabbed my wrist, stopping me. When I looked down at him, he shook his head, eyes wide.
I did my best to give him a reassuring look.
“Whoever it is, they already know I’m here,” I said, soft. “The chimaera’s still over the suite. It can’t be anyone looking at us with magic.”
Alaric didn’t look like he agreed.
“Alaric, I have to go. It will look stranger if I don’t.”
