“I need you coherent for another moment,” Schedoni admonished him. “Push through the pain and focus. This is important. You were very sloppy with Hargrove. Should another incident occur too soon, I’m not sure all the money in the world can keep a reckoning at bay. People are already suspicious. Bribes will not be effective if this blows up.”
I backed up from the door slowly, wincing as I collided with one of the suits of armor. I glanced up at the protruding helmet and clenched my jaw as the visor shifted on the helmet, dipping to reveal a gaping, empty darkness within.
I cursed silently and ducked behind the suit of armor as the door to Montoni’s room was thrown open, flooding the passage with weak light. I tried to keep my breathing shallow as Schedoni lingered in the doorway, eyes narrowed as he peered into the corridor.
Something brushed against my hand, and I glanced down to find a spider crawling over it, pausing to stare at me with its large black eyes. And then I felt a subtle shift on my shoulder, and I saw another spider perched there, its hairy arms searching along my shirt.
I wanted to shriek and fling the spiders off me, but I didn’t dare move. Schedoni momentarily disappeared back into the bedchamber, but he didn’t close the door. I took the opportunity to fling the spider from my hand, but before I’d had a chance to dislodge the one on my shoulder, the monk returned, carrying a lantern. I held my breath as he stepped into the hallway.
I realized the implications of what I’d heard. Montoni had murdered Hargrove. I’d replaced a dead man. And I would very likely find myself following suit if I was discovered to have overheard secrets not meant for my ears.
Schedoni took another tentative step into the hallway, eyes searching the darkness as his lantern pressed it back. I felt more movement across my arm and stared in disbelief as several more spiders crawled along my arm, and then more, skittering down the side of the suit of armor I clung to for concealment. I lifted my eyes to see the mouth of the helmet erupting with furry bodies. In a moment, the entire suit was covered in a wriggling mass of spiders, many of them scampering over my skin in their determination to leave what was likely a nest I had inadvertently disturbed.
I squeezed my eyes shut and closed my mouth as spiders descended over my face, featherlight touches that made me want to run from my hiding place, ripping at my hair and clothing. But I remained still, trying very hard not to think about what was crawling all over my body.
In another moment, the light retreated from the hallway, and I squinted to find that Schedoni had moved into the hall beyond. I carefully extricated myself from the suit of armor I hid behind, still teeming with a mass of bodies, and slid behind a different knight’s armor. I took several deep breaths to calm myself as I felt spiders sliding down my pant legs, although I could tell from the pressure I felt along my body that several still clung to me in various places, including the back of my neck, where a furry leg teased at my shirt collar. I didn’t dare tempt fate any further by trying to rid myself of the spiders, for I feared the rustling of my clothes would alert Schedoni to my presence.
Finding nothing in the hallway beyond, Schedoni returned to the corridor where I cowered. The spider at my neck had determined that my shirt would make a warm, cozy place to hide, and I bit the inside of my cheek as I felt it squeeze inside, sliding along my flesh. Another probed at my ear and I found myself holding back a fresh scream as I wondered if spiders could slip into ears and lay eggs within.
Schedoni’s lantern lifted suddenly, and I held very still as he pressed it close to the suit of armor that seemed alive with spiders. The monk made a disgusted sound at the back of his throat, one that I agreed with, and scowled down at a cluster of spiders that had managed to find their way to his foot. Schedoni took a step back, looking them over briefly, before lowering his shoe onto them with a wet crunch. A yellow-green liquid oozed out from beneath his shoe as he lifted his foot to reveal the flattened fur matted with green puss. With a sneer, Schedoni wiped the remaining viscera from his shoe across a clean stretch of carpet and returned to Montoni’s bedroom, this time closing the door firmly behind him.
The moment the door closed, I stepped out from my hiding place and flung the weight of spiders from my body. I untucked my shirt and fanned the fabric at my back furiously until I felt the spider clinging to me drop to the floor. I batted at my head for good measure and continued to smooth out my clothing as I scurried from the corridor, leaving the nightmarish suit of armor behind and shuddering at the memory of furry legs traversing my skin.
I very much wanted to take a bath, or even roll around on the grass outside, but I’d already left Henri for longer than I’d intended and rushed down to the kitchen to fetch a new basin of water. When I returned to Henri’s side, he was sweating profusely and whimpering softly. I wasn’t sure if he was asleep, but I squeezed his hand gently and murmured to him as I wiped at his brow. I couldn’t bring myself to return to Montoni’s room after nearly being caught, and after what I’d overheard, I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to rifle through the count’s belongings with him in the room, even if he was incoherent. I could only hope for another opportunity.
The rest of the night passed rather tamely by comparison. I continued to administer the injections, and vowed to speak to Henri about what he was putting into his body. If he expected me to do this for him again, he was going to tell me exactly why I was doing it, or I would have no part in the affair henceforth.
Just before sunrise, Henri received his last injection. Exhausted from the sleepless night and constant worry, I allowed myself to fall onto Henri’s bed, relieved to have completed my role. I wanted to slip into unconsciousness and not awake for a week. When I closed my eyes, I saw spiders spilling out of Henri’s mouth, and I gasped at the vision. But Henri was fine. His breathing was even, he looked almost peaceful now that he’d fallen asleep. I closed my eyes again and hoped for dreamless slumber.
I awakened to sunlight flooding the room. I still felt exhausted, so I closed my eyes again, wishing for sleep to reclaim me. I felt warm and comfortable as I nestled into my pillow, although it wasn’t as soft as I was used to. My mind began to recollect the evening’s events, and I realized that I must still be in Henri’s room. That explained why the room had seemed so bright. My small room on the third floor didn’t even have a window. I should probably go to my own room, but maybe a little longer …
My eyes shot open as I heard a steady heartbeat beneath my ear. I blinked my sleep away and stared at the chest I was sleeping on, a powerful chest, covered in dark hair. Henri. I was sleeping on Henri’s chest. It was warm and … and his arm was around me, pressing me against him. I took a deep, shuddering breath because it felt really good. But I had to go.
I lifted my head carefully so as not to wake Henri, but I found that it was unnecessary. Henri’s eyes opened and a smile drifted lazily across his face. “Hello,” he said.
“Um, hi,” I returned, heart skipping a beat. I’d never woken up with another man before. Even if nothing had happened last night between us. I’d never felt a man’s arms around me like this either. It was … everything I’d imagined and more. I just wished the circumstances were different.
Henri pulled me back down and we faced each other. His eyes looked into mine, and I suddenly found it very hard to breathe. “Thank you for taking care of me last night.”
“Of course,” I said, sitting up again. I could feel my face turning red. I had to get out of there. My eyes darted past him, where I spied his sweat-soaked shirt crumpled in a ball. He must have slipped it off after I’d fallen asleep.
“No, no, no,” Henri protested, dragging me back down. He pulled me flush against him and curled into me, his arms holding me tightly, securely. I closed my eyes, basking in the feeling of warmth radiating through me.
I could have this every day if I wanted it, I realized. Waking up next to Henri, in his arms. He’d offered it to me, and right now, I wanted it more than anything. It felt so right. I relaxed back into him and let myself have this moment.
When I woke up next, I realized that the day had progressed significantly. The room wasn’t nearly as bright.
Something had awakened me, so I sat up to find Henri walking toward the bed with a breakfast tray. I blinked. “What’s this?”
“Breakfast,” Henri stated the obvious. I spied scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. “Mrs. Blake is used to us sleeping in on these days, so it’s breakfast for lunch.”
I stared as he set the tray down before me, my stomach choosing that very moment to announce how hungry I was. To cover up the sound, I cleared my throat. “Shouldn’t I be the one fetching us breakfast?”
Henri grinned. “I wanted to let you sleep a little longer. You needed the rest.” He procured two small plates, which he filled for each of us. We leaned back against his pillows as we ate, and I was surprised to find that the silence was comfortable between us. Nice, even. Did I like Henri’s company?
Henri sighed contentedly as he took a bite of toast, then stared down at his plate. “I know you’re upset with me. For Valancourt. It’s just that … I like you, Emile. I like you even more than I thought I could.”
“You can’t control me, Henri.”
