He ignored her. “You did not answer my question.”
She held up the book she almost died for. “I found a few so far that might be promising.” His pounding footsteps echoed through the quiet library as he followed her to the back room. “We need people to help go through them.”
The torchlight reflected off of his armor when he crossed his arms. “No one can know.”
She snorted and tossed the book onto the table with the others. “It’s too late for that. Lenora told Cat and Bellina about her vision and the king needing to find a way to Erdikoa.” The commander’s permanent frown deepened. “They’re both smart. Cat loves history too, and we need to utilize them.”
“I will have them removed from their jobs,” he replied. “How many more books do you have to look through?”
Kit pointed to the massive catalog. “I’m not even a fourth of the way through, and I read most of the night and all of today.”
“Read faster.” Sam turned, and she briefly considered pelting him with a book.
“Send the others here as soon as possible,” she called after him.
He left without responding, and Kit decided she didn’t like the giant cockatoo.
Lenora,Bellina, and Cat burst into the library and called out for Kit.
She poked her head out of the back room. “In here.” Seeing Lenora enter with her friends didn’t surprise her.
The women meandered through the shelves, and when they piled into the room, Kit handed them each a book. “Look for anything pertaining to the barrier, breaking out of realms, the powers of theRoyalsor stronger beings, and anything else that sounds even vaguely related to breaking the king out of here.”
Lenora grabbed Kit’s hand. “Thank you for what you are doing for my daughter.”
“She isn’t just your daughter,” she replied. “She’s our friend.”
“Yeah,” Cat added. “She beat the shit out of Tallent for hurting Bellina. The least we can do is keep her from getting killed.”
Bellina stiffened, and Kit wanted to slap Cat for being insensitive. “She’s right,” Bellina clipped. “Let’s get started. The sooner we find something, the better.”
11
Sam knocked on Caius’bedroom door just before nightfall. He would leave for Erdikoa shortly, and irritation crawled up his arms at what he must do to enter the palace.
The door slid open, and Caius stepped aside. “I thought you’d be gone by now.”
Sam walked past him and looked around the room. Caius refused to let anyone move Rory’s things, and other than the bed and Caius’ clothes, nothing had been touched. “You need to let Gracie clean in here.”
The king ignored him and picked up a glass of amber liquor from the table beside his reading chair. “Why are you here?”
Gone was Sam’s playful friend, and in his place was a broken man whose heart was dying at his own hand.
“Other than seeing Gedeon and protecting Rory, is there anything else you need?” Sam asked dutifully.
Caius stared at his drink, tossed it back, and turned his glassy eyes to Sam. “Would you kill me if I asked you to?”
Sam’s indifferent facade cracked at the seriousness in Caius’ tone. “No,” he barked back and then lowered his voice to a slight yell. “You can undo this. Let me tell her the truth.”
Caius’ fist tightened on the glass as the room darkened with his anger, the shadows forming a living coffin around them. “No matter what I do, she is in danger.” He looked up. “But not if I’m dead. Gedeon wouldn’t need to find a way to torture me or covet what is mine if I’m gone.”
There were few things in existence that could shake the fearless Samyaza. The truth and conviction in his best friend’s words were one of them.
He stepped forward, towering over the king. “Do not ask that of me. You would hurt not only yourself but Rory, too. If she is regaining her memories, as you say, what do you think will happen to her mind when she finds out you forfeited your life?” The shadows closed in around Sam, and he kicked at them. “Calm down so we can discuss this rationally.”
Caius squeezed his eyes shut and massaged his temples. “I really fucked up.” The darkness receded slightly. “I would have fucked up no matter what I chose.”
Sam’s wings disappeared as he sat in one of the other chairs. “What I do not understand is that you were going to marry her.Youpursuedherwith marriage in mind. What changed?”
