My thoughts filled with Lucien. Of the way he’d kissed me so violently, so hungrily. Of the way I’d been too shocked, too overcome to kiss him back.
He wouldn’t pay for that, would he?
Those drones weren’t for him, were they?
I turned to face them again, a gush of nausea working through my system.
What if hewashurt?
What if they’d done something to him—
The drones suddenly shot upward and vanished over the wall, taking their lightshow with them. The sky seemed darker and domineering with them gone, an aura of cruelty clinging to the breeze.
I shuddered and stared at the faint stars above.
I couldn’t shed the feeling that something bad had happened to Lucien, even though common sense told me to calm the hell down.
Turning my back on the repressive night, I entered my pavilion’s courtyard and stood next to the quietly singing stream.
Ugh, who was I kidding?
I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep now.
I should go and check on him.
I could sneak into his palace, creep into his bedroom, and—
He’d kill me for thinking I was there to sleep with him.
Ugh, forget it.
My shoulders slouched as I shuffled to bed.
I’d only make things worse.
He’s fine.
I’m sure he’s fine.
If I repeated it enough, hopefully I would eventually believe it.
Chapter Forty-One
I SHOT AWAKE AS SOMETHING HEAVY AND huge sprang on top of me.
“Ahhh!” My scream cut through the darkness as twin predator eyes glowered from above. Slapping both hands over my mouth, I froze solid.
I could barely make out the panther’s sleek, midnight outline as he crouched over me, tail whipping, fangs bared.
I squeezed my eyes closed, preparing to die.
I didn’t know what for or why tonight, but Lucien had obviously commanded Whisper to end me.
Was it because of the kiss?
Wasn’t that his fault, not mine?
When death didn’t come, I balled my hands under my chin and whimpered, “If you’re going to do it, can you hurry up?”
