“Here we are.” Violet stopped at the door and cracked it open for them. “The suite reserved for Miss Ives.”
“Thank you so much, Violet,” Camilla purred, hurrying Revelie and Ariadne inside.
“Will you be needing anything else?”
Ariadne smiled. “Actually. Would you mind going to the kitchens and getting Miss Ives a pot of ginger tea prepared?”
Biting her lip, Violet looked between them. Of whatever she saw in their faces, Ariadne hoped it was enough to convince the Rusan to disappear and not look back—to make herself busy soif questions were asked, she would not be at fault. After bobbing a quick curtsy, she disappeared as fast as her feet could carry her without running.
Only when they were certain they were alone did Ariadne signal for them to move. Camilla and Revelie tucked in close, watching her back as they made their way down the halls. But it was when Ariadne turned a corner without looking that she ran smack into someone on the other side.
Stifling a gasp of surprise, she fumbled for the person before they could land on the ground, causing more noise than necessary. Only when she refocused on who stood before her did Ariadne gape in horror.
Recognizable by her red hair and russet eyes, Kyra stared at her, face blanching. “Your Majesty.”
Ariadne pressed a finger to her own lips. “Kyra…”
“Do you need assistance—”
“No!” Ariadne breathed and looked behind them. “Kyra, please. Do not say anything to anyone.”
The Rusan woman turned her attention from Ariadne to Revelie to Camilla, worrying her lip as she took them all in. Without another word, Kyra nodded once, then hurried past.
The three of them watched her disappear around the corner, waiting and listening for any sign of the Rusan’s betrayal. When none came, Ariadne sent a silent update to Almandine, who responded with excitement. Then, without so much as a nod in confirmation, the friends moved as one towards the library.
Chapter 6
“It’s time.”
Brutis’s voice jolted Madan from his haze. After his encounter with Azriel, he’d fallen into a light sleep with his head on Whelan’s lap. As angry as he was at his brother for what he’d done—he’d done worse to Azriel in the past—his partner had been beside himself. If it hadn’t been for Phulan’s intervention, Madan wasn’t certain Whelan would’ve walked away without gravely injuring Azriel.
The excitement of it all had drained Madan so entirely that he wanted nothing more than to lie down and await Ariadne’s signal. When it came, however, he felt less than prepared despite the hours he’d spent previously setting up for any eventuality.
“What?” Even his thoughts sounded groggy.
Madan groaned as he sat up from Whelan, his mate fussing over him as he moved. Red eyes flickered to his throat, and he grimaced at what he saw there—a bruised replica of his brother’s hand, no doubt.
“Madan?” Ariadne’s distant voice almost went unnoticed until Whelan froze, his brows lowering in concentration as he, too, heard her through their bondhearts’ connections.
“I’m here.” Madan rubbed his eyes to clear the sleep from them.
“I am in the library.”
Oh, fuck. Brutis really meantnowwhen he said it was time.
Launching to his feet, Madan hurried back to the center of the camp where Phulan sat with Edira, Zeke, and Luce at the edge of the dying fire. Emillie, he guessed, had gone into the tent with the impending daylight quite literally on the horizon. The Noct would be needed to get Ariadne safely out of Laeton.
Edira pushed a mug of steaming tea into Madan’s hand. “The herbs will wake you up.”
After mumbling his thanks to the high fae, he turned to Phulan. “She’s in the library.”
“I cannot find the book.” Ariadne’s words were frantic as though she were actively searching for what Emillie had described. “Everything in here is different—the library is completely rearranged."
This wasn’t what he needed at that moment. She should have been able to follow Emillie’s precise directions to where the book should be shelved and get the ritual so Madan could relay it to those with him. Between Zeke and Luce, he had every reason to be confident they could make it work when applied to a full-blooded dhemon like Ehrun.
“Do I have your permission,” Edira said as he sipped the tea, “to listen in on your conversations? I may be able to help relay information to others while you help Ariadne.”
Madan nodded, distracted as he considered his next move. “Yes, of course.”
