Ariadne shook her head, attention split between the two men before her and the open doors where anyone could walk in on them. “He is your—”
“He is cruel.” The words left Nikolai so fast, even he appeared shocked by them. He snapped his mouth shut. For a long moment, he studied her before whispering, “I could never stand by and watch as anyone tried to…”
“Nikolai…”
“He was my best friend,” he continued, gazing back down at the unconscious Loren. “But he is not who he once was. And you…” His voice trailed away for a moment as he collected his thoughts. “I know who he has become, and you and the people of Valenul mean more to me than a stolen throne. It is why I came back after Algorath.”
Her breathing finally regulated, Ariadne reached behind her to hook her elbow over the armrest and haul herself up. Still, her legs shook as she righted her skirts, the bodice of her gown hanging uncomfortably loose. “You came back for a stolen throne?”
“I came back,” Nikolai explained, “to stop him before he could do something terrible.”
At that, Ariadne eyed the sword at his hip. “Then kill him.”
Nikolai’s face twisted in pain. “You know as well as I that it is not so simple.”
Because killing a King in cold blood without the support of an entire army meant suffering the very permanent consequences. Someone else would rise to the vacant throne in his place. The new General, perhaps, or even Lord Damen Gard, who would be, quite possibly, even more vengeful with both his sons dead. She and Nikolai would not live to see the dawn.
“Come with me,” Ariadne urged, pushing back against the chair to rise up on her feet. “You can escape with us.Helpus. Helpme.”
For a long moment, Nikolai stared back at her, face pale. Likely the only reason no one else had come to assist their King was due to the Sword’s presence and the quiet that haddescended after her struggle with Loren. If he was seen with a bloody dagger in his hand, very accurate assumptions would begin to crop up, and he would be found a traitor just like her. He had no other choice.
“Us?” Nikolai finally whispered. “Us? You meandhemons?”
Her heart sank.
Between them, Loren groaned, but still did not move. They stilled, watching and waiting for him to open his eyes. Only when they were certain he was not yet healed enough to come to did they refocus on one another.
“You helped us before,” Ariadne pressed. “We could use your insight.”
“And by that,” he said, a crease forming between his brows, “you mean you can use my knowledge of Loren’s plans.”
“Well…yes.”
He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he shifted his attention back to the prone figure on the floor. “He is still my best friend. I will find another way.”
Ariadne shook her head again, the bruise on her face throbbing from the motion. “Friends do not treat each other like shields to protect themselves.”
As though on cue, two sets of rapid footsteps had Ariadne holding her breath. Ribs aching from where she was kicked, she looked again at the bloody dagger and stretched out her hand. “Give it to me.”
Nikolai shifted the weapon out of her reach. A hardness returned to his gaze—resolve to remain in his position, no doubt—and it was his turn to shake his head at her. “You will kill him. I still have to keep him safe.”
The unspokenfor nowhung heavy in the air between them.
“If someone finds you with it,” Ariadne hissed, taking a step forward, “you will not be alive to protect him at all.”
Yanking a kerchief from his pocket, Nikolai wiped down the hilt before shoving the blade back into place at his hip. The cloth appeared and vanished within seconds as though he had more than enough practice of wiping down weapons to keep himself safe.
The footsteps grew louder as they hurried in the drawing room’s direction. Ariadne’s chance to escape was dwindling fast, and something told her that Nikolai would continue to play his role as a good little guard dog for as long as he needed. So long as he was there, she would not be able to get to Loren…or to escape him.
Rather than argue with a soldier determined to uphold his duties to a King whom even he claimed to be cruel, Ariadne said nothing as she took a step towards the balcony doors. Then another. She needed to put distance between them and hope that maybe, just maybe, he would let her go long enough that she could get her friends safely out of Laeton.
As though summoned by her thoughts, Revelie and Camilla slid through the door to the drawing room. The former had fire in her eyes as she took in the scene before her. The latter’s face had swollen to the point of closing one of her eyes entirely.
“We need to go, Ari,” Revelie said, finding Camilla’s hand with her own and pulling her farther into the room, edging around the unconscious King and his Sword.
Ariadne’s heart stuttered, and she turned back to Nikolai. “Stay out of our way.”
“I cannot let you leave.” The mask of an obedient soldier returned, cutting off the fear and uncertainty that had slipped through the cracks of Nikolai’s façade. “Do not make me stop you.”
