Lierick grinned and slapped his hands over Eugene’s ears. I winced. That would’ve hurt like a bitch. But just as suddenly, the Fourth Line magic that had been brewing in the clouds dispersed, and Eugene’s face went lax.
Freaky.
“Get him up into the woods, Lierick. We’re too exposed here,” Hayle murmured, and Eugene walked docilely into the treeline. The Second Line’s magic was also terrifying.
As we made it into the dense canopy of the forest that surrounded Eaglehoth, Lierick waved a hand. Eugene immediately sat, like a toddler listening to their teacher. There was some semblance of the man still in there; it was evident in the way his lip curled in disgust when I appeared.
“Whore,” he spat.
I waved a hand. “Good to see you too, Eugene. Hopefully for the last time, because you’re about to be food for the predators in these woods, and I don’t mean these three.” I gestured toward the guys.
Lierick squatted down in front of him, his voice soft, almost cajoling. “Eugene Rovan, what did you hear last night? You can tell me. It’ll be okay now.”
That was a fucking big fat lie, but I kept my mouth shut.
“I heard that the Second Line still lives, and the Baron of the Third Line has always known. I know you’re going to attack Ebrus.”
“Did you see the Second Line Heir?” Lierick asked softly, like he wasn’t the one using Second Line magic on him right now.
“No.”
“That’s good, Eugene. Very good.” He patted him on the head. “Did you tell anyone what you suspected?”
He was nodding eagerly. “I sent a missive to my Father, and to the Baron of the First Line. I am going to be rewarded handsomely for my loyalty. I know it. They’re coming to get me right now, so I can tell them what I heard personally.”
Fuck.This was bad.
Lierick looked at Hayle. “Go to your father. Tell him what’s happened. See if he can get word to both Master Proxius and my ships. We’re going to have to clear out Boellium.”
I blinked. “Clear it out? Can’t we just… convince Eugene he imagined it or something?”
Vox shook his head. “No, it won’t matter if Eugene pretends like he made it up for attention. My father will find a reason to make a point at Boellium, just to ensure we are all properly under his thumb. He’s suspected dissension at the war college for a lot longer than Lierick has been attending.”
Hayle kissed me roughly, then took off through the trees, with Alucius following but Braxus staying by my side.
Vox sighed as he stared down at the man before us. “You are the worst kind of person that our society produces: entitled, self-centered, and without empathy. I should do Ebrus a favor and put you down, but you’re also like a cockroach.” He stroked a hand down his face. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to give you a reprieve again, even though I desperately want to boil you inside that insipid skin, until your muscles cook and you’re screaming in pain. Because, for reasons I don’t understand,your father would miss you, and I’m not sure we could take the scrutiny just yet.” He looked at Lierick. “Could you alter his memories?”
“And maybe give him a personality adjustment while you’re in there,” I added, feeling a little lighter that Eugene wasn’t going to be murdered. He wouldn’t have felt the same relief if our roles were reversed, but that was why I was the person I was, and Eugene was a cunt.
Lierick shrugged. “I’m not sure he deserves your leniency, but I’ll do what I can.” He leaned closer. “And maybe I’ll make it hurt.”
Then he gripped Eugene’s face in his hands, and I watched Eugene’s expression go slack. No, not slack. It was like he’d gone blank. There was no Eugene at home behind the hazel eyes that had looked at me with such hatred since I’d arrived at Boellium.
I turned away, and Vox pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my hair and squeezing me tightly. “Such a soft heart, Ninth. Even though he was cruel, even though in multiple lives he’s tormented you and straight-up murdered Hayle, you still can’t watch him being hurt.” He kissed my lips. “You’re the humanity we all lack.”
I wanted to argue with his poor opinion of himself, but this wasn’t the right moment. “What do we do now?” I asked, and I felt Vox’s chest expand beneath my cheek as he sighed heavily. “What doyoudo now? Even if Eugene backtracks on what was written in his letter, there’ll be suspicion. What ifhecalls you home?” I gripped his shirt. “You can’t go home.”
He tilted my head back. “No, I can’t. Will you still love me if I’m an exile?”
My lips curled up. “I’ll love Vox, Heir in Exile, even more than Vox, Heir to the First Line.”
“What about Vox, lover of the Ninth Daughter of the Ninth Line?” he whispered. “The only title I want from now on.”
My mind went back to our conversation with Baron Zier yesterday, how Vox was the only good Vylan produced by that rotten family tree, the only person who could stand up and lead a Line that had been beaten into submission for far too long. I didn’t think being my lover would be his last role in life, but that was a problem for another day, a long time from now.
We’d all have to run.
A twig snapped, and Vox’s gaze flew to the side, but it was just Hayle, his father, Iker, and my brothers. “You were efficient, Taeme,” Vox teased softly.
