The elder son’s anger at his mother’s betrayal festered during those years in hiding. And while Alacine Mortis played the part of aggrieved wife to a murdered husband, and mother to a psychopathic, patricidal offspring, the elder son brooded and plotted . . .
Chapter 36
Sephania
The Firehold is in a tizzy as we rush down the hall. Or maybe it’s just me. My blood is pumping, heart beating erratically against my ribs. Skar continues down the corridor with Palacia draped in his arms, and I’m right behind him.
“Take her to Endolf,” Ant announces, bringing up the rear. “I don’t wantthisto be seen in the main chambers.”
Flaring my nostrils, I scowl over my shoulder. “Because she’s pale and looks like a vampire?”
His face softens. “Because people hereknowher, Sephania. I don’t want Grimsons and Grimdaughters seeing her like this. Not when I’ve worked so hard to make this place a pacifist enclave. It will only fill their hearts with the need for vengeance on whoever did this to her.”
His explanation gentles my expression, and I wince, feeling like an idiot. “Oh. Right. Sorry.”
Antones gives me a small smile. Clearly I’m not in my right mind at the moment, and he knows that. Ant isn’t one to hold grudges.
Cutting across halls away from the louder main chambers, we dip into Old Endolf’s hovel, where he and my mother are in quiet conversation. Endolf looks up from his table of beakers and vials when we arrive, eyebrows rising.
“Oh my, what’s this?” Jinneth asks, hurrying over.
Endolf hobbles to his table, grabbing the rest of the trinkets off the surface, and Skar lays Palacia flat once the alchemist clears the area.
“Friend of your daughter’s,” Skar explains. He begins to strip Pala’s shirt down the middle, which instinctively causes my hand to fly to his wrist.
“What in all that’s True are you doing?” I say.
He fixes me with a flat stare that makes me feel stupid again. “We need to see where her wounds are. Where she was bitten. Lukain didn’t give me any information—”
“Lukainis responsible for this?!”
He blinks, realizing his mistake in mentioning my old master’s name. “Responsible for her vampirism, I’m not sure. Responsible for pawning her off to me like a discarded dog? Yes.”
Antones sighs to himself, rubbing his forehead. “This evening gets stranger and stranger. Master Lukain, what have you gotten yourself mixed up in?”
“Too much to answer right now, Ant,” I say. “Too much.”
“It was a rhetorical question,” he drawls.
Despite Skartovius being a rough man, he’s also refined, and shows a surprising amount of gentleness in opening Palacia’s clothes. He doesn’t bare any immodest parts, making sure to keep her ragged trousers on just below her bony hips, while only parting her tunic enough to see what he needs.
Palacia is unconscious, seemingly in a coma, with her eyes darting beneath the lids. Her tawny hair is lank and sweaty against her scalp and shoulders. She has no idea what’s happening to her.
“The initial wound is clear,” Skar says, pointing to her neck where the ragged tear sits—a stark red line crusting over. “The bruises on her body show signs of abuse, possibly rape. See these shackle marks on her wrists? The handprints near her waist?These will vanish soon, once she turns completely, which is why I must be swift.”
My stomach flips. “Lukain would never . . .”
He takes my sentence when I trail off. “No, for all that I hate the fucker, I don’t suspect he would. Why would he save her after defiling her, and bring her to me? It makes no sense.”
My head aches. All of this is news to me. “I want afullreport of what Lukain told you in your little meeting on the Floorboards, Skar.”
“Once there’s time, you’ll have it,” he promises. There’s a deep frown on his face. I take him at his word.
Over the next few harrowing minutes, Skartovius studiously inspects my friend. She looks so frail and dainty in her state—even more than usual—like a wounded deer. Anger mingles with the fear and sadness cloying inside me. I want whoever did this to her tohurt.
If Lukain is responsible for saving her, I can only think of one person he could have rescued her from.My teeth grind together.Alacine Mortis will pay!
Finally, Skar lets out a heavy sigh and pulls back from the table. He sits on chair, rubbing his chin in thought.
