“And I love you, Sephania. I am glad to be within the walls of the living once more.”
With a cringe, I add, “Try to convince Keffa not to go too hard on me, eh? That woman scares me worse than Lord fucking Ashfen.”
I meet with Lord fucking Ashfen a few minutes after leaving my mother’s chamber. He finds me in the hall, saying, “I must tell you something, little temptress.”
There’s no anger or inflection to his tone. This could be the best news ever or the most harrowing tragedy possible, and I’d never know by the expression on his sinfully attractive face.
We walk down the hall at a leisurely pace, yet he doesn’t talk. I finally start to realize he’s struggling to say what’s on his mind. A knot has formed between his brow—the only sign of his consternation and hesitance.
Since he’s being like this, I fill the gaping void. “So Vallan did not betray us after all?”
“It appears not. He operated under the shadows for months, meeting his master when called upon. Suffering great . . . personal injuries, it appears. All while brooding in the background, in silence.”
“Brooding?” I flash a quick smile, lifting my eyebrows. “Sounds like another nobleblood I know.”
Skar ignores my barb, flipping lustrous auburn hair off his shoulder. “He managed to turn the remaining Five Ministries against Barnabac Craxon, which led to the overlord’s bloody death. Quite a feat, I must say.” With an inward snort, he adds, “And here I thought our curious giant was an oaf. Turns out he might be the most cunning of us all.”
“Does that pain you, love?”
“On the contrary, little temptress. We need all the help we can get if we’re going to finish off the other three Ministers. Let’s see if Vallan is up to the task of providing us with more brilliance when the next threat comes.”
I realize Skartovius has led me to his study downstairs. His personal library. In the room, he takes a seat at his well-worn oak desk and pulls out the leather-bound journal he wrote for Lukain, to explain everything regarding their lamentable history.To think, two of my mates are half-brothers. That might complicate things a bit.I briefly recall my torrid session with Skar, Vall, and Garrowaytogether, and wonder if such athing would ever be possible with Lukain included.Time will tell, I guess.
Skar taps the dark cover of his journal. He struggles, again, to say something. “Speaking of brooding . . .”
When he trails off, I sit on the edge of the desk, crossing my arms, staring into his beautiful face. “What is it, Skar?”
He raises his head, throwing me a quick, faux smile. “I take it your evening with Lukain went as you had hoped.”
Heat swims inside me and I fall into a shy stance, glancing away from his piercing gold-red eyes. “You could say that.”
“That is good. Because I must tell you something about this . . . history.”
My gaze returns to him, brow furrowing.
“It is not entirely accurate.” With a sigh, Skartovius sits back. He crosses his arm, peering down at the tome like it’s an enemy of his that must be destroyed.
My heartbeat starts to thrum in my throat.
Skar says, “Don’t get too excited, love,” and sometimes I hate that he can do that—can tell when I’m worried, or aroused, or angry, based on the rhythm of my pulse alone.
“What are you trying to say?” I eke out, trying to remember every single word he wrote in that small book.
“You recall Lukain’s father?”
I nod. “Heskel Angul, last of the Silverknights. Well, the last one until Rirth showed up.”
Another smile. More hesitance. “Indeed. I . . . may have stretched the truth when I went to kill him.”
Lines fill my forehead as I slant my head. “How so?”
Skartovius lifts his gaze to mine, his blank expression unnerving in how difficult it is to penetrate. “Silverknight Heskel was not planning a revolt against his lover, Alacine. Our mother.”
My lips part. The thrum in my throat becomes a swiftly beating drum. “. . . Excuse me?”
“He was simply a tired old man, unconcerned with being turned into a vampire. I killed him anyway, to hurt my mother for what she did to me.”
“B-But—” I cut myself off, shaking my head. My hand goes to my temple as my world swims and everything goes dizzy. “No, you said he wanted to kill AlacineandLukain, which was why you slayed him. Not out of brooding vengeance, but out of duty! That Heskel wanted to voice his uprising anew, even as an old man, to become a martyr for his people.”
