‘Areallydodgy tummy,’ I say, grinning. ‘Sweats, cramps, vomiting, shakes. It won’t kill them, but it’ll sure as hell make them feel like they’re going to die.’
I’ve not mentioned the argument I heard her and Benny having, nor have I told a soul about Kyor and Elska. I sure am racking up secrets. But the poison doesn’t need to be a secret from Llin. In fact, it feels good to be able to share something with her. And so she comes with me to add the final ingredient, changing the concoction from a deep purple to colourless.
‘All this without magic and spell work.’ Llin sounds genuinely impressed by my skills and I can’t deny the bubble of pride that fills me.
‘I need to get down there now,’ I say excitedly as I pour the now colourless liquid into two glass vials. ‘Oke has a habit of getting up annoyingly early, and this’ll get less potent if I have to wait until later in the week to use it.’
‘Want me to hang around at the top of the stairs and make sure none of them are heading down?’ Llinos offers. ‘I can distract them if needed?’
‘If you’re sure?’ I ask as I pocket the vials. ‘I don’t want you to put yourself at risk.’
She snorts. ‘Wow, careful there, Rose. You’re sounding like your boyfriend.’
I offer her my most withering glare. ‘Not my boyfriend. Jonas is just an old friend.’
‘Who clearly wants to be more.’
I shake my head as I slip on my boots. ‘If we’re dissecting relationships, perhaps I should ask you more about the situation between you and Benny?’ I deflect, only to wince internally as the words slip out.
Llin’s posture stiffens as her eyes narrow. ‘What’s that supposed to mean? What’s he said to you?’
‘Nothing,’ I reply, already regretting the comment. ‘I just mean, I don’t even know how you two know each other.’
‘Yes, you do. We’re both from Brandish,’ she says flatly.
‘Right, but I always thought it was a big city. I certainly didn’t know all the other noble kids growing up here, and it’s not like Jonas knows all the nobles in Wrohelm that well either.’
Her fingers pinch the bridge of her nose and I know she’s weighing up what to tell me. ‘Benny and I are related,’ she says eventually. ‘Distantly through marriage. Not blood.’
‘Ahh, so now the bickering makes sense. You’re family.’ I grin, trying to make light of the matter.
‘We do not bicker,’ she argues, only to change her mind. ‘Okay, yes, we do. But don’t think I didn’t notice how you shifted the subject away from you and Lorathin just now. Please, whatever you’re going to do, do it soon. I can’t deal with another carriage ride filled with longing looks.’
‘There have been no longing looks, and we don’t have time for this conversation. I have to get down to the dining room. Now, are you helping me or not?’
‘I’ve got your back.’
I smile, confident she does.
Just as planned, I leave Llinos at the top of the stairs and head down alone. When I reach the dining hall, a couple of people are already there eating breakfast, including two of the knights and the wind weaver from Galreck. Despite my heart pounding so loudly that I’m sure they can hear it, none ofthem pay me any attention.
I work swiftly. I’ve already unstoppered the vials on the way down, and as I walk past, I pour a fair dose into each of the water jugs on the Rowell table, grateful they always choose to sit at the table right at the end of the room. I’d prefer to stir it in just to make sure it’s all mixed properly, but given how much I’ve put in there, it’ll only take a couple of sips for them to feel the effects – and fingers crossed, they’ll have a darn sight more than that.
Trying to control the grin that’s spreading across my cheeks, I’m barely halfway to my own table when footsteps echo behind me and a glass clinks. Shit. Someone’s already here, and the first thing they’ve done is pour themselves a drink. My heart ricochets as I realise how close I was to getting caught, but the fear dissolves almost instantly. Ididn’tget caught, and I know at least one of the Rowell lot is going to face a not insubstantial punishment for what they did to me.
As a smile rises on my lips, I can’t help but glance over my shoulder, only for my jaw to drop in surprise. It’s not Zara or any of her crew. It’s Kyor. And he’s already emptied what I assume was a whole fucking glass.
Ohshit.
I’m gaping, hands wringing, totally flustered.
He’s topless and glistening with sweat. Without me to slow them down this morning, I imagine he and Zelle have had a heavy workout. As tempting as it is to let my eyes linger on those abs or the concentric circle tattoos, they’re instead drawn to his lips, where moisture glistens, and then to the empty glass in his hand.
‘Is there a reason you’re staring, Thorn?’ he says, arching an eyebrow at me.
‘Nope,’ I manage.
He smirks. He thinks it’s his sexy body that has me gawping at him, and usually he’d be right, but today my stare is panic-filled. What if I did the infusion wrong? If that’s the case, I may well have just poisoned the heir to the throne!
