“I’m going to need it.”
Doing exactly as I told her, I created a small ball of light to show me the path to return. Heading back to my room, I caught a glimpse of the lounge where Dorian and his brother were seated on two chairs and talking softly.
I watched their backs for a moment, not knowing how to feel about any of this.
“Niallan was my son.”
Now wasn’t the time. I needed sleep, and there was a wonderful, serviceable bed up three flights. Tearing myself away, I answered the siren’s call of my pillow.
Tomorrow, we would be back in the city.
As I headed down the hall back to my room, I saw Rilen walking away from my door. I cleared my throat, and he spun around.
“Ilati,” he whispered and turned back to me. “I was just coming to check on you.”
“I had to show the queen where the loo was,” I answered and pushed the door to my room open. He followed me in and closed the door behind us. “Rilen, do you think it’s okay to use some of the ideas and inventions from the Stronghold? Savion was mad, oppressive. But there were things there that were… useful. Logical. Things that helped everyone.”
“What are you thinking?” He sat on the chair in the corner.
“Well, their cold boxes. Refrigerators? They could keep the blood cold indefinitely. Could we keep other things that were perishable in them? Harvests would be amazing if we could have fruit and vegetables well into the early spring.”
“It sounds like an excellent idea,” Rilen said.
I frowned and turned back to the window.
He was behind me a moment later, wrapping his hands around my waist. “What bothers you about that?”
“It’s tainted by Savion.”
“Then let our scholars and scientists go at it and make it our own. We can’t get our hands on them right now anyway.”
I sighed and leaned against him. “I’m so glad to know that my father’s wife will continue his insanity in ruling over the vampires.”
A knock on the door startled me, but only because I’d been so on edge lately. Opening the door, one of the maids was standing there, holding out a piece of paper.
She looked a little frightened. “From the vampire.”
“Which one?” I snapped. “There are four of us.”
She pushed the sheet at me. “The Lord Aiko.”
I was about to grab it when Rilen reached around and took it out of her hand. “You have nothing to fear from the vampires.”
“Don’t we, though?” the maid whispered.
Rilen’s whole body stiffened behind me. “You’ve delivered the note. You’d best not show your face to me or Mistress Bre—Kimber again unless and until you are able to apologize for that remark.”
He slammed the door in her face.
“Rilen…”
“She was wrong.”
I put a hand on his arm. “I know she was. She knows she was. I appreciate that you’re trying to protect me, but I can handle it. It didn’t bother me that she was being childish. You must remember that most of S’Kir doesn’t remember the vampires were allies. Or at all. And right now, the only vampires we know as allies are Aiko and the king and queen—and they aren’t even from here.”
He took a deep breath and held out the note. “You’re right. I just get defensive around you. You’re such a good soul that I don’t want you corrupted.”
My lips quirked up in a smirk. “Corrupted, Rilen? I’m sleeping with three different men, sometimes at the same time. I’m plenty corrupt.”
