As I flipped the note open, Rilen chuckled and walked around so he could read what Aiko had written.
My dearest Mistress Breaker,
It distresses me that I must ask again for your company, but it has become even more difficult to find someone willing to share their blood with me. I wish that it wasn’t so, but it is necessary. Your generosity has gone beyond the reasonable, and yet I find myself in need of you again.
At your convenience, as usual, my sweet Kimber.
And as always, I will understand your refusal.
A faithful servant,
Lord Knight Aiko
Rilen took the note and read it again to himself. “Until we fulfill this deal, we’re going to have to remind everyone—and I mean everyone—that they need tonotcall you Mistress Breaker.”
“It’s just a title of respect.”
“Then we’ll get them all to use Lady Stormbreaker. At least then, if someone calls you the Breaker, we can cover with that.” Rilen was quiet a moment. “I hate lying.”
“I do too,” I said. “But they’re such an unknown. We’re not really lying…we’re just not telling them the whole truth. If the king and queen are formidable fighters—and I’m not convinced the queen is—we’ll need their help with Niniane.”
“No, I understand. I understand deception,ilati.”
“I wish I didn’t.” I sighed, staring at the note.
“Do you hate doing this for him?” Rilen asked.
“No, I hate that he thinks I’m somehow put out by his request. It’s not that it’s really difficult. I just wish I could control the…” I blushed hard.
“Why?”
“Because I am in your bed. It’s bad enough there are three of you! I now come at his bite on my wrist.”
Rilen stared at the paper. “Does he always send notes like this?”
“Not always. Sometimes he’ll send a messenger with a flower. I’m curious about what he’ll do when we reach the city again. While we were there, he’d send me delicate chocolate and a fresh piece of vilaratu fruit. It was a delicacy in the Stronghold.”
“Have you ever said no?”
“Notno, really. I’ve had to delay a day, which was a risk. But it was after one of our skirmishes on the way to the Stronghold to rescue Dorian.”
“Are you going to delay now?”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll go to his room and be back in twenty minutes if you care to wait.”
He placed the paper down on the nightstand. “I’ll go with you.”
“Rilen—”
“No, I’ll go with you. There is no reason either of you has to feel like this is wrong. It is what it must be. You are half vampire, and no one can change that.”
Taking a deep breath, I nodded. “If you wish. But I will be back shortly.”
He held out his hand for me. His way of saying he wasn’t staying and that he didn’t disapprove of this.
I tapped on Aiko’s door, and a moment later, he swung the door open. “Mistress, I didn’t…” He stopped. “Oh. Master Rilen.”
“May we come in?” I asked.
