Asshole, I wanted to reply, but I didn’t. I lifted my lips in aslick smile and allowed the blade I’d tucked up my sleeve to slide down into my palm.
Brenna’s guards stared forward, paying no attention to the interaction, but I wasn’t surprised about that. They were here to protect her, not me.
“Shall I tell future Queen Brenna what you think about one of her ladies-in-waiting?” I asked oh, so politely.
His nose twisted and his scowl deepened. “She’s also Nullen.”
Not really. “Why are you here for their wedding if you disapprove?”
“I’m here for the king, not her.”
“And I’m here because a fae lord placed a collar around my neck. Perhaps you’ve met him?” I shouldn’t bother with this horrible person, but I couldn’t resist. “Some call him the beast. I call him the controller.” And my vexing love.
Losing color in his face, his lungs wheezed. He fought to gag down a swallow. Without saying another word, he scurried around me and down the hall.
“Should I speak with him?” I called after him. Truly, I was so bad. “I’m sure he’d love to hear what you think about his collared Nullen.”
He joined with his friends as they rounded the landing and started down the stairs, all of them shooting wide-eyed looks my way.
Eh, they were barely worth my time.
To avoid another altercation like this, I should start flitting to theinsideof her suite instead of the hall.
Inching my blade back up my sleeve, I strode forward, andone of the guards swept open Brenna’s door for me to step inside. When it had been secured behind me, I lifted my skirt and slid the blade into the sheath I’d strapped to my thigh. There was always a chance I might need it even here, but Brenna would scowl and chide me if she saw it.
“There you are.” Reyla rose from one of the sofas and strode over to me. “Brenna just returned from dinner. She rushed to her room.” Her lips thinned. “She’s still upset about Delaine.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “We need to talk about what Kinart told me before he died.” Her voice dropped even further. “Remember, he said that I need to expose the secrets of the fae. I think I know what one of them is.”
My breath caught. “What did you discover?”
“Well—”
“Ladies?” Brenna called out. “I can hear you speaking in the sitting area. Why are you out there and not inside here helping me undress? Hurry.” She clapped her hands.
“Meet me in the aerie after we help Brenna,” I said softly. “There’s a shed full of carts to the right of the stable, and you can wait for me there.” We could find a quiet place to talk in that area.
Reyla nodded, and we hurried into Brenna’s room to help her undress.
After helpingBrenna put on a nightgown and settle her in a chair with a fire crackling in front of her and a glass of wine on a nearby table, she dismissed us, stating she’d put herself tobed, that she was finished with us for the day. Strain showed in tiny creases around her eyes. She’d sleep, but I doubted it would be restful. Would she have nightmares about Delaine or about her upcoming wedding?
Relya and I parted in the hall, me flitting to our suite to give her time to reach the aerie.
I’m sure you’ve had dinner, but do you want to sit with me when I eat?I asked Vexxion, though I didn’t hold out much hope he’d be able to join me. Most of the time, I ate my meals alone in our suite. He was expected to attend to the king, and even if he wasn’t, he needed to keep an eye on the high advisor. Killing him was our second priority.
I can join you later,he said.
Duty, right?
Always. I’d much rather be with you.Heavy emotion came through in his voice, and I wanted to sit on one of the sofas inside our suite with a fire toasting our feet. I’d ask him to surround us with his threads and we’d talk. Not about Delaine and collars and killing the king, but aboutus. Time was slipping away, and I felt like one day soon, something precious would be stolen. I didn’t like it. I had no skill in foretelling, but the feeling of doom persisted.
I’ll wait up for you,I said, not wanting to lay the burdens of my heart on his broad shoulders. He’d taken on enough of them already.
Please do. I’m still hungry,he growled.
For much more than food. My heart flipped over and my pulse sped up.I’ll wait for you naked.
With a smile, I flitted to the aerie shed, a safer destinationthan anywhere else inside the dragon area. Back at the fortress, the threat had been a dragon spiking me with its tail or biting bad enough to cause a wound that would ache for days. Other than raids and regular forays to protect the villages, we were relatively safe. Here, I felt like everyone would delight in killing me.
And it wouldn’t be a painless or brief death.
