“I wouldn’t dream of killing anyone.”
Ivenrail sent Vexxion a sly smile. “This is why I like you, son. You’re just like me.”
He wasn’t, though. I could see that already. See it with much clearer eyes now that I’d had time to think without letting emotions cloud my mind. He was a master at crafting conversation. He replied as he should, yet he gave away nothing.
He needed to give me lessons in this. I was too rash. Too impulsive. Too mouthy most of the time.
“Her father has warned me,” Ivenrail said. “He won’t tolerate anything happening to his remaining daughter.”
Vexxion’s gaze flicked to the door the others had left through. “Since when do you worry about warnings from your loyal high advisor?”
The star-cloaked man was Selitta and Delaine’s father? High Advisor. Another person who’d be eager to thrust a dagger through my heart.
“I trust no one,” Ivenrail said. “Not even you,loyalson.”
Vexxion flashed him a gruesome smile. “Wise, as always.”
Ivenrail huffed. “Don’t try to flatter me.”
“I can’t imagine bothering.” Only the flex of Vexxion’s jawline gave him away. That and the sharp glance he sent me.
Taking the cue, I made my body relax, made my fingers uncoil from the fists on my thighs. I placed my arms at my sides, allowing them to dangle. I directed my attention at the far wall, cringing when I spied a painting holding a sky full of tiny twitching dragons.
Will said they were trapped creatures who’d displeased someone, and the king made them suffer.
Ivenrail faced me, his smile turning slick.
“Leave us,” he snapped to Vexxion.
Without even a glance my way, Vexxion flitted from the room.
I held back my gulp. While I wasn’t sure I could trust him, I was confident he wouldn’t allow me to be fully drained if only because I’d be no use to him if I was. He needed me, and that should feed me reassurance.
Instead, my hands trembled against my sides.
Vexxion reappeared, sitting on the sofa in front of the game with his silver threads encasing his entire body. His gaze met mine, and I read confidence there. He wasn’t worried about this, though I wasn’t sure why.
I also read longing in his eyes, but I dismissed that. Even if I dared let it sink through my skin and glide across my heart, this wasn’t the time.
Vines erupted from the floor and lashed me into place, binding my arms to my sides and my legs to the chair. Others snapped around my neck, jerking my head back to smack it against the hard wooden back of the chair.
The king’s finger lazily rose, and he pressed it against the place on my forehead where Vexxion had marked me inside thecave. The mark had disappeared after the Claiming, but the king must still see it.
Ivenrail’s tight smile loosened, and a dreamy expression took over his face.
I girded myself, waiting for the pain of his draining to begin. While horror slashed through me at the thought, I was going to allow this to happen. Although, I didn’t have much choice, not now that I was pinned to a chair inside the king’s living area.
I also expected to feel power leaching from me, to see the level of my well drop.
Instead, I felt nothing. No pain. No sucking feeling. No writhing beasts ravaging around inside me, trying to steal everything that made up me.
The top of my well remained smooth, a golden glow of pure power.
Vexxion’s hands splayed out at his sides. Creases appeared on his face, and when he lifted his gaze to meet mine again, I found endless torture there.
That’s when I couldn’t suck in a breath past the pain stabbing through my chest.
He’d done this for a long time.
