My aunt thrust herself between us, holding out her arm with the soft underside facing the ceiling. “Then take mine.”
Leaning forward, the Liege delicately sniffed, nuzzling his nose against her exposed flesh. “Yes, sweet,” he purred, the sound reminding me of woodland sticks breaking beneath the paws of an enormous predator. “I accept your offer.”
“No,” I said. “Don’t let him touch you.” I flitted between them, holding up the bag. “Take these wretched things and do with them what you must. Go and don’t return. Leave us alone.”
The Liege’s head turned, and the crushing weight of hisgaze fell on me. “I will take only a taste of the elder. Of him. Of you. And what you collected for me.Thatwill fulfill my bargain with the high lord.”
“No more than a taste.” The shake in Aunt Vera’s voice rattled through the room.
“A deal?” Vexxion asked me and my aunt, and we nodded. He tightened his shoulders. “Me first.” He lifted his arm toward the Liege, shoving it into the folds, near the creature’s face.
A subtle slurping sound tore across my exposed skin, and my body prickled with cold dismay.
The Liege grappled with Vexxion’s arm, clutching it, leaning over it like a musician stroking a macabre tune from a broken instrument. His body swayed, and his growl clawed through the room.
Someone hummed, and the Liege paused, lifting his head to peer around with eyes we could not see.
“Enough.” Vexxion jerked his arm away from the Liege.
I stared at his limb, finding no wound.
The Liege smacked his teeth together with a husky clatter, his face remaining hidden within his robe.
“Me.” I shoved my hand into the darkness before I could cringe back and bargain to give him something, anything but this.
It didn’t hurt. I felt nothing as he slurped and snarled with excitement.
When my knees started shaking, I yanked my arm from his clutches. Again, no mark, though I felt . . .
Frowning, I circled inward, though I had no idea what I’d find.
Nothing. Nothing. I was unchanged. Was he?
“Here.” Aunt Vera held out her arm, and the Liege took it, drawing it inside his hood where his gaping maw hid. He undulated with joy as he took from my aunt.
When he released her arm, she staggered backward.
“You, lovely one,” he purred her way. “Will soon join us.”
“No,” she croaked. “Never.”
While we gaped at each other, the Liege drifted from the room with the bag of hearts in his hand.
Aunt Vera gasped and collapsed on the floor.
59
TEMPEST
We’d barely lifted my aunt up onto one of the sofas when a man I’d never seen before appeared in the parlor.
My growl ripped out. Before I could flit to him and thrust a blade against his throat, Zayde stepped between us.
“Don’t kill your emissary,” he said dryly, peering around me at my aunt who remained motionless. “Is she alright?”
“I don’t know,” I croaked, clutching my hands to my throat. “What did he do to her?”
Had the Liege killed my aunt? She was old. Weak. And dearly loved already.
