But now wasn’t the time to shake his brother and demand answers.
“You have heard it all here. We are celebrating Griffin’s return but also the sacred gift of a mother.” Drago snapped his fingers and the music started up again.
Long, drawn, and harsh. As if it were a death march.
Raven isn’t pregnant. When they find that out…
Griffin didn’t realize how tight he was squeezing until Julian’s hand landed on his. “Too hard,” he murmured.
Griffin glanced down at Raven and saw the pain-stricken expression on her face and immediately released her. She looked up at him with questioning eyes, but he provided a soft shake of his head.
Not now.
They didn’t have much longer before a man approached the stage.
He wore a Nightingale mask, and Griffin could take a guess at who it was.
His blood boiled in his veins as the man spoke.
“May I have a dance with your Cherished?” the newcomer asked.
The question was innocent enough, but it was layered, pointed.
He wanted to say no. The man before him was evil. He had been in Violencia off and on for years, causing dissent and ruining lives.
But he was the king’s son.
The Prince of Luscinia.
And it was because of that, he couldn’t simply say no. They were equally ranked. The only other man in this room who could challenge his claim to Raven.
Griffin bowed his head, offering Raven a light kiss to her lips, mouthing the words “I’m sorry” against them.
Straightening, he smiled. “Of course, Prince.”
He had to physically force himself to allow Raven to leave his side, watching as she walked down the steps to the prince’s waiting hand.
Glared as he took ittooaggressively, tugging her off the last step.
“Is she safe?” Julian murmured.
“For now,” Griffin replied, his attention tracing each step they took, until they landed in the middle of the room.
The prince wrapped his worm-like arms around Raven. Drew her close to him and breathed in her face.
Griffin’s anger exploded, and he couldn’t take it anymore.
But then Julian was there, whispering in his ear. “Oleks is right next to them in the crowd, he followed them. She’s safe.”
Sure enough, even with the mask in place, he recognized the smaller man’s fluid grace as he stood amid the crowd, swaying slightly but deliberately angling his body toward Raven.
It was only that which kept Griffin from killing the Prince of Luscinia.
The man would still need to die…but not yet.
Chapter 20
Truth Serum
