"Shadeau brings out the worst in everyone," he said finally, voice low. "It’s like the city knows where to press—exactly what rot still clings to your bones. I thought I’d buried that part of myself. But there… everything ugly surfaces."
I didn’t look away, my pulse stumbling hard in my throat. The ship creaked around us, but it felt like the whole world had gone still.
"I have the Eye of Nareth."
The words landed like a blow, irreversible. The warmth between us snapped cold.
Alaric’s body went rigid, the ease in his stance vanishing. "You what?"
It wasn’t just fury. It was something hotter underneath it, barely leashed. I didn’t flinch.
"How?" His voice was a whip crack. "When did you see Vesper?"
A dangerous pause. "Did you—" His jaw locked, a muscle ticking hard. "Did you make another deal after you swore you wouldn’t?"
The air between us felt like it had teeth now, every inch of space sparking with the urge to close it or burn it down. My mouth went dry.
"Vesper never had it."
Alaric went still, the flicker in his eyes changing from anger to something more focused. "What?"
"Séraphine did," I said, each word deliberate. "She lied."
His features hardened. “And you’re just telling me this now?”
I shrugged one shoulder, keeping my voice even. "We haven’t spoken until now."
His head tilted slightly, like he was weighing whether I was being clever or reckless. "How did you get it?"
"I sort of stole it from her…" I said, choosing my words carefully. "But, I made sure she didn’t notice it was gone until it was too late."
His expression locked.“Saints,” he muttered. “Of all the people to cross…”
For a heartbeat, he just stared at me—eyes steady, unreadable—but there was a heat behind them that wasn’t entirely anger.
His voice was low, dangerous, almost disbelieving. "Do you have any idea what she’ll do when she realizes?"
"Yes," I said simply
The fire’s crackle was the only sound. Alaric leaned in, bracing his hands on the desk beside me. His eyes flared, bright enough to cut. “Tell me—why is it that I care more about your life than you do?”
His gaze flicked to my throat and away again—so quick I almost convinced myself I imagined it.
I swallowed. "We need it."
"You won’t survive her taking it back," he shot back, voice low but lethal. "And you don’t think that matters?"
"It matters," I said, my voice dropping to match his. "Just not enough to stop me."
His hands were still braced on the desk, caging me in without touching, but his nearness felt like a snare closing.
"You think you’re untouchable?" His words were low, dangerous. "You think you can walk into the lion’s den, steal from her, and walk out without a scratch?"
"I did," I said, lifting my chin.
His breath left him in a rough exhale, somewhere between disbelief and something darker. "You are unbelievable," Hisvoice dropped, "Do you know what it’s like to watch someone you lo—," he shook his head, "someone run head first into a storm, knowing it’ll tear them apart?”
I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering. "Why do you care so much?"
