I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out.
No, I didn’t know I could fucking do that.
I look at my hands, and they remain unchanged. My black fingertips tingle, and subtle black veins emerge beneath my skin. “Yara, please don’t tell anyone about that.”
She gazes at me with an understanding look. “I won’t.”
The dimly lit room is filled with a musty odor, yet the open window allows a breeze of fresh night air to flow in. It’s smaller than the other rooms I’ve seen and certainly not as ornate. “Do you live here?” I ask.
“Yes, for many years now. I work here as a dancer and help with various castle staff needs, among other things.” She looks toward the ground, and a flash of shame hits her dark eyes.
“Your dancing is quite beautiful. You should be proud of the talent you have,” I say, and chuckle. “I would have crashed into everyone sitting at the table.”
Yara returns the laugh. “Oh, I doubt that, Your Majesty, but thank you. I’ve danced for years.”
“Please,” I respond. “Call me Briar.”
“Okay, Briar.” She nods.
The tremor in my hands begins to subside as the adrenaline of recent events fades in my system. I take a deep breath to slow my heartbeat and convince myself that I’m safe in here.
At least, I hope I am.
“Thank you for bringing me into your room. I’m relieved I’m not still outside with that creature.”
“We call themTravelers.”
I tilt my head. “The invisible creatures?”
“Yes.” She shudders. “I’m not sure anyone knows their real name. They move unnaturally and silently until it’s too late. All I know is that they are deadly and not of this realm. They have a way of shifting in the shadows that no one truly understands.”
“How wonderful,” I say sarcastically, but her words stick in my mind.
“I can’t fathom how ancient these creatures are. The king seems to be the only one who has full control over them,” she adds.
I grimace; the memory of the hot breath against my skin makes it crawl. “Yes, his guard dogs. I have had the pleasure of running into a few of them already.”
“It’s not a coincidence that I ran into you, Briar.” Yara’s eyes meet mine. “I was looking for you. I heard rumors that you were speaking with Malachi tonight, and I needed to speak with you, too.”
Anticipation rolls in my stomach. “What did you need to talk about?”
She pauses and takes a deep breath, as if carefully considering her following words.
I can’t help but pray this doesn’t involve Silas. I think back to dinner and how her gaze burned into his skin, as if she was trying to set him on fire—like something was left unsaid between them. I know there were women before me, but I never thought I’d have to encounter one.
“There is no easy way to say this,” she breathes.
My palms begin to sweat, and my once steady heartbeat increases with every passing second that she hesitates to speak.
“Does this have to do with Silas?”
She drops her gaze. “In a sense.”
“Well,” I shift in my chair, not letting my nerves show, “let’s hear it.”
“I’m having an affair…” Yara blurts. “With Malachi.”
My mouth slightly parts, and I can’t help but widen my eyes. For a split second, relief hits me that it’s not Silas, and that my assumptions upon arriving were wrong.
