I didn’t dare break her gaze. At any moment she might spring, might drive that dagger at my heart.
“Rhiannon,” Dorian said, his voice deadlier than I’d ever heard it. “You know the rule.”
She and I continued to stare at each other. Finally, without taking her eyes from me, she said, “One hour. The meadow beyond the citadel’s gardens.”
She turned and strode toward the grand staircase, her handmaidens and the gaze of every fae in the room following until she disappeared under the archway.
Finally, I breathed. My fingers unclenched with painful slowness.
Dorian turned to me. His hands came to my shoulders, and he captured me with his dark eyes. They were threaded through with ache and pain. “Come with me.”
Not likely, killer. “No.”
“Come to my quarters, Eury.”
My upper lip curled. “Why would I go anywhere with you?”
“Please.” He leaned closer, voice a whisper by my ear. “If you never believe me again, believe me in this. Let me help.”
Help?Help me like he’d helped so well before the third trial? Helped me into bed, helped me take off my clothes, helped me fuck him until he fucked me over in the morning light.
Murderer.
When he stepped back, he offered his hand to me. As if I would ever trust his touch again.
And yet I had no one else. No one else offering their hand.
“Not your quarters.” I stepped past him. “Mine.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Dorian followedme to my quarters in silence. Once inside, he closed the door behind us and leaned against it as though someone might try to force their way inside. His eyes were lit and wild.
I faced him with fingers clenched. “Do you plan to try killing me or screwing me this time?”
Pain flitted over his face. Then it was gone. “I deserve that. And more.” He didn’t move from the door. “But we don’t have the time. What happened inside that trial, Eury?”
I scoffed. “You were there.”
“Yes, but thatisn’t how the trial goes.The one time it occurred in the past, the male partners—every one of them—came out blind. Well, those who came out at all. You saw Faun’s partner.”
“Does it matter now? I thought you wanted to help me prepare for this duel.” A duel, after everything. “Why this? I passed her fucking trials.”
His breath came fast. His head shook faintly. “The Thorn Rite. Two queens cannot exist in the same court.”
My heart felt like a bird inside me. “I’m no queen.”
“The spiritstag invokes the Rite when a queen arises. You, Eury. Itspoke to every one of us in that throne room.” He pushed away from the door, took a step forward. “The rain. You brought that rain.”
Anger clenched my fists. “It was the only way.”
“The only way to do what?” His voice was softer now.
“To stop it all—the torture, the violence.”To save you.
He took a step forward. “How did you make it rain?”
“I…”
