Derrick’s chest rose and fell as he stared Grigory down. Derrick bested Grigory in height, but he must have been too drunk to resist his hold.
“The whole Dukedom knows you have no honor, so I’m not surprised you are trying to cheat me again.” The edge of the blade kissed Derrick’s cheek, leaving a bead of blood on his skin. “But let me make myself clear…”
He dug the blade deeper. “I’m a fucking Thornebow. We don’t stay down after you Hytons step on us. I’m not handed what I deserve like the rest of you pampered dogs, Itakeit.” Grigory leaned closer. “So give me what I’m owed, or I’ll make sure youneversee Annalisa again.”
Derrick’s eyes flashed. He shoved Grigory and cracked his fist against his jaw.
I held my breath. The portrait stayed open as I backed away.
Grigory fell back, but quickly rose to his knees as Derrick stood over him.
Blood dripped from Derrick’s cheek, but his eyes were murderous. “I will rip your tongue out of your mouth. I will break every one of your fingers. A quick death on the scaffold is more than you deserve—”
“Death?” Grigory flicked his knife to his own neck and shot Derrick a mocking glare. “You kill me, you kill your twin sister.”
Derrick’s brow stayed hard, but he took a step back as Grigory shakily rose to his feet. “You cannot threaten me, Derrick, so give me my fucking marks.”
I could have helped Derrick, but he had given me a dagger with a loving smile and then turned around and hired an assassin.
Alastar XII would never get the benefit of my magic again. I had wasted my days and nights trying to heal him so he would release Fraleigh, but I was done. I would burn him from the inside until “Ipse Dixit” sprang from his throat.
He offered eight thousand marks to kill Riyan? I would make him pay for ittenfold.
Then the raging flames in my heart turned a different direction. Those bastards had brought Annalisa into their plans. Grigory was threatening her safety and using her as a bargaining tool.
I had to warn her. I had to get her away from him.
My feet pounded down the hallway until I stared at the river of blue carpet on the other side of the wall.
I flung open the door of Annalisa’s room. She stood near a trunk bearing the Thornebow silver fox as she rolled up the canvas of her completed painting.
I slammed the door shut and clicked the lock. “Anna, I have to hide you.”
“Why?” Her voice was hollow and her eyes were downcast.
I crossed the room. “Grigory is angry.”
Annalisa shrugged. “Men get angry. Not much we can do about it.”
Damn it, why was she acting so strange?
I gripped her wrists and her eyes shot up. “He hurt Derrick and threatened him with hurting you too.”
The light between her eyes opened up. Thunder rolled in my mind.
Annalisa’s voice was distant as grey storm clouds moved into the edges of my vision. “But Grigory said he and Derrick were friends in school…”
Darkness blanketed my vision and the rumbles of thunder turned into claps of a sky’s rage. The rainstorm crashed into the surface of my mind, completely drowning out Annalisa’s voice.
I leaned into the storm, the sheets of cold rain barrelling down as I walked beneath the dark clouds.
A strike of white lightning lit up a memory in the clouds—Annalisa’s bedroom lock clicking shut.
“All right, Annalisa. Let’s get this over with.”
The thunder rolled. The raindrops hit my face in hundreds of tiny punches.
Second lightning strike—sharp hands picking at fingernails.
