“Then we’ll make sure they do,” he snapped.“The perpetrator was stabbed in abdomen, on the right side.I need to verify it wasn’t you.”
“Stabbed?”I asked, feigning innocence.
Valeris ignored me, his focus intense on Nadiyah, who remained frozen.She undid the belt on her robe, untucking her shirt and lifting it until the entire right side of her abdomen was exposed.She had scars, every assassin did, but no open wounds.
Valeris frowned, stepping forward as if it were a trick and we were deceiving him.
Nadiyah lifted an eyebrow.“Satisfied?”
He turned away, catching my eye.My legs shook from the exertion of holding myself upright.I needed to lie down, but if I moved, I didn’t think I could hide the pain.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said.
I nodded, and he left.I shut the door, falling into it as I released my breath in one long stream.Nadiyah threw me a worried glance.I didn’t know what his definition ofsoonwas, but if I didn’t have a few days to let the wound heal, he’d figure out in a heartbeat the attacker he was looking for was me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Valeris
Nadiyah wasn’t theperpetrator.My uncle was certain he had stabbed his opponent.The blood soaking his clothes was proof of that.After I disclosed to Howland what had happened, he assigned two more bodyguards to me and heightened security throughout the palace.Someone was out there.Someone who wanted blood.
I threw open the door to my rooms.Zandyr waited in one of the chairs inside.
“I didn’t think you were allowed in here unless I was present.”I brushed past him, checking the two adjoining rooms for signs of anyone else.
“I’m your brother,” he said.“I didn’t know I needed permission.”
“Brother by blood only, not by heart.”The words were harsh, but we had both heard worse.We knew the reality of how our family worked.
He studied me.“Why do you hate me so much?”
His words caught my attention, forcing me to meet his gaze.“I don’t hate you.”
“Are you certain?I know our family isn’t close, but you’ve never even tried with me.”
I let out a chuckle.“You mean likeyoutried?I remember running to you as a little boy wanting to spend time with my older brother before I knew any better.All I got was a turned-up nose and mind games.Belittling.Condescending.Humiliating me if I dared enter your presence without permission.You never had any time for anything other than your books and your charts and your fist fights.Your bets and associations.You were above me and that was never going to change.You always felt like you were better than everyone else—even Ezrielle.”
