I never realized how big his lab was. The size was deceiving from thehealers’ station. Every inch reflected meticulous organization, from the rows of empty vials, beakers, and devices I couldn’t name, to the labeled herbs and substances lining the walls.
It didn’t surprise me in the least. Actually, the obsessive organization and cleanliness fit Sam’s stern, intelligent character.
He walked to a side counter and picked up two different vials filled with a black substance like he’d handled them a hundred times before.
“Did you disobey Lucifer?”
“That depends.”
“On?”
“You.” He met my gaze with a lifted chin. “I overheard your conversation. By the sound of it, we’re at a point where the stakes are too high not to study the blood. Not that this is blood. It could just as easily be Nerium poison to the untrained eye. But my answer will depend on what you’ll do with the information I give you.”
I crossed my arms, holding back a grin. Who knew the scientist was so devious? Not that I approved of disobeying orders, but standing there, holding my gaze and leveraging his information against me to hide the truth took balls. It also showed me his priorities, and I agreed with them.
“And how does one receive a trained eye?” I inquired.
Sam’s shoulders relaxed, and eagerness broke across his face.
“By observing.”
He raised the vials to the muted light filtering through his two windows. The one in his right hand appeared black but was a touch translucent.
“Ni’s blood.”
He twisted his left hand, which contained a thicker black substance.
“And the mutated soul’s blood.”
“Never knew you had it in you, Sam.”
He lowered the vials, staring me dead in the eye.
“He forfeited my loyalty when he threatened to expose you for wanting to tell Lucille the truth about her mom’s energy.”
Sam chose to put me above Lucifer?
Of course, I never held it against him for obeying the merciless king.Lucifer would’ve killed him if he’d said a thing. I figured I bore the truth alone. But it seemed Sam felt the weight as much as I did.
“I plan to tell her,” I admitted.
A sly grin lit his face, revealing the boyish nature that lurked beneath the strict scientist. Sometimes I forgot how much younger he was than me.
“So you finally got your head out of your ass then?”
I lifted a brow. There was something in his expression.
“You know.”
“You ordered me to heal her muscle aches. Then, when she almost died, you were scared to hand her over to me. I deduced the rest from there.” He raised the vials again, turning them in the light. “I imagine the king doesn’t know.”
“No.”
Sam nodded.
“Good. Now, what differences can you find between these two vials?”
Their consistencies and appearances seemed exactly the same.
