Page 229 of Blade of the Nightking

The male who’d struck me. Who’d pressed a blade to my throat. Who’d laid his hands on me.

He was the only guard Rìan hadn’t spared.

CHAPTER 48

The thick, humid air muffled our footsteps as we followed the commander through the palace. Moisture clung to my skin, beading across my arms and face. Damp strands of hair curled at Rìan's temples as he glared straight ahead, never once looking in my direction.

I was too anxious to appreciate the palace itself—the sweeping arches that resembled cresting waves, the opalescent gleam of the polished floors, or the breathtaking view of Pelaga beyond the wide windows, where fish glided through the endless blue.

What were we doing marching straight toward the High Lord of the Tidelands?

When I'd met Thalassis in Solmire, he'd seemed kind. Easygoing. He'd sympathized with Aedric and even pitied me before the Full Circle. That had been before. What would he think now, seeing me standing beside the very Dark Prince they sought to destroy?

Would he let me explain what had happened—if I even could—or would he kill us both on sight, stripping every drop of moisture from our bodies the way he'd desiccated Hyperia?

The commander led us to a pair of tall stone doors and pushed them open.

The room beyond was far smaller than I'd expected. Rather than a grand audience chamber, it felt more like a private retreat, somewhere reserved for trusted friends rather than formal diplomacy. Plush chairs upholstered in sea-green fabric were arranged around a low table of shining mother-of-pearl, crystal decanters filled with colorful spirits resting alongside bowls of unfamiliar fruit.

Thalassis lay sprawled across a velvet divan.

He'd traded the scaled vest I'd seen him wear in Solmire for loose linen trousers and a matching vest left unfastened. The stark white fabric only deepened the rich dark hues of his skin, making the brilliant ocean-blue of his eyes stand out against it. Tiny fragments of shell and sea glass had been woven throughout his long braids, chiming softly together as he turned toward us.

Behind us, the commander folded into a deep bow and turned at once on his heel.

Leaving us alone.

Beside me, Rìan's eyes flared—only for an instant, the silver brightening almost imperceptibly before settling once more.

Thalassis didn't seem to notice. His gaze lingered on Rìan, his brows knitting together, deep vertical lines appearing between them. Then his attention shifted to me.

My mouth turned to dust as the silence stretched.

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the confusion vanished. His entire face split into a broad, genuine grin, flashing bone white teeth.

"Well, my friend," he boomed, rising fluidly to his feet. "You’ve definitely looked better."

Before I could make sense of the smile, Rìan stepped forward with an easy swagger I didn’t recognize. Gone was the cold composure he always carried. In its place was effortless confidence, a crooked, almost arrogant smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. It was like he’d transformed into an entirely different person.

"Your guards have gotten a lot friendlier since last time.”

Thalassis tipped back his head and roared with laughter. He strode forward and clapped Rìan on the shoulder with a heavy hand, looking him up and down, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “You didn’t hurt them too badly, did you?”

He shrugged. “Not terribly.” His gaze sharpened, his smile turning dangerous. “Though your commander punished one guard—for the mistreatment of my woman.”

I blinked at his words, shocked by them. Thalassis’s demeanor sombered immediately. His lips pursed in anger as he took in the blood smeared across the side of my face. My magic had healed my cuts and bruises somewhere along the way, but the blood was still there.

“That,” Thalassis bowed his head. “I deeply apologize for. It won’t happen again.”

“No it won’t,” drawled Rìan. “Because he’s dead.”

“Good.” Thalassis said at once. He lifted my chin with a knuckle, his eyes sparkling once more. “How are you, Elowen?”

I nodded, too confused about the situation to speak.

“How’s your control these days? Is this one helping at all?” he elbowed Rìan, who rubbed his ribs and chuckled.

“We’re working on it, but her magic’s still not responding well. I think it’s her human side,” Rìan tilted his head, appraising me. I frowned back at him. “She has too much heart to be like her kindred. She doesn’t have the vicious side they had.” He winked at me and something in my stomach fluttered uncomfortably. “Unless she’s defending her mate, that is. Then she’s a force to be reckoned with.”