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“Step inside. It’s my favorite spot in the castle.” I couldn’t help myself. “Well, besides my bedroom.”
“Of course your bedroom’s number one,” Caleb said with a roll of his eyes. I resisted the urge to slap his ass as he passed me by. He smiled as he stepped through the gap in the wall. I did too; watching him walk ahead of me was always a treat for the eyes.
“Welcome to the Dragon’s Den, Blackthorne Castle’s very own speakeasy.”
Caleb looked around with awe, going to the bar and touching the smooth black walnut bar top, his fingers going over the purple velvet stools held up by shining golden legs. The orange glow from the flickering gas lamps that hung on the walls made the large room somehow feel cozy, aided by the plentiful number of deep purple velvet chairs organized around small wooden tables with waxed surfaces and more gas lamps. The thick maroon curtains were pulled shut, adding even more intimacy to the moment, making it feel like we’d stepped into a time warp, going from afternoon to midnight in the blink of an eye.
“It’s beautiful,” Caleb said, looking up at the collection of rare and priceless bottles that were reflected by the ancient mirror wall they sat in front of. There were swirling bottles of golden-brown cognac next to circular bottles of bourbon sitting between platinum-label scotch. It was a collection that would rival a dragon’s horde, and it was all open bar for the Blackthornes.
“What do you want to drink?” I asked as I stepped behind the bar.
Caleb took a seat on the stool. “I’ll have a whiskey.”
“You got it.” I got to work, picking out the bottle I thought would most impress him. I uncorked it and poured some into a delicate glass. My hand looked massive around the cup as I passed it to Caleb. I poured myself the same thing and stood across from him, lifting my glass in a cheers.
“To bringing down the Crimson Ring,” I said.
“And to finding those paintings.”
The glasses clinked. I took a drink, the warm liquid feeling like an instant balm to today’s stressors. I took another drink, and another. Fuck it. I shot the entire glass of whiskey back, letting the burn scorch through the ice. I shook my shoulders and rolled my neck before pouring myself another glass.
“Speaking of,” Caleb said, eyes lighting. “Did you hear when she said the Glass Atrium is closed to everyone but higher-ups? I think that’s because it’s where they have the Moriarty painting. Has to be.” He smiled and wiggled the keycard he produced from his pocket. “And we can use this to go get it.”
“You’re a fucking genius, a damned genius.”
Caleb’s smile stretched from ear-to-ear. “I do want to get better at using my powers first, but I think I can do it, especially with Claire’s help. Then we can figure out where the other two are.”
Fuck.
My heart skipped a few beats. My chest tightened, mirroring my grip on the glass.
Caleb still didn’t know. Without overthinking it, I set my glass down and leaned forward. “Caleb, we have to talk.”
“I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“Well, yes, but… no. I mean, I have something to tell you.”
Caleb narrowed his golden-brown eyes before he raised his glass and drank the whiskey like a shot. “What is it?” he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“It’s about the paintings. I’ve been holding something back from you. And it’s only because I wanted to make sure I fully trusted you before I said anything. But, well, I’ve already got two of them. Here. In the castle. In my horde room.”
Caleb’s only reaction was to blink. The rest of him was stone-still. Like he had stared into the eyes of a pissed-off basilisk.
I instantly felt a wash of regret. For hiding it in the first place, for lying to Caleb, for potentially ruining the one good fucking thing that was happening in my life. It was a trend for me. This self-sabotage shit I always loved to do. I should have just told him sooner, from the moment I decided to work with him. “I’m sorry,” I said, realizing how fucked-up this was. “I really messed up. The only other person I told was Amelia. You and her are the only ones I can trust with this. But I should have told you sooner.”
He still didn’t respond. All he did was give me a stare that radiated enough heat to melt any amount of ice I could conjure.
Shit. This wasn’t going to be good.
Chapter 21
The Truth
Caleb
Anger was the first thing that flashed through me, followed by a toxic mixture of betrayal, disappointment, and hurt. It reminded me of Pulse night. When the world was flooded with mana, the night I got my powers and lost my brother. It had been a torrent of emotions that I still had to unpack, even with over ten years since the night that changed my life.
