“I didn’t say he didn’t. Only that he cannot say.”
“You mean hewill not.”
“Stop,” he chided softly, his voice hardening slightly. “I know this is hard. It’s hard for me, too. But you’ve faced harder. So have I. And you’re stronger than this.”
Out of everything he’d said, this only made me want to cry harder. Because I had so many memories of Vikter basically telling me to deal with whatever I didn’t want to face at the moment. He’d always let me have my moment and then made sure I moved on. Like when I said goodbye to Ian when he first left for Carsodonia. And then again when I missed him. The first time Priestess Analia slapped me. When I was sad about not being allowed to attend a function that Tawny was allowed to go to. After the first time I assisted with acursed—someone infected by a Craven—and ended their suffering. After mylessonswith the Duke. It may sound harsh, but it wasn’t. He allowed me to express what I felt, and then he made sure I survived it.
Like he was doing now.
“You good?” he asked quietly.
I wasn’t, but I nodded.
“Good.” He extended his hand. “Come here.”
Lirian sighed. “We don’t have all the time in the realm.”
“You have time for this,” he said, not taking his eyes off mine.
Taking Vikter’s hand, he pulled me in for a warm, tight hug. I embraced him harder, just breathing in his scent. His head lowered, and when he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “I was wrong about Leopold.”
Confusion flooded me. I started to pull back, but he held on, keeping me there.
“He wasn’t who I thought he was,” he said quickly and quietly, and something about that tugged at a distant memory. “I never actually saw him until—” He cut himself off as he glanced at Lirian, whose gaze I could feel practically drilling into us. “Ask Tawny. She’ll explain. Understand?”
I nodded, even though I really didn’t.
Vikter held me as the seconds ticked by, and I thought I should probably let go of him, but I couldn’t. I had a feeling it would be a long time before I could be in his presence again.
If ever.
But Vikter hadn’t wasted all those years with me. I dealt with it—saying goodbye. Letting out a long, slow breath, I stitched myself together and lowered my arms.
“That’s my girl,” Vikter murmured, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head.
Stepping back, he gave me a smile that creased the corners of his eyes. He didn’t say goodbye. I didn’t want him to. And I didn’t look away as he turned and left the chamber through an arched doorway I hadn’t even noticed until then. Only once he was gone did I close my eyes. Gods, I was so grateful to have a new last memory of him. I inhaled deeply, willing the tears back.
“Vikter is different than the others,” Lirian announced. “He’s even favored by the Queen herself.”
My head swung toward him.
“That is why he’s able to push the limits of what he can and cannot do and gets away with it.” His eyes met mine. “So far.”
My muscles coiled, drawing my shoulders back at the clear warning. “If you hurt him—”
“It wouldn’t just be you I’d have to contend with if I did,” he said with a faint smile that didn’t quite warm his features. “Rest assured, he’s not in any danger.”
I wanted to feelassured.
I didn’t.
“He knows and sees more than he should,” he added after a moment. “But there are things he does not know and can only make assumptions about.” He paused. “Your father is one of them.”
I frowned. “Which one?”
“There is only one.”
My brows rose. “Yeah, I know that. But I once believed—”
