“His name is Rainyte. And I am asking you to trust me as your Maiden. That my judgment is not corrupt, though the High Celestials have tried to make you believe so. Rainyte is not your enemy.”
“Your pretty words hold no weight, Maiden. You were gone a long time, taken back by your gods after you failed your duty once. And as I hear, you have slain Auster Nova.”
I stiffened. I’d hoped word of his death by my hand hadn’t reached this far yet.
“He killed me first,” I said.
Viscarus’s head titled. His elbows propped on the arms of his deep green cushioned chair and his hands clasped. In his silence, he pondered his judgment of me.
The tension grew too much for me. “What can we do to prove ourselves to you?”
That made his posture lock straighter and I realized this is what he wanted. The reigning lord hadn’t taken us in just for trespassing in his territory or to have his retribution against Nyte. There was something he thought we could do for him.
“Once Nights—”
“Rainyte.”
Viscarus’s eyes flexed. “Once Rainyte is healed enough, I will summon you both again. Judgment will be carried out.”
We both knew that if we desired, there was little that could truly hold me and Nyte to this keep. But we needed allies and my mission was to heal the distrust and divide that had been left to crack too deeply through these lands.
I bowed my head in respect to him. “I look forward to seeing you again and helping in whatever way we can. Thank you for your hospitality in the meantime.”
He lifted his brows, surprised by my grace, but he gave me a nod back before asking his guards to escort me to Nyte’s room.
Amity settled for only a second before I turned around.
Drystan strolled in, escorting a man who appeared drunk, who was leaning on Drystan for support. I’d never seen his company before, but something about Drystan’s dark smile made my nerves stand on edge.
“What have you done to my son?” Viscarus bellowed.
Shit.That declaration came close to shattering the fragile peace I’d just gained with the lord for now.
“He’s fine,” Drystan drawled. When they stopped walking halfway across the hall, Drystan lifted his thumb to the corner of his mouth, wiping a trickle of blood. Then I saw the raw puncture wounds on the disheveled, pulled down collar of Viscarus’s son.
What the hell have you done, Drystan?
I didn’t voice my irritation and outrage because so much steel chimed through the air. Every guard made a target not just of Drystan, but once again I became a hostile source.
Drystan said, “I heard Lionel here boasting of the capture of Nightsdeath and the star-maiden. Foolish for your heir to flaunt such things in public.”
“Release him,” Viscarus demanded.
“As you can see, I’m not holding him.” It was true. Drystan even tried to gain distance but Lionel hung sleepily onto his side. “Did you know the bite of a blood vampire has a certain aphrodisiac quality? Believe it or not, your sonbeggedfor it. However—”
Tension shot high with how fast Drystan moved, holding Lionel from behind with the man’s neck inclined to the side. Drystan bared his fangs, a threat that he could rip out Lionel’s throat in a heartbeat or drain him dry before anyone could stop him.
“I’ll ask once for you to release my brother before I kill him.”
I was about to reprimand Drystan and try to salvage this situation, but a stunning red-haired woman glided in through the doors behind him. Her fiery hair touched the billowing blue waves of the material of her gown.
“My brother has always had a curious nature and overindulgent palate,” she said, her voice a cool melody that calmed the room.
Her sight slipped over Lionel only for a second before she gave me her attention as she passed. There was a certain serenity in her presence. Though she gave away little emotion, I didn’t detect any ill will.
“Leave us,” she ordered the room. Immediately the guards exited, and I watched her with more fascination.
“This is my heir, Gweneth,” Viscarus introduced.
