Oh, God. This is the last thing I need right now.“Oh, well, maybe,” I stammer. “If I don’t have other duties or anything.”
I glance over at Thea and Xander for help, but neither of them seems very interested in stopping this. Thea actually nudges me encouragingly under the table. Hell, it’d probably be great for the summit if I wooed the Elder’s daughter.
From across the table, Rhiannon says, “If you would like to see the garden, Haron, you should be under some protection. Might I suggest one of my guards accompany you instead?”
“I wholeheartedly agree,” Stasio says. I notice his pleasant expression is tinted with anger in his eyes. Not a fan of a human hanging around his daughter. Got it.
“I second that,” Holden says, taking her hand. He glances down the table toward Branson and Jayme and, as if prompted, Jayme speaks up.
“I’d be happy to escort you, Haron.”
Haron looks at her brother, and I see it again. That weird silent conversation happening between them as their eyes dart back and forth. It’s quick, this exchange. Only a second or two. She smiles back at me and says, “Perhaps another time, then.”
“Sure.”
“My Lord,” Rhiannon says. “May I be excused?”
“Of course,” Xander says.
She hides it well, but as she gets up, Rhiannon scowls before turning to walk away.
Now that dinner is over, I need to find her.
The way she left has my stomach in knots. This overwhelming urge to make sure Rhiannon’s all right has me scouring every corridor. My search doesn’t take long. I find her standing by the front gates, looking out between the bars longingly. I only take a few steps toward her before she starts and looks up. The moment she sees me, her entire body relaxes.
“I just needed some air,” she says. “You didn’t have to come find me.”
“I know, but I wanted to. It’s not a crime to see if you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she says, but everything about her is telling me the opposite.
“Listen,” I say. “For the record, I’m not interested in Haron. At all. I was just being polite because God forbid I piss off the sentient lamp posts.”
She smiles and turns away from me in an effort to hide it. “You might be better off if you were interested. She seems nice. She’s certainly very pretty.”
“Her father would prefer my human head on a platter,” I say. “More importantly, she’s not you.”
Rhiannon sighs like a weight is bearing down on her. “Ethan, I told you—”
“And I heard you. I still care about you, though, so . . . you’re just going to have to give me a minute.”
She gives me a look, and her eyes glimmer in the moonlight as they move over my face. “Does this mean that every time you see me in distress, you’ll come running?”
“Yeah, I guess it does. Is that also punishable by death in some packs?”
She turns away again, hiding another smile. “I’m fine. Really. Thank you for checking on me, Ethan.”
After a nod, I start to walk away to give her space. I don’t get far before the alarms start ringing.
Rhiannon begins running toward the sound. “It’s coming from the garden!” She breaks into a full sprint.
As soon as we get to the garden, the first thing I see is Haron lying unconscious on the brick path, her face now marred with violent streaks of crimson. Her gauzy silver dress is soaked through with dark patches of wet blood and hanging in tatters from her body, shredded by what looks like large claws.
“My God. She’s been attacked.”
“We need to get her to Olcan!”
Chapter 14 — Rhiannon
