"Nothing."The lie tasted sour."I was dismissed.She wanted privacy."
"She wantedprivacy."Thyaar's laugh had no humor in it."Is that what we're calling it?After you damn near took my head off for doing my job?"
"I didn't?—"
"I saw your face, Raaevik."Thyaar jabbed a finger into his chest."I saw the way you looked at her.So I need you to tell me right now that I'm imagining things.Look me in the eye and tell me."
Raaevik looked at his shoulder instead."You're imagining things."
"Draanth!" Thyaar's fist hit the wall beside Raaevik's head hard enough to dent the metal."Not to me!You can lie to the Emperor.Lie to the wholedraanthingCouncil.But you don't get to lie to me.Not about this."
Grabbing Raaevik's jaw, he forced his head around.Then Raaevik saw it.Fear.The kind that came when you watched someone you loved do something stupid enough to get themselves killed.
"Tell me you haven't touched her."Thyaar's voice cracked."Tell me you haven't done the one thing that puts your head on a spike."
But he could still feel her hands on his chest.Still taste her mouth.So he just stood there and didn't say a word.
Thyaar went white.
"Oh,draanth.”He let go of Raaevik's face and stumbled back a step."Oh,draanth.What have you done?"
"I didn't plan it."
"You didn'tplanit?"Thyaar's voice pitched up."You don't just fall dick-first into the Emperor's mate-to-be, Raaevik!"
"I know."
"Do you?Do you know what they'll do?"Thyaar started pacing, two steps one way, two steps back.The closet was too small for it."It won't be quick.Not for this.They'll make an example.Strip your name, shame your bloodline, drag it out for weeks?—"
"I know."
"Andher."Thyaar spun back around, hair flying around his shoulders and beads clicking together."What about her?If the emperor finds out, if the Council gets wind of it… they won't execute her.Too messy.But she'll have an accident.Something tragic.Life support failure in her quarters, maybe."
"No blame attaches to the female."The words were automatic."That's the law.If a male in a position of authority?—"
Thyaar laughed.
It was an ugly sound.Raaevik had heard him laugh over drinks and at terrible jokes in the barracks at oh-three-hundred.This wasn't any of those.
"You think thelawmatters?"Thyaar got in his face.“Yeah, maybe, fornormalfemales.But, she's matched to the Emperor, Raae!If she's damaged goods, they need her gone so he can try again.They'll call it a tragedy.Very sad.And you'll be too dead to argue about it."
Emily, cold on a slab.Gone.
His anger surged so hard his vision went red.
"They won't touch her."His voice came out wrong.Too deep.Not quite lathar."I won't let them."
"You won'tbe here!"Thyaar shoved him back against the pipes."You'll be dead, and she'll be alone.You were supposed to protect her.You were supposed to be the thing standing between her and the dark."His voice cracked."Instead, youbecamethe dark."
Raaevik couldn't breathe.
Thyaar was right.He was right aboutallof it.
"Are you going to report me?"
The words hung between them.
Thyaar's hands were still fisted in his jacket, his knuckles white.Raaevik watched him fight with it.
