“Kaelis—” I start to speak but am cut short the moment I open the door to his dining room.
He’s not alone.
My blood goes cold. I wanted to plan and scheme abouthim.Not actually see him.
Fucking Ravin.
Chapter 58
I turn as rigid as stone in an instant. A slow smirk curves across Ravin’s face like a blade under my skin.
Stop. Stop. Don’t.I can think only in one-word commands that I briskly give myself.
To have come from Arina’s bedside. To have just seen the remnants of the painheinflicted. I want to annihilate him.
Amusement alights in Ravin’s eyes as they flick between Kaelis and me. If I take my vengeance now…I lose everything. Kaelis is powerful, but even he cannot conceal the death of the crown prince. If he could, Ravin would already be dead.
“Tell me, dear brother, how common is it that your professors emerge from yourprivateapartments calling you only by your name?” Ravin’s eyes finally land on Kaelis and stick. “Or is this one…special?”
I’m hoping the flush on my cheeks from fury at the mere sight of him registers as a blush.
Kaelis leans back in his chair and tosses his head to the side, making a show of looking as if Ravin just asked him the most asininequestion to ever be conceived. “When you have been as cruelly betrayed as I have, there is only one balm.” Kaelis extends a hand toward me. When I don’t move, he coaxes, “Come over, it’s all right.”
Right foot. Left foot. Light shoulders. Sway to the hips. Embarrassment, not rage.I instruct myself every step of the way to him.
The moment Kaelis has my hand, he tugs me to him. I fall into his lap with a surprisedoomph.His other hand is on me, massaging up the outside of my thigh.
“I’ve heard some say that the cure for one woman is another woman.” Kaelis holds me a bit tighter and leans in. “Trust me,” he breathes against my ear as he makes a show of biting it.
Ravin makes a noise of disgust, looking down his nose at me. “See, I tried to warn you about him.” Kaelis tugs me even closer in response, and Ravin stands. “I knew your standards were low, brother, but to be dallying with your new staff…I will spare myself the details of this. I only stopped by to update you on the search for your dear criminal.”
“Fuck her,” Kaelis says, seething with such venom that even I believe for a second that he hates me.
“Unfortunate that you did.” Ravin’s eyes dart to me as if seeking a reaction.
Kaelis’s grip tightens on me, and I tighten mine on him, keeping him in his seat.
“Don’t forget where your priorities lie.” With that, Ravin strides out the door.
We’re both left quivering and clinging to each other, each holding the other back from chasing after him and doing something far too premature.
“I am so sick of his face,” I practically snarl when he is well and truly gone.
“Welcome to my entire life.”
“Why was he here? Another raid on the academy?”
“No, thank goodness.” Kaelis’s hands ease. “He came for a few reasons, the first to let me know about the plans for the enforcers in the city for the Selection Soiree and All Coins Day.”
“Did he go into detail?” I shift, staying in Kaelis’s lap. His presenceis comforting and stabilizing, and, more than either of those things, I’m afraid that if I get up, one or both of uswillchase after Ravin.
“Not much. Should he have?”
“It’ll be good to know.” I hesitate for a second mostly due to old instinct. But letting him in on my plans comes easier than ever. “I’m going to be inducted into the Worldkeepers on All Coins Day. And after that, I’ll summon and cast the World,ifwe have Arina’s card.”
“And once we get the real Death from Ravin,” he adds.
“Of course.” I nod, guilt flooding me. Rushing this would only be more suspicious.Stay the course, Clara.“Gregor is going to free Silas’s family soon. I’m sure he’ll find it then. He seems to have solid leads.”
