Page 72 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

He reluctantly stopped. “We’d better go. Darius is starving.”

“Quite right. He becomes nervous when he’s hungry.” I composed myself, but the kiss had left a hot turmoil within me that wouldn’t settle.

He picked up the tray and headed to Darius’s room. “Join us when you have delivered the tray to Cara.”

I entered Cara’s room, glad the air was finally warm. “Here we are.” I put the tray on the nightstand.

Even covered with the blankets, she was so thin and pale that a gust of wind would break her.

“Do you need help to change?” I poured the tea, eyeing her dirty black gown.

“No.”

“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I took a bit of everything.”

She barely glanced at the tray.

I had no idea what to tell her to make her feel better. We hadn’t talked much before this disaster, and her grey aura wasn’t encouraging.

“You wanted more power, didn’t you?” I said, not sure if I should add lemon or milk to the tea. “That’s why you asked me about my wili powers.”

“Myrtha gives a new life to almost dead women. I wondered if turning me into a wili would have allowed my spell to be stronger. But only the queen of the wili has that power. That’s why I asked Ravenhill to change me into a vampire. I wanted to acquire more strength.” Her aura turned indigo with sadness. “Everyone wants more power.”

“Darius—”

“Even Darius.” She whipped her head towards me. “Especially Darius. Do not let his wit and charm fool you. He’s a power-hungry, ambitious, cunning, and conniving wizard.”

Her comment piqued me. I was a soul-searcher. I saw auras. Darius didn’t have a single evil thought in him. “Maybe he wants more power too, but he knows his limits. He would never put us in danger or risk hurting someone to gain more power.” I gestured at the shimmering cage protecting her from the snakes. “Look what he has done for you for no other reason than to make you feel better. You didn’t thank him, yet you’re ready to disparage him.”

“No one does anything just to be kind.” Scarlet anger slipped into her aura.

Now that I looked at it more closely, it was missing the multicoloured layers and flashy tendrils. She had truly lost her powers.

“We do. We might regret it, but we do.” I pointed at the tray as proof of kindness. “Just because you don’t act with kindness, it doesn’t mean everyone is like you.”

“Everyone is like me. They don’t want to admit it out of cowardice.”

The dark vines on her skin gave her a grotesque look as if the rain had washed down ink on her face.

“I’m sorry for you. You see only darkness and gloom. There’s much more to this world. You’re surrounded by good people and refuse to see that. It’s your loss.”

She hid her face in the pillow. Sorrow dominated her halo. “Leave. You’re tiring me.”

“The snakes will keep tormenting you until you leave that sorrow behind. Eat something. Drink some hot tea and think about what’s around you.” I left the room and shut the door softly.

I’d been bold with Cara, but facing the fog without Alex wasn’t easy. The hallway was dark after the sun had set. Without the lit gas lamps, I barely saw where I was going, and I had to release my light to see. Fear threatened to rise. Darius’s room was at the end of the long corridor. The moment two snakes slithered towards me, I stiffened. Alex’s words echoed in my head.

I love you.

The snakes shrank until they became two thin tendrils and floated away.

Well, love was truly the most powerful type of magic.

I entered Darius’s room with a smile. A blazing log fire spread nice warmth in stark contrast with Cara’s room. The light from the flames and the gas lamps reflected on the polished brown walnut furniture, adding brightness. Everything was clean, polished, and tidy. Even the coquelicot cushions were perfectly arranged on the bed and matched the curtains of the four-poster bed.

“Is there something left for me?” I asked, closing the door.

“Here.” Alex trailed his fingers over mine when he passed me a plate with bread, cheese, and grapes.