Page 66 of Only Flames Remain

It would have been a good plan.

I wasn’t sure what it said about me, but I found myself even more intrigued and impressed by her. She gave the outward impression of innocence, but she was anything but. She positioned herself as this quiet, mousy human. In truth, underneath that façade was something much more sinister and vicious.

She was certainly more dangerous than she appeared.

I picked up my utensil, holding her gaze as I spooned the broth from the bowl before me into my mouth. She did the same, a heightened sense of awareness shared between us. We were vigilant of each other’s every movement.

Had she surmised that she had been caught yet? Was she going to make a run for it?

I was interested in hearing her plan to get off the island, at the very least. Waiting for this meal to be over and having to act civil before Voirel and Ren was absolute torture. The thought of exposing her to them was tempting, but I remained composed. I played along with the conversation, and each moment that passed was another second she knew she had miscalculated. Knew she had lost her one and only chance to catch me by surprise.

She had expected me to be passed out by now, surely.

Her composure was deteriorating by the moment, but godsdamn did she look beautiful while she crumbled. Her eyes were wide, a permanent flush staining her plump cheeks. Her teeth bit her cherry red lips hard enough to bruise.

What a dangerous game she was playing.

And she had to have known she wasn’t likely to win playing with fire. I couldn’t wipe the smirk from my lips as the meal concluded, and I dismissed her and Voirel to their rooms, leaving Rensford and I alone in the dining hall.

The maids came in to clear the plates, but I lifted a hand to stop them. “Leave us.”

I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin, my grin falling for the first time since I had drunk from the goblet. I had downed the entire glass, and then some. I wasn’t sure if she had poisoned the entire decanter, but I had to assume not since Rensford and Voirel appeared unaffected.

“Do you want to tell me what is going on now?” Ren asked, pushing back from the table but remaining seated. I tossed the napkin onto the table as my expression morphed into a violent storm. “Sorin?”

Rensford was on his feet before the words had finished leaving my mouth.

“What’s going on…is that someone tried to poison the crown prince.”

CHAPTER 19

Aveline

The walk back to my chambers was agony. Pure, unadulterated, torture…despite forcing my heeled feet to move as quickly as possible without breaking into a run. The moment Sorin’s lips had touched the goblet, I knew.

He tasted the ixia.

Why on earth was a crown prince familiar with the taste of such a formidable poison?

I slammed the door shut behind me, rushing toward the bed where I had tucked my satchel containing the bottle of poison safely beneath the mattress. I pulled it out, wrestling the strap over my shoulder and pushing my hair back from my face.

I needed to get off this island. Now.

I hadn’t expected Rensford to be here tonight. I had thought it would only be Voirel…who could do little to stop me once Sorin had taken ill. Though from the looks of it, he wouldn’t be taking ill at all.

I rushed back toward the door; my only thoughts focused on the ramshackle skiff I had seen tied to the rocks beneath the cliffside when I had first arrived. I hadn’t seen a straight path down the cliffs in the brief time we had been out in the courtyard. I would jump the stone sea wall and crawl down if I had to.

It was better than death by dragon fire.

I had to get back to Kallias and send word to Enora. Would she be in danger now for simply being associated with me? I needed her to make for Myros before word of my actions reached the mainland. I had used my one and only opportunity, and I had failed.

I wouldn’t get another.

I cursed under my breath at my own stupidity as I wrenched the door open.

Sorin stood in the frame, the picture of ease.

I gasped, stepping back and tripping over the emerald-colored carpet—falling onto my backside. I scrambled to my feet, inching toward the arched windows on the far wall of the bedroom. My satchel was forgotten among the worn stone floor of the entryway. There was no escape from this high up, but I needed to put as much distance between me and Sorin as possible.