Page 74

He bowed but paused at the door. “I’ll be in the corridor,” he announced, “prepared to discuss shipping manifests, loudly, with anyone who approaches.”

The door closed behind him, leaving the two of us alone. Cora refused to meet my eye. I drew on my experience as a previously married man, and inferred that I had done something to displease her.

“You seem upset,” I said.

Her attention snapped to me. Brows furrowed. The fire in her awakening. I was almost glad she didn’t have her wand.

“Paying off maids? Keeping your brother occupied?” Cora threw her hands in the air in frustration. “We both know this arrangement is untenable. Someone is going to find out the truth eventually.”

“You’re right,” I conceded.

“Then why are you risking so much to keep me on as your blood nanny when I can’t serve in that role? Why go to all this trouble?”

“Why? Because we are running an active investigation and the evidence is beginning to stack up. My brother Renaud shows up unannounced and confesses he is making a play for the throne to legitimize his sons.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

I took a measured step forward, ignoring her reaction, eyes fixed on hers. “My brother Marius writes and tells me rumors of war float around the capital.”

Cora’s mouth dropped.

“That’s nothing to say of the letter I received from my brother Bastien, who spoke of a great tragedy. And of unspeakable treachery.” She drew in a shaky breath. I took another step closer.

The candle sconce on the wall behind her cast a shadow across the dark wood floors. One more step and I’d be touching it. Selfishly, I stepped into it, allowing this piece of her to touch me all over—a small, ridiculous indulgence.

“I do not care how inconvenient this arrangement is.”

“Yves—” she said, trying to break in, but I barreled on.

“I don’t care if I have to pay off maids. I don’t care if I have to get my brother drunk. The only thing I care about is bringing The Devouring to justice. Yes, you came to feed my son, but you also came to help me. And I need you now more than ever. So please tell me now if this arrangement is untenable for you. Because if it is, now is the time to go. I will not stop you. But if you can tolerate this situation, as deeply uncomfortable as it is, with as many hoops as it will entail, then we stand a chance to stop the people threatening the peace.”

When I was done, I ran a hand through my hair and gestured to the chair beside the hearth, where the remains of Marius’s letter were still smoldering.

She glanced at the door to her left, then back at the chair, while I waited to see if this time I was the cause of another abrupt departure from my service.

Chapter 25

Assoiffé

YVES

“You believe there is a connection between The Devouring and the Duke of Rochefort?” Cora queried.

“I hope not, but I can’t be sure. He seems unconcerned about the danger, which is suspicious in and of itself.”

She bit her lip, considering this. “Rochefort’s colors are pale blue and gold?”

Nodding, I confirmed as much.

“He wouldn’t have cause to use purple sealing wax?”

“No,” I hedged. “I can’t think of a reason why he would. Why do you ask?”

She continued to chew on her lower lip, and then shook her head. “It’s probably nothing. But I did see Lou pocket a letter with purple sealing wax. He didn’t seem to want me to know he had it.”

Purple. Only one of my brothers used purple wax, and that was Mistfall. But Edmond would never, never, collude with The Devouring. He was a former Witch of the Light, and a staunch ally. So much so that he sent me his second son to serve my house. To be my heir before Adrien was born.

While I wasn’t as close to Edmond as I was to Bastien and Marius, that was only a matter of age. Edmond had been twenty years my senior when he was turned. He was more like an uncle than a brother to me.