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“Yes.”
“Okay,” I said, unbothered, turning my head to look back up at the cobblestone ceiling.
“But Rhia,” he continued, “you’re not bad company.”
A big grin stretched on my face. “So, you think I’m fun to be around?”
He laughed. “That’s a bit of a stretch, but I don’t hate being around you.”
I placed my hand over my heart. “It’s an honor.”
He chuckled. “So dramatic.”
My eyes closed again, and before I let myself drift off, I said, “I hate you, too.”
The door burst open, and I was instantly up from my seat and alert in seconds. Miles stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, with a bead of sweat attached to his brow.
I relaxed at the sight of my friend. “Wow! It’s tomorrow already? Time really flies down here; it must be because there’s no window.”
I pushed myself up off the seat and swayed a little as I rushed towards him and jumped, relying on pure trust for him to catch me. I landed in his arms as he hugged me.
“You saved me from my tower at last!” I giggled into his shoulder, reminded of my favorite childhood story I used to read about when I was a kid. “How did you find us?”
He pulled away, cupping my cheek and scanning my face for any trace of harm. “I searched the whole damn castle for you. It wasn’t until a servant came to me and mentioned you left with Bennett that I was able to narrow down the places where you might have gone. This is my dad’s cellar; not many people know about it besides Bennett and I.” He scanned the room and looked at the mess on the floor. His eyes darted from Bennett’s jacket to the scattered cards and then the empty bottles.
“You’re drunk?”
“Well, that’s impossible since it’s morning now. I’m all better, and get this.” I leaned in and whispered in his ear for no reason at all, “I don’t even have a hangover.”
Miles pried my arms off him and I swayed a bit, trying to regain my balance. He placed his hands on my shoulders, and I could see the anger in every inch of his body.
“Rhia, it’s not the morning. It’s probably at least an hour or two past midnight by now.”
Bennett chimed in from the settee he still sprawled upon, lifting a finger into the air, “Well, wouldn’t it technically be morning if it’s past midnight?”
“You,” Miles growled. “You got Rhia drunk?” His frustration became clear as his tone grew more heated. “Are you seriously that sick in the head? Were you so plastered that you accidently let the door close, knowing it locks?”
Bennett snickered, and I had to bury my head in my hands to hide from the embarrassment as I fought back the natural urge to laugh with him.
“Woah, woah, woah, do not accuse me of that,” Bennett said, recovering himself. “Rhiannon was actually the one who got us locked in here, and she drank because she wanted to. I didn’t force her to do anything.”
Miles let go of his grip on me, causing me to stumble and catch my balance on the wall. Fury lined his steps as he walked stiffly to where Bennett lay, pure loathing in his eyes. “Liar.” He grabbed Bennett by the collar of his shirt. “Did you touch her?”
Genuine shock appeared on Bennett’s face at the question from his brother. “What? No!”
Miles ignored the response. “I don’t care if you’re the future king, you have no right to even look at her like that. Brother or not, I will not hesitate to beat you until it’s me who’s next in line for the throne.”
Shadows filled the room in an instant and Miles was slammed onto the table, the legs breaking beneath it. His body shattered the glasses that sat atop it and scattered the playing cards all over the floor.
The laughter that once lit up Bennett’s eyes had turned dark black as his Artis blood consumed him. It must have been the alcohol still in my system because the sight didn’t scare me.
“I did not touch her, Brother, and the fact that you thought I could ever be capable of carrying out an act like that sickens me. You know I would never do that.”
Miles scoffed. “I don’t know who you are anymore.”
“I’m not a monster,” Bennett spoke softly.
“Are you sure about that? It wouldn’t be the first time you attempted to hurt her.”
