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“One day, the queen is going to give me permission to kill you,” Felix says to Lucien. “You’d best behave while at Court and not give her a reason to.”
The hatter slaps his hat back on his head with a grin. “I couldn’t be appropriate if my life depended on it.”
“Once you’re back in the palace, you’ll have to be. Or your death will be expedient.”
Lucien’s smile widens. “Challenge accepted.”
CHAPTER23
ADELAIDE
The Captain of the Guard gives us little time to pack our things.
Within minutes the three of us are being led to the carriage waiting for us outside. The vehicle is hitched to four large dodo birds that are magnificent, proud and muscular, their harnesses made of glittering gold. The birds are gigantic with bodies covered in glossy black feathers. They have huge wings, tiny heads, and long beaks.
The creatures snort and squawk the closer we get, as though irritated with our presence or just eager to run. Darius opens the door, snagging my attention. He turns to assist me and holds out his gloved hand. Even though our skin won’t meet, I’m still hesitant to touch him. His blood hasn’t stopped rushing through his veins since he first saw me, and now his heart beats faster than before at our nearness.
I place my fingers in his, and they curl around mine. Are they shaking? Feelings of security flow over me, bringing my awareness of him to a higher level. His eyes never leave mine as I step into the vehicle.
Darius climbs in after I’ve taken my seat, sitting next to me. Now my hands are the ones trembling. My nervousness and excitement fuse together into a ball of emotion that sets me on edge.
When Lucien gets inside, he frowns. “I wanted to be next to her.”
“Shut up and sit down,” Baxter grumbles from the doorway. “This is going to be a long ride, and I don’t want to hear you whining before we’ve even left.”
“Baxter’s cock is always in a knot. It makes sense why he’s in a foul mood.”
Both men find their seats, Lucien across from me and Baxter from his brother. Silence descends on the carriage despite the birds’ talons digging into the earth to propel us forward. The vehicle lurches, and Darius throws out his arm to keep me from falling.
“Careful,” he says.
His forearm grazes my breasts every time I inhale, and my nipples harden in response. I paste a smile on my face to hide my irritation with my body. “Thank you.”
He nods. “Draw the shutters so we can speak freely.”
The light dims, shrouding us in near darkness. It’s as though the space around me has shrunk, and I lace my fingers to avoid fidgeting. Lucien leans on the tip of his cane, watching Darius the way a cat does a mouse before bludgeoning it to death.
Baxter folds his arms and reclines in his seat, his facial expression void of any tension. I concentrate on his pulse. It speaks of his uncertainty. What is he nervous about?
“What progress has been made in my time away?” Darius asks.
His brother scoffs. “Fuck all. You didn’t give us more than a few days at most. I can’t rush the return of her memories, not without risking her mind. You know that.”
“I had hoped…” Darius turns to me. “What can you tell me?”
Despite the dim lighting making me feel pressed upon, I’m grateful it conceals my features. Surely, they’d all see just how unsettled I am.
“I remember a few of my past lovers, various times the queen tortured me when I didn’t do what she commanded, and my friendship with Baxter. As well as my involvement with his wife’s death.”
Darius frowns. “Your involvement?”
I nod and drop my gaze, unable to look at Lucien or Baxter. My decision to reveal everything locked into place as soon as the soldiers arrived. There’s no more time to prepare Lucien or for me to master my magic.
So there’s no reason to keep this secret.
The faster Lucien hates me, the faster I can beg for his forgiveness. If he doesn’t try to kill me. That’s the reason I’m telling him with Baxter and Darius present. Hopefully, they’ll interfere if he gets violent.
Orwhen.
