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“I’m trying to help you, Em. I want things to be like they used to be, for us to be friends.”
She sat up and reached for her dress. “Is that what you want us to be? Friends?” She wiggled into the gown while her dark gaze raked me from head to toe. “We can be friends, Anaria. Once you stop lying to me.”
She was across the room in a second, her hand banded around my throat, her teeth even sharper close up. Every place her fingers touched turned to ice, the breath froze in my throat as I gasped for air. “Ember, you are not yourself.” I dug my fingers beneath hers until my hands were numb.
“I am exactly what I’m supposed to be.” She crooned as I pried her fingers off my neck, wishing I had a way to defend myself. Not to hurt her, but to… keep the Reaper from touching me. Or taking me over. I rubbed my neck, my skin on fire and my fingers came away bloody.
Fuck.The Reaper got into Ember through a bite, could she get into me through a scratch?
This time when she came for me, I punched her, knuckles cracking hideously hard against her cheek, hard enough to drive her to the floor. When she looked up, silver-flecked gray eyes filled with tears, it was Ember looking at me, no sign of the Reaper.
“Anaria?” She rubbed her jaw, her face filled with confusion. “What…where am I?”
I squatted beside her, my heart breaking for a thousand different reasons. “In the eastern bastion of the outer wall, but I’m here to take you back to our room, where you’ll be safe.”
“What are youwearing?” She muttered through her tears, her eyes widening as she took in my leather pants, the tight jacket. “You look like that awful Lyrae.”
“I’m aware.” I took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “We have to get you back to our room, Ember.”Before Lyrae finds you, or the king gets word, or Crux comes back.“Do you remember leaving this morning? It would have been very early.”
“No.” she said slowly, her eyes overflowing. “I remember going to bed last night, then I woke up…here.” She rubbed her red cheek. “My face hurts…did you…hit me?”
“I’m sorry.” I smoothed her hair back and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry, Ember, everything will be alright, let’s get upstairs and we’ll sort this out.”
I got her to the room and this time, I took no chances, sending Sophie after a tea that would put her to sleep until I found some answers and reamed Crux a new asshole.
If he ever touched my friend again, I’d borrow Lyrae’s knife and carve his privates off.
Somehow, I didn’t think she’d stop me.
47
RAZIEL
“Where the fuck is she, Raziel?”
“Late. I’m sure she has good reason.” I snapped. My simmering rage was barely in check.
Had been barely in check ever since I’d seen that fucking letter carved into the perfect, pale skin of her belly. I closed my eyes, blew out a long breath, which didn’t help a godsdamned bit. Tavion Montgomery was responsible for everything that happened to Anaria at Solok’s hands.
He’d left her in that fucking prison, because he thought she deserved to suffer.More than she already had.
Anger and a need for revenge had me jerking my head to the weapons pile. “Pick up a sword, if you’re that bored.”
This was probably a mistake.
But something deep inside me screamed for vengeance and my anger agreed. This fucker needed to pay for what he’d done. Hewouldpay, a thousand times over, by the time I was finished.
“Are you sure about this, Raziel? It’s been a long while since we’ve sparred.”
“Are you expecting me to back down so you can keep looking…all fancy?”
I rolled my eyes when he drew the sword from his scabbard, the steel shiny and new with a dark blue sapphire glinting on the pommel. I rubbed dry dirt between my palms, chose one of the swords from the practice pile.
In real battle, the weapon never decided the fight, the fighter did. I waited for him to shed his fancy blue coat, the matching embroidered vest, to tie his hair back—in yes—a blue fucking ribbon.
Zor had put me in charge of Anaria’s lessons to keep up the charade they’d begun yesterday, of him moving the army south, in hopes of drawing out Solok’s spies. So far, there was no response from Caladrius, but the day was still young.
There was a small crowd today, but without the princess, there was nothing to watch, and I hoped the rest stayed away.
