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Tavish hummed in agreement. “By your lead, King Erik.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE SONGBIRD
I blinked.“Gav-Gavyn?”
Pallid and nearly diaphanous, like his flesh had yet to thicken on his bones, Gavyn Seeker filled the door frame. He moved swiftly and knelt at my side.
His mouth twisted into a snarl when he scanned the marks on my face, my arms. “Gods, I will kill him before the king gets a chance.”
I curled a hand around his wrist. “Is he here?”
Gavyn shook his head. “No. I went to search while the king went to the earth realms.”
“He went . . . to my folk?” Bleeding gods.
“I don’t know what is happening through the Chasm,” Gavyn admitted. “But I’ve been in contact with the House of Mists. The Lady of Witches herself went to aid the king.”
Hope lifted in my chest. Hesh stood against Erik. Joron of the House of Tides was unknown, but if he had Gavyn and Narza, then Erik would be evenly matched to Larsson. Then again, Larsson had control of a mythical elven isle, and there was a reason Skadi hadfeared it. There was something she knew, something else that threatened her and likely us.
“What has he done to you?” Gavyn’s teeth ground together as he inspected the open wound down my chest, bruises on my face.
I fought to keep my voice steady as I hurried through the removal of my heartbond, then the beating.
“What use could he have for the heartbond other than healing the darkening?”
“He made it seem like there was more to it, like it would help him gain the blood crown. He thought it would gain my compliance since I wouldn’t feel anything for the king any longer.”
Gavyn rested a hand on my knee. “Tell me true, Livia. Has it altered how you feel for the king?”
“It did.”
A wash of hurt crossed Gavyn’s face.
“You misunderstand me,” I whispered. “It has not changed how fiercely I love Erik Bloodsinger, but it has certainly changed the lines I would cross to reach him. Something has been altered inside me. Once I feared violence and bloodshed. Now I can think of nothing else but making them suffer. I think they’ve made me a monster, Gavyn.”
His palm cupped the side of my face. “No. They’ve made our queen their villain. And I cannot wait for them to realize their mistake.”
I scrubbed my face, forcing the unease to fade to the back of my thoughts. “Have you heard from the king at all? My father will try to kill him.”
“And he accepted that risk, Livia,” he said. “Erik knows no one will fight harder for you than your own people.”
“And you risked yourself searching for me. I am glad . . . I am glad Erik has your loyalty.”
“You think I do this only for Erik?” Gavyn rubbed the back of his neck as though his own nerves were taking hold. “I owe you. Howcould I not search for the woman who kept my father alive on the Ever Ship?”
“Your father?” Like another strike to my skull, his words pummeled against me. “Sewell?”
Bleeding hells, all those stolen glances between Celine and the cook made a great deal of sense. Her fierce worry when she’d found him injured in the galley, the way she’d cried, the tender touch to her cheek from Sewell’s fingers.
“Lord Sewell was once his name, but I’ve always called him Daj.” Gavyn smiled, almost shyly. “I know what you did not only for him, but for my sister. After she had her siren’s call torn out when our mother was killed, Cel fears others beyond Daj, Erik, and me. You did not need to embrace her, yet you did. You looked out for her.”
“She looked out for me too.” Gods, I missed them all. I blew out a long breath. “I am grateful he has the lot of you after . . . after losing Tait.”
“Losing him?” Gavyn snorted. “That sod couldn’t be brought down by a knife. Heartwalker’s alive.”
In relief, I let my head fall against the cool walls, allowing the tears to trickle from the corners of my eyes.
