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"Of course not," Jinx clarifies, a sly smile playing on her lips. "But as a lady, I'm invited to the weekend services and can come and go as I please. I chose to stay." She touches my wrist, and as she inhales, small red veins pop up beneath her eyes. "To see what your future holds."
“Ladies!” Vidya’s voice booms, interrupting the moment. “Find your seats. His Majesties will be arriving soon.”
“Drink the wine, Khiara,” Jinx says, swaying her hips as she walks to the other end of the room. “You’ll love how you feel once it kicks in.”
Tonight’s dinner feels different. The ambiance is charged with tension, making the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as soon as the food is brought out. Goosebumps form on my arms as the wine is poured into crystal glasses, adding to the unease that settles over the room. I sit at the table, my back rigidly straight, an uneasy anticipation settling over me as I await the unfolding events of the night. I decide to eat nothing, drink nothing—not even the water.
"I owe you a date," Bash's voice whispers behind me and I jump, startled by his sudden proximity.
“You scared me. “
“Sorry.” He extends his hand to me. “Shall we?”
“Sure.” I rise to my feet, and Bash links our arms together.
As we pass Riot,he steps forward to follow us. Bash dismisses him casually, "You're not needed this evening."
“Once we step into the hall, curiosity gets the better of me. "Where are we going?"
"To finish what we started the other night," Bash replies as we enter the ballroom. "Our dance was cut short." He takes my hand and pulls me close to his chest.
Our footsteps echo in the empty ballroom as I look around, sensing the vastness that seems to have expanded without the crowd and tables filling the room. “There’s no music.”
"I don't want anyone spoiling this for us again," he says, his tone low and intimate. "Are you enjoying your stay?"
"I'm alive, which is more than I can say for most of the others who walked into this castle," I reply candidly. Tension fills the space between us and I seize the opportunity to ask, "Where were you last night?"
“Being the future king of Arcane will mean that there are things I have to do that the queen cannot, and should not, know about,” he says dismissively. “Can you handle that?”
I meet his gaze with a steely resolve. "No, but I'm not going to be your bride so I guess it doesn't matter, does it?" The words hang in the air, laced with a touch of sarcasm.
Bash frowns, disappointment coloring his features, and changes the subject. “Riot says you’ve spent most of the day in the library. Is that true?”
“Yes.” I nod. “Vidya tasked me with some reading.”
“The knowledge that room holds is dangerous in the wrong hands.”
“Good thing you have nothing to worry about,” I tease and he smiles.
The clock in the hall strikes nine, and Bash’s brows knit together. “Time is a thief,” he says with a sigh. “I should be going.” He brushes the hair behind my ear and tiny tingles spread from his touch. “Although, perhaps I could steal a few more minutes to escort you upstairs if you’d like.”
His fingers trail down my cheek and my head swims. Heat pools in my stomach, and the words “I’d like that” flow out of my mouth without thought.
Before I know it, we've ascended the grand staircase to the second floor. The soft glow of the sconces cast dancing shadows, creating an intimate ambiance, heightening the fluttering anticipation between us.
Bash holds my hand, his thumb stroking soft circles against my skin. The rhythmic movement adds a comforting touch to my alreadycharged senses. “If I ask you something, would you answer it truthfully?”
“Perhaps. What do you want to know?”
“Say I could heal your friend, give him a sanctuary of your choosing and remedy the money troubles surrounding your uncle’s estate. Would you stay with me?” The hope in his eyes crumbles the wall I’ve built around my heart. It physically hurts and my chest aches at the thought of telling him no. I can’t stay. It’s not safe for me or Ezra, but I’m not sure I can leave Bash either.
Warmth burns through the guilt gnawing at me and I remember what my friend was like under the Crown’s care. Ezra was a shell of himself, stuck in a trance between life and death. “That’s a lot of ifs, the first two being the hardest to make true.”
"We haven't found a way to reverse what's been done, but Aisha made progress in the last couple of days," Bash explains, trying to sway my decision. "The ones I thought were lost to the bloodlust are interactive instead of blindly reactive and their cravings are manageable. We're able to feed them raw beef and they're not as violent.
“And Ezra? How is he?”
Bash looks at my door, thinking about his words. “His curse hasn’t progressed that far. We've been able to keep him from tasting human flesh. There’s something about the blood that throws the curse into hyper-speed. Those whom we withheld it from either tore themselves apart or died from starvation. But we were able to treat Ezra,” he assures me. “He’s not quite himself, but better than he was.”
