Midnight Star (Star Touched: Fae Bound #3)

27. Zoey

Zoey

I watch Katerina disappear into the palace, my mind racing as I shove the paper into my pocket.

Twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes until I have a chance to find out why someone who hasn’t spoken in over a year reached out to me.

In the meantime, I put each piece back into its place, examining them as I do. They’re all so different—some crude, some smooth—and yet, they still fit together to play the same game.

I’m putting the final pawn into place when Henry materializes beside the table.

“Making new friends?” His eyes flick to where Katerina disappeared, then back to me.

“Hardly. We were just playing chess,” I say as he sits uninvited into Katerina’s chair .

“Were you?” His gaze burns into me. “Because Katerina doesn’t ‘just’ do anything. Not anymore.”

Despite every bone in my body telling me to get up and keep my distance from Henry, I can’t help being curious.

And, from his arrogant smirk, I have a feeling he knows it.

“What are you talking about?” I finally give in.

His smirk widens, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“Katerina doesn’t do anything for no reason,” he says, serious now. “She’s dangerous. You’d be wise to stay away from her.”

“Dangerous?” I scoff. “She doesn’t even speak.”

“And have you ever wondered why?” He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Why someone would choose total silence? What kind of awful things they might be trying to hide?”

“Like what?” The words are out before I can stop them.

“Let’s just say she’s earned her silence,” he says. “Stay. Away.”

I narrow my eyes at him, not buying it. “So, you’re telling me to avoid her because you’re concerned for my safety?”

“Exactly.” He tilts his head, and for a fleeting moment, he almost looks amused. “Katerina’s mine to manage. And if you interfere, well—” His hand darts under the table faster than a viper, grabbing my wrist in a vice-like grip that makes me gasp in pain.

“Let go,” I warn, but when I try to pull back, his grip tightens.

Hopefully learning how to swim will simultaneously improve my upper body strength.

Although, while I might someday stand a chance against Henry, I’ll never stand a chance against the vampires. No human ever could.

As it is, I make sure to not bring attention to myself. Not when there’s a chance I might be able to get information from Henry—regardless of how reliable that information might be.

“Listen carefully.” His fingers tighten further, sending sharp pains up my arm. “You’ve caused enough of a commotion with Jake and Aerix. When the queen learned about Aerix and Cierra’s little misunderstanding in his quarters earlier, she was far from happy. She doesn’t want discord between the royals—especially not now. And let’s not forget your friend from home. The one who’s already so fragile from the queen’s attention.”

“What about him?” Ice floods my veins, not liking where Henry might be going with this.

“I’d say he has about a month left in him,” he says. “Two, if he’s lucky. It would be a shame if someone close to the queen encouraged her to speed up the process, don’t you think?”

I stare at him in shock.

“You aren’t seriously hinting that the queen would do something because you asked her to?” I can’t help it—I laugh.

Which, annoyingly, doesn’t bother him in the slightest.

“The queen and I have an understanding.” His grip loosens slightly, but the threat remains. “She finds my observations about the other humans here quite entertaining. And she already doesn’t like you, because the king nearly claimed you. If she hears that keeping your friend from home alive for longer will make you indebted to me, then I suspect she might do it. For the entertainment factor and all.”

“You’re sick,” I say, and this time, when I try to pull my hand back, he releases me.

“I do what it takes to survive here, just like the rest of them,” he says, standing and towering over me in a way that makes me reach for the pointy castle piece and hold tightly onto it, as if it were a weapon.

I really wish I had a rake right now.

But it’s okay that I don’t.

After all, I have a not-so-secret weapon.

Aerix .

And there’s no way he’s going to let Henry get away with this.

“Remember what I said,” Henry warns as he backs away. “And keep in mind that the most influential players can often be found in unexpected places. Potential allies, too.”

I shake my head as he walks away.

Henry is out of his mind if he thinks I’d consider him an ally.

On the other hand, what if it’s true that he can encourage the queen to speed up what looks to be Matt’s inevitable death?

I can’t risk that happening.

Which means that until I learn more—or until Henry’s dead—I’m going to have to play along with him, whether I like it or not.

In the meantime, I storm out of the courtyard, my heart pounding in time with my hurried steps. My wrist aches where Henry grabbed me, but it’s nothing compared to the storm raging in my chest. His threats, his smugness, his audacity—it’s all too much. Yet, through the haze of anger, one thought blazes brighter than the rest.

Katerina.

Even though it hasn’t been twenty minutes, I head to the suite where Malakai’s girls stay. Lacey and Brenda—his other two—were still playing cards when I left. Which means if Katerina was being truthful with me in her note, she’ll be there alone.

Before I can second-guess myself, I knock.

The door creaks open a moment later, revealing Katerina. She steps aside, her movements graceful and deliberate, and gestures for me to enter.

The main room in the suite is dimly lit, the heavy curtains drawn tight against the windows. The walls are painted a deep, blood-red hue, almost black in the low light, and the furniture is imposing, heavy, and gothic.

Katerina moves toward the door with her name engraved on its plaque, and I follow, looking over my shoulder as I enter.

When the door shuts behind me, she turns to face me, her expression calm but unreadable.

Then, to my shock, she speaks.

“I want Aerix to take care of Henry,” she says, with more venom than I would have guessed possible, given her soft looks. “Like how he took care of Jake this morning.”