Chapter 78
Chapter Seventy-Eight
APRIL
I can tell that Sebastian is not very happy with how out of hand things are—something he can’t control—but if he expects me to hide in this damn building while they deal with the mages, he is sorely mistaken.
A while back, I learned that to deal with him I have to be smart.
Act like a clueless girl, smile like a dumbass, and nod in a noncommittal way.
It puts him at ease, and I can do whatever I want as long as he doesn’t catch a whiff of what I’m planning.
My comments—well, more like orders—for searching out the tunnels tonight left him glowering at the table covered with the blueprints when I exited the room.
Marcus, on the other hand, was nipping at my heels, following behind me as if I were trying to escape. I was, but that’s beside the point.
“Are you sure we can’t postpone this until tomorrow night, little one?
” he mumbles low under his nose as we walk by the two guards stationed at the door, using the nickname he gave me what feels like ages ago.
“I will personally go there with a group of Guardians to make sure there are no traps. If it proves that we have indeed found their hiding hole, we can attack then.”
Ignoring the comment, I inconspicuously nod at the two towering men standing on either side of the door, and they fall in step with us behind an agitated Marcus, who’s still muttering nonsense under his breath.
As angry as the consistent complaining makes me, I can’t hold it against the one person who has had my back since all this started.
Through thick and thin, Marcus is one constant who has been fighting for my sanity with me, despite going against Sebastian’s wishes at times.
Taking hold of him, I link my arm around his elbow while giving his forearm a reassuring squeeze.
“Duly noted, Marcus.” He glowers at me, so I smile thinly at the grimace still on his face.
“But let me ask you something. When have I ever done something when any of you ordered me to do it?” His glower deepens as my smile turns into a grin.
“Exactly. So, I can’t for the life of me understand why you keep trying when you know it’s pointless. ”
“Pointless or not, if there is a chance to protect you in any way, I have to try. I’ll keep trying even if it kills me.” With a huff, he shakes his head, thick strands of his dark hair falling over his forehead that he yanks back up when he runs his fingers through them.
Gone is the immaculate man who looks as intimidating as he is intriguing.
After we lost Andrei, whiskers cover his square jaw, and his hair is long enough to brush the top of his ears.
Weariness makes his eyes look sunken into his handsome face, and my stomach tightens while I watch him from the corner of my eye.
In that moment, I decide killing Sara for what she had a hand in will be too merciful.
“You are not allowed to die. You hear me?” My voice booms in the silent hall, and it’s a lot louder than I intended.
I flinch. “I’ve lost enough.” With a sigh, I lean my head on his upper arm and look at the high, vaulted ceilings to stop the stinging tears fighting to spill down my cheeks.
I can feel his intent gaze burning a hole into the side of my face when he looks down at me, but I pretend I don’t notice.
“I can’t take anymore loss, Marcus. I thought immortality had perks, at least in that area, but I was recently proven wrong. ”
“I can’t promise that, April, as much as I wish to do so for you.
I’ve lived long centuries, but we are in the middle of very uncertain times.
” His deep voice vibrates in his chest when he lowers his tone, as if he is telling me a secret.
“What I can assure you of is I will do my damn best to stay by your side for as long as I am able.”
“That’s all I ask, my friend.” With another squeeze of his forearm, I straighten. “And as it turns out, I owe you my life, so I will do the same.” Attempting to lighten the mood, I offer him a cheerful snort. “You might develop a hero complex if I let you keep saving my ass all the time.”
He chuckles, but the sound is tense.
“You need to feed.” Changing the subject, he switches back to mothering me.
“Are you offering?” Cocking one eyebrow, I grin when he narrows his gaze on my face. “Don’t be an ass. I stopped trying to tear your throat out a while ago.”
“Right.”
A burst of laughter bubbles out of my mouth at the way he is squinting at me as if he doesn’t believe a word I say.
I can’t blame him. I was his worst nightmare after they turned me.
The two men walking behind us snicker too, probably remembering the same thing.
It became an inside joke around the Guardians that after all the centuries Marcus has been alive, he finally found his bogeyman—aka me.
He never appreciated the joke, and he is not doing so now when he turns his glare on them over his broad shoulders.
We take a corner, and the hall opens up into the cavernous space of what used to be the throne room.
A handful of Guardians turn their heads at our arrival.
The domed, high ceilings and walls are still covered with scorch marks, black and smeared from whatever the mages used in that damn blast. The gleaming marble of the floor is smudged with soot and something resembling oil that can’t be removed.
Day in and day out, everyone works on cleaning this place up, but it’s like death has sunk its claws in this space and its refusing to let go of it.
No matter how much they scrub and wash, the stench and darkness penetrates the very mortar of the room, and they sit there mocking us for our arrogance and weaknesses with each breath we take.
As always, just stepping foot in this room makes my knees buckle, and bile burns the back of my throat.
Marcus tightens his hold on me, offering support without being too obvious about it.
After the attack, he developed trust issues worse than mine.
He doesn’t trust anyone implicitly, apart from Sebastian and me.
Not even Eshe.
“You know what to do.” I don’t turn to look at the two following us, but they take the hint and slink off to do what they’re supposed to. It takes everything in me to stay standing and not curl up and bawl my eyes out.
“What are you up to?” Marcus gets straight to the point as always, but I have a suspicion it’s more to keep me talking so I don’t show anything I feel in front of the people mulling around.
“I know you and Sebastian think I’m going to run blindly into those tunnels, but I have no time to convince you when there is so much that needs to be done.
” Breathing through my nose, I tilt my lips in the resemblance of a smile, just for sake of appearances, but I’m sure I look constipated.
“They are the first I turned using my blood.” Referring to the two Guardians I sent away, I keep my tone low.
“I’m taking them with me to a late lunch if you will. ”
“Lunch?”
“Yeah.” Despite the knotting in my stomach, I snort humorlessly. “I had them snooping around the city the last couple of days, and they assured me the place where we reserved a table is a hot spot for those thinking they are sneaky and can hurt me and mine. I want to dine with them.”
“Are you insane?” Marcus stops in his tracks, yanking me back so I have to face him. “Per l’amor del cielo, donna. Sei davvero pazza.” He gapes at me incredulously, referring to the human God while repeating I’m insane, which I chose to take as a compliment.
“Which god, my friend? The one we worshipped as mortals has forsaken us the moment we became monsters.”
“April.” He is one of the only three people who can say my name as a warning and keep his head attached to his neck.
“Marcus.”
“Sebastian is going to lose his shit, and he will lock you up so that you can’t go anywhere for a decade when he finds out.”
“So, we will make sure he doesn’t find out.”
“How do you suppose you can accomplish that?” He cocks his head to the side, listening. “He is already on his way here searching for you.”
“I know.” My smile must give me away because he takes a step back, releasing my arm while shaking his head vehemently.
“No.” Another step back. “Oh, hell no.”
“I’m going to my room to change.” Fighting the laugh trying to escape me, I turn on my heel, sauntering away from him.
“It’s your job to throw him off my trail, Marcus.
Because if you don’t”—glancing over my shoulder, I widen my eyes dramatically just to frustrate him more—“I’ll make sure you have no idea when I’m coming or going from this tomb we call home. I’m pretty sure you won’t like that.”
“You’ll be the death of me,” Marcus growls through clenched teeth.
“And I’m not getting anywhere near your throat to do it, either.” With a giggle, I wiggle my fingers in farewell over my shoulder. “I’ll see you in a bit.”