51. Henry #3
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she says, nudging me forward.
As soon as we walk into the feast room, I regret telling her this was a good idea.
All of the female storytellers and the women from the families who secure the fort with their magic are in attendance.
The tables are covered in teapots and trays of small sandwiches and cakes, and it very much does not feel like the kind of event where Harlow would be at home.
She smiles brightly as I lead her into the room, to her place of honor beside my mother.
Before I can escape, Harlow grabs my arm and clicks her tongue.
“Running off without giving your wife a kiss?” she says with a faux pout .
She grabs my shirt and tugs me to her.
When she kisses me, all I can taste is sweet poison. My wife is trying to poison me—and I like it. I am fully entranced by her viciousness.
Then she looks at my mother. “Don’t you think he should stay and honor all of us ladies with his presence? I just can’t seem to keep my hands off him this morning.”
I read my mother’s skepticism immediately, but the ladies at the surrounding tables whistle and tap their silverware to their glasses in agreement, urging us to kiss again.
Harlow obliges them. And just like that, I’m trapped at the ladies’ luncheon along with her.
The minutes drag by as I pick at honey cakes and sip tea and try not to fall asleep from the sheer monotony of listening to so many conversations at once.
It’s a relief when Carter appears at the door, even knowing I’m going to have to engage in the best acting of my life. He waves, but I wait for Harlow to notice him.
She leans close. “It looks like Carter needs you.”
I lift my head. “I’ll be right back.”
None of the other ladies seem to notice I’m sneaking out of their party, but I feel Harlow’s gaze on my back as I step into the hallway with Carter.
“You ready for this?” he asks.
I nod. “Apparently, Stefan already did the heavy lifting for us. Harlow admitted that she was worried because Stefan threatened Gaven the other night.”
Carter pinches the bridge of his nose. “Kind of him to make it so easy on us.” He glances past me, toward Harlow. “How is she feeling this morning?”
“Vindictive. Even though she can’t stand the sight of me, she trapped me at this luncheon with her because she knew I would loathe it.”
Carter shakes his head and claps a hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure this is the time?”
Telling Harlow about Gaven during this luncheon was the plan, but that was before she found out I’m Deathless. I’m worried this is too much at once .
“It’s already been almost a full day since it happened. I don’t think we can put it off much longer without things getting messy,” I say.
Carter gives a resigned nod. “I hope you know what you’re doing. I’ll meet you outside.”
He retreats down the hallway, and I stand there for a moment, as if I need time to compose myself.
Then, I turn and walk slowly across the feast room.
I don’t have to pretend to dread this because between pissing her off last night and the secrets I’ve revealed this morning, I’m genuinely afraid of her reaction to this news.
If she retreats from me entirely, I don’t know how I’ll make up the ground I’ve lost in time for Dark Star Festival.
Harlow looks at me expectantly as I approach.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
I nod toward the door. “Will you step outside with me?”
She frowns. “What’s going on?”
“I think we should step away and discuss it.”
Harlow is trying hard to look calm, but she has her hands clasped in a white-knuckle grip. “Henry, just tell me.”
I glance at my mother and then look back at my wife. “They found Gaven’s body in the woods behind the house. He’s dead, Harlow.”
She doesn’t say anything at first. Then she turns and whispers something to my mother, who nods and pats her shoulder.
She rises from her chair stiffly and takes my arm. I lead her out of the room and down the hall in silence. She shivers as we step out into the chilly winter morning, and her face looks especially pale in the bright sunlight. I shouldn’t have taken so much blood last night.
Carter, Bryce, and a few other hunters are waiting for us just inside the woods behind Havenwood House. It’s the very edge of the hunt grounds. I felt bad leaving Gaven there all night, but it was necessary to sell our story.
The men part, and Bryce ushers them away to give us some privacy.
Harlow stops short when she sees Gaven’s body. His eyes are shut, but his clothes are very obviously soaked in dry blood.
She stares at him for a long moment. “It’s beneath him to be mastered by some prick with an ego. I’ve seen him kill Drained like it was nothing, even without holy fire.”
I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly parched. “Stefan isn’t just mortal. He’s like me. The Deathless are faster and stronger, with better focus than the Drained.”
She lowers her gaze, and suddenly, I’m worried she’s going to cry. But when she looks up, her eyes are full of fury. “I’m going to kill him.” Her voice is low but full of certainty.
“You can’t.”
She glares at me. “I’ll not let this stand. It is one thing to try to assault and kill me. It’s another to murder my bodyguard. That is an attack on my family, and to let it stand would make me look weak.”
“I know well you can’t simply act on every impulse.”
“I’ll make it look like an accident,” she says.
“Harlow, if you do, my mother will be forced to call him back again.”
She looks at Gaven’s body. “Then have her call him back.” Her voice wavers, and my stomach sinks.
I keep my voice gentle, fighting the urge to reach for her hand. “It’s been too long. It won’t work.”
She stares at him for a few long moments, and I think of his final request. Not telling her what he said is eating at me. Divine Asher does not smile on those who ignore final wishes, but there’s no way for me to tell her what he said without implicating myself.
“We had a complicated relationship, but he did the best he could,” she says softly. “It wasn’t enough, but it wasn’t nothing.”
The guilt churns in my stomach. “He said something in passing the other night. I asked him about why he puts up with your attitude, and he said because he was sorry about something that happened six months ago.”
She goes still. “Six months ago?”
“Yes.”
She makes a soft hum of consideration. “No idea what he means.”
I press on. “I got the impression he regretted not standing up for you in a more general sense.”
Harlow is quiet for a long moment before she turns to face me. “And here I thought the two of you were forever at odds.”
“I sparred with him yesterday afternoon. It’s probably the most he’s spoken to me,” I say.
She rolls her eyes. “I’ve never met someone who talks so much during a fight.
Honestly, he was never working hard enough.
” She swallows hard and looks away. “We should light a pyre at dawn. Do you think your father would start it with holy fire? Gaven was particularly devout when it came to Vardek.”
“I’m sure he would.”
“I’d prefer for it to be private if that’s okay,” she says.
“Whatever you want.” In my own ears, I sound too agreeable—too guilty, but Harlow doesn’t notice, and that makes it worse.