Chapter 19 #2
I walked away from the table, leaving Tsan and Axel in the dirt pit.
Carmine intercepted me inside.
He peered through the open windows. “Any reason you didn’t want me out there?”
“I don’t trust you not to hurt Axel.”
Carmine tilted his head. “What of the yellow?”
“I don’t trust you not to hurt anyone whose company I enjoy,” I answered.
“I have told you that no harm will come to them. I meant that.”
I was sure he had. In that moment. On that good day.
I crossed my arms. “Can I help you with anything?”
Carmine held up two books, and my heart stopped. My gaze lifted to his, and I couldn’t interpret the emotion lurking there.
“Why do you have these books?” he asked softly.
I swallowed. “Why are you searching my room?”
“I didn’t.” He paused. “Gratia has taken a disliking to your meddling in her mating.”
If Gratia had searched my wardrobe a week ago, she really would have hit the jackpot. I had to find a better hiding spot.
Carmine lowered his head. “Syera, I need to know why you’re reading these books.”
“Just for interest,” I answered.
But as the words crossed my lips, he snatched up my hand. I winced as cold speared me—and him too.
“Not for interest,” he hissed, and his eyes widened.
With fear? That didn’t make sense.
I yanked my hand away and backed up. “For myself.”
He’d blurred forward to touch me again, and this time warmth speared us. That answer had rung true.
Carmine’s expression fell. “For yourself? In what way?”
I yanked away again. “Why would anyone read books if not for themself?”
“What are you trying to heal?”
“Nothing.”
He hadn’t touched me, but said, “Lie.”
I pressed my lips together.
Carmine sighed. He opened a portal to his room and tossed the books through. Just like that, any information they may have possessed was gone. I’d never see them again.
He rubbed his forehead. “Syera, you may not have felt like yourself since the joining.”
I blinked. Was he about to tell me the truth about the white magic that had filled me and taken over my mind? “I haven’t felt like myself. Why is that?”
He didn’t hesitate to say, “The joining ritual can do that.”
Unfortunately for King Liar, I’d whipped my hand forward to touch him this time. Cold speared my heart, and I shuddered at the wrongness.
“Now who’s lying?” I said coldly. Before the cold could dissipate, I lied right back, “I’ve felt fine. I only took these books from the archives because I saw them on your bedside table in our dream.”
Warmth replaced the cold.
That was half true. True enough that I’d fooled our lie detector. This mating gift had loopholes.
Carmine didn’t draw away.
“I see,” he said at last. He closed his eyes. “I see. That’s a relief. I thought for a moment that you were… looking for a cure.”
I waited, but the rest never came. “Is that all?”
If so, then I had to be off to kill his sister.
“One more thing,” he said.
Carmine drew his hand away, and that felt pretty much like he was waving a sign that read I’m about to lie my ass off. “Please attend the war council tomorrow morning. We would like your input on the next attack.”
I pursed my lips. “I thought they didn’t trust me.”
“They trust you enough,” he murmured after a brief pause.
The war council was setting me up.
Testing my loyalty. And whether Carmine intended to or not, he was tipping me off.
“I’ll be there,” I answered. “One more thing. I recently traded my father’s sword for a new one. His sword has been purchased. I’d like to visit the new owners.”
“To check on the sword?”
“Out of curiosity.”
“Who purchased it?” he asked.
“Someone very rich. I was going to visit Raes’s family on the way to ask who.” Then I could dangle the visit to Raes’s family over Gratia’s head as well. Two birds, one stone again. I was crushing it today. The mother in me was satisfied.
Carmine didn’t like the idea of me out in the realm. He expected me to see my lover man. Anthy. Or Antho? I couldn’t recall his name.
I’d sweeten the deal. “Axel might like a change of scene. I’d planned to take him with me.”
His brow cleared. “Keep the visit short. But I applaud your interest in fostering relationships with powerful families out in the realm. They are important. And in the past, a queen has been in charge of that network.”
Go me. “I aspire to be a great queen.”
Carmine’s seriousness didn’t fade. “You already are, Syera.”
Great, well… I turned to leave. I had an excuse to find Owu. Thank the mother for that.
“Mate?” Carmine called.
I paused and glanced back.
“We will enjoy a private dinner.”
I had four problems with that statement. One, that it was a statement. And then the words we, enjoy, and private.
How private? “With your mother?”
“No.”
“Gratia?” I asked hopefully.
“No.”
“Oh, we can’t do dinner that night. Raes’s birthday party is tomorrow night.”
Carmine’s lips curved. “We will do the night after then.”
“What if we’re… tired? Maybe we should invite your mother.”
“No, mate. Just the two of us, tired or not.”
Mate, two, us.
I stared. How to say no with an effective result? “No.”
Carmine crossed to me. He kissed my cheek and brought his mouth near my ear. “Not a request, enamai. Don’t be late, or I’ll find you.”