Chapter 54 #2
“Finally,” he growled when I entered with Ramia. He faltered at the sight of Enzira behind me. As planned, Tislora waited in the hall behind the door, which had been left slightly ajar. “Who is this? I thought you just went to fetch Ramia.”
“This is Enzira,” I said, gesturing to her. “She was my hand maid during my stay here. I’d like to bring her, too. She doesn’t deserve to be left behind to die.”
I didn’t mention that none of the unseelie fae deserved that fate. Such a statement would fall on deaf ears.
Gerard’s face twisted with disgust. “She is unseelie .”
I lifted my chin. “I possess fae blood. Technically, so do you. She is innocent and has nothing to do with the politics here. If you want the king dead, then letting her live will not change that.” It took every ounce of my strength to keep my voice level.
“Bury your prejudice, Gerard. I’m not going with you unless you let me bring her, too. ”
Gerard made a disgusted sound and rubbed his forehead. “Fine. We don’t have time for this. Come with me.”
He grabbed my arm and steered me toward an open window on the opposite wall. Only then did I notice the rope dangling over the edge.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“This is how I entered the castle. You were right about those enchanted doors. Every time I tried to open one, I found nothing but a stone wall.” He shot me a sly grin. “But apparently, whatever magic enchants these doors does not apply to windows.”
My heart sank with dread. I hadn’t expected to be hauled out the window. I thought he would take me through the hall, where Tislora was waiting.
Gerard noticed my hesitation. “What’s wrong?” He glanced around the room, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“I just—how far down is it? Aren’t we on the third floor?” I said quickly, not wanting him to investigate.
“Yes, but the rope is secure. Trust me, darling.” He pulled on my arm, drawing me close and brushing his lips against my temple. I swallowed down bile and resisted the urge to recoil from his touch. His smell, his warmth—it was all so unfamiliar to me now.
And it only made me crave Varius’s touch even more.
“I’ll go down first, to ensure it’s safe,” he said. He shot an uncertain glance toward Enzira before climbing out the window and shimmying down the rope.
When he was out of earshot, I hissed to Enzira, “You’ll come out last. Quickly, tell Tislora we’ll be on the grounds by the western side of the castle.”
Enzira nodded and hurried to the hall to relay the message while I climbed out the window after Gerard.
Dusk had fallen, and the gleaming full moon filled the sky. The Umbra Mist swirled like smoke around the castle. I suppressed a shiver from the cool night air. I slowly lowered myself down the rope, using my feet to propel my body against the stone wall of the palace.
When I finally reached the bottom, Gerard’s arms came around me. I jerked away without thinking, and something like anger flashed in his eyes.
“Oh—I—you startled me,” I said, pretending to be breathless from the climb. “Didn’t you say we were in a hurry?”
His brows knitted together, and a muscle flexed in his jaw. He could sense something was off about me.
Unfortunately, he knew me too well.
Behind me, Ramia reached the ground, wiping sweat from her brow. Gray hairs came loose from her bun. A few moments later, Enzira hopped down with ease. Gerard eyed her tail with unease as it swished behind her body.
“To the stables?” I asked, my voice a touch sharper than was necessary. I wanted him to stop glaring at my friend.
“No,” he said, meeting my gaze. “To the woods. There’s a patch of dark shadows just beyond that we can travel through.”
“All right. Lead the way.”
He reached for my hand, but I pretended to fumble with the clasp of my cloak. With a sigh, he strode forward.
Then, I made my move.
I yelped loudly, and he stiffened, whirling to face me. My hands grasped his tunic as if I had tripped. Together, we slid sideways, crashing into the bed of flowers that lined the castle walls. My cloak tangled with his sword belt, and his armor clanged loudly as we rolled together in the soil.
“Shit!” I cried, twisting further as he tried to extricate himself. “Damn my clumsiness. Hold on, my fabric is bunched here.”
Enzira rushed forward to help, but Gerard barked, “Get away from us! ”
“Don’t talk to her like that!” I snarled, shoving his chest hard. “She has been nothing but kind to me.”
His nostrils flared, and he stared at me as if seeing me for the first time. “You have changed. I thought you hated the unseelie.”
“I hate those who endanger my people,” I said coldly. “That doesn’t include Enzira.”
I clambered to my feet and slid the bloodstone in the pocket of my cloak, praying he hadn’t noticed I’d taken it. I brushed dirt and leaves from my clothes, then stepped out of the flower bed and onto the gravel path. “Shall we?”
Gerard said nothing, striding past me, then froze, his hand sifting through his pocket.
Damn it.
“Wait a moment.” He whirled to face me, eyes blazing. “What did you do?”
Fear tightened my chest like a vise, but before I could reply, a voice bellowed, “Gerard!”
Gerard turned. Standing beyond the gravel path stood Tislora, her wings stretched wide and her icy silver eyes pinned on him. She offered him a cruel smile.
“It has been a while, hasn’t it, brother?”