CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE #2
He muttered it over and over again, his warm breath trickling down the neckline of my shirt. I couldn’t stop the fat tears that plopped onto his cloak as I clung to his warm, familiar body.
I leaned back and dragged my palms over my cheeks. “What the hell took you so long!” I demanded, though a smile tugged at my lips.
He didn’t return it, his body a chiseled hunk of iron beneath me. His brow was scrunched as his eyes scoured mine. “Are you okay?” he whispered. “I got here yesterday, but they wouldn’t let me see you. Are you a prisoner? Have they hurt you?”
The truth of what I was flooded my mind and my heart shuttered and practically died in my chest. I’d have to throw myself at Laney’s feet and grovel in thanks for the rounders. I chewed on the inside of my lip. How did I even answer that?
I mulled over about ten different answers until I snapped my jaw shut and rolled my eyes to the ceiling, like the answer would be scrawled up in the damned corner.
I finally dropped my gaze back to his and tried to force a smile.
“I’m not a prisoner.” Anymore. I wasn’t exactly okay, and my mind and body had been shredded since I’d been here, so I just ignored those points.
I unsuctioned my legs from his waist and dropped to the floor. A glance over my shoulder revealed Davina observing us with that cool calculation she wore like armor.
My gaze darted back to Beck. “You shouldn’t have come,” I whispered. “It isn’t safe for you here.”
He huffed out a breath and rubbed at his eyes. “Like it’s safe for you? Half the beasts in this place probably want to kill you!”
“Probably more than half,” I muttered, my eyes darting to Griffon before I could stop them. His jaw was taut, a vein in his neck standing in relief. His gaze scorched me in its brief contact.
Beck followed my line of sight. His hands gripped my shoulders and he jerked me forward a step, his lips finding my ear. “Gods, Lydia, is that him?”
I sighed. “It’s a long story.” I swallowed hard and righted Beck’s skewed cloak. “And you’re not going to like it.”
“Care to introduce us to your friend?” Davina’s voice carried easily to where Beck and I huddled. “He refused to say a word without you present yesterday.”
I snorted and turned back to her. “Like you don’t already know who he is. What with the spying and all.”
Beck grabbed my arm again and pulled me close. “They jabbed me with ironweb the second I stepped through the gate.” He shook his head back and forth a tiny fraction. “I can’t…you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “Welcome to hell.” We slowly made our way to the foot of the dais.
Davina inclined her chin. “Why are you here, Beckham Wylder?” Her head tilted to the side as she studied us.
Beck stood straighter at my side, his jaw setting. “I tracked Lydia here. I came to negotiate her release.”
The grin that slid across the Archon’s face sent a shiver scampering down my spine.
“It is true that I forbade Lydia to leave. She disregarded the command and escaped, of course, yet here she is. And here she will remain. We have things your friend needs, Beckham, and this is where she belongs now. Not Vircann.”
Beck all but dissected me out of the corner of his eye. “What does that mean?” he hissed.
My jaw clenched. What a bitch for just tossing that out there. “Later,” I growled under my breath. “What are your intentions for him?” I asked louder, my gaze pinned on Davina. “I will fight like hell if you harm him.”
The Archon extended open palms, as though she couldn’t believe I’d even suggest such a thing. Like she hadn’t threatened to execute me in this very room. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Though I think it would be better for everyone if he didn’t linger.”
“And I would really prefer that he stayed.”
Davina’s jaw twitched, but her shrewd gaze slid to Beck. “Tell me, human. Where do your loyalties lie?”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
She leaned forward, her expression slipping into exasperation.
“I mean, to whom—or to what—do you owe your allegiance? Do you pursue truth above all else? Are you a warden of justice? Seeker of vengeance or hoarder of riches? Does your council possess your undying fealty, or Privalt as a whole? Is it to humanity that you answer, or only yourself? Where, Beckham Wylder, do. Your. Loyalties. Lie?”
“I don’t see how that is any of your concern. Archon,” he tacked on.
“Oh, but it is, if you wish to remain in my fortress. Answer the question or be escorted out.” Her gaze shifted to me. “Without Lydia.”
“I don’t think—”
Davina dragged her weighted gaze off him and waved a guard forward.
Beck tensed but glanced down at me. His hand slipped into mine and he squeezed. “With her.”
I beamed up at him, this man who had never failed me, and locked his fingers in an iron grip.
“One last thing, then,” Davina said. “Explain your magic.”
Beck raised his chin. “I discern moods. I would demonstrate, but you have me drugged, of course.”
“Is this power of yours infallible?”
“Is any power?” he countered. “My magic gives me an impression of a mood. It is up to me to interpret it. Of course, I’m occasionally wrong.
For example.” His eyes swung to Griffon.
“If I didn’t know better, I might interpret your mood as upset or distressed.
When I miss, it often isn’t by much. Perhaps an emotion adjacent to the one being felt. ”
“How the fuck would you know what I’m feeling?” Griffon spat.
Beck snorted. “Because an idiot could see that you’re pissed.”
Davina’s gaze jumped between me and Beck, her eyes narrowing.
“You may stay for a fortnight. That is plenty long for the two of you to…shall I say, work through any issues that may have arisen since Lydia came to stay with us.” Her smile was a bit brittle this time—she was pissed, too. “And then you will return to Vircann.”
Beck dipped his chin, his political mask falling into place. “Of course. Your generosity precedes you.”
“But I do,” Davina continued, “find your timing in coming here rather interesting.”
“Be careful what you imply,” I warned.
“You mean the attack,” Beck said.
Every gargoyle in the room stiffened, and my head whipped toward him. But his gaze was pinned on the Archon.
“The blood hasn’t dried yet. It doesn’t take involvement to know Falcos was assaulted. Almost fell, by the looks of your courtyard. But I had nothing to do with that. I came the moment I discerned where Lydia likely was, and nothing more.”
“Let’s go.” I gripped his forearm and tugged him toward the doors. “You don’t have to listen to this shit.”
“Hey!” Griffon barked, his voice filling the room.
I glanced over my shoulder.
He took a step toward us, his eyes furious and golden complexion splotchy with his anger. “You don’t get to walk away from your archon like that anymore.”
I whipped back to him, my temper igniting like old parchment in a bonfire at his inflection. “None of this is your damned business,” I snarled. “Stay out of it.”
“Peace, Griffon,” Davina said. “I’m certain this has been difficult for her. We can be gracious enough to offer an…adjustment period. But regardless. I must speak with you and Lydia. Graham, please remain in the hall with Beckham. Everyone else, you are dismissed.”