Chapter Forty-Two Riela
Chapter Forty-Two
Riela
I mentally winced, then offered Garrick a tentative smile. “At least you weren’t in the middle of an important meeting, right?”
When he didn’t answer, I reached for the dagger strapped to his waist, but he caught my hand before I could grab it. His expression
darkened with his scowl. “You will still have to maim yourself in order for us to return.”
“It’s not ideal,” I agreed, “but it’s what we’ve got. And it was my fault for letting go of you. Let’s get back before people
realize we’re gone.”
He reluctantly drew the dagger and handed it to me hilt first. I took a steadying breath, but there was no preparing for the
harsh sting of the blade, the parting of flesh that wasn’t meant to be parted. My hand trembled, but I drew the sharp edge
over my palm before I could turn coward.
Blood welled and I tilted my hand sideways so it would drip onto the stone.
“I fucking hate this,” Garrick growled, tightly leashed aggression stamped onto his features as he paced. His hands flexed,
silver claws glinting in the early morning light.
Behind me, Vastien chuffed in agreement.
“Well, maybe something in the library will help. But we have to cross to use it, so stop sulking and get over here.”
His head snapped to me, nostrils flaring. “Sulking?” he parroted softly.
My brain was screaming warnings at me, but I just straightened my spine and nodded.
Garrick prowled closer and took the dagger from my suddenly nerveless fingers.
“You misunderstand, little mage,” he murmured, eyes fully silver.
“The scent of your blood makes me murderous.
I would annihilate anyone else who spilled it, but I have to watch you cut yourself, over and over, while I do nothing.
I am not sulking, Riela, I am incandescently furious.”
My heart fluttered wildly in my chest, but it wasn’t fear I was feeling—far from it. I reached for him, but my hand was still
bleeding and that seemed to snap whatever tenuous tether he’d had on himself. His magic washed through me in a tidal wave,
strong enough that the pendant at my neck vibrated.
The blood vanished from my skin, but Garrick caught my wrist and brought my palm to his nose. He inhaled deeply, then his
head tipped to the side. He’d never seemed so far from human as he did right now, wreathed in magic, silver eyes glowing,
deadly and otherworldly.
“I’m okay,” I whispered. “You healed me.”
The fingers circling my wrist were gentle but implacable. I wasn’t going anywhere until he released me, and I wasn’t sure
that taking him to Lohka like this was the best idea.
I slowly lifted my other hand, being careful not to startle him, and settled it over his heart. “This is what got us into
trouble in the first place,” I murmured, gently stroking my fingers over the fabric of his tunic. “Apparently shiny magical
pendants are even more irresistible than your chest. Who knew?”
The magic surrounding us cracked and settled, and Garrick’s mouth twitched up into a grin. “My chest is irresistible unless
there’s something shiny nearby, is that it?”
I smiled in relief. “Seems that way.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He brushed his lips over the palm of my hand, and my nerves shivered in delight.
“Are you ready to return?”
Garrick nodded, so I waited for Vastien to crowd against me, then I grabbed Garrick’s arm and closed my eyes. The door opened
with a rush of magic, and the air around us cooled. Before I could catch my balance, the world shifted again, and the light
through my eyelids dimmed.
A peek revealed we were back in the library. Vastien appeared a second later with a grumbled “You could’ve brought me, too, you know.”
Bria glanced up from her book, seemingly not surprised to see us again. “Should I pour the tea?”
“Please,” Vastien said as he flopped into the chair across from her.
I kept my hand clamped around Garrick’s arm. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I had to cut myself again today, and I wasn’t
willing to find out.
Garrick’s magic rose, and he leaned closer to examine the pendant. I touched the chain with my free hand. “What happens if
it snags on something and chokes me to death before you can find me and remove it?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Try not to get into any accidents.” When I huffed, he chuckled quietly. “The necklace will
not harm you. You could dangle from it, and it wouldn’t choke you.”
“Might break my neck, though.”
Garrick shook his head, deadly serious. “It won’t.”
“Okay.” I was still going to avoid accidents—not because I didn’t trust him, but because I didn’t really want to dangle like
a fish on a line until he came and rescued me.
“Garrick, are you staying for tea?” Bria asked.
“No. I’ve kept the court waiting long enough.” When I winced, he shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“It kind of was, though,” I muttered.
Garrick led me to the table where Vastien took my hand with a mischievous grin. “Don’t worry, my lady, I won’t let you go.”
If he was trying to get a rise out of Garrick, he’d failed. The Silver King merely murmured, “See that you don’t. And don’t
let Mar touch her.” A sharp, unreadable look passed between the two of them, then Garrick disappeared with a blink of magic.
Vastien sighed, but he rose and helped me into the chair beside him, even though I was perfectly able to seat myself—as I
repeatedly told him.
Once I was settled and Vastien had hooked his foot around my ankle, freeing my hands, Bria set a steaming cup of tea in front of me. She gave me a sharp smile. “So, you and Garrick . . .”
I froze in horror. How furious would Garrick be if I lunged away from Vastien and sent us back to Edea for the second time
today? It might be worth it to escape this conversation.
Vastien must’ve noticed how I tensed, because he clasped my arm. “Steady.”
I’d already taken too long to respond, but finally I found my voice. “Garrick and I are allies.”
She eyed me. “You didn’t know we were betrothed.”
“Not until last night.”
Bria’s expression didn’t change, but she asked, “Did he tell you why we were betrothed?”
“He told me a story of three children who grew up together and looked out for each other. I told him that he should speak
with you now that he’s back in Lohka.”
She eyed me for a long moment before a soft smile curled over her lips. “You are worried that I’ve forgotten why we decided
to pledge ourselves to each other.”
The accuracy was stunning once again. I squinted at her. “Can you read minds?”
She laughed. “No. But I can read people. And you are a kind person.”
“I’m really not,” I murmured. Not with what I wanted to do with a betrothed man.
“What will you do if I decide I do want Garrick to honor the promise he gave me?”
Beside me, Vastien snorted, but the sound was distant over the roar of my heart. What would I do? Part of me wanted to rail and fight, but I would be nothing but a fleeting blip in Garrick’s long life. Garrick and
Bria had bonds that stretched back to childhood. They might not have been lovers before, but that could always change. I couldn’t
compete, no matter how fiercely I wanted to.
I wanted to hunch over and hide my wounds, but I forced myself to keep my shoulders back and my chin up. “In that case, I hope you make him very happy. He deserves it.”
One elegant silver eyebrow arched over her violet eyes. “You wouldn’t fight me?”
My fingers tightened around the teacup until my knuckles turned white with the strain. “There would be no point, Lady Bria.
I am hardly competition.”
Her eyes dropped to the pendant dangling around my neck. “You might be surprised,” she murmured. At the same time, Vastien
said, “Stop tormenting the woman, Ribi.”
Bria’s lip curled, and her voice turned icy. “Call me that again, you mangy wolf, and I will wear your pelt for a cloak.”
Vastien grinned. “It’s not my fault your nickname sounds like a frog’s song.”
“It was your fault,” Bria snarled. “You started it. Do you know how many people I’ve had to threaten for it to finally die? If you bring it back, I will skin you and wear your fur as a trophy and a warning.”
“I won’t have to bring it back if you stop meddling, Ribi.”
Bria’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, and what are you doing, then?”
“Meddling,” he admitted with a laugh.
I blinked, sure I was missing part of the conversation. But I wasn’t about to ask, because I was no longer the focus of Bria’s
attention, and I wanted to keep it that way.
I picked up the nearest book and carefully flipped it open. It took me a second to realize that I could read it. The script
was still unfamiliar, but as my gaze traced over the lines, I knew what the words meant.
As long as I read along normally, the translation charm worked. But when I stopped and focused on the script itself, my head
throbbed as the magic fought my vision. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to subside. No more staring at the words,
got it.
The book was a dry history of the Silver Court. I flipped through the pages to see if it improved, but no. So many battles and intrigues were written about in the least interesting way possible. I was about to give up when I caught the Blood King’s name in the text.
Feylan had visited the Silver Court soon after he’d been crowned King Roseguard. The meeting with Garrick had not gone well,
but the two had fallen into an uneasy peace until Roseguard had started pulling more and more unwilling humans into Lohka.
It had very nearly come to war, but the Blood King had abruptly backed down. Then, a few years later, he’d trapped Garrick
on the human side of the door. He’d apparently meant to trap all of the Upper Court—those powerful enough to warrant access
to Edea—but Garrick had fought the door’s curse long enough for his court to cross through.
As soon as he’d laid the curse, Roseguard’s armies here in Lohka had attacked, because of course they had, but unlike human
nobility, the Etheri Upper Court was expected to fight to defend their court—and they had.