Chapter Forty-Six Riela #2
Garrick turned and guided me forward again. “There are two types of bonds. The kind I share with Grim is one-sided. Grim is
bound to me, and if I need to, I can pull his magic for my own use or override his will. It requires a vast amount of trust
from the person submitting to the bond.” He slanted a glance at me. “We do not have that level of trust, nor do I want you
to be my subject.”
I swallowed a shiver. He was not wrong. I trusted him, but I wouldn’t want to give him that kind of control over me. “And
the other type?”
“Extremely rare,” he murmured. “A two-way blood bond is far deeper than a marriage. It means sharing everything with a partner—magic,
life, will. And for a sovereign, the entire court is balanced on the bond, so their partner becomes an immediate target. I
don’t know of any sovereigns who’ve accepted a two-way bond.”
What would it be like to have someone trust me that completely? More importantly, could I ever trust someone that much? I wasn’t so sure.
I blew out a breath. “Thank you for explaining. If you’d just told me that from the beginning then I wouldn’t have pushed.”
“Very few people know that Grim and I share a blood bond. The Silver Court generally disagrees with the practice.”
“So why did you do it?”
“He convinced me that it would be beneficial for my protection.” Garrick chuckled. “You may have noticed that he can be quite
persuasive when he wants to be, and we were both young and arrogant enough to overlook the potential problems.”
The dais came into view. Vastien was sleeping in his wolf form in the middle of the circle. “You can’t reverse it?” I whispered.
“Not without a great deal of suffering. So now I’m just very careful not to activate it.”
We stepped up onto the stone circle and Vastien opened his eyes. He yawned, showing me a mouth full of sharp, gleaming teeth.
He might not be able to speak in this form, but he got the point across just fine.
I closed my eyes and focused on the door, but without my blood painting the stone, nothing happened.
I snagged the dagger from Garrick’s waist before he could stop me. I really needed to find a small knife I could hide in my
pocket, but that was a problem for the future. I sliced my fingertip, a tiny little cut that wept a single drop of blood.
I crouched down and pressed it to the stone.
I stood and returned the dagger to its sheath, then wrapped my fingertip in the handkerchief I’d brought for the purpose.
Garrick stared at the speck of red on the white stone. “Is that enough?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But we’re going to find out. Ready?”
He nodded, so I grabbed his arm and reached for the magic again. The world shifted. The sun had sunk behind the castle, wreathing the courtyard in shadows. A guard startled at our appearance, then dipped into an elaborate bow when he spotted Garrick.
Garrick’s magic swept through me, healing the little cut on my finger, but doing nothing for the ache already building in
my chest. Hopefully dinner wouldn’t be too long.
Vastien stepped up beside me, his face set in an expression I couldn’t quite read. He offered me his arm. “Shall we?”
I looked at Garrick and lowered my voice so the guard wouldn’t overhear. “This is the last dinner I’m attending until the
door is fixed. If you can’t spare Vastien from the table, then figure out a way to let me stay in Lohka without touching one
of you.”
Garrick nodded even as tension tightened his frame. “I understand.”
I slid my arm into Vastien’s and summoned a smile. “Let’s go.”
Vastien led me to the same seat as before, and Bria smiled in welcome from across the table. Lord Cainsian had been moved
to hang over one of the round tables in the main part of the room, far enough away that I couldn’t see or hear him from where
I was seated.
Thank Saint Bhua and her small mercies.
Lord Mar slid into Cainsian’s old seat like he was meant to be there. He caught my stare and winked, either oblivious or unconcerned
about the glare Garrick was leveling at him.
As the salad was cleared away and replaced by roasted lamb, Noble Taima drew my attention with a soft wave. “Lady Riela, have
you met Lord Mar?” they asked. “He’s the diplomatic envoy from the Sapphire Court.”
There was a subtle warning in the last sentence that I had a feeling had been aimed squarely at Garrick.
Lord Mar laughed lightly. “Lady Riela and I met earlier. And Noble Taima is being polite. I’m a diplomatic foster who decided
to stay. My aunt only made me an envoy because it was easier than the alternative.”
“It’s nice to see you again,” I murmured politely, aware both Vastien and Garrick were now glaring at me. “How long do Etheri usually foster children?”
Mar shook his head. “Children aren’t diplomatic fosters. Fosters are sent after they reach majority, then they stay a decade
or two with their host family.”
“So long?” I asked in surprise.
“Maybe for a human,” Mar agreed with a gentle chuckle, “but it’s not so long for us. I’m barely over a hundred.”
I huffed out a surprised laugh. “It’s so strange to hear ‘barely’ and ‘over a hundred’ in the same sentence. You’ve already
lived more than three times as long as I have, and most humans won’t live to see a hundred at all.”
“So a third of your life is gone, human,” Lord Lotuk sneered. “What do you have to show for it?”
I waved a hand at the table. “I’m a guest of the Silver King. Tell me, what have you done, Lord Lotuk, so I may understand where I’m lacking?” My smile sharpened. “Other than be related to the Gold Queen, of
course.”
Noble Taima choked down a laugh.
Lotuk’s golden skin flushed coppery with his fury. “You dare insult me, human?”
I lifted an eyebrow. “I merely asked a question, my lord. If you find it insulting, then I believe that says more about you
than me.”
He leapt to his feet, fury contorting his features. The urge to check that my protection charm was still in place was nearly
irresistible, but I kept a placid smile on my face and stared him down.
Vastien’s foot pressed more firmly against my ankle.
“I can’t believe the Silver Court has sunk so low as to allow pets at the table,” Lotuk snarled. “I find the stench has quite ruined my appetite. Excuse me.”
He left without waiting for an acknowledgment.
I had no doubt that if he found me alone in a hallway, the remaining moments of my life would be perilously short and painful.
The woman who’d been sitting next to him met my eyes with a tiny smile and moved into his empty place. She had rosy skin that
almost looked human, blue eyes, and hair a vibrant shade of crimson that was most definitely not human.
“I find this end of the table vastly entertaining,” she said as one of the servers quickly cleared Lotuk’s plates and moved
hers over. “And now the company is improved. Don’t worry, Lady Riela, we’re not all assholes.” Her laugh was low and husky
and knowing. “Or maybe we are, but most of us hide it better. I’m Sasha—Lady Sasha, technically. The pleasure is mine.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said.
She leaned forward eagerly. “Is your life really a third over already?” She winced when Taima glared at her, and hastily tacked
on, “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“More or less. Most humans don’t make it to a hundred, and some die much younger.”
“One can hope,” Koru muttered.
Garrick, who’d seemingly been happy to let the drama play out while he spoke with Bria in low tones, raised a single eyebrow
in warning. Koru glared back until Garrick’s magic began to stir, then he scoffed and averted his eyes. It was probably just
a happy coincidence that he ended up scowling at me.
For the rest of the meal, Taima, Mar, and Sasha kept the conversation going and made sure I remained included. Koru glared
moodily, but after Noble Taima put him in his place—twice—he stopped trying to lob thinly veiled insults at me.
By the time the final course had arrived, my chest was starting to ache. I ignored it and popped the tiny, delicate cookie
into my mouth. It was buttery and sugary and paired perfectly with a sip of bitter coffee.
My fingers were starting to cool, but the replenishment tea was doing its job. I wasn’t nearly as exhausted as I’d been yesterday,
but that could’ve also been because I’d accidentally dragged us back to Edea this afternoon.
Either way, I’d take it. Still, I was happy when Garrick rose, signaling the end of the meal.
Vastien helped me to my feet, but before we could exit the room, Lord Mar approached with a bright, warm smile that made a
dimple appear in his cheek. It would be so easy to look at his handsome face and ignore the way his sharp, glacial gaze flickered
with an unknown emotion as he took in Vastien’s grip on my arm.
Mar had traded the robe he’d worn to tea for a formal embroidered tunic in a pale, icy blue that matched his eyes. “Would
you care to join me for an after-dinner drink? We could continue our conversation from earlier.”
Vastien’s fingers tensed around my arm, but I didn’t need his warning to know I couldn’t accept. We likely couldn’t keep the
touch requirement a secret forever, but I could do my best.
“I would love to,” I told him honestly, “but I can’t tonight.” I smiled to take any sting out of the rejection. “Next time?”
“Of course.” Blue magic flashed and another perfect dahlia appeared in his hand. He stepped into my personal space with a
smile. Vastien’s magic rose, but Mar paid no attention to the furious guard beside me. The envoy’s gaze remained on me, his
expression soft. “You seem to have lost your flower from earlier.” He gestured to my hair. “May I?”
“The flower wasn’t lost, my lord, it’s safely in a vase where I may admire it. You don’t need to keep maiming your plants
for me.”
His expression turned roguish. “I don’t mind.”
“Your plants do,” I admonished with a smile. I looked at the flower. It was lovely, and he’d already cut it. “If you promise
it’s not going to harm me or anyone else, then I will happily accept it.”
“It is safe, I promise,” he murmured as he gently tucked the flower into my hair. Moonlit magic rose behind me, and Mar’s
smile turned knowing, but he retreated a step with a shallow bow. “So you won’t forget me, my lady.”
“I don’t think there’s any chance of that, my lord,” I murmured drily.
He chuckled and more than a few heads turned our way. In a room full of beautiful people, Lord Mar was in a class by himself, and I caught a handful of envious glances.
“Both blooms should last longer than the flowers you’re used to, but once they fade, I’ll happily replace them.” His roguish
grin returned. “Or, if you join me for a drink, I’ll take you to my glasshouse and let you pick your own blossoms.”
I touched the flower in my hair. What would a whole garden of these look like? I smiled at the thought and tipped my head
at him. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, Lord Mar.”
He bowed solemnly. “I look forward to it.”