|
|
Nyro was full of questions.
He didn’t say it in so many words, but I could tell he’d been worried about me these past two weeks. He had feared they would decide I had broken my contract and would condemn me to death. Though perhaps my fate had been worse.
We talked quietly, sitting in the gazebo while light snow fell around us. We should have been shivering, but we were both unaffected by the cold.
As I related what had happened, he watched my face intently, his eyes falling to my lips a few times. More than once, I had to catch my breath as he appeared at the verge of kissing me, but then he seemed to think better of it.
“Have you... seen Talyssa or your brother?” I asked.
He averted his gaze and stared at the trees that lined the pond. “I saw my brother. King Maximus delights himself by bringing him to my challenges.”
My breath caught. “He can’t possibly...”
Nyro nodded.
“He’s truly a monster. He deserves to die,” I said, my hatred for him redoubling as I thought of that innocent child in the Black King’s claws.
I couldn’t get much more out of Nyro, though. He was tight-lipped, reluctant to talk about what had happened to him and more interested in hearing from me. For my part, I couldn’t help but answer his questions. My need to confide in someone was great, and his worried expression was an open invitation that I couldn’t refuse. So I told him everything that had happened after I’d pushed Neculai in front of the carriage, sparing no detail.
“The Queen’s only Trove has died. He was her blood slave for fifteen years,” I said after I’d told him everything else.
“Then he finally rests,” Nyro said with satisfaction as if it made him happy to imagine the Queen confined to darkness.
“Lovina is angry,” I said, staring at my fingers. They were pale from the cold, even though I didn’t feel it. “She has threatened to put me in a pit of some kind if I don’t find another Trove to replace the one she’s lost. She’ll charge the Bishops with my torture.”
Nyro interlaced his fingers with mine, concern etching his features. “That’s terrible, Bianca. She can’t do that.”
“It’s inevitable,” I said, a sick resignation filling my chest. “I couldn’t possibly condemn anyone to the life of a blood slave—not when I feared it so much for myself. She could have discovered me up until the last moment. I was so afraid when I went to her. I thought she might be able to sense it in me, but the bloodshade did its work. And now, I don’t need it anymore. And even though I’m this, at least I don’t have to worry about becoming her blood slave. I’m not free, by any means.” I gave a wry laugh. “But I’m not anyone’s daily meal.”
Nyro frowned, his expression and daring gaze suggesting that a million thoughts were crossing his mind. “You’re not a Trove anymore,” he said. It was a half question and half statement.
I shook my head. “The Queen’s blood cured me,” I said dryly.
“That means Timotei could...” he trailed off as he likely realized there was no way he could ever get enough vampire blood to cure his brother.
There were only two vampires in Acedrex, and they were ancient and powerful. No one could forcefully take their blood. Maybe the Bishops could, but they were content with their posts. Besides, if they tried, it would be with the purpose of replacing the monarchs, not with the objective of saving Troves.
“I’m starting to think there is no way to save my brother,” he said, sounding defeated. “Everything I do makes things worse.”
“The only way is to kill Maximus,” I said hesitantly. “There is no escape.”
My words could condemn me. Nyro was a member of the Black Court, bound by his contract to report subversive citizens and threats against his Board, but I suspected he wouldn’t betray me.
He hated Maximus as much as I did.
“He’s too powerful,” Nyro said. “He can’t be killed unless...”
I nodded at the same time that my gaze bore deep into his. “I intend to kill him for what he did to me and my family. Once I’m Queen, I will be powerful enough to do it.”
He shook his head. “You can’t possibly want to do that. Bianca, you would... become someone else.”
“I’ve taken the first step. There’s no turning back,” I said, extricating my hand from his and glancing away.
“There has to be another way,” he whispered.
“You know there isn’t.”
“Bianca.” He placed a finger under my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. “What if you lose yourself?”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” I said. “I’m lost anyway. Only the thought of killing Maximus keeps me going.”
“What about... me?” he asked, a bit of color rising to his cheeks. “I know it’s pretentious of me, but I...” He glanced down. “I’m sorry. It’s stupid. We are members of opposite Boards. There’s nothing—”
I silenced him with a kiss. His breath caught, and he seemed frozen for an instant, but then his lips responded, tenderly brushing against mine. After an initial shy moment, he took my face in his hands and deepened the kiss. Tentatively, his tongue brushed my lower lip, sending a rush of heat down my body. I pulled back, my breath ragged.
His tongue on my mouth! I had never...
“I’m sorry I—” I silenced him again, my kiss more urgent this time.
I wanted more of whatever he’d done. He seemed to understand, because his tongue darted out again and, this time, slipped into my mouth and brushed against mine. A thrill of desire shook me. Without thinking, I pulled him to his feet and pressed my body against his. I wanted him as close as I could get him. He pulled me closer, wrapping one hand around my waist and sliding the other one behind my neck.
My own hands traveled from his stomach up to his solid chest, trying to feel him through his jacket, but it was too thick. The urge to rip it off him assaulted me. The thought should have scandalized me, but I didn’t care.
I wanted him, wanted his body on top of mine, his hands on my naked skin.
A loud bark echoed through the park. We pulled apart in an instant, unsure of what to do with our hands. A boy with his dog came running down the path, the kid throwing a stick for his pet to retrieve. A few yards behind him, a couple walked arm in arm, the boy’s parents, most likely.
Nyro quickly removed his black cloak and jacket and set them on the bench. He was left in his white shirt.
Sitting he said, “We shouldn’t be seen together. You should leave first. I will stay here until it’s safe to go.”
I nodded, hating the hole that opened up inside of me at the thought of parting from Nyro. I started to leave but he grabbed my hand and stopped me.
Next, he spoke slowly and reluctantly. “Mr. Oakes sells bloodshade to Troves, as you know, and some of them aren’t necessarily the best people in the city.”
I gasped at the implications.
“I would rather you be safe than them,” he hurried to add, then let go of my hand. “Go!”
“Nyro,” I said in a hot breath. “I want to see you again.”
He caught his lower lip between his teeth. “It’s not safe.”
“Two weeks,” I hurried to say as the couple and their kid moved closer. “Flagfall House. Square B2. It will be safe.”