That word brings back memories of my day in the library with Allette.
I’m coming, my love.
Hold on a little longer.
I’d sooner ravish a fucking serpent than lay a finger on the princess. “Is that what you want, then? A ravishing?”
She nods.
I gesture toward where Leeri clutches the sheet. “Hands up.”
Leeri lifts her hands above her head, letting the sheet slip, uncovering far too much skin. I open my bedside drawer and feel around for the razor blade hidden beneath a handful of scorched blue feathers.
Please let this work…
Please.
When I climb onto the bed, Leeri lets me straddle her hips, keeping her pinned in place as I ease forward and catch her hands. “I’m sorry, Leeri.”
Her brow furrows, but by the time she realizes what is happening, I’ve already cut her palm and dragged the vial of stardust from my pocket. Her hips buck and thrash, and I nearly lose my grip but manage to pop the cork with my thumb and dump the glittering liquid onto her open wound.
“You fucking bastard!” she snarls, fighting like a rabid animal, gnashing at me with her teeth. I watch the light slowly overtake her veins, stretching its golden fingers all the way to her heart.
Her head lolls back, and a blissful smile paints her face. I sincerely hope the vial wasn’t tainted, but I’m afraid I had no other choice.
Now to figure out how the hell to get out of this fucking castle?—
“What do we have here?” a deep voice drawls from the servants’ entrance, where Jeston waits with his arms crossed, staring not at me but at the princess in my bed.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“No? Because it looks to me like you’ve drugged your wife.”
All right. Maybe it’s exactly what it looks like.
From his pocket, he withdraws a small, clear bag containing five blue vials. My heart leaps with hope.
“You know, you really had me convinced,” he says, swinging the bag against his thigh. “I thought you actually cared for her.”
Leeri laughs to herself, a throaty, almost sensual sound.
Jeston’s head whips toward her, and his eyes narrow. I step into his line of sight. I may not like Leeri, but she doesn’t deserve to be ogled in such an inebriated state. Gods, I really hope that dust wasn’t tainted. “They arrested Allette and took her to the pit. The only way to save her was to marry the princess.”
Jeston finally comes inside and places the bag in my outstretched palm. “Then I suppose you should probably go and save her.”
If only it were that simple. “I can’t. I’m locked in.”
Jeston’s grin widens as he withdraws a notebook from his breast pocket and a golden dagger from his belt. “I think I can help you with that.”
Fifty-Four
ALLETTE
Drip,drip, drip.
Water collects in a puddle beneath the stalactites hanging from the low ceiling. There is no telling how far underground they’re keeping me. I stopped counting at two hundred and thirty-eight steps.
At first, I refused to accept my fate, kicking and screaming at the door, clawing at the wood until my nails splintered and bled. I hadn’t expected anyone to come to my aid, but no one came to reprimand me either. It’s like I’m all alone down here, just me and the dripping stones.