River would be lying if she said the black floral sleeve that ran from her right hand to her shoulder wasn’t a gentle, not-so-subtleFuck youto her gem of a mother. What surprised her was that her mother was mentioning the tattoos. Usually, the Representative just stared at River’s arm with obvious disdain.
“Mother!” Ryker exclaimed, a growl rumbling through his chest as he stepped towards them. “River looks beautiful tonight, as always.”
“She’s stunning in that silver gown,” Brynleigh agreed, staying in step with her husband.
One of the vampire’s wings brushed River’s shoulder in a show of support.
Gods, River wishedshehad wings. She would keep them out all the time, and no one would ever get too close to her. How nice would that be?
Keeping people away from her and her curse would be so much easier if she could just shove them away. It would be delightful.
A sound of derision rose in Tertia’s throat. Whether it was from Ryker and Brynleigh standing up for River, or because no one had replied to the matriarch yet, River wasn’t sure.
Tertia’s painted lips flattened, and tension ratcheted up, up, up.
Was everyone having trouble breathing, or was it just River? Her lungs tried to draw breath, but no air reached them.
She hated this, hated being around Tertia, hated being made to feel like a naughty child.
River was supposed to be focusing on keeping Nikhail at arm’s length, but how could she do thatanddeal with her horrid mother at the same time? She used to think she was great at multi-tasking, but it turned out, that might not be correct.
What an awful moment to come to such a conclusion about oneself.
After what felt like a lifetime, a masculine throat cleared.
“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of receiving your daughter’s medical care, Representative Waterborn.” Nikhail stepped forward, his head tilted as his gaze swept over Tertia. Was River imagining it, or were the air fae’s eyes darker than normal? “I can assure you, not only are her tattoos as beautiful as the rest of her, but they don’t impede her medical abilities in the slightest.”
Tertia’s eyes narrowed, and icicles clinked as she angled her head, turning her attention to Nikhail. No one else moved. The air itself seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.
Even the party, which was still happening behind them, seemed silent compared to the growing strain in their small group.
River didn’t think her mother would cause a scene tonight. This was her party, after all, and she cared far too much about outward appearances. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t react, though. If there was one thing Tertia was extremely skilled at, it was making her displeasure known with a few words aimed like arrows.
Shifting her weight from one heeled foot to the other, River’s mind swirled. She should have been focusing all her mental energy on how to get out of this, but all she could thinkabout was how Nikhail had stood up for her. He could’ve let the Representative berate River without saying anything, but he didn’t. He put himself in Tertia’s line of fire for her.
The barriers around River’s heart were shaking as if he’d thrown a stick of dynamite on them. She couldn’t even think of the last time someone other than Ryker had stood up for her.
River was certain that if her father had been healthy, he would’ve stopped his wife from speaking to her the way she did. But he wasn’t, thanks to the illness ravaging his body.
Not only was the Stillness stealing Cyrus’s life, but it had taken a protector away from River. She’d never told her father how badly Tertia treated her, not wanting to waste any of the rare, precious moments when he was alert.
“Is that so?” Tertia flexed her fingers and tilted her head, staring at Nikhail. She was a lion, studying her next meal.
Nikhail, extremely reckless male that he was, didn’t seem to understand that he was a lamb about to be devoured. That was either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave. River wasn’t sure which. Either way, she couldn’t pull her eyes away from the scene unfolding in front of her.
“It is.” Nikhail stepped around the Representative, coming to stand next to River. The back of his hand brushed against hers, and shivers raced up her arm. By the Black Sands, what was he doing?
The walls around her heart shook, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
Don’t react, don’t react, don’t react.
Too late. The first touch could’ve been an accident, but when he touched heragain, she knew he was doing it on purpose.
His hand was warm and big and offered securityin the face of her awful mother, and she desperately wanted to take it. To gather Nikhail’s warmth around her and never let go.
No!River shouted at herself.
This could not happen. She would not allow it.