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“No,hedoesn’t, my Lady, but I will allow him to remain with my old friend, Nico.” Remy glares at Archie. “Dress yourself appropriately. You are an embarrassment to your forebears, as well as a criminal. What a moment to behold, the fall of the most exalted.”

Bianca utters apfft. “And you’re an assface, buddy.”

Remy’s amusement is annoyingly obvious. “I’m not entirely certain what that is.”

“That just makes you an unimaginative assface. Color menotsurprised.” She gently strokes Bastien’s face. “Bastien, I need you to wake up.”

His eyes flutter open and then widen as fear takes hold.

“You’re going to stay with Nico. He’ll protect you, and I’ll be back soon.”

Resigned, Bastien nods and kisses Bianca’s cheek before Pennie assists in separating them and then carries Bianca quickly toward the door to his cavern. Archie watches them go with his regret worn openly, before he trudges toward his wing of the castle.

I remain still for a moment, the loss of Bianca in my arms a grievous blow. Bastien leans into me and I wrap my arm around him. With my other arm, I gesture toward the left. “The sitting room is this way.”

Bastien and I then walk toward a room I never thought I would share with Remy.

One step inside our refined, gentlemanly space, Remy says, “I must say, Nico, your control is much better than it used to be.”

Unable to withhold a barely veiled threat, I respond with a growled, “Lucky for you.”

Remy studies me as though nothing else exists. “Why don’t you just do it? I know you could.” He glances dismissively at this room we love so dearly. “Are you truly thatdomesticatednow?”

My fur darkens and the fragrance of disgust fills the room. “You say that word like it’s shameful to want a peaceful life and to be willing to suffer a scheming dullard like you in our home, rather than eliminating you and recklessly destroying our lives in the process.”

I hold his gaze unblinkingly. “You know what I can do. I bested you every time we sparred. I just needed to access the right emotion. I distinctly recall the sounds you emitted as you practically vomited your lungs out from the one particular odor your kind can’t endure.” Itskat him. “I should probably share that little detail with Lady Bianca. In her world, your greatest weakness is a kitchen spice.”

Remy openly gapes at me. “A kitchen spice?”

“Taco Tuesdays—and sometimes Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in her case—wouldn’t be the same without it.”

Remy’s jaw locks as his squint intensifies. “Tell me how you did this—how you found this impressive woman, how you convinced her to come to our land. I know she just recently arrived and yet the bond you share doesn’t seem new. She clearly trusts you and doesn’t seem shocked at all that you’re a monster. How? Answer that and I’ll consider leniency.”

Ah, the truth of what he wants most, possibly more than the castle around us. “Ifyou actually show restraintandallow Bastien and Lady Bianca the time and space to find their way, I’ll tell you how we accomplished this great feat.”

“Done.”

I shake my head. “I know you too well to believe that, so show me what I wish to see and then we’ll talk.”

Chapter31

Pennie

“Did they hurt you?” Bianca asks in a weary voice as I carry her down the stairs toward my sanctuary.

“Sweetheart,” I mutter, blowing out a breath. “Archiehurtyou. I can see that. And your hands… you shouldn’t be worrying about me right now.”

“Iamworrying about you, because my time with Archie was very special and I’m tired, sore, and hungry, but I wouldn’t change a thing. And my hands… well, my pain served a purpose, and you’re about to fix me, right?”

In answer, I walk directly to the pool and then down the steps into it without delay.

“Pennie, your clothes…”

“Can be changed, my dear.”

Her sigh when the liquid enfolds her in its healing warmth is the only bright spot I can find in this moment. Though the way Archie’s shirt clings to her body, accentuating her stunning perfection, isn’t a struggle to behold, but even my attraction for her is buried under a mountain of concern.

Bianca snuggles into my arms as I sit on the bench, her hair splaying and floating through the shining liquid. My inner fire warms the liquid even more and she exhales, whispering, “Thank you.”