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Those eyes snap down to me, and I do not mistake the look that had been directed at the footman. A need to protect me. To claim me. To remove every other man from his path.

Eryx’s nostril’s flare as he tries to look over my head. I grab him by the horn and pull him back down to my eye level. “Snap out of it,” I demand.

Finally, he closes his eyes, the horns and teeth receding. When I’m certain he’s thinking clearly, I turn, brushing my hands down my skirts, as if I can somehow erase what Kyros just saw. As if the white material weren’t covered in grass stains from our activities.

“Kyros,” I say, and the man meets my gaze before focusing on the duke again.

Eryx reaches down to take my hand in his, clearly still feeling territorial.

“Let her go,” the footman says, finally finding his voice.

“No,” the duke says, the word more beast than human.

“Chrysantha, come here,” Kyros says. “We’ll get you away from him.”

“No,” I say, echoing Eryx’s statement.

“He’s amonster,” Kyros says.

“He is no such thing.”

“I’ll send for the constabulary.”

“Kyros,no.”

“You’ll be dead before you leave the premises,” Eryx says.

“No.” I round on Eryx. “You will not hurt him!”

“He saw me.”

“And he is a member of your staff, paid to keep quiet.”

Eryx shuts his eyes and breathes deeply through his nose, calming himself, searching for reason. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” he finally says. “It’s his word against a duchess’s.” Eryx looks over my head. “You can run for help, but you’ll only end up in a place for lunatics and leave Nico without a father.”

“Are you threatening my son?” Kyros asks, stepping forward.

“No,” Eryx says. “I’m only showing you the realities of what willhappen if you start spreading lies about me. Chrysantha likes the child far too much for me to even dream of hurting him.”

“And what about her?” Kyros asks, gesturing to me with a tilt of his head.

“I wouldneverhurt her,” Eryx says.

“It’s a bit late for that. You’ve taken everything from her, or have you forgotten?” The last part of the sentence he directs at me. He shakes his head, as though he can’t stand the sight of me. “The queen sent another letter for you. I thought you would want it right away. Had I known you were indisposed, I never would have come looking for you.”

Kyros tosses the envelope on the ground before stomping back toward the estate.

I bend down to retrieve the letter and pocket it.

My heart pounds so loudly in my ears, I cannot hear the words Eryx is trying to say to me.

Eryx spins me around. “Are you all right?”

“Me? You’re the one who was just discovered!”

“Kyros can do nothing to hurt me.”

“Well, he can to me. He’s my friend. I don’t want him to quit and take Nico with him!”