Page 89

We took the column down to the underside.

The moment we were alone, Lucian closed in on me, sending my heart into a frenzied gallop. But he merely checked my temperature, palm flat on my forehead, then my pulse point, right at the wrist.

"I'm fine," I grumbled, a little put off.

Couldn't a girl get a good snog rather than a medical examination?

"My spell says otherwise. And my spells are usually right."

I snorted. "Humble much?"

"Humility is the virtue of the mediocre. How are you feeling?"

Annoyed he wasn't kissing me. Now he'd clarified the girl I'd always assumed was his girlfriend happened to be a relative, it felt like I could maybe, possibly, make out with him a little. It didn't have to mean anything. Surely that was what young people did at parties?

"A little tipsy."

"Do you usually get silly when you drink?" he insisted.

"Excuse you, I'm notsilly." I chuckled again, not entirely sure why. "All right, maybe a little."

Lucian looked a world away from amused. "Maybe we should get you a little drunk and silly too, grumpy pants."

"I'm not that easy to drug, thank the gods."

We'd reached the underside's town circle, alive with bright purple, dancing lights, and right in front, were greeted by a vision pulled right out of a fairy tale.A team of four golden horses pulled a coach shaped like a crown, pearl white and solid gold.

"All right. I'm drunker than I thought."

"Hm? Oh, no, that's my carriage. My family's, in any case. Earlier, you mentioned you would have assumed I owned one. I figured I'd show you why I don't make use of it every day."

I laughed so hard my sides hurt, bending in two. At the back of my mind, something told me that, while it was funny, I shouldn't have beenthisentertained.

Somethingwaswrong with me.

"Kleos?"

Lucian had leaned in, his hand warm on my back, checking on me with concerned eyes.

"I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I do," he replied after a beat. "I hope I'm mistaken. But I doubt I am. You'll be all right. You're safe with me."

Again, I laughed, making myself straighten up.By all rights we should be enemies.Our families have hated each other for decades—hell, centuries. The Pendroses weren't fond of the Regises either.

"Everyone I know would tell me that trusting Lucian Regis, dark sorcerer, necromancer, murderer, is insanity."

Finally, he cracked a smile."Oh, darling. Haven't you heard? Sanity is highly overrated."

And on that note, the heathen grabbed me under the knees and behind my back, and pulled me off my feet, carrying me to the Regis coach.

35

LUCIAN

Whoever was behind this, I would make them suffer a million tortures, a thousand torments, before allowing them to beg for the mercy of death.

The very thought of what could have happened to her if she hadn't shown up at my doorstep on Monday and shared what was going on, thereby pulling me into this, was enough to make me sick.