Page 29 of A Promise of Lies (Shadows of the Tenebris Court #3)

28

Kat

W ith that deal under my belt, I felt like I was getting the hang of Elfhame. Maybe I was even winning at its games, as Sepher had called them.

I still had time before dinner, so I headed to the secret entrance to Cyrus’s rooms, checking a couple of spyholes first to ensure he wasn’t there.

Just because I’d made a deal with Krae, didn’t mean I could be complacent. They might betray us or not come through with the evidence. Any proof I could gather myself could still be vital. Maybe I could read more of the notes, work out how exactly Sura was tied to Cyrus’s plans.

And that mirror. Sura had told me Nyx had used it to contact her unseelie lover—Bastian’s father . It made sense he would still have whatever the mirror linked to. Nyx might be gone, but I could help Bastian speak to the man she’d loved and who’d sired him.

But things didn’t always run so smoothly, did they? When I pushed the door, it only opened a crack before stopping with a thud. Cyrus must’ve placed something on the other side.

Which left me with only one other way to get into his rooms. One that made my stomach turn.

So, after an early dinner, timed to avoid the setting sun, I accepted Cyrus’s invitation to walk around the gardens with him. He kept to my right side, always away from the iron bracelet, and I held his elbow, leaning in close so the side of my breast touched his arm.

He harped on about tomorrow’s play—another part of his month of celebrations. I fought to keep a straight face, despite Krae’s mocking comments coming back to me.

I needed to make him think I was trying to seduce him… or at least that I was ripe for seducing. But I also couldn’t seem too easy a conquest. Then, I might need to follow through.

I couldn’t keep slipping out of his veiled invites and insinuations. I was sure the only reason he hadn’t asked me to come to bed outright was because he’d heard about Albionic sensibilities when it came to sex and didn’t want to scare me off.

He guided me to an arbour beneath a weeping willow that overlooked a pond. Lily pads blanketed the water at the edges, muffling the sound of a fountain at the pool’s centre. A hundred shades of green surrounded us, from the silvery colour of the willow’s leaves to the dark shadows rippling under the water’s surface.

“Of course,” he went on, “not everyone can go to the play or the balls, but for the common folk, we’ll have public events in the square later this week.” He dipped his chin and leant close. “Don’t tell anyone, but the plan is for me to pardon a whole swathe of prisoners. It’s going to be a surprise.”

It was like he’d reached into my chest and grabbed my heart. Did that swathe of prisoners include Kaliban? It seemed like a foolish hope, but I’d hoped for sillier things than that.

I tried to hide my reaction, but he was sitting so close, he had to notice how still and tight I’d suddenly become. “What a delightful surprise.”

He matched my stillness, a glint in his eyes as he watched me all the more intently. “You have a friend in the dungeons currently, don’t you?”

I lowered my head as though ashamed. “I confess I am friends with Kaliban. I didn’t know he was the Bastard of Tenebris’s father until very recently though. They’re estranged, after all. I’m not even sure the Bastard cares that he’s been arrested, but I do.” I lifted my gaze to Cyrus’s, making sure I kept my chin dipped so I was looking up at him.

Small and weak, that was me.

“Please, Cyrus”—I touched my chest—“I would take it as a personal favour if you could include him amongst those you free. I’m sure he regrets anything he may have done, and I can’t believe he had any part in your father’s tragic death.”

This could be pushing too far, but if it saved Kaliban, it would be worth it.

Cyrus didn’t say no right away. In fact, he tilted his head to one side as though weighing it.

Perhaps I could add weight to my side of the scales.

I slid my hand onto his knee as though it was a perfectly natural part of me leaning in to him. His warmth paired with a sharp, citrus scent jarred me, not what I was used to. But I had to withstand him to get what I needed. I swallowed slowly as if overcome by being this close to him, my mouth only inches from his. “I would be terribly grateful.”

A dark smile crept over his lips. “Oh, would you?”

Not taking his eyes from mine, he grabbed my hand and slid it up to his dick.

I gasped—not faked. But the way he watched so intently—I knew this was a test. What could he get if he did me this favour? How far was I really willing to go?

The fucking fool.

I had flirted with a man more dangerous than him. I’d placed myself at the mercy of unCavendish. I had taken poison, for gods’ sakes. Did he really think he was anything ?

Chest heaving, I bit my lip as though hesitant, then squeezed.

He let out a sound that was part pleased, part pleasured, and slipped one hand behind my head. He gripped my hair too tight, yanking my head back so I was practically beneath him as he came closer.

For all I’d felt cocky moments ago, it was the battle of my life not to freeze up. Remember Kaliban. Remember Bastian. They need this from you. All of Elfhame needs this from you .

So I let my lashes flutter and lips part as that small distance between us closed.

“Your Majesty.” The voice of his new assistant cut through the quiet space under the willow, making him freeze with his breath fanning my mouth. “Forgive the interruption, but sunset approaches.”

“What?” He reared back, staring around as if only just taking in that the gloom around us wasn’t entirely down to the willow’s hanging branches. “How close?” he snapped, standing over me. He came a step closer, feet either side of mine, and lifted my chin.

The way he watched my lips reminded me of unCavendish—he’d had a fascination with my mouth and and stood over me like this once. Back then, I’d been too na?ve, but now I understood how being seated placed my mouth level with his cock.

My stomach twisted again, knots tying themselves over others.

Remember.

So I moistened my lips, slowly.

“Five minutes, sire. It took a while to find you. If you recall, you said to always ensure you weren’t caught in public in case?—”

“I know what I said.” His chest rose and fell, once, twice, as he swiped his thumb over my mouth. “Shit.” He lurched backwards as though having to physically tear himself away. “Good night, my pretty little thing. Such an intriguing creature. I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy you immensely.”

He stalked out of the willow’s shade, and it was only once he was out of sight, I sank back in my seat.

But his voice, sharp with irritation, still reached me. “I swear to the gods, I will be free of this fucking Sleep before the year is out.”

There was only one way to escape Sleep. The Crown of Ashes.

It didn’t sound like an idle threat. He knew, and he wa after it. We’d had suspicions, but now…

Groaning, I put my head in my hands.

“That bad?”

I snapped upright. “Ella?”

She emerged from the willow’s trailing branches, grinning.

I launched myself at her and she returned my hug just as fiercely. Being with the king meant Amandine had been dismissed, so I was safe to drop the act.

“Were you listening in?”

“Once a spy, always a spy.”

I scoffed and sank into the seat with her. “Well, hopefully I’m doing a better job at it this time.”

“By the sounds of that conversation, you are.” The apologetic quirk of her mouth told me she understood what had been happening. She’d gone further.

I had to do the same.

I told her how I’d found Krae and about the meeting we’d arranged, so she could let Bastian know. I didn’t trust such information to a written report.

But after, my gloomy thoughts were still there.

“What’s wrong? You’re wrinkling that beautiful face.” She tilted her head, cupping my cheek as though ready to catch the tears that burned at the back of my eyes.

“This is hard. Being away from you. What I… The things I must do.”

Her head lowered as she sighed. “I know. And harder because you dislike the person you’ve got to do it with. At least I’ve always been paired with people I enjoyed… And I never needed to fight with my heart while it lay elsewhere.”

I gritted my teeth and looked up at the arching branches that shut out the sky, smothering the sight of whether it was Dusk or Dawn’s time to rule. “I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”

“Maybe you don’t have to.” She pulled something out of her pocket and held out her closed fist. “I hope you don’t mind, but I went through your things. Thought there might be something useful in there—something less noticeable than a pistol or dagger. I found this.” She opened her fingers.

A small bottle glinted in the scant light.

“What’s is it?”

“Look closer.” She held it up.

Clear liquid sloshed around inside the cut glass vial. The one unCavendish had given me. He’d told me a few drops would knock Bastian out… “Long enough for me to search his rooms.”

She grinned. “Exactly.”

I kissed her, heart burning with gratitude.

After the start of our marriage, on the rare occasion Robin had been at home, I’d made sure he was drunk. That way, when he shoved me into his room, I could make him think we’d fucked, when actually he’d just spilled on my thighs. It was a dangerous game to play with Cyrus, but…

“Thank you,” I whispered. “You’ve saved me.”

She pressed the vial into my hand and closed my fingers around it, hard. “You may be stuck in Dawn, Kat, but you still have a few tricks up your sleeve.”