Page 70

Evander

M y shoulder aches from leaning against the wall outside of Bria’s bedchamber.

The seamstress found it appalling when I waltzed into the room behind her, fully intending to stay.

Perhaps I should act a bit more formal around her, though it’s difficult changing our relationship to fit the castle rules.

It must have been at least an hour now. I could easily have walked across the hall and lounged in my own room during this time, but who knows when Luthais will decide to show back up and come knocking on her door? I’m not willing to take the chance.

Maybe that comment I made about him angering Vaohr had stirred something in him. He is, after all, a man of god. A devout royal guard. And there is no reason for him to be touching Bria. Ever.I meant what I said about losing a hand the next time. Or both.

After what feels like ages, the heavy wooden door opens and the plump woman shuffles out, shooting me a dirty look. I throw her a wink and slip through the doorway behind her, pushing it tightly shut and locking it before slumping against the frame. I heave a sigh.

Bria looks up at me and cringes. “I’m sorry,” she offers, pity and guilt straining across her face.

The look makes me laugh and I drag a hand through my hair, pulling the loose strands from my eyes. My back is sore from standing so I push off the door and stride to the bed, flopping dramatically on my back onto the lush mattress.

“Would it help if I say the gown is worth it?” she inquires, and I note the teasing tone of her voice.I’ve missed that tone.

Before all of this, Bria had always taken that flirty and teasing tone with me. It had driven me crazy.

Pressing myself up to my elbows, I watch her lift the glass decanter off the table to pour a small glass of red wine.

Not her favorite, not by a long shot. But I assume she’s drinking it because it’s the only thing in here.

She’s probably exhausted from dealing with the seamstress and the flare of her magic earlier.

Keeping it contained cannot be easy. She swirls the deep current-colored liquid before taking a sip.

Her lips tighten. Definitely not her favorite.

Her hair is coiled into a bun atop her head so the seamstress could work around her shoulders without any snags,the long line of her neck now visible.

“Yes, I would say that helps a great deal,” I respond, reciprocating the teasing tone and trying to force out the image of running my tongue along that line of her neck. I genuinely cannot wait to see her in the gown.

“We don’t have much time before we need to leave for the temple,” I add, tracking her hands as she tugs out the pins keeping her hair in place.

Each one she removes pours more gold down her back and I get the familiar urge to plunge my hands into the soft tendrils, knowing she’ll smell of vanilla and jasmine just as she did earlier.

“Then talk,” she says, shaking out the rest of her hair.

She pulls up the skirts of her gown to sit at the table, crossing one leg over the other.

A flash of ivory skin contrasting with the deep cornflower blue of the dress fixes my gaze.

She makes no move to cover the exposed flesh of her legs and I eventually drag my eyes up to meet hers.

The flames of cobalt still dance in her eyes.

She’s holding it in, but just barely. I hope she can contain it throughout the trip to the temple and the dinner.

She meets my stare. She feels the heat in it, sees the desire I have for her. Bria tilts her head to the side, golden locks falling gracefully over her shoulder, and she smiles. The full smile that makes my heart ache and sends blood rushing to my groin.

I love her. Fiercely. I want desperately to tell her, to show her with my hands, my lips, my tongue, and teeth. Her confession that my touch calms her, that it smothers the magical fire that builds inside of her, did nothing to stifle the hunger. Instead, it fed it, making me yearn for her more.

Knowing now—when we are so close to getting Nimai—is not the time, doesn’t make it any easier.

Sitting up a little further, I shove my hand deep in my pocket and my fingers close over the tiny vial inside.

I pull out a small golden bottle—thin, no wider than my index finger, and tightly corked to keep the lethal contents inside.

I give it a little shake and toss it across the room to her.

Bria easily snags it out of the air and holds it up to the light.

“Belladonna?” she asks, though she already knows the answer. Her eyes glint from the light reflecting off the vial.

“With a few other herbs sure to keep you docile. Though they don’t know you at all if they think that possible for even a moment.” She glances back at me, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lip.

I recline back on my elbows, letting my body sink into the soft fabric of the bed.

“I’m to place it in your drink before dinner. Aamon expects me to come to your room and escort you but share a drink beforehand.” I roll my lips tightly, not wanting to do any of this. “They want to watch, Bria. To see what kind of effect it has on you. So, you’ll have to be convincing.”

“And how am I to do that?” Her tone is exasperated.

I think about it for a second. She has to be believable. “Watch Nimai, I suppose. She will actually be sedated. They won’t risk bringing her around you when she’s not. It’s another reason Aamon wants you drugged tonight, so you don’t notice the full effects of what is happening to your sister.”

Bria bares her teeth at the remark, and I realize the error in what I just said. Idiot .

“Why don’t I just drink the concoction and see what happens, then? I wouldn’t want to be unconvincing .” I hadn’t meant to antagonize her, and her irritation is clear as she toys with the cork topping the vial.

I grind my teeth together at the thought. “Absolutely not, Bria.”

Quickly pushing myself to my feet, I walk swiftly over to her and snatch the vial from her hand.

Before she knows what I’m doing, I stride directly into the washroom.

She can see me clearly from where she’s sitting, and I make a show of staring back at here while I uncork the vial and dump the contents down the bath.

I toss the vial in the bin and Bria sits back in her chair, arms folded, glaring at me.

She doesn’t get it. “They have no idea what they are doing, Bria. They could just as easily kill you by dosing you too high and I’m not willing to risk it.”

“But they are dosing Nimai,” she counters quickly.

“Yes. And she hasn’t come into her powers yet, has she? They are drugging a teenage girl, Bria. It’s much different for you.”Does she really not understand how astounding she is?

Bria takes another sip of her wine and looks over the glass at me.Taking a beat before she speaks again, she quirks her lips.

“Maybe we need something a little stronger before dinner then,” she says playfully, the sparkle back in her eyes.

I laugh at the quick change in her mood. The wine sparked an idea, and she has a point. Drinking a little before dinner could give her the edge she needs.

“I’ll ask for some whisky to be brought up. But you don’t need to be drunk. We just need them to think you aren’t a threat, let them think they can pull power from you.”

I walk to her then, holding out my hand, and hoping she will take it.

She does and I pull her to her feet and directly into my body.

I caress her face with my hand, moving to cup her cheek, the skin soft and smooth beneath my fingers.

It’s crucial she grasp how important this is, how if they think they have her figured out it will make things so much easier for us all.

“If they think they’ve done enough tonight to keep you calm, then we won’t need to do this charade again.”

She nods, her skin warm against my hand.

“I’ll try my best,” she confirms, and I know that she will, that she will do whatever it takes to free her sister.

“Wonderful. And then we can get the fuck out of this place before they can do anything else. To either of you,” I say, looking deep into her eyes and hoping she can see the sincerity there.

I want to put as much distance as possible between us and this place and wish the world stretched further west than the Forsaken Woods or further north than the Kaanos Mountains so we could never be found.

I wish I could take her far, far away and live the life we both desperately want. The life she deserves.

She raises herself onto her toes and leans into me, the scents of jasmine and vanilla wafting from her.

Her lips press to mine, and I stifle the urge to drag her to the bed or better yet, just take her against the wall.

I have to keep reminding myself there is no time.

I move my hand to trail through her hair before pulling her head closer, letting my tongue reach out to touch hers.

The kiss is gentle, a reminder of who we are and that we are in this together.

She needs that right now, and she seems to know that I need it too.