Page 86 of Blackheart

“No.”

“Elora,” he said softly. Thewayhe said my namewas so different from others.

I grabbed the bin that required washing and hauled it to the backroom. Rags and a soapy bucket awaited me. I could get them done before it got busy.

I wanted the distraction; I needed to gethimout of my head before I considered?—

The door behind me opened and closed, then a firm hand gripped my waist, warmth brisking my ear.

Riven’s chest pressed against my back, and my breath hitched as his hair brushed the side of my face.

“Enough with the games,” he murmured.

Any sense of logic fled my mind. “None of this has ever been a game to me.”

The dishes sat waiting, but I no longer had any interest. I turned to face him, and he retreated a step.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” His eyes didn’t meet mine. They were lower, at my lips, as we stood in the tight, dimly lit backroom. “I’m so sorry,” he continued, stepping closer.

I had never truly wanted a man to touch me until this moment.

“You should be sorry,” I whispered.

“Let me make it up to you.”

As his eyes wandered down, the back of his knuckle grazed my rib cage, skimming the side of my breast like a gentle paint stroke.

I swallowed, trying to regain a thread of dignity, but I was unraveling. “How do you plan on doing that?”

Riven dropped his hand and straightened.

“Let me show you Castivian, and I can train you too.”

I groaned, crossing my arms. Iwanted to see more of Castivian, and desperately wanted to be able to defend myself, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be teased in a washroom.

“You want to spend more time with me—after our travels? And train me?”

His jaw tensed. “Is that a no?”

“Now who’s assuming?” I joked.

His eyes flashed with amusement.

My smile fell. We’d traveled so far, had put our lives in danger countless times, and for what? My brother to do nothing? If he’d used the deed, the entire capital would have been talking about it by now.

“Why hasn’theused the deed yet?” I refused to even speak my brother's name.

The Riven who followed me to the washroom faded away. He regained his composure, his face reverting to that of a soldier.

“There’s a meeting to discuss that in two weeks.”

Two weeks? I’d busted my ass rushing to Castivian, and now they were waiting two weeks?

“Who’s the meeting with?” I hadn’t been invited, not that I expected to be. My twin had no need for me anymore, and I had no need for him either.

But the rest of the Dark Natured needed him. They needed safe lands, and promises of freedom.

“The council,” he answered, sounding like he would rather talk about anything else.