Page 92 of Crave Me

“He’s interrogating Nox and Bane,” she replied. “He didn’t want you to wake up alone, so that’s why I’m here. Not to babysit, but to keep you informed and also find out if your memories have returned.”

“They’ve returned,” I confirmed, sliding out from under the covers. “And I need to talk to Vesperus.” I started toward the bathroom area, then paused. “Wait. He’s interrogating Nox and Bane?”

“The bullet fragments had some sort of toxin on them that promotes decay.” Cara ran her light-colored eyes over me as though assessing the damage. “Or that’s the theory, anyway. Paxton couldn’t sense a spell, so we think it’s a chemical of some kind.”

“I see.” I considered her words as I went in search of clothes. Rather than pick a dress, I chose a pair of black pants and a sweater, the outfit similar to Cara’s in the other room. Maybe it would help me blend in better, something I’d prefer to do in case any of today’s plans required me to leave the palace.

My dresses were my trademark. And if someone miraculously possessed the ability to kill me, then I wanted to be less obvious.

I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, my band the only gold trinket in my hair. Then I called for my crescent necklace and wore it on the outside of the black sweater.

And finished my wardrobe with a pair of socks and knee-high boots.

Cara actually gasped as I exited the bathroom. “Holy shit. You’re wearing the outfit I picked out for you.”

I curtsied. “I’m going for a more incognito look today.”

Her lips twitched. “I don’t know if that’s possible, Twinkly.”

I shrugged. “I’ll wear a hood.”

She laughed at that and shook her head. “I’m glad you’re not dead, Nyx. You scared me for a minute.”

“I would have come back,” I told her. “I think.” My soul should be indestructible as a being of creation, but the lingering energy deficiency inside me had me wondering if that was absolutely true.

Because I’d felt…depleted. And not just because of blood loss, but because of power loss. Like I’d been enchanted by death.

Can a toxin actually do that?I wondered. It seemed unlikely.

“I want to talk to Vesperus,” I said, already walking toward the door. “I don’t think Nox or Bane did this. But I would like to ask them a few questions.” They were phantoms and therefore familiar with death. Perhaps they would have some insight into what had knocked me out so severely.

Cara took the lead, telling me Vesperus wasn’t in his office but in another area of his estate, one I hadn’t seen yet—the underground.

It wasn’t a dungeon, necessarily. The lights were too bright for that, and the floors, ceilings, and walls were all in pleasant condition. They were just a little plain, and the lack of windows gave it a more serious effect.

There also weren’t any cells or locked doors, something I remarked on to Cara.

“We don’t hold our bounties here,” she told me. “This is just a quiet area where Vesperus prefers to conduct his more private conversations.”

When we reached a room at the end of the hall, I understood what she meant. Because there were only five beings inside—Vesperus, Kaspian, Kieran, and the two phantoms.

No one was chained up.

There were no bloody instruments.

Just a simple round table at which they were all seated.

However, Kaspian was noticeably closest to the door—and armed.

“I’m going to head back up to keep Larus company in your office,” Cara said to Vesperus. “And by the way, she remembers everything.”

With that parting comment, she left.

Vesperus stood, his eyes tracking over my outfit.

“I felt the need to blend in a little better today,” I told him before he could ask.

He smiled, his palm cupping my cheek. “I don’t think you could ever blend in, Goddess.”