Page 73 of Disillusioned (A Lay of Ruinous Reign #2)

Piper studied her a second longer before replying.

“It did, eventually. It grew enough for Father to suggest I take an evening stroll. I think they assumed I was restless, or had developed some sort of sickness, or intolerance to heat. So, I began to do so every evening. A walk for my health.” Piper sighed.

“I ventured further each time, telling myself I’d try to take a drink of someone without slaughtering them if I came across a ripe opportunity.

I think I purposefully avoided the commonly walked paths, and instead started carefully mapping my way around.

We had traveled by carriage the day they’d brought me to the castle to live with you, and so I’d tried to recall the way we’d taken.

I discovered our home was quite far from the main roads—strange for a sheep farm, now that I think of it.

” She wrinkled her nose and rubbed at it as if the pollen had gotten to her.

But the hitch in her voice and the way it warbled gave her away.

“It took me a few days of searching. Two nights ago, I finally found the path to the main road and went back, terrified of the choice that lay before me. This morning I made the decision and informed them I’d be leaving again. ”

“What did they say?” asked Lilac. “Did you tell them you were headed here?”

“I told them I was off to serve the queen once more. No other specifics were given. They didn’t have much to say and at least didn’t stop me.

In the end, I asked them not to tell anyone I was there or what had happened.

Told them I might not return for a very, very long time.

They were rather agreeable to that, too.

My father did comment that I was not allowed to take either of their horses with me. ”

Piper exhaled, turning slowly to Lilac, surveying the rage that must’ve been etched upon the queen’s features.

Her friend’s lip quivered, her nose and cheeks pink, and for a moment it was uncertain if she would laugh or cry.

She then brought the corner of the duvet to her face, and her shoulders sank into a heart-wrenching sob.

Nothing could have held back the tears that came.

Lilac’s nostrils flared, chest quaking painfully as the ceiling dissolved into a blurry, tear-filled vision of a childhood that had fleetingly been ripped from between them.

What could have been their best years together as friends had turned into a nightmare.

Lilac felt horrible for ever complaining about anything, weeping as Piper cried into the blanket beside her.

Because the Henri’s letter hadn’t made it to them, had the Krenns not known their daughter was relieved of her duty and no longer residing at the castle? Had her parents ever been expecting her? Is that why there wasn’t a larger uproar when Piper had gone missing?

Lilac hadn’t even known Piper never made it back to her parents’ farm, not until it was much too late. No one had known. And so no one had saved her, either.

She wanted to throw her arms around Piper. She wasn’t sure if that or a pat on the head was appropriate or would get her her head bitten off, considering Piper’s fangs were still elongated. So, she offered, “You should have entranced them to let you take a horse.”

Piper leered at her.

“You did it to Yanna and Isabel.”

“I wouldn’t know how to do it now, on command.” Piper looked down at her hands, which had begun to shake. She tucked them under the blankets. “I don’t want to try and I don’t intend to learn. I am the furthest thing from those monsters.”

“You’re right. You are not them.” Lilac nodded, settling down against the soft pillows behind her. “Well, tell me how you got here, then. Did you follow the road west?”

Piper wiped her nose on her arm, seemingly grateful for the topic change.

“I left their farm and soon came across a caravan of magic folk headed in the opposite direction. Two women and an odd, hulking animal. I would’ve ran, but they approached as if they recognized me.

I didn’t intend on telling them who I was, but they somehow knew where I was headed.

They fed me and—and why are you looking at me like that? ”

“They fed you?” Lilac propped herself up on her elbow. “You fed from one of them?”

“No,’’ Piper said through her teeth, making a sound of disgust. “From the magic folk? Can we do that?”

Lilac’s mind immediately went to Garin, and Adelaide’s family. Then she instantly regretted asking. “I’m not sure. But what did they feed you, then? Did they have bottled blood on hand? People?” she optioned, frowning at the last part.

“No. They fed me warm bread with meat in the middle. A rich, simmering broth of bird and berries.” Piper licked her lips.

“They waited patiently as I ate, then sent me on my way. They told me a pair of carriages filled with rye and livestock were just ahead, headed to the castle for a celebration. They advised me to follow far behind. Just in case they diverted, they told me which paths to take especially if I encountered a fork in the road.”

The Guài were mystical creatures. The dishes Piper described didn’t sound familiar, but perhaps it was bewitched food for vampires.

Lilac considered asking about the sensation that followed, what exactly happened after a vampire’s body rejected mortal food shortly after consuming it.

But Piper was eyeing the ceiling, her hardened gaze softening as she traced the floral carvings outlining the chandelier above them, just as she used to upon her bed when Lilac would sit at the desk with her tutors.

“Garin sometimes eats,” Lilac said matter-of-factly, unsure of how to approach the topic with much tact. “I think he enjoys it for the taste. But it doesn’t seem to nourish him. It makes him ill afterward. He vomits.”

Piper either chose to ignore this or didn’t hear, her mind probably faraway.

Lilac rubbed her eyes, turning back to the hearth.

Tonight was not the night for more questions or shocking revelations, or else her head might explode.

She supposed even the weight of her and Piper’s conversation was better than being kept up, distraught by thoughts of Garin.

Even as the night progressed, none of what she’d felt being separated from him after he’d sent her away plagued her now, but she still feared its gradual return.

Lilac didn’t want to think about it; didn’t want to remember the bloodstained mess of The Fool's Folly, or the days preceding it. Didn’t want to think about Fire Ale, or the Dragondew Mead, or how it had clouded every sense of hers.

She didn’t want to dwell on Garin’s possessive grasp on her, or his mouth on her throat.

How he’d claimed her, through and through, as Casmir had warned. Devoured her.

Her head spun, body throbbing at the thought of him, feeling the waves of wanton distrust building again. Of sadness and regret for the days to come, but Garin had said it himself—this was her duty. He’d gone so far as to entrance her to leave him, strip her of her memory of stabbing Albrecht.

Lilac sank further into her sheets, refusing to let fury wash over her relief of Piper’s return.

She wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t let it ruin the fact that her friend was back.

All that mattered was that Garin was safe at the inn again, under the watchful eyes of their friends—hopefully more carefully this time.

What mattered was that Piper was alive and back home.

That Bastion hadn’t found her first and sent her back to the mine, or worse.

“It was kind of the Guài to point you in the right direction,” Lilac finally said, eager to escape her ruminations. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Who are they? Where do they come from? When I asked, they only told me they were headed home. ”

“They’re a sort of magic folk from the East. Powerful acquaintances of mine.”

She felt Piper shift behind her. When Lilac peeked, she was propped against her pillow, shoulders pivoted to Lilac, eyes wide with curiosity.

Lilac shrank back. “What?”

“Will you marry him, Your Majesty?” Piper blurted.

“I must.” Lilac looked at her firmly. She really did not wish to talk about it, but it was inevitable, and Piper’s concern was fair. “It is the only thing that will stave off France.”

“Garin.” Piper’s forehead creased. “I meant, Garin.”

The question was unexpected. A surge of disgust tore through her. “ No .”

She expected a noise or sense of relief from Piper, but there was none. The vampire looked down through her lashes. “Oh.”

What was that look? Disappointment? “You heard Artus. I have no choice. France’s threat is real.”

“You haven’t even been propositioned,” Piper pointed out.

“My hand will go to Maximillian, when he proposes to me. By way of the emissary.”

“Yet it was foolish of you to mention it in front of everyone when you haven’t even met with him. Did you truly overhear it in a tavern?”

“Something like that.” Done with their conversation, Lilac laid back and closed her eyes. She reopened them again when Piper said nothing.

The vampire was chewing on her nail, staring into the distance.

“Foolish, I may be,” said Lilac, more than happy to continue if her friend insisted. “But I must do what is necessary to secure our kingdom. I haven’t heard of any offer or consideration on Garin’s end. He’s been too preoccupied with ensuring I wed a powerful ally to reinforce our defenses.”

“He is an idiot, but it makes sense that he’d be hesitant.”

Lilac’s stomach soured hearing Piper might actually agree with him. “Garin insists that publicly aligning myself with Daemons will malign any effort I take in encouraging my towns to support a war. On the other hand, he suspects Daemons will not expend their efforts for me. Understandably.”

“Not because of that.” Piper slid out of bed and made her way to the vanity chair, rummaging in the bundle of kirtle she’d changed out of. She held up a book .