Page 91 of Eternal Ruin

The problem was withdrawing such a high number of acti from Uxlay would be seen as acti collusion. Against the Seventh Law of Uxlay, punishable by forced life exchange. Dean Faris would unleash her Sicions on the Nefrasi, and those savage hunters would destroy them all.

No, the timing had to be perfect.

Remove the Green Grapes one by one so Uxlay wouldn’t suspect anything.

“Doesn’t the whole thing put a sour taste in your mouth?” he continued, letting his voice dance. “Forced to come here and pick a husband. Love shouldn’t be forced.”

Lara Luroz’s face turned harsh. “What do you know about love?”

“Me? Plenty. I loved once. She was a thing of dark beauty. Always angry at me. All thorns save for the red of her lips. They were softer than petals against my finger. But she wasn’t meant for me. The stars fated us apart. And to this day, I regret not running away with her.”

He could see the ice melt from her face, leaving only large eyes and compassion. Like a tide to the ocean, he reeled her in.

“I see your love looking at us… at you. You remind me of missed chances,” he whispered softly.

She stiffened, shuffling awkwardly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The Delarus boy glared in their direction. It was hard not to grin. “This must be torture. Pretending not to care for the only person you want.”

She straightened and walked away, done with the conversation but Susenyos’s gaze was pulled to the right. Kidan was… smiling.

Why was she smiling?

The human boy who had approached her was rubbing his neck, a nervous pathetic mess. And did she like that? Such weakness?

When she felt him staring, she smiled wider, making his fangs ache.

He dared another sour sip. It was a distraction, like snacking on fruit to distract from meat.

Soon he’d need to feed.

“What happened to the girl you loved?” Lara Luroz had returned, pulling his attention back.

She shifted on her feet, biting her lip.

“I hesitated. Waited too long. Don’t repeat my mistakes.”

Her voice hardened. “And give up everything? My house, my inheritance?”

The dean called it the Acti Love Law. Actis were welcome to have a lover from another house, so long as they relinquished everything and left Uxlay. No house was allowed to help them in the outside world unless they wanted to be penalized. Uxlay’s fortune had to go into rewarding Uxlay’s future—actis that married into orders and birthed children that didn’t end a bloodline. Some found it cruel but he appreciated the system.

There were worse ways of ensuring actis reproduced. A shudder climbed down his spine, and he shelved Lusidio’s camp into a corner of his mind that swallowed all dark things.

He lowered his head, almost brushing her ear. “It doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a place. Outside of here. Where people like you and him can be happy. Wealthy, even.”

Her lashes lifted to him in suspicion. “And the price?”

He extended a hand. “If I may.”

A war took over her features, but curiosity finally won. He supported her back and escorted her out. Like he knew he would, Lara’s lover quickly parted the crowd, close on their footsteps.

Susenyos escorted Lara Luroz and her lover, Raf Delarus, to the theater building behind the Arcane Tower. Iniko would be there soon with Arin.

The couple were nervous, holding hands and murmuring to each other in their auditorium seats. Raf appeared torn, near fleeing.

“I won’t let harm come to either of you,” Susenyos said, sitting on the edge of the empty stage. “It’s nothing you haven’t done before in blood courting. My friends just want a taste of your blood.”

Lara swallowed, Susenyos could hear the beat of her heart racing. “We want an estate far from Uxlay. Monthly allowances, and we only give blood once a week.”