Page 125 of The Ever King

“Yes. To avoid this, Songbird.” He gestured at Aleksi. “I wasn’t giving you back, and I didn’t want all your damn people killing themselves trying to get through for nothing.”

My heart battered my ribs. “I wonder why you care, Bloodsinger? Didn’t you want them all to die?”

“I don’t think you need to wonder, love.” Erik leaned casually against the wall, that irritating, perfect smirk on his lips. “You know why.”

I didn’t know if I wanted to slap the man or kiss him. Likely a little of both.

“Bloodsinger.” Alek stood, movements slow and achy, but he kept the straight stance of a Rave warrior and faced Erik. “Release my cousin. I’ll gladly take her place to repay the debt owed—”

“Do not speak another word,” Erik warned and shoved off the wall.

Alek didn’t listen and barreled on. “You saved my father; the penance owed should fall to my house, not Livia’s.”

My stomach plummeted to the soles of my feet. Erik trembled with a desperate kind of rage and gripped Alek’s tunic, slamming his back to the wall.

“Erik!” I gripped his arm, trying to pull him back, but froze when he spoke.

Face close to Alek, he hissed each word through gritted teeth. “Speak again and you damn us both.”

“You know there is a debt to be paid,” Alek said, voice low and dark.

“I cleared our debts that day.”

Alek scoffed weakly. “I will always be in your debt.”

“What are you talking about?” My fingernails dug deeper into Erik’s arm, but my attention was locked on my cousin.

Erik released Aleksi and backed away. “Nothing.”

“Don’t lie.” I snatched hold of the king’s wrist. “Curse me, hate me, but don’t lie to me.”

Erik glowered. I didn’t shrink beneath the heat of his stare. It was more proof of the secrets he kept.

“She should know.” Alek’s eyes darkened. “To explain to our people why I stayed.”

“You are not staying.” Erik jabbed his finger in Alek’s face. “And she is not leaving.”

“Let her go.” Aleksi was close to pleading. “Do whatever you want to me. Torture me, make me the whore, just stop hurting her. Let her be free.”

His eyes took in the bruises on my neck, my cheeks. Oh, the things he misunderstood.

“He’s not hurting me, Alek,” I whispered. “But one or both of you will tell me what you’re talking about.”

The door closed. Tait stood against it, hands in front of his body, but the others were gone. “No one can hear now.”

“I’m going to murder you,” Erik growled.

Tait simply shrugged.

Alek wheeled on me, barring Bloodsinger from us, and took hold of my shoulders. “I’ve never told you. No one even knows that I saw the truth. Daj—” he closed his eyes. “Tor, he was struck during a battle. A blade to the heart, Liv. He died.”

I shook my head. The horrors of my girlish mind when my fury had brought me a bloody death and the anguished pain of my Uncle Sol for the death of Tor flashed through my mind.

“Stop,” Erik said through gritted teeth. He stared at the floor, fists clenched.

Alek tightened his hold on my shoulders. “I saw it.”

“H-How?”