Page 72 of Till Death

“I am the only person that stands between your friends and your true enemies. I know you were in my tunnel. What is it you were searching for?”

My lips flattened into a thin line. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think you do.”

My eyes shifted to the door, as if the glance alone would conjure Orin. Though I knew the safest place for him was as far from the Maestro as possible.

Cold metal graced my cheek as he used his cane to turn my face back to him, back to dark eyes that shouldn’t belong to this world. “Would you like to play a game, Maiden?”

“I’d rather be trampled by a thousand horses.”

“Such… charisma.” He flourished a hand. “You would do so well on my stage.”

I didn’t respond, instead tapping my toe as I waited for him to leave, hoping I could get rid of him before Orin returned, and Elowen came back inside. She was clearly afraid.

“I’m not interested. Will that be all?”

“Do come and see me when you realize I’m the reason King Icharius hasn’t captured you yet.”

I blinked slowly, holding my face as uninterested as I could muster.

“Until next time, then,” he said, yellow teeth gleaming as he leaned a little too far on his cane and hobbled out of the house.

The problem wasn’t the threat that had always been there, but the spoken words I’d have to think through to make sure he hadn’t just bound me into a trap I didn’t even see.

Chapter 31

“Every single word?”

“As fast as I could write them,” Hollis said, standing at the top of the steps, holding a small book with his detailed account of my conversation with his boss in one hand and his pocket watch in the other.

“And?”

“We’ll have to show it to Paesha. She’s usually around for his contractual bindings.”

“I agreed to nothing.”

He lifted a bushy white brow, frowning at me, his thick mustache hardly moving. “He asked you to remove the hand on your blade. Did you?”

Fear rippled through my stomach as I tried to replay the strained conversation. “I don’t think so, but I’ve dealt with Lady Visha, Old Man. I know how to guard my words.”

He ambled down the steps, giant blue eyes staring into mine. “He is far more cunning than her. I can promise you that, Little Dove. Small concessions lead to bigger traps when battling the Maestro. You must be careful to avoid him.”

I sighed, letting my shoulders drop. “Thank you for trying to save me.”

“You are worthy,” he answered, all the sincerity he could muster coiled around the sentiment.

“Why?” I asked, feeling so vulnerable after throwing up every wall possible in front of Drexel. Something in the old man had continued to bring me a sense of peace. It was as if his soft words and gentle nature gave me balance. But it was more than that. It was his time that meant the most. His instant loyalty and kindness.

“He knows you will not kill, Dey. He wouldn’t have come here if he was afraid of that. And while that’s a problem for another day, it also should prove to you that you’re different.” He took my hand, the wrinkles and age marks glaring. “There was a point when I could see that my sister had succumbed to the darkness. Her smiles faded away, and nothing she did felt genuine anymore. The fear from others had fed a dark part of her soul. She would walk into a room and those who didn’t cast their eyes away became victims. When I was a child, Dahlia’s predecessor gathered a group of people at the portcullis of the Silbath castle and murdered them, one by one, until the king agreed to give her an audience. And when he did, she made heavy demands. None could be denied.”

“I’ve read about her,” I said, embarrassment striking me.

“Do you see, Little Dove? You have power you refuse to wield, and that’s your choice. That is why you are worthy of my friendship. I may just be an old man with a sad tale, but that has to count for something.”

I gripped his fingers. “It counts for everything. But we need to find a way to make Quill see how dangerous he is. He’s using her to threaten me, and that’s not going to end well.”

He shook his head. “She’s safe with him. I can promise you that.”