Page 158 of To Catch A Rogue

Backing away, she held the knife in his direction to warn him against retaliation.

Lark turned back to Sergey, all the color draining out of the world as the darkness washed over her. Suddenly she felt no fear. Only the desire to face him, once and for all. "You wanted her to see the life leave her children's eyes. You saved her for last to punish her for choosing my father and not you."

Sergey took a half-step back as Lark advanced toward him, burning with rage. Then he paused.

"You lie," he sneered.

"I do not. I was on the balcony, shivering with cold. A little girl watching her family being slaughtered before her eyes. The one Grigoriev child you couldn't account for. I saw your face when you removed the mask. You killed them. You slaughtered my family, and used your Black Wolves to assault my father's carriage."

"A dangerous claim," he said.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore."

It was the first time she'd lied.

Whispers circled through the nobles surrounding them.

Sergey took stock, his mouth thinning. Nobody here would decry him for killing his cousins and taking power, but being caught out like this? That was a cardinal sin. "Then you're a fool. You think to threatenme? My wife will be the tsarina's heir. I am the Prince of Tsaritsyn, and you are nothing. Guards, seize this imposter—"

"Be warned, my prince," called a firm voice. "She is with the English delegation. You risk an international incident."

Lark's heart slammed behind the cage of her ribs as skirts swished, a group of young ladies revealing the speaker. Nobody wished to stand at his side, it seemed.

Captain Kosova rested a hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword, his eyes watching her expressionlessly. He'd provided Gemma with information about the state of the court and they'd been hoping he would stand as witness when it all went down with Balfour, but he was one of Sergey's Ravens.

He could only dare so much.

"Nobody knows she is here," Luther called.

Sergey's eyes cut toward her again. "Then she is alone." He drew his sword with a steely rasp. "And there is only one way to deal with such slanderous accusations. If you are a Grigoriev, then I challenge you. If you are not, then you will die, regardless."

The doors slammed open behind them.

Lark spun, but she couldn't see who had entered.

"But she is not alone," came a loud, familiar voice.

Charlie.

Relief burst through her as she saw him, shoving his way through the crowd, his eyes given over entirely to black. He dwarfed the nobles surrounding him, and moved with a lethal intensity she'd never seen on Charlie before. Gone was her sugarplum. In his place stood a man fighting against the violent press of the craving.

Blade was at his side, hands held low against his thighs, no doubt hiding his razors.

"Lark," Charlie called, reaching for her. "Come here."

Sergey's eyes hooded as he considered the turn of events. "Seize them," he told his Ravens.

Metal rang on marble as four of the Ravens stomped forward. Luther stood in her way, cutting her off from the others. Lark held her knife low, considering options. Charlie must have seen the risk too, for when their eyes met, his nostrils thinned.

"You interfere with a Blood challenge," Sergey called. "If you interfere, my Ravens will be forced to cut you down."

And there was nothing the others could do about it.

Charlie's teeth ground together in frustration. His fingers flickered,"I can get past the Ravens—"

"Go,"she replied, for she wasn't the only one at risk right now."Go and find Gemma. I will hold my own."

"I'm not leaving you."