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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

T avia slipped the vial out that had been hidden between her breasts tightly in her dress; the corseted top had been the perfect hiding place.

Carefully, she popped the vial out and put it in one of the flutes of champagne and then she put the vial back into its hiding spot.

She took a sip from the other champagne and walked over to the guard, hoping he would take some.

“Please stay with me for a moment,” she said. “I just need to think.”

“Of course,” the guard took the flute. “Who was that?”

The guard had a kind face for a human .

She had never paid much attention to humans' looks, but she assumed that he would be considered handsome—warm brown eyes, matching hair, and perfect waves around his head, just covering his ears.

“I thought that was someone special,” Tavia said.

She sipped the champagne.

“I don't know what happened. I've never seen him that cruel,” and it was true, Lucius had been charming since the moment she released him from that coffin. She didn’t think it was in him to be that mean.

Was this a side of him that she was unaware of? Was that who he really was? Tears formed in her eyes because she didn’t want to believe that what she was feeling was a lie.

Using those thoughts, she called more tears to her eyes, making herself believe that Lucius truly had been cruel.

“Hey,” the guard said. “It's all right. What's your name?”

She didn’t want to give her real name. But she couldn't think of anything fancy, so she made her name sound ridiculous instead.

“Tavania,” she said.

The guard didn’t say anything.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you. My name is Travis.”

Tavia held out her glass in an attempt to cheer him.

“Well, thank you for rescuing me from total embarrassment,” she said, clinking her glass to his.

He nodded, and they both drank. Tavia watched as he drank his fully before placing it on the table.

“What will you do now?” he asked.

“I don't know. He brought me to this city. I have no home here, no way to get back.” And that was true, except she did have coin if she needed to return.

“I have some people that can help. I can arrange for you to stay somewhere tonight, and in the morning, I have a friend who can help you.” He went to stand, and Tavia wondered if this was the part of seduction that Lucius seemed to have forgotten about.

“Wait,” she said, and moved over to the two-seated sofa where Travis was sitting. She sat next to him, holding her champagne.

“I have nothing to offer,” she said, unsure how she was supposed to seduce this guard, who generally seemed like a nice man.

“The Brotherhood doesn’t ask for anything.”

She shook her head. “No, but the things he said about me, the way he talked about me. Am I that repulsive?”

Travis’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward. “Not at all. In fact, human or fae, you are the most beautiful attendant tonight.”

She leaned forward. “Do you mean that? There are many pretty females in there. If I was beautiful, then why would he have treated me—”

Her voice was hoarse, partly acting but partly true, because she wondered if Lucius had lied about everything he had said.

“Excuse me for being so bold,” Travis said, “but I think that fae was a fool. I don’t know if fae are different from humans, but I would never speak to a woman like that.”

“And one of your beauty,” he added.

“You think I’m beautiful?” She finished the champagne and leaned over to put it on the side table.

He leaned back on the sofa, his eyes slightly widening .

“Very beautiful,” he said. It seemed as if he was almost a tad intimidated by Tavia’s looks.

She slid closer.

“I’m not around humans much,” she said, playing into the fact that he seemed enthralled with her, and maybe it was because she was fae. “But you're certainly handsome for one.”

His face reddened, and he stiffened a bit. She didn’t want to come on too strong, and she didn’t know how far she would need to take this, but she was absolutely not kissing him because her lips belonged to only one male—if he would have her.

“I . . .” Travis’s voice croaked, and his face reddened.

Tavia didn’t realize a human’s face could become so red with emotion, and she found it funny.

“Do you like fae women?” she asked.

Travis nodded.

“I do,” he said, gazing at her mouth, then his gaze traveled across her gown to her waist and back toward her neck.

His eyes blinked a little, and the stiffness in him relaxed. He licked his lips a few times and blinked again .

She slid across the sofa, moving closer to him. He didn’t move away, but he sunk into his side of the sofa, almost too stunned to move.

“You’re very kind,” she said to him

“I’m just doing what any gentleman would do,” he said, though his watery gaze gave him away because she was sure a proper gentleman would have tried to move away from her, but this was as close as she could bring herself.

Where was Lucius?

“I should really get going,” he said, yawning.

“Are you all right?”

He blinked again. “Just more tired. I guess I’ve been working too much.”

He went to stand, and suddenly she did the unthinkable.

She slid onto his lap, facing him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes wide.

“I’m not sure,” she said honestly, because she had no idea how to keep this guard here, but she sensed the tonic was working.

“I should really get going,” he said, another yawn .

“Stay with me a little while longer.” She leaned forward, placing her hands on his face. She didn’t feel anything like she did when she touched Lucius.

In fact, she felt a little uncomfortable, but the guard seemed to feel the opposite.

His hands went to her waist, and suddenly, she was furious that Lucius was taking so long.

Where was he?

The guard’s hands tightened around her, moving up her back, and Tavia did not like the direction this was taking.

He yawned again and then lifted his head as if to kiss her. Instead, it lulled to the side, and he fell back on the sofa in a deep sleep.

Tavia sat there, not knowing what to do until the door opened, and Lucius entered. His face fell into a furious gaze, and she wondered if he was truly mad at her.

He locked the door behind him, and within seconds, he had grabbed her, yanked her off the guard, and into his arms.

“I’m so sorry,” he said in between kisses. “It was excruciating to say those things, but I needed it to look real.”

The tension and fear in her subsided.

“That was a little too real,” she said, as he placed her on her feet. She tapped his chest.

“That was awful, and he almost kissed me,” she said, pointing to him.

Lucius frowned. “I had to avoid someone. Didn’t want anyone to recognize me. We don’t have much time.”

“Wait, wait.” Tavia needed to collect herself. “How long is this going to take?”

“Not too long. Just keep guard and do not let anyone in this room. Here.” He took out the transporter rod and placed it on the sofa.

“If something happens and I don’t wake up, take me and the guard out of here.

Back to where my house is in the city. You’ve spent more time there than in my estate.

You’ll be able to travel there through the portal. ”

“And what are you going to be doing?”

Lucius took a vial out of his pocket, popped the cork, and guzzled the liquid, then laid on the ground. “Dream walk. Once I implant what I need the guard to do, the rest is easy. ”

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Tavia said as she kneeled next to him.

Lucius laid on his back, smiling up at her.

“If it doesn’t...” His voice trailed as his eyes shut and his head lolled to the side.

“Lucius,” she whispered.

He lay there, and Tavia wondered what she was going to do.

She had no idea who would wake up first, and what if it was the guard? He would want to know what had happened and why Lucius was on the floor. She sat there, conjuring a lie in her head.

She would think of something, but she hoped that Lucius’s plan would work, and they would escape tonight. He would get his artifact, and everything would be okay.

There was a knock at the door.

“Lucius,” the voice said, and Tavia panicked.

Someone had noticed him—a female.

Tavia went to the door.

“Sorry,” she said, “This room's occupied. ”

“Oh,” the female responded from the other side. “Sorry. I thought I saw someone come in here. Excuse me.”

Tavia leaned against the door, a new panic racing through her.

Not only would she have to make sure the guard didn’t wake up first and that Lucius's plan would work, but now there was someone here who had recognized him, and it was a female.

Oh no, Tavia thought. What if it was the female who had betrayed him?

She slid against the door and fell onto the floor.

Things were certainly not going according to plan.