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CHAPTER NINETEEN

L ucius dragged his feet forward, each step slow and sluggish.

Something was wrong, but Tavia didn’t have time to ask or contemplate it. Instead, she opened the door and peeked out.

There was no female hovering by, so she pulled Lucius out and closed the door behind him, quickly returning to the ballroom. S

She didn't know how long they had or what to do, and Lucius seemed dazed.

“What's the matter?” she whispered as she tried to make it seem like they were drunk and in love. She smiled, laughing, wobbling on her feet .

As they moved to the entrance, Lucius hung on her, and she smiled as they walked, pretending that she wasn't holding him up.

“Are you okay? What's wrong?” she asked, but he seemed dazed, lost.

They had made it this far, and they were so close to the end, but he didn't seem like himself. His gaze was distant, and it was taking all her strength to keep him upright. She could only hope that the night air would awaken him.

“Have a good night,” she said to the butler at the door.

Many people were perusing the gardens, and she knew they had to pay attention to the front door to watch Travis leave—the next part of the plan.

She found a bench under a tree hidden by shadows; the willow hanging low enough that it would keep them encased in darkness, but her fae sight allowed her to see the front entrance.

As she placed Lucius on the bench, he slumped on her.

She patted his cheek. “Get it together. What's going on? ”

“I'm all right,” he breathed, but his words were hoarse. “I just need a moment.”

Pained, she wrapped her arm around him and pulled him, rubbing his leg, trying to get him awake and shake off whatever lingering effects there were from dream walking.

Something was wrong with Lucius.

Not too long after, she spotted Travis leaving in hurried steps.

“There he is,” she said. “Come on.”

But Lucius wasn't moving.

“Lucius, he's leaving.”

“I don't know if I can go,” Lucius said, his voice horse and distant.

Lucius didn't know that Tavia had prepared herself, because her magic black bag was in the pocket of her gown. Underneath her gown, she was already wearing her leather pants.

Hiding behind the tree, she took out the black leather bag, trying to keep her gaze on Travis.

She pulled at all the strings, slipping out of the dress, and then pulled the magic bag to take out her leather top, quickly putting it on, pulling out her weapons, and then tying the black magic bag to her belt.

She ripped off the mask and left it, then ran back to Lucius quickly and kissed him on the forehead. “Stay here. I got this.”

Lucius went to grab her, but he didn’t seem to have the strength to stop her.

“Tavia, no,” he said, but she was already moving across the shadows.

Travis hurried through the streets, never once looking back, never once even assuming he was being followed.

She followed him, trying to stay out of the moonlight, dipping behind carts in alleyways, trailing him to the human quarter, past the housing where a river curved under a bridge and an old stone building with an odd emblem at the door.

Tavia stepped into the shadows, hiding and waiting. If everything Lucius had planned worked, Travis would go in there and get whatever it was they had stolen from Lucius.

She waited, hoping Lucius was gathering himself and that his mind was okay.

The moonlight shone on the river. The night too serene for what was taking place .

“Where is he?” she thought to herself.

She had practiced the art of staying still when she needed to, but there was so much emotion running through her that her knee bounced, her foot tapping.

She had to hold her leg still and calm herself, not wanting to alert anyone to her hiding place.

She hid behind a boulder close to the stone bridge that arced over the slow-paced river.

Travis walked out, his gaze dazed, and went over to the bridge.

He tossed a golden object out—it landed in the river.

Tavia waited until Travis turned around and walked down the street.

Then, she ran over the bridge, down to the bank, and jumped in.

It was night, and if she hadn’t been fae, she didn’t think she’d be able to find anything.

Using her power of wind, she funneled through the water, making whirlwinds, focusing on moving through to where she saw the object drop.

The river had moved at such a slow pace that it didn’t move the item from where it had fallen into the bank.

She dug through the algae and the mud until her fingers grasped the cool polish.

Grabbing it, she pulled it from the muddy water and then swam to the surface, using her wind to propel her forward. She smiled, breaking the surface.

She crawled out onto the bank and caught her breath.

They had done it.

Tavia looked at the item, surprised that it was a golden pocket watch. This was the magical artifact that had been stolen and held in a vault?

Before she could open it, she heard a woman yell, “Lucius, stop!”

Tavia scrambled up the bank and started running. Lucius stood in the street, his back towards the female that Tavia had recognized from the ball—the woman she had bumped into by the cookies, the brunette in the red-and-white fur dress.

“Please. Let me explain.”

Lucius’ fists shook and his shoulders tensed. He glanced at Tavia, his gaze pained. His noticed the pocket watch, and she shoved it in her pocket, then stormed forward toward the female.

She went to walk past Lucius, and he stopped her with his arm, grabbing her waist.

“Who are you?” Tavia asked. “What do you want with him? ”

The female clasped her hands. “I want to explain.”

“I know who you are,” Tavia said. “You're the one who got him kidnapped. Do you know what he's gone through?”

“I know.” Her voice lowered, guilt filling every word. “But if he would allow me to explain.”

“It's all right, Tavia,” Lucius said, and he turned around, switching his arms but keeping one around her waist.

“I had no choice,” the female said. “I was trying to save someone.”

“Who?” Lucius asked.

“My husband.”

Lucius’ face shifted, his expression going from defeat to surprise. “You were married?”

“I know,” she said. “And I felt awful for what I had to do, but I had no choice. He’s not just my husband. He’s my mate.”

Lucius’ fingers dug into Tavia’s side, and she looked up at him.

“I followed you,” he said to the woman, head bowed, almost as if he couldn’t bear to see her. “To the human quarter.”

“I see.” Her voice trailed. “So imagine what it’s like for a fae to mate with a human.”

Hacinda’s gaze went to Tavia, and Tavia wasn’t sure why.

“What did you do?” Lucius asked again.

“It’s better if I show you. Please, follow me.”

Lucius nodded, and Hacinda turned and started walking toward the housing area.

“Are you sure about this?” Tavia asked Lucius.

He nodded. “I am.”

They followed the female into her home.

“Please come in,” she said. “He's probably asleep, so if you could just keep your voices down, I think it would be easier if you saw.”

Lucius slid his hand to Tavia’s, gripping it. He looked back at her with an expression that explained how he needed these answers. She nodded, letting him know she would be by his side for whatever they were about to walk into.

They walked up the steps. The woman untied the mask around her face and placed it on a table in the hall. She carefully opened the door and stepped in, waving them in.

They walked into the room quietly. A man was sleeping on the bed, but something about his skin was off. Hacinda stood on one side of the bed, clutching her chest. Lucius walked forward to the foot of the bed, his mouth opening in shock.

Tavia didn’t really understand what was wrong, but she noticed black veiny marks along his skin. The man breathed in and out hoarsely. At one point, he must have been handsome, but these skittering black veins marred his pale skin.

Hacinda motioned for them to leave, and they walked back downstairs. Tavia had more than one question about what they were seeing, but she knew this human was very sick.

“Tell me what happened,” Lucius said, “and be honest.”

“It wasn’t long after we wed,” she said. “He was bit by a darkthing.”

Tavia had heard about those monsters.

Darkthings were shadow creatures from the Never.

When the Rift opened, thousands of shadow creatures seeped into their world, and when the world fought a final battle to close the Rift, the remaining shadow creatures stayed.

Though they still roamed the lands, Tavia had forgotten that their bite could cause an almost incurable infection.

Anyone bitten by a darkthing always died.

“When I found out how you turned, I thought I could do the same, and so I had him turned. But he was already infected at that point. I did it to save him, but somehow the vampyrism and the infection had morphed into something else. He can’t die unless I kill him the way any vampyre can be killed, which I can’t do.

But he’s in constant pain every day, every hour, and the only thing that eases him is this.

” She went to a cabinet, opened it up, and pulled out a yellowish liquid.

“It is nearly impossible to get serum made from light crystals. They’re so rare and they cost a lot of money.”

“So that’s why you work for the Brotherhood.” Lucius said, his brow furrowed, taking in all she spoke. “But why me? Why was I a target?”

“Your fire elemental ability,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“I shared that with you and you alone.”

“I know,” she said .

Tavia wondered if they were friends or something more, because Lucius had implied it, but maybe his heartbreak was from losing a friend.

“So now you know the truth,” she said. “I sold your truth to the Brotherhood for a price, and I’ve been stuck in this cycle ever since.”

“Why wouldn’t you have asked me? I was your friend?” Lucius shook his head.

“I know, and I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t want to betray you, and I felt awful. But Mario . . . I did that to him, and now he suffers daily. I can’t bring myself to end his suffering. I can’t, and so I’m stuck in this cycle. I can’t get out.”

There was a deep heartache and desperation in her voice.

“You can,” Lucius said and held out his hand. “Give me the pocket watch.”

“No,” Tavia said, stepping back. “That’s not for him.”

“It’s the right thing to do,” Lucius said.

Tavia growled, furious that Lucius was about to hand over the one thing that could possibly save him.

Hacinda looked at them with hope in her eyes, and it made Tavia sick, she even slightly agreed with the sacrificial idea.

But what would she do if it was Lucius in that bed suffering daily?

“Come on, dove,” Lucius said, his voice softer, urging.

Tavia huffed and dug in her pocket, handing over the watch.

“I don’t understand,” Hacinda said.

“I can’t promise that this will work, but we’ll try.”

“You think you can save him?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll try.”

Hacinda started crying and threw herself on Lucius, which Tavia did not like. But there was a friendship there and heartache, and Tavia couldn’t stop it. Especially when Lucius smiled and hugged her back.

“I’ll never be able to repay you for this,” she said.

“Let’s see if it’ll work first.”

Hacinda hurried up the stairs, and Lucius didn’t immediately follow. He turned around and looked at Tavia.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But if we can help . . .”

“Who knew you had such a grieving heart?” she said. “ Aren’t you supposed to be filled with revenge and anger?”

“My life has been better than most. I’ve never wanted for anything, and now I believe I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Plus, who has time for revenge when I have a pretty mouth to feed? So how about we go save a lost soul?”

“Fine,” she begrudgingly agreed. “Let your bleeding heart have its day.”

Tavia wanted to say more, to argue and demand that they leave, but how could she when this might be the closure Lucius needed to move on?

Yet, she wanted that gem for Lucius.

For a future she suddenly wished she could have with him.

Yes, they might save this tortured soul, but then what did that mean for them?

Tavia tried to hope, but it seemed to fade with every step up those stairs.