AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The outrage over the assassination attempt kept Emiana’s hooks on my mind and mouth for hours. I harangued and accused everyone—screeching and making a nuisance of myself for so long after my shoulder and mouth were healed that Bradach threw another bucket of ice water in my face.
I came back to myself sputtering and gasping. Alisdair observed the exchange with a raised brow, but didn’t question his brother. He was likely as relieved as I was that Emiana had finally shut the hell up.
“Whoever did this will be found and slowly killed,” Alisdair dropped without irony or inflection. “That I promise you.”
I just nodded, sinking back against the wet sheets. Alisdair snapped his fingers and the sheets and I were dried. I was lying down in our bed, though I didn’t need to be. The healers did their job well.
“Who was it who told Eadaoin they heard a child’s voice in the east wing?” Bradach asked. “Surely that’s our culprit.”
“Eadaoin said it was Honora,” I replied to him but looked at Alisdair. “The same person who taught me that stupid dance, claiming you’d love it.”
Alisdair inclined his head. “Luring you into a death trap isn’t the natural leap from tricking you into humiliating yourself.”
“I didn’t humiliate myself,youhumiliated me,” I snapped.
“I did no such thing. I was merely a captive to the comedy play.”
“You know what, have you considered that Honora told me to do that dance so I’d killyou! My only regret is that a dented skull wasn’t enough!”
Alisdair laughed heartily. I looked around for another candelabra to finish the job.
“As amusing as this is, are we truly considering Honora?” Bradach broke in. “Why would she wish Lady Ana harm? She wants this as much as we all do.”
“Wants what?” I asked, flicking between them and their locked stares. “Guys? Hello? What does she want?”
“She wants you to be happy,” Bradach said, finally turning to me. “As we all do. Like my lord said, a silly little trick is nowhere near trying to kill you. I don’t believe this of her.”
I gave him a grave look. “Then, do you believe Eadaoin is lying, and that she’s the one who—”
“No.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Neither do I. Eadaoin wouldn’t hurt me. And even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t need to lure me into a trap. I’m alone with her more than anyone else in Lumenfell. Meya knows she’s had plenty of easy opportunities.”
“Both Eadaoin and Honora are innocent of this,” Alisdair stated, crossing to the bed. His touch was light stroking my shoulder. “Whoever did this hoped we would come to the simplest conclusion that whoever passed the message of the voice in the empty hall, was the culprit.
“But the fact is this, there was no child’s voice coming through the wall because there was no child in that hallway. So who was it really?”
I stared at him. “Oh,” I whispered.
He nodded. “No magic is strong enough to turn Honora into a traitor. But voice-mimicking magic couldn’t be simpler. By now, everyone knows you’re looking for that fox boy. All one has to do is make a passerby believe the child you’re looking for is in the east wing, they pass the message on to you, and off you go. Simple, yes, but clever,” he growled, eyes glittering with rageeven as gentle fingers stroked my cheek. “Clever little bastard, I will enjoy ripping him apart and spitting out his bones.
“I’ll enjoy it very much.”
My heart fluttered, toes curling. His protectiveness over me was a good thing. It was a sign of the love I needed to bloom in his empty chest. But my reaction to him whenever he was... that was not a good sign.
“What do we do now?” I asked. “Foalan is commander of the army and we’re in the middle of planning a war. He doesn’t have time to follow me around all day.”
“Why in the name of Meya would he? You’re my wife,” he said. “I will protect you—watch over you day and night. Should a single person even glare in your direction, I will pluck their eyes out. No one and nothing will ever hurt you again.”
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. THUMP-THUMP!
I didn’t need to know whose heart that was or where it was coming from.
It was mine, and I was in trouble. In more danger than I’d ever been in my life, but not because of any assassin.
My breath hitched when Alisdair laced his fingers through mine.
Fall in love with me quickly, beast... before I fall in love with you.
