He was right of course. The middle of an escape was not the best time for make-out sessions, and I’d immediately wrestled my lust back under control, earning me a“good girl”from Roth that almost had me on my knees in front of them. The way their eyes had turned to pure fire told me they’d sensed just how turned on I’d been in that moment—and they’d be doing something about it later.
Apparently, this tunnel system was quite extensive, and there were some underground rooms towards the end that we could make use of to stay hidden a little longer. Draven had managed to put the wall back together after a few fumbled attempts. We couldn’t be sure how it looked from the other side, so he’d carefully caved in parts of the tunnel behind us. Even if Carmilla and her rangers figured out how we’d escaped, they wouldn’t be able to follow us this way.
In the past hour, as we’d walked towards our resting place for the night, Alaric had barely spoken to me. Nor had he touched me or even glanced in my direction. I didn’t know what was going through that head of his, and it annoyed me.
“Got to hand it to Carmilla,” Severen finally said. “I didn’t see this coming.”
I’d just finished recounting everything to them a few minutes ago. Kieran had to be physically restrained from going after Vail when he’d learned what he’d done. Alaric’s jaw had tightened, but he hadn’t said anything. While everyone was focused on keeping Kieran under control, Roth’s ropes had wrapped around Vail and slammed him into the wall.
Repeatedly.
Kieran and Roth were now at the front of the group, followed by Roth’s brothers. Draven and Alaric walked on either side of me with Vail—a little roughed up but mostly fine—behind us. Severen and Celestina brought up the rear.
It should’ve bothered me that Vail was at my back.
It didn’t.
Which only made me pissed off at myself. Between that and my growing frustration with Alaric, I was in a bit of a foul mood.
“None of us saw this coming—obviously,” I snapped. “She played us all for fools.”
“Are she and Lucian really together?” Kieran asked from the front of the group. “He seemed so devoted to Velika.”
“Seems they are.” I thought about the little touches they’d given each other throughout dinners. “They’re definitely sleeping together, and Carmilla trusts him enough to have him sitting in on most of her meetings. I’m not sure if they’ve always been a thing or if she seduced him away from Velika.”
“Lucian is a treacherous bastard.” Draven’s hand brushed against mine, and I repeated the move back. “He might even be better than you, Kieran, at reading and manipulating people. I don’t know for sure what his angle is with Carmilla, but I doubt it’s love. The only person Lucian loves is himself. He’ll serve her as long as he believes she’s the strongest player in the game, but the second she slips, he’ll stab her in the back. Likely for a price.”
“Could we use him?” Alaric asked. “Offer him something to betray Carmilla?”
“Lucian dies,” I half growled, causing Draven and most of the others to glance at me. My prince was the only one I focused on. “He hurt you. He fucking dies.”
Draven’s fingers wrapped around my hand before he raised it so he could kiss my knuckles without ever breaking eye contact.
“Agreed,” Kieran called out.
“I love it when you two get all murderous over me.” Draven sighed.
Alaric let out an annoyed huff on my other side, which I ignored. I’d wait until we were alone to figure out what had made him even grouchier than normal.
“The Demetri bit is odd though,” Kieran said. “Why is she so interested in the two of you getting back together? If she knew this was endgame, she could have just encouraged you to go back to him. We both know you would have done it if she’d asked, but instead, she let your divorce go through—supported it, even.”
He was right. I had been loyal to Carmilla—up to a point; if she’d asked me to betray Rynn or Cali in some way, I wouldn’t have done it. I hadn’t been blindly loyal the way Vail had been, but if she’d asked me to sacrifice my happiness for the sake of the House? I would have done it in a heartbeat. Ihaddone it when I’d agreed to marry Demetri.
“I don’t know,” I lied. “She must have her reasons though.”
During my recap, I’d left out the part about my heritage. Draven and Vail knew I was part Fae, but they hadn’t offered up that information, and I hadn’t told anyone yet what the crown had told me. About who my father really was.
Everyone would have questions about it, and I had no answers—only more questions of my own.
I would tell the others about it. Just . . . later. When we were alone and had more time to discuss the implications. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Roth’s family; at this point, I trusted them more than my own House or any of the others. House Harkerloyalties would likely be torn between me and Carmilla. The rest of the Houses . . . I only trusted them to do what was best for themselves.
But I wanted to tell my mates first.
My heart skipped a beat. Mates. The word had just flowed through my thoughts like water, but it felt right. The Fae hadn’t used the term husband or wife—only mate. Growing up, I’d read so many poems of fated love. Of two Fae coming together despite all the odds against them.
I wondered if there were any Fae poems out there about multiple mates. My lips curled up in amusement. Maybe the crown would know.
The amusement died at that thought.You cannot abandon me.
