“Hold!” Skartovius shouted, rushing forward.
Vallan looked at Skar, leg bent at the knee and lifted comically in the air. “Brother?”
The rat made no move to escape the shadow of Vallan’s large boot.
Skartovius stood over it, hands on his hips. Then he barked a laugh. “I’ll be damned.”
“What is it?” I asked.
For the first time in days, Skartovius broke into a smile—a genuine one, which alarmed me because of how honest it looked on his wickedly handsome face.
He pointed down at the rat. “Garroway just spoke to me through the critter.”
Keffa huffed. “Interesting. Beast-charming?”
“A conduit, I suppose,” Skartovius said.
“Could that be an aspect of Lady Lock’s blood?”
The nobleblood simply shrugged.
I scratched my head, even as hope swelled inside me. “Well, uh, what does Garro want? Is he trapped . . . in the rat? Or has he returned?”
Skar crouched. I wrinkled my nose with disgust when he bent down and picked the rodent up, letting it scutter up his arm.
“He has.” His smile disappeared, abruptly, and he lifted his head. “Says he has a gift for you, little temptress.”
Chapter 41
When Skar and I met with Garroway at the safehouse, he shocked both of us by lunging at me and wrapping me in a tight hug. His chin dipped to press against the nook of my shoulder.
I looked over his head, hands raised in surprise, and noticed Skartovius’ expression of surprise as well. He tried to hide it, but I could tell it hurt to see his bloodthrall embrace the new girl before the man he’d served for forty years.
When I put my arms around Garro, he felt warm to the touch. It was odd since bloodsuckers naturally ran cold.Perhaps it’s the human side of him that’s warm?
“I missed you, little honey badger.” His voice was a soft caress in my ear.
I also felt something . . . else . . . south. Hard and stiff between us, nudging against my side.
Flaring with color, I hopped back and cleared my throat. “I-I missed you too, Garro.”
Garroway made no attempt to hide his arousal or smile. His eyes glittered. The look on his face was that of a child’s when he’s been given a sweet treat.
Something has changed inside him in the two weeks we’ve been apart. Somethingdrastic.
Skar glanced down at the protruding bulge beginning to wrap around Garro’s thigh. “For shame, cub,” he sighed, and then took Garroway by the chin. “Let me get a look at you. Are you hurt? Ill? Blood-sick?”
“No, Master,” Garro answered. He finally clasped his hands in front of his situation, putting on an awkward stance in Skar’s presence.
The nobleblood scrutinized every inch of his face. He resisted inspecting every inch down below, however, and then made a circle around the thrall. “You look hale. Why have you been gone so long, Garroway?”
“Collecting Sephania’s present, my lord.”
“What is it?” I blurted. Excitement filled me. I’d never receivedpresents. The giddiness swarming my belly seemed to match Garro’s jolly, mischievous expression.
“It’s something that must be shown, lass.” His smile widened, stretching ear to ear, giving him a crazed mien.
Skartovius put his hands on his hips. He stared down at his thrall disapprovingly. “Well? Don’t keep us in suspense. Where is it?”
