Vick snorted. “Considering your lawmen are a distant memory, nothing. We all know no one’s coming. Besides, this is between me and the keymistress.”
“Thekeymistress? What does she have to do with this?”
“Very little, actually.” Vick’s smile turned feral. “Except that I want that dagger of hers.”
My grip snuck to my waist. The knife hummed, Zephyrine’s magic flowing into me.
Stand down, I ordered Vick.Lower your blade and step away from him.
His forehead creased. His sword dipped, but stabilized a moment later.
I screamed a silent curse. Just like with Kai at breakfast that morning, it wasn’t enough.
“Try that again, Princess, and you’ll be mopping his blood off the floor. Now, hands off the knife. I know what it can do.”
My molars ground together, but I raised spread hands.
“What in goddess’s name are you talking about?” Olivian said. “That dagger is just an heirloom. It’s worthless.”
“Oh, really?” Vick snapped. He gestured to the diary, which had somehow survived the scuffle tucked within his waistband. “Because your wife’s journal would suggest otherwise. So would this.” He flipped up his tunic to reveal a livid bruise where I’d unleashed the blade’s magic on him yesterday.
Olivian made an enraged sound. “You read my wife’s diary?”
“I did. And now you can either command your keymistress to hand over her dagger, or bid your precious prince and your fancy little wedding goodbye.”
My heartbeat swelled to fill my entire throat. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t see anything but the lethal silver line indenting Kai’s neck.
“Go fuck yourself.” Olivian’s bellow sounded like stones rattling in a can. “No man reads my wife’s private diary, and no one tells me what to do in my own house.”
Vick’s eyes narrowed. His sword-hand flicked.
A scream tore from my throat. “No!”
Kai’s eyes widened. The blade bit through his skin, and a crimson dribble slid down his neck. Blood flowered on his white collar, but he was still standing. Still breathing, thank Zephyrine. Thank every god that had ever walked this earth.
“I’ll give you anything,” I heard myself blubber. “Just don’t hurt him. For the love of all that’s holy, please don’t hurt him.”
“Harlowe,” Olivian warned.
Vick made an impatient, get-on-with-it gesture. “The dagger, then. Hurry up.”
My stomach pitched and rocked. I grappled with my belt, scrabbling at the buckle until it came undone.
“Harlowe,” Olivian roared. “Don’t.”
“Shut. Up,” I hissed, then ripped off the belt and tossed the entire bundle down the stairs. I didn’t even look at where it landed, because I couldn’t wrench my gaze from Kai’s. I needed him to be okay. I needed him not to die.
“Why, thank you.” With an exaggerated smile, Vick toed the belt and dagger across the parquet, then snatched them up without lowering his blade from Kai’s throat.
Something moved in the background. Lunk and Miss Quist, along with Merron and the stewards, wandered from the library. No doubt they’d gathered for the wedding, then heard the commotion.
“Nobody move,” I said. “Just let Vick go. Let him leave.”
Olivian started down the stairs. “He isn’t going anywhere.”
Vick flicked his sword again. “Stay back.”
Kai grunted. More blood leaked from his throat. I muffled my cry in a fist and came within a hairsbreadth of vomiting.
