Keysia’s mouth pursed in disgust, Baroun's gaze hard on my face. Baba remained pleasant and inscrutable. Every time I opened my mouth, peoplesettled back with their popcorn to watch the unfolding wreck. Maybe they thoughtthatif they sat still enough, none of the blood spatter would get on them.
Wrong. Blood spatter didn't work likethat.
Renaud's smile widened, revealing the slightly sharpened tips of his eyeteeth. The leviathan in his eyes brightened and swam closer to the surface. “We can start with you accepting my invitation to dine in my quarters, Lady Aerinne.”
“Andthenyou'll release the hostages?”
“AndthenI will discuss terms regarding the release of the hostages.” He lifted a finger. “But perhaps, for the sake of chivalry, a small token of my good intentions. For how could I deny so sweetly spoken a request?”
Right. Now I knew he was toying with me.
An aide appeared at his side. While I was processing his macabre sense of humor, the Prince murmured something and the aide bowed,thendisappeared.
I began to speak, but Renaud lifted his hand again, and I shut my mouth. I could, on occasion, dothat.
No one spoke.
No one spoke for half an hour.Thenfootsteps approached through the forest on the paththatled to the palace.
I shifted in my chair and watched the aide and three guards return with a slender female clad in a simple cotton shirt and pants, her long honey brown hair in a braid.
I squinted. I recognized. . . “Lavendre?”
Rising from my seat, I lurched toward her.
We'd hung together through my teen years, her decade on Juliette and I making her a more experienced companion. We'd trained together. She’d beat my ass into the ground three times out of four during training, and her capture was ablow.
“I thought you were dead.”
Her gaze followed the slivers of sky through the trees,thenshe lowered her head and glanced around as if orienting herself. She did not look at Renaud.
She focused on me a moment later, speaking in her measured, gritty voice. “It would take more than a decade in a dungeon to kill me. I've got nothing but time.”
I laughed and threw my arms around her. She was thin, so thin, and I felt her wince, but she rested her cheek against mine briefly.
“Easy, girl. I didn't say it was a spa.”
I whirled around, shouting for my guards and gave them instructions to escort Lavendre home, post haste, and see to her every comfort. Juliette's ashen facebetrayedshe was barely keeping it together. Numair met my eyes, joy uncontained. I didn't care if anyone saw my tears. Lavendre was worth the small loss of dignity.
After they disappeared, I strode towards Renaud, narrowing my eyes at him as he tilted his head back slightly to meet my gaze.
“You have your date.”
His gaze traveled up and down my body, unimpressed with my black slacks, vest with no shirt, blazer and low-heeled boots.
“You'll wear the attire I send you. I lack confidence you were educated on how to properly present yourself for the pleasure of your Prince.”
I grimaced. He was pushing his luck. But he’d released one of my favorite cousins, and she seemed healthy enough. Her release gave me desperately needed hopethatthe others were in similar condition.ThatDanon was alive and well. Pissed off and biding his time, but well.
I blinked rapidly, struggling to put my resting kill face back on. His eyes softened.
“Yes,” I said. “I'll wear your cursed attire.”
As the words left my mouth, I couldn't help but feel I'd somehow altered the course of my life.
ChapterSixteen
“Come in,” I called at the knock on my bedroom door.
