Page 21 of When Day Breaks

Troy meets my tired eyes with her own. Her arms are crossed over her chest, and I can tell she has so many questions she wants to ask, but for some reason her focus is on Lucynda.

Leave it to my sister to be the forgiving type, making the rest of us look bad. I wouldn't be so quick to seek the rescue of the one person who just ripped my heart out in search of death. But maybe she's already been made aware of the one minor detail I managed to keep from everyone. The one where Ameliana and Amy are the same person. The detail that means that Troian and Lucynda are sisters. But surely, if she knew, I wouldn't have heard the end of the form of betrayal I enacted by keeping that information from her.

I let the moment of silence Troy allowed me to fall on deaf ears, knowing that I'm not clear of war and argument about what has gone on tonight. I know I have many voices to face and a lot of trust to gain back, even if they don't know I am their betrayer.

"I hope to God you know what you're doing, Rivian." Her words are soft under her breath and would barely audible if I weren't paying attention to her.

"She gave me this." I hold up the small, clear bag filled with the dried and crushed lavender. "She said it would subdue the curse." I toss the substance to her. "I need you to mix this in with something."

"Like what?" She shoots me a sour look, as if I'm stupid and me asking her for something so simple is a waste of her time.

"I don't know. Cupcakes, brownies, tea. Something that won't allow for a fight if Lucynda decides to be defiant and deny the help." I'm stern with my words, a little more on edge now having reentered the castle for the first time tonight. There's a newelement about the place, something that tightens the air and shrinks the walls. Likely because I've let go of too much of my reality tied to being king in my own castle and allowed it all to slip through my fingers. It doesn't feel likemycastle anymore.

"Leave it to the female counterpart to be stuck in the kitchen while the world is in literal flames." Her sarcasm isn't subtle and I know she's only trying to lighten the mood, but there isn't even a mood to be lightened when all my brain wants to do is shut off.

"I don't find your attempt at humor funny,sister. I am agitated and exhausted and I don't know the first thing aboutbaking. Find yourself useful." I wave my hands at her and attempt to walk away, recognizing that I'm back to being a prick for no reason other than because I'm antagonized with my guilt.

"You pompous ass," she huffs. "I don't suppose youfound yourself usefulby asking that wretched witch for a solid cure for your little blood sucker, did you?"

I turn to meet my sister standing in a very demanding stance.

"I know better not to ask for more than one favor at a time from any coven of witches, especially the Lunarnyx. I now owe them a debt and they will expect me to pay." I focus my attention on my sister, noticing the cloud in her eyes. She's tired too. Of what, I don't know. Maybe this mess? Maybe near death took her out. Regardless, I swore to always protect her and I have failed. I won't fail again.

I square my shoulders, knowing I have to keep my head on straight and lead with dignity and surety if I want anyone to listen to my orders or follow my commands.

"I don't let many people get away with defying my rules in my kingdom. Not only am I livid with Lucynda's behavior, though I know it is not of any fault of her own, but the Faction will surely be all over this soon enough. Another infraction added to the rather long list of errors in my pitiable judgment." I stand back, waiting for her to tell me Itold you soor to throw my admissionin my face. I am admitting fault, I surely thought she'd revel in the victorious moment. But instead, she takes a few steps forward and lowers her tone.

"The Faction will never know what Lucynda did."

"I don't suppose you could elaborate,sister. There were nearly two dozen bodies scattered on the floor of the Gilded Hollow and-" she holds her palm to my chest, urging me to stop talking and listen.

"And. . . I went back to clean up the mess after binding your bloodied bride to the chains in the dungeon. Dumped all the bodies in the ocean and made the venue spic and span. Might have compelled a few lazylow-lifesto help with the cleaning and dumping parts. But no one will know what took place in the Gilded Hollow." She lowers her hand back down to her side and I take a deep breath. Yet another person coming to my rescue when I am owed no debt by any of them. And when I am supposed to be the protector.

I don't deserve her. My sister, despite her undying love for tearing out the hearts of pitiful boys after she uses them for her own selfish pleasure, is in all ways a saint. It's why I never question her little gruesome hobby and quite frankly, as long as she sticks to the treaty rules and stays discreet, I don't care. We all have to find a way to deal with what we are, something to keep us from getting too complacent in a world where we are expected to feed off blood and outlive the lives of the peasant mortals. But of all the Nocturnes in the world, she deserves happiness the most.

She nods to me in silence, letting me know that I have her assistance, no matter the ask. It only creates a deeper hole in my chest where I know I've lost her trust. But for now, she's on my side and that's all that matters.

The small sliver of time shared between us is soon interrupted by the deep growl of a very frenzied guard storming down the hallway.

"How could you!?" Kacian's voice booms between the darkened walls, not much more than gothic paintings lining them as his shouts of betrayal join in a reverberation throughout the tight space.

He's trudging angrily toward me, rolling up his sleeves as veins pop out from his neck, his face red with rage.

"Calm down." Troian tries to stand between us with her palm out to Kacian, but I hate the way that she feels like protection is her job. She can't handle Kacian . . . I can.

I don't even flinch as he nearly pummels through her before she rushes to move out of the way.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down." He's seething as he breathes through clenched teeth. He comes up to me, toe to toe. I can feel the heated anger radiating off him and I knew this moment would come.

Kacian has been in my family for far longer than I was born. In fact, he's the oldest Nocturne in this kingdom, having just celebrated his one-hundred and thirty-sixth birthday earlier this year. He was my father's Factotum before I swore him in as my guard the day after the king passed. Kacian, as well as many, did not favor my father but he was a far better man for withstanding him as he did. He proved to be loyal and protective and as vacuous as my father's death might have been, Kacian felt partially to blame for not protecting him in that moment. I would never fault him for such.

I assigned him protection of the new queen, to be her keeper essentially, before she went unknowingly psychotic. He's stern and big, six-foot six, and does very little with words ever since I've known him but right now, he's letting out his fury on me.

Zharus doesn't fall too far behind Kacian, scurrying around the corner and coming up short behind Kacian's back. "I tried my best, Rivian, but he just . . . lost it." I've never seen Zharus set worry in his eyes more than he has when he feels responsible for something that had happened to me. I guess that's a strong trait for most Factotums. But he's concerned as well as everyone else should be. Kacian doesn't get mad.He gets even.

I look up into his eyes, blood nearly rising in the whites of them as his hazel irises seethe with a severe darkness.

I don't remove eye contact with Kacian as I speak my demands to my Factotum. "I need you to see what you can do about Travois. Updates.Anything.I'll take care of this." My words are precise and exacting, careful not to break the heated gaze of the oldest family friend the Duquesne's have ever known. I know he wants my blood. But I'm concerned he'll accept anyone's blood right now.

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