Page 34 of Blood On His Lips

I’d left word with Faronne house’s door guard—Numair was off duty, and Juliette was in training, suffering the last I heard. Édouard hadn’t forgotten her insolence weeks ago.

I wasn’t surprised when halfway to the café, a sentry leaped off a townhouse roof and fell in at my side. Édouard would have sent word ahead for the first warrior with eyes on me to take up Aerinne-sitting duties. One of the hopes I had for this treaty was that eventually I wouldn’t need guards, but for now all ranked Faronne were still required to double up even when in our District.

I stayed late, filling in for a call-off, living the dream of being just another faceless citizen of Everenne. Outside of the main family my face wasn't always immediately recognizable, though it was generally known Aerinne Capulette was the owner of these cafés. Most intelligent people could put two and two together if they saw me and were curious about a half-Kenyan Fae female.

The sun was already going down by the time I left the building, my bored but watchful guard at my side. My staff had kept him supplied with coffee and pastries while on duty, and it had been a few years since I had been attacked at a civilian location, so I felt a little less guilty about his unexpectedly extended shift.

“This has been one of the quietest days in months,” I muttered as we walked home.

A second later I mentally slapped myself for jinxing it. My guard must have been thinking the same thing because he gave me a sideways grimace, then shrugged.

“The house is only five blocks,” I said. “You can peel off if you want to.”

He ignored me, of course. Commander would have him flogged for leaving me before I was escorted to the final step of the townhouse. A girl had to try, though. An evening stroll without company would be nice. The last time I'd had one, it had been because Renaud kicked me off the palace grounds for stabbing him.

Fun times.

Maybe I should piss him off again just so I could get some alone time.

I sighed ruefully. Those were the kind of petty antics I didn’t have an excuse to indulge in anymore. Unfortunately, now all I had to do was ask and I was near certain the Prince would give me whatever I wanted, within reason. The real problem was that his price was still too high. I’d listened as much to what hehadn’tsaid, as to what he had said, and I had questions.

What was the political role he expected me to play in the city?

What happened if our goals crossed?

Since he would always outrank me, how much autonomy was he planning on allowing me in and out of the bedroom?

Would I walk away alive and in one piece once he was done with me?

So many questions, and all of them had potential answers I couldn’t stomach.

Clouds covered the moon, plunging the District into darkness. The solar powered streetlamps flared, and then went out.

We halted, blades in hands a second later.

A shadow emerged from the darkness, approaching from a block away with a deliberate gait, the outline of its massive form solidifying. Eight feet tall, maybe nine, and half as broad. My eyes soon picked out the sharp points of its matte black armor, protruding ridges covering its arms, shoulders and legs. Not even its face was visible, and in its talons it held a broadsword.

Next to me the guard coiled with readiness but didn't radiate the level of concern I was certain the approaching figure warranted. I went cold.

“Circle around and return to the house for backup,” I said.

He frowned, gaze scanning the streets. “I'm not leaving you. Something's happening.”

“Do you see the approaching warrior?”

He glanced in the direction I indicated. “I see nothing.”

“Exactly. There is an enemy approaching, and it will cut you down faster than me simply because you cannot see it.”

His expression hardened as he stepped in front of me.

“You can't help me like this. Circle around and hail back up, chevalier. I promise I will not engage that enemy unless I absolutely have to.”

He hesitated, probably torn between Édouard’s orders and mine and the fact that I could see the enemy and he couldn't. He might want to stay and defend me, but he would die because no one could defend against something invisible. Well, besides Renaud.

“Is it Fae?” he asked.

Maybe.

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