Page 60 of Blood On His Lips

“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” I whisper. “I know it isn’t safe if other people know. I haven’t told anyone.”

“I know, bébé. I know.”

“Please don’t make me go.”

He straightens his legs, opening his arms. I climb into his lap, throwing my arms around his neck like he’s Danon or Baba. Maman is very grim and angry these days; she doesn’t have much time for hugs. Besides, she says I’m getting bigger. I suppose. Even though I’m twelve now, sometimes I can’t decide if I want to be a child or a young adult. But if becoming an adult means I have to give up Raniel, then I want to be a child forever.

Raniel strokes my hair, singing to me. When his voice trails into silence, he sighs again. “Embriel is angry with me, and my son is right. You are too young. I am already skirting the boundaries of honor.”

For a minute Iwant tokillEmbriel. He wants to take Raniel away from me. Raniel’s son can reach him here too, like I can. I’ve never met him, and I don’t want to. He’s jealous that Raniel loves me better than him.

He nudges me off his lap and stands. I scramble to my feet, looking up at him, and almost step back because for once, his expression is cold, distant.

“Raniel,” I whisper, almost frightened. I know he would never hurt me, but sometimes when he looks at me, when he doesn’t think I’m watching, I don’t recognize the person behind his eyes.

I know he is dangerous. I don’t know why.

He holds out a hand. I take it, shivering as he lifts my knuckles to his lips and kisses my skin. Once, lightly. I. . .feel something different.

Something. . .

“I won’t ever leave you, Aerinne, you are mine. But until you are an adult, you may not return here.”

* * *

Raniel!I scream his name in the gray misty place over and over again, wondering if my physical voice has gone hoarse.

He emerges, his form tall and hazy and vaguely man-shaped, with great dark wings, like a demon or an angel. My dark angel.

Maman is dead!

We haven’t spoken much in the last year or two. Not since I fully understood who he was.

Raniel.

Renaud.

The Prince of Everenner, High Lord of House Montague.

He’s supposed to be our enemy, though Maman doesn’t really think so. She says it’s complicated.

I didn’t quite believe it until now.

Embry came to me once, in secret, and tried to warn me. That meeting didn’t go well. I still blame him for making Raniel throw me out of his mind.

You killed my mother! Why would you do that? Why did you kill my mother?

I gather all of my power, the strength he’s been carefully helping me cultivate, and begin slashing claws at his hazy form. I can shift, a little, taking on the metaphysical characteristics of my avatar.

I will kill you.I sob.I won’t rest until you’re dead. And if I ever discover your sleeping place, I’ll burn it down around your ears.

My heart is breaking, my mind is breaking, my soul is splintering into fractures. How could he do this to me? Maman had said she was going to try and wake him early, to try and make peace in the city. I’d thought he’d understood. I’d thought he wouldwantto wake, to come to me.

Aerinne. Aerinne.He keeps saying my name over and over again, waiting until my violent power spends itself. There’s pain in his voice. For a vicious moment of satisfaction, I hope I’ve hurt him. But I probably haven’t.

Why did you kill her?I ask again.

That was not my intent, my halfling. You know I am sleeping. I told you I am dangerous. It’s only here, with you, in this place that I have full awareness. I am sorry.

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