Page 102 of Fragile Oath

When he insisted on accompanying me to my rooms to fetch what I needed for the night, so I didn’t have to come back the next morning, I didn’t argue. I couldn’t when that was how I had been taken the first time. Malishka was here now, giving me back pieces of my independence I desperately needed, but the threat still hung over us both.

I had no sooner walked through the door than I knew something was wrong.

Malishka growled, standing at attention, and I froze. Davin called for his guards and, together, they searched the room. I wanted to move, wanted to help, but all I could do was stare at the other side of the room.

The curtains fluttered around the shattered balcony door. Jagged shards of glass caught the light, scattered amongst shredded remnants of the potted plants and herbs I had just coaxed back to life.

“Is anything missing?” Davin asked. His hands were on my shoulders, his fingers rubbing circles into my arms.

I forced myself to scan the rest of the room, looking once, then twice before I confirmed what some part of me already knew. Still, I crossed the room to my vanity, searching the open bottom drawer in vain. Even Anna knew not to open that drawer, not since I started keeping my notes in there.

And the poison. Anything I wasn’t comfortable leaving overnight in the library.

“My research,” I answered, giving him a pointed look that conveyed the rest.

“Gal has some as well,” he said.

I nodded. I also had one vial left in my pocket that I had used to make comparisons today, but we both knew it was still a blow. If we needed to test any, to look closer or find other ways to compare it, we would run out quickly.

And we would lose our only solid evidence against the Viper.

ChapterForty-Four

DAVIN

It hadn’t takenlong to decide that Galina would move to my rooms permanently. There was no sense in moving her things even further away, and there was no way in hell she was staying there now.

As it was, I had Ewan and Hamish overseeing alternating shifts on our joint rooftop since the guard who had been stationed there had disappeared. Dead or a traitor, it was impossible to tell these days. But between Malishka in the room and my own guards outside the door, as well as my cousins just down the hall, we were as safe as we could be.

Which wasn’t as comforting as I wanted it to be. Or Galina, if her faraway expression was anything to go by.

“You know I won’t let anything happen to you,” I spoke against her temple. “Not again.”

“I do know,” she said, turning so her light blue eyes met mine. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

“Yes, yes.” Gwyn’s voice sounded behind us in the hall. “We’re all in loads of danger of death and exile — and dethroning, in Avani’s case — but I for one, think we should celebrate.”

There was a beat of silence as my other two cousins joined her, Gallagher shaking his head in disbelief.

“Really, Gwynnie?” he asked.

But Avani shrugged like she agreed.

“Celebrate what?” I asked warily, casting Gwyn a sideways glance.

She strode closer, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “You two finally getting your heads out of your arses.”

“Indeed, Gwyndolyn,” Galina said drily, but she exchanged a look with Gwyn that held more than their usual mutual annoyance.

My oldest cousin clucked her tongue, her emerald gaze fixing on mine. “And you letting someone invade your precious high maintenance space,” she added, pushing her way into my room and making a show of looking around. “Where will she put her things, Davin? We all know you’ve taken up the entire closet and then some. I swear, you have more clothes than I do.”

She shoved past me into the aforementioned space. “Gallagher, go with Galina to fetch some of her dresses while I make space for them.”

Galina looked at me, something between bafflement and amusement edging past the blank expression that had overtaken her features.

“You do need clothes,” I said. Then, in a louder tone, I called to Avani. “Though, Blaine will never forgive you for taking this honor from him, nor for discarding his beloved clothes.”

“Blame your manservant all you want, but you’re a fashion hoarder.”

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