Page 15 of Fragile Oath

Another blink and I saw Davin’s face, his smile beaming at me. The flower in his lapel matched the same ruby shade of my gown. Then I was back in the dingy room, reality crashing in on me in a whole new way.

Though Alexei and I were both dressed to blend in, his clothes were finely made in the gray tones of Clan Wolf. His dark hair was cropped short, like all men in Socair, no threat of obscuring their vision in battle.

He was handsome, in a distant way. And for all that he had dragged me to this altar, he didn’t look particularly happy to be here now, either, though there was a note of triumph. Satisfaction at a task accomplished, another enemy subdued.

I wondered if that was the look he would wear tonight, when he could finally claim me in truth. My heart pounded, and I blinked away the threat of tears that I refused to let him see.

“You are beautiful.” Alexei said the words regretfully, like it was a fact he wished he could dispute or a consolation prize for my other undesirable qualities.

I wondered if that was true, even sleep-starved and worn out as I was. I hadn’t looked in the mirror, but I was sure I didn’t look like anyone’s bride. My dress was plain, and my hair was braided back neatly, but listlessly, my shoulders wrapped in the gray scarf he had brought for this very occasion.

“Do you, Alexei Pajari, promise to love and cherish, to protect and shelter, to forsake all others, as long as you walk in this world together?” The magistrate sounded bored, a contrast to my own racing thoughts.

My insides twisted. This couldn’t be happening. Not after everything.

“I do,” Alexei said, his almond-colored eyes never leaving mine.

I studied his features for signs of the lie he had just told. He might be faithful and he might even be protective, but he wasn’t capable of that kind of love, let alone of cherishing another person. His expression was like stone, though, unyielding and expectant.

“And do you, Galina Zhakarov, promise to love and cherish, to obey and serve, to forsake all others, as long as you walk in this world together?”

I gritted my teeth. Though I had prepared my entire life to say a version of those vows, somehow I doubted that Davin would have demanded I promise to obey, let alone to serve. Was it common in Lochlannian vows?

It hardly mattered, though, since I’d be promising it all over again in front of our own people in a couple weeks’ time. At least, that’s what I told myself when I opened my mouth to lie even harder than my new husband had.

“I do.” It was an effort not to choke on the words.

Alexei leaned forward, and his aftershave overpowered me, overwhelming my senses until I was suffocating in a haze of wintergreen and regret. Then his mouth was on mine, not half as gentle as he had been last time.

Perhaps he had been given no choice outside of marrying me, but he was clearly here to savor his victory all the same.

ChapterEight

DAVIN

It only tookus two more inns to come across another body.

This one was a maid, spotted less than a day after we left Othach. The same inky veins spider-webbed across her plump face and chest, and her hands still clutched her white apron. The inn wasn’t dilapidated like the Red Lion, but there was a general feeling of…something. Malcontent? Rebellion?

Whatever it was, the staff was less than forthcoming. Short of taking the time to extensively question everyone there, we were forced to make do with even fewer results than before.

Of course, the maid had spoken to new people. She worked at an incredibly busy inn. No, no one stood out. They hadn’t seen a Socairan woman.

Only when I asked if there had been any guests theyweren’tsupposed to tend to did I stumble across the truth. It was what I needed to know, that Galina had been there.

“It could be a coincidence,” Gallagher said once we were on the road again.

Gwyn nodded. “There are more people on the main roads in general, and so many heading on this exact path back to Chridhe, so more rebel activity makes sense.”

They weren’t wrong, and I couldn’t find a clear reason behind a connection to Galina. Why would the Viper want to kill someone she had spoken with? To keep me from finding her…so they could find her first?

Or had they already?

The questions haunted me as we rode through the night. Whenever I blinked, I was haunted by images of her perfect face marred by spider-webbed veins and black foam bubbling at the seam of her lips.

Forcing myself to breathe, I banished the thoughts from my mind, focusing instead on what I did know. All of these questions would be easier to answer if I had even a clue to the Viper’s identity.

Until the festival, I had been convinced it was Tavish. There were signs he was working with rebels, and stars knew he would have stopped at nothing to secure his seat at Lithlinglau. Then he had looked terrified when he mentioned the Viper, glancing…into the crowd.

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