Page 25 of Fragile Oath

With a single fluid motion, she took a delicate sip of what she had once sworn to me tasted like the astringent Gallagher used to clean wounds. Then she smiled, peering up at Alexei through her lashes.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

He nodded, holding out his arm for her to lean against him. She did without hesitation, and he pulled her closer.

“You need rest,Radnaya.”

And I needed a hearty serving from my own flask. Or possibly a bowl to hurl in.

Gallagher nudged me when I was finished with my swig, clearly desirous of some fortification of his own. I couldn’t help but remember Galina the night before we left Socair, when she took Alexei’s proffered vodka and lied through her teeth about it.

She had simpered then, too, leaning into him and trailing her hand along his arm while she whispered in his ear. Then she had shown up hours later desperate to leave Socair. To leave him.

And now, it was like nothing had changed. Between them. Between us. The last few months may as well never have happened at all.

Alexei tilted his head back and closed his eyes, though I knew he wasn’t sleeping so much as taking a soldier’s version of rest. Galina didn’t close her eyes, but she avoided my gaze enough that it gave me a chance to study her.

She did look like she needed rest. The circles under her eyes were more pronounced when her face wasn’t quite as guarded. It would have been one hell of a journey to have made the time she had by carriage.

And again, I wondered why. Why go to that trouble, staying in dangerous inns and hiding and traveling nonstop when she had to know we would have escorted her, perhaps not happily, but at least willingly.

Maybe she had been lying the entire time she was with me, and she was sure as hell lying now that she was with him, but there was something more here, too.

The not knowing was going to drive me insane as surely as Alexei’s proprietary hand on Galina’s waist. I needed answers. As soon as I had them, I could return to Lithlinglau.

And let Galina return to her life without me.

ChapterThirteen

GALINA

It wasa small consolation that Davin wasn’t forcing me back to Lithlinglau. Instead, he was only forcing me to endure the world’s most agonizing carriage ride under his casually scrutinizing gaze.

Another lurch of the carriage had my muscles straining and aching under the effort to stay perfectly still. I took a slow breath in through my nose, trying to ignore the bruises on my ribcage and spine.

I had to be even more careful than usual not to wince whenever the carriage jolted, unwilling to let Davin or Gallagher see just how weak I was with Alexei—to see the proof of injuries women in their family would have never endured to begin with. The smallest reaction would be a surefire sign that I was lying.

My fingers twisted the rosemary charm on my bracelet. Another bump and I bit the inside of my cheek.

Despite the thrumming pain, this carriage ride was still preferable to when we would eventually stop to sleep. The only thing worse than being forced to endure a wedding night with Alexei was having it occur under the same roof as Davin. I wasn’t sure I could bear that, wasn’t sure I could keep up the show the next day even if I did.

I twisted the charm with the jeweled egg next, fiddling with the clasp as I replayed my fate over and over again.

But I didn’t have a choice.

So I would find a way to endure.

After all, what was one more boulder in my veritable mountain of humiliation?

“Galina.” Alexei’s voice was sharp as his hand came to cover mine. My fingers stilled just over the smooth rubies hidden inside the egg-shaped charm.

I was too tired, too distracted by Davin’s presence and all of these thoughts.

“Apologies, My Lord,” I said automatically, clasping the egg shut once more.

Davin’s narrowed stare burned into me, and I was grateful for the lantern’s low lighting to hide the flush rising in my cheeks.

“It will take time to remedy the damage done by your time here, Radnaya.” Alexei said it like he was being gracious, rather than insulting everyone in this carriage.

---