Page 132 of Spark of the Everflame

My blood froze solid in my veins.

“I know who they are,” he said. “It’s my duty to know what goes on in this realm, and they aren’t nearly as covert as they believe themselves to be.”

My eyes slowly lifted to his. The hairs on my neck rose—all softness was gone from his expression, replaced by a brutal, unflinching stillness. This was dangerous ground.

“And I know they were responsible for last night’s attack,” he said flatly.

Dangerous,deadlyground.

And because the air in the room now felt explosive, ready to blow at the strike of a match, I clenched my jaw and finally asked the question that had been festering in my heart since that fateful afternoon.

“Where is my mother?” I ground out.

He gave me a grim, humorless smile. “I wondered how long it would take you to ask me that.”

“What did you do to her?” I hissed.

“I didn’tdoanything to her,” he said, sounding almost insulted at the accusation. “What were you looking for in the palace?”

As my temper rose, so did I, my fists balling at my sides as I stood. “Don’t try to deny it. I saw you two arguing the day she went missing. I know she was threatening to reveal some secret about you, and you said—”

His eyes narrowed. “Then you don’t know what the secret was?”

“If I did, would you make me disappear, too?”

Something dark flashed across his face. He stormed around the bed and aimed toward me. My hand flew to the dagger at my hip as I staggered backward, bumping against a large wooden dresser.

Luther stopped and raised his palms. “I assure you, whatever you think happened between me and your mother, it didn’t.”

“Then what did happen?”

He stared at me, silently working his jaw.

“What happened, Luther?” I was nearly yelling now.

A loud knock rapped on the chamber door.

“Enter,” Luther barked, his eyes still locked with mine.

Two guards walked in, both eying me warily as one walked to Luther and whispered something in his ear. He swore softly and turned fully to the guard, exchanging some inaudible words.

Luther stalked toward the door, the other guard following behind. “I need to handle a situation. Stay here. Do not run this time, Miss Bellator, do you understand?”

Miss Bellator. For some reason, it stung.

“You’re going to leave me alone with the King?” I called out.

The two guards gaped at him like they were about to ask the very same question.

Luther didn’t stop walking, didn’t even take a final glance. “I’m giving you my trust. Don’t make me regret it.”

The door slammed shut, leaving me and my knives alone with the King of Lumnos.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Istared at the closed door for a solid minute.

I debated waiting for Luther in the main salon or convincing the guards to escort me to the front parlor, or even offering up my weapons to them until he returned.

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