Page 195 of Glow of the Everflame

“Brutal honesty,” he agreed.

Slowly, so slowly, as if he dreaded letting me go, he took his hand off mine and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a letter.

“This arrived for you this morning.”

My brows drew together as I pulled a folded note from the envelope and instantly recognized the simple, blocky lettering. My frown deepened as I read.

D,

Good luck tomorrow. I’ll see you soon. Remember, whatever it may look like, we are on the same side.

-H

“Is something wrong?” Luther asked, craning his head to peer down at me.

I sighed. “It’s from Henri.” I winced before continuing. “He came to the palace again. Just after my father’s funeral.”

“I know.”

I looked up in surprise.

“A guard saw you fleeing the canal leading to the royal dock.”

My eyes went wide. “Did he see Henri?”

“No, only you, but I had my suspicions as to why.” Luther smiled, though it was tainted with sadness. “The canal is how all the Corbois sneak their lovers in without being spotted. The bloodlocks shifting to your family line has put a significant dent in all the cousins’ love lives.”

Not all of them, I thought with a secret smile as I remembered my brother’s earlier visits to Lily.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked.

It was a pointless question. I already knew a thousand explanations he could provide.

Because you weren’t speaking to me.

Because I was trying to win your forgiveness, and you would only have yelled at me.

Because you were meeting with the man you’ve chosen over me.

“Because it wasn’t my place,” he answered.

I read the letter again, my mind tumbling over the lines, then folded it up and tucked it away. I had let the situation with Henri spiral too far out of control. He deserved honesty from me, too—and soon, I intended to give it to him.

“I heard you were meeting with the Houses,” I said.

Weariness settled over his features. “I’ve done all I can. I made every promise I can keep and offered everything that’s mine to give. I pray it will be enough.”

“What did you promise them?”

He worked his jaw and looked away. The ominous cloud that hung over us seemed to thicken, darkening his expression.

“Luther, I told you, I don’t want to sell off preferential treatment just to—”

“It’s nothing like that.”

He still wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Tell me.” I stepped closer, his body so close that his woodsy musk filled my nose. “Brutal honesty, remember?”

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