Page 10 of Nightingale

She shoved it down and stomped on it for extra measure, scolding herself for even remotely caring about a stupid Moordian Prince.

Rian spent most of the second night on the end of the table, with a girl who he’d perched on his lap. A pretty thing with ebony skin and a shimmering head that had been painted with silver whorls to show off every side of it. Even her arms had been similarly decorated to match the white silk that clung to herbody like morning dew to a leaf.

Seats were assigned and changed each evening, allowing multiple people to have all sorts of intelligent contributions.

The gorgeous girl had licked up his ear and he’d let out a soft sound that Vrea could hear from her spot three down as Regulus draped his arm aroundher, toying with the green organza that made her look like a tree. Her hair had been brushed out and styled into loose curls woven with mossy strands and faux leaves. Once more gold adorned her in the form of a circlet that held emeralds, a bracelet with sapphires and a tight choker with chocolate topazes.

The second Prince wasn’t good at keeping his hands to himself, something that Rian noticed within three hours of the start and swiftly put an end to. Regulus had been asked to join him and the pretty girl in the study and hadn’t returned, but Rian had. He didn’t so much as spare her a glance before settling back down and tossing his arm over the seat.

Castil had swiftly informed her that his brother had been happily occupied with another young lady, one that would have been more appreciative of his advantages and that he wouldn’t be returning for the rest of the night. He’d offered to lead her back to her room, insisting that she didn’t have to stay if she didn’t wish.

Vrea took him up on that, allowing him to lead her from the hall. They’d stayed quiet and she couldn’t have been happier about it. Out of all of the heirs of Carylim, Castil was the worst. He may not have been as cruel as Brioc could be, or as forceful as Regulus but he had his own reasons.

Surprise slammed into her as Castil tugged her arm aside, guiding her into a hidden alcove instead of the corridor that would lead her to the locked chamber that she’d come to call a version of home for the past three years. Memories flashed through her mind of when he’d cornered her, the guards hot onher heels. It wasn’t too far from where he’d pinned her to the ground, but the air felt the same.

“What are you doing?” He threw the question at her before she could abruptly interrogate why he’d brought her here.

“What do you mean?” Vrea played dumb, as if he could see straight through her very center and unfold the plan she’d been working towards.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Vrea.”

“I don’t want to play with youat all.”

“Then answer my question.” Castil nearly barked. There was an edge to it, a dam that held back a waterfall of vexing emotions. She couldn’t quite figure them out and better yet, Vrea didn’t care to unweave whatever conflict he was struggling with.

“I’d rather die.” She bit back, cool in her resolve to frustrate him until he preferably threw himself out the nearest window. “But since you won’t allow me to do that, by my will or anothers, then not speaking to you will suffice.”

His jaw flexed. “Fine. Be that way.”

She thought he might have left it alone had he not opened his mouth and started speaking once more.

“You’ve clearly been studying the guards and how often their shift changes. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the pen you’ve been secretly marking your arm with.” Castil snapped and reached for her wrist and dragged it up between them. She tried to yank it away but to no avail, as he held firm, pinching her in a way that nearly hurt. “Don’t think me to be as naive as my siblings, getting lost in their drinks and relaxing.”

“I wouldn’t even put you in the samecategoryas your siblings.” She spat out as he shoved her slit sleeve down and revealed the tallies she’d applied after counting each minute and watching for repositioning, for repetition. “None of them seemed to even look in my direction, let alone keep an eye out for something.”

That was pride that warmed her skin as he inclined his head in her direction, admitting that it had been clever on her part.

“And that is their mistake. They may dress you in jewel tones for you to sparkle and gleam like a decoration, but you are far more dangerous than that.” He brought his thumb to his mouth,licked itand then sluggishly dragged it through the tallies, smudging the ink until she couldn’t make a single one out.

Disgust roiled through her.

“Even gems can cut if their edges are sharp enough.” She crooned back at him. “And don’t touch me.”

“They’re fools. It’s easy to see when you’re so obvious about the marks on your arm. Want to start drawing them on your face next?” Castil dropped her wrist as if it no longer interested him. As if he realised it wasn’t an arm but a disgusting morsel of rotten food instead, no longer wanting to be near it. He plucked the pen out of her belt, where she’d hidden it.

“If you’re so desperate to talk about marks along our skin, let’s discuss yours from the other night, shall we?” Vrea yanked his left arm to her, unbuttoning the puffy sleeve before he could stop her, his eyes widened in horror as he realised what she was trying to do. She got a swift look at a blanket of scars all along his lower arm, terror shooting into her gut at theamountof marks carved into him.

She estimated around twenty-three, including the freshest one that had barely scarred over.

“Castil, wha-”

“Don’t.” His jaw twitched as he hauled it away, hastily fastening the button back into place as if that could erase the damage she’d seen. Then the agony vanished as if it had never been there in the first place, as if she’d imagined it. Replaced by a shield of arrogance that she knew far too well.

Wrath took over.

His lip twitched. “Here you are, preaching not to touchyou and then you go and do the exact same thing. A little hypocritical, aren’t we?”

“At least you includedyourself.” Vrea brushed off any flicker of terror that she’d briefly placed towards him, allowing her annoyance and anger to keep her burning bright.

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