Page 24 of Nightingale

Rian hadn’t tried to put any of his family down since that night, allowing the others to take care of that for him. With the war that they’d all fought in at some point and the murderous rivalry between blood, enough was enough. He didn’t like killing his own family like some of the others relished.

Truthfully, Castil was the only one who agreed with him, even if he’d taken out the most out of all. TheWhite Knight, slashed his steel claws in order to retain that regal sense of pride and honour that would eventually allow him to sit on the throne. If any of them were going to take it, was going to outlive them all, then it was going to be Castil. He was smart, cunning, and clever. He lurked in the shadows and listened to all the secrets that servants spilt as they passed by. As they didn’t expect to see the fourth son of Carylim spying.

He loved to keep his ears open and his eyes planted on unsuspecting things as if danger could be found in everything. Hence why he’d often journeyed to Vrea’s locked chambers, visiting and learning all of her secrets in order to better understand her.

What started out as a way to gather intel, turned into a spinning wheel of stories and mockery from the rest of their family.

From the information that Castil told about Vrea, an idea had formed inside Rian’s head since the revel. One that he hadn’t quite expected to play out just yet, but she was here now andthere was no ability to rewind time and begging all over again.

“Hello again, Vrea. I’m curious to know who let you out of your cage.” He still held her firm and he could see the hissing cat that she was steadfastly becoming.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know me better.” She snapped like a wild dog, rabid and fierce. “I know every single one of you, as you do my family. Don’t insult me by pretending otherwise.”

His eyebrows quirked up as delight rolled around inside of him. He’d heard the rumours that she was a spark in a cannon, and she most certainly lived up to it each and every time he encountered her. “My apologies,Princess.”

“Are you going to kill me now?” Vrea glanced down at his sword at his hip, as if she wanted him to draw it out and lop off her head with it.

It would be a shame if he had to, honestly.

She was pretty, more than pretty.

Most of her siblings bore the terra-cotta skin that she had, with the medium shade of brown that fell just a couple inches from her chin. Her eyes were uptilted and her nose was perky. Even the curve of her symmetrical face was pleasing, with a bit of roundness at her apple cheeks. She was thin and toned as all members of the Greenvass household were, and not short but not tall by any means.

“Would you like me to?” Rian earnestly offered.

“What kind of question is that?” Vrea struggled to get out of his gloved grasp but to no avail. “No, of course not but that’s just the way of things isn’t it?”

“Just because it’s the way of things, doesn’t mean it has to be done.” Rian marched her forward until she hit the wall, anoomphffollowing at the impact as her spine met stone. “Aren’t you tired of our families attacking each other in the middle of the night?”

She paused her writhing, blinking up at him.

“You’re trying to trick me.”

“I assure you, Princess, I’m not.” He covered her mouth a second later, using his body as a shield as two men passed by, spears clutched in their hands.

She glared up at him with anger as bright and dangerous as the sliver of the moon that currently rested in the sky.

The guards dipped their chins towards him and he returned it, glad for once that he was the largest out of all his siblings when it came to sheer body mass. Castil may have been taller than he was, but Rian had more packed on.

Rian let her go with a wary finger pressed to his mouth in an urge for her to either stay silent or be quiet if she had to say anything. “Look, you’re never going to make it out of here alive. Not now that they know you’re missing and will be on high alert. And if they don’t already know, then it’s only a matter of time.”

“And?” Vrea questioned with a bite.

“And,” He went on, “I can help you.”

“What makes you think that I’d ever trust afuckingMoordian? Especially after the last time with you?”

Her language amused him.

He didn’t know many girls who cursed.

“What makes you think I’d ever trust a gods-damned Greenvass?” Rian retorted with a huff. “Nothing. But I have something you want and you have something I want.”

Her face schooled into a picture of neutrality but he could make out the fine line of tempting curiosity beneath it.

Rian stepped back, removing his grasp from her to allow her to come to her own decision. “I want to end this stupid feud between our houses. I’m tired of sending my brothers out there to die and have no one return. I’m tired of all of this fighting and having an endless battle, raging outside every single day.”

Truth.

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