Page 71 of The Musician and the Monster

Despite her wariness, she replied, “You, retching blood into the roses.”

Her back stiffened as silence hung in the air between them. Suddenly she knew the source of his fear, his panic. The greenhouse crashing down around her would have been less surprising.

She thought she knew this man. She was wrong.

“I see… Drystan’s told you even more than I expected.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You know what drinking blood means for our magic?”

“Yes.” She swallowed thickly. “It’s necessary for dark magic.”

Malik nodded, somber.

“And I’ve seen you drink it with him, but just now, you threw it up.” The roses, just out of sight, pulled her gaze like a bonfire. Now she knew what bothered Drystan’s favorite plants, what hampered their growth. But even more remarkably, an unexpected certainty settled into her—this man didn’t practice dark magic. He couldn’t without consuming the blood he tried to rid himself of.

“You can’t tell him.”

Her attention snapped to Malik.

“Everything depends on it. He can’t know I vomit up the blood.”

“Why not?” He wielded the light. Drystan sought to stop the darkness. In a way, they were on the same side.

“That look.” He cocked his head to the side. “You know something.”

Too much. More than he knew. She willed her features into neutrality despite the thoughts churning through her mind. Drystan didn’t trust him with his secrets. But Drystan didn’t know Malik’s secret either. Somehow, she’d learned both. Not that it made it any easier to know what to do with them.

“Of course you do. He cares for you, perhaps more than anyone,” he said.

This admission sent a flush of heat to her cheeks that muted the racing thoughts.

“But why do you care for him?” Malik asked.

“I—” she started, stepping back.

“You do, don’t deny it. I see it, even if you refuse to admit it. You’ve seen the blood he drinks, and you know what that means. Even at that ball, I heard rumors of the monster who haunts this city. I know what he is. I know the darkness he wields, and so do you. However, I don’t know why you still care for him despite that.”

He’d begun to pace as he talked, looking her up and down with a piercing gaze that saw too much.

“He’s more than a monster,” she replied.

Malik halted and raised his brows. “Is he?” When she didn’t respond, he started to pace once again. “What does he do in that tower all day?”

“I don’t go in the tower.” As close to the truth as possible.

He paused again, a small smile pulling at his lips. “You don’t know, or you won’t tell me? Fine, keep his secrets. Though I’ll need you to keep mine as well.”

“Why should I?” She had a certain loyalty to Drystan, but not to this man.

“I can make it worth your while. He pays you, right? What if I sent money for your family after he leaves, enough to ensure that you and your fiery sister want for nothing?”

The offer stole her breath away. Money had been her goal, her purpose in coming here. She couldn’t begin to picture the amount of gold he offered. For her family to want for nothing… She’d never hoped for near so much.

“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” she asked. As a noble, he could afford it. Maybe. But why give so much away for a secret she only needed to keep for a short time?

“Who am I?” he asked in return.

Her brows scrunched. A trick question. It had to be. But she couldn’t work out the twist in it, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “Malik. Drystan’s cousin.”

He smirked, slinking closer until their boots almost touched. Ceridwen stiffened and fought down the urge to back away.Too close. Too familiar.

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