Page 87 of With Wing And Claw

‘Nothing suspicious there, either.’ Naxi shrugged. ‘Gadyon is incredibly worried. So at least we know he’s sensible, but I don’t think it’s reason to suspect him of anything. Silas is barely holding himself together – not that he was even around to leak anything, of course, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter how miserable he’s feeling.’

Miserable.

Good gods. Perhaps she should have known, given his obvious reluctance to return to the court at all … but at the same time, what in the world was he doing, getting himself tied up in more and more complex politics if he hated every minute of it?

I might be able to help– but that couldn’t possibly be all of it, could it? Not if it was making himmiserable?

Through her confusion, it took a moment too long before she realised a pointed silence had fallen after Naxi’s last words. A littletoopointed. As innocently as the demon was bouncing along by her side, they both knew one name had been very much omitted from that list.

‘And Nicanor?’ Thysandra ventured, feeling like she was ambling straight into a trap.

‘Oh,Nicanor.’ A blinding smile was her reward. ‘Nicanor isveryinteresting. He’s watchful, of course. Frustrated when he doesn’t fully understand what is going on around him. And then he’s also feeling a tad …hungrywhenever he looks at you.’

There it was.

‘Right,’ Thysandra said, as evenly as she could manage.

Naxi’s smile was all sharp little teeth now. ‘Did you fuck him?’

Gods have mercy. ‘Before I answer any further questions, let me quickly remind you that you made a bargain to not willingly harm me and that youwouldvery much harm me by killing or torturing the Lord Protector of—’

‘That’s a yes,’ Naxi blithely concluded. ‘Before or after you met me?’

It took a monumental effort not to lie. ‘Does it matter?’

‘After, then.’ Naxi huffed as she darted onwards through the corridor, her bare-footed steps twice as quick as Thysandra’s to keep up.Sunlight fell in through red stained windows, casting blood-coloured pools of light across the pale floor. ‘But you were still pining for me, so he can’t have been a great lay. I suppose that’s acceptable. Unless he tries something again, of course, in which case I’ll sadly have to pour every single one of his own poisons down his sorry throat.’

Thysandra knew she shouldn’t laugh. She really shouldn’t. They weren’tpartners, for hell’s sake! They shared nothing but a history of betrayals and ill-advised mutual obsession, and she should know so, so much better than to let a circumstantial bribe and some fluttering lashes fool her into illusions of loyalty and love. Yet all the same …

When had anyone ever gone to battle just to keep her?

‘Pretty mild of you,’ she said, fighting to keep her face straight. ‘I’ve been told most of his creations kill swiftly.’

Naxi’s eyes narrowed dangerously. ‘Good point. I could poison a bunch of other fae one by one and transfer all of their pain to him?’

An unwanted, unstoppable burst of laughter escaped, too swift to catch. A sound of weakness, of stupid sentimentality, yet for one reckless moment she couldn’t give a damn – because it was so bloodyeasy, this game. Easy enough that it didn’t feel like surviving. Easy enough that every now and then, in these unguarded, unthinking moments, she could almost forget it was a game in the first place.

‘Anyway,’ Naxi cheerfully added, as if they had been discussing dinner and evening plans rather than ruthless torture, ‘the end of the matter is that we still don’t know anything about that stupid leak. Maybe Gadyon was right and someone really has been listening in on your meeting?’

‘Maybe?’ It took an almost physical effort to drag her mind back to the topic of scheming and intrigue. ‘Alternatively, someone made up a rumour to discredit me and accidentally came up with something close to the truth?’

Naxi snorted a laugh. ‘Welcome to the Crimson Court.’

‘It’s notimpossible,’ Thysandra said wryly. ‘Worrisome thought, though. If it happened once, it might happen again.’

‘Oh, yes,’ Naxi said vaguely, head tilting a fraction. ‘Absolutely terrible. You’re lucky to have me and my legendary devotion on your side.’

That sounded like yet another trap.

‘Am I?’ Thysandra said cautiously.

‘Absolutely blessed.’ The flutter of those pink lashes was alarming. ‘Didn’t you see how loyal I was? I kept myself hidden like you said, even though I was frightfully bored! And I didn’t even bite Nicanor’s fingers off while he was ogling you! Not to mention—'

‘Alright,alright.’ Another unwilling laugh broke free. ‘You were immaculately loyal, and I’m beyond overjoyed to have you on my side – happy, now?’

Naxi beamed at her. ‘Can I sit on your face, then?’

Gods have mercy.

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