Page 118 of A Reign of Roses
Though servants had clearly tried to tidy up, there were still stray books, shards of glass, and smears of blood on the floor. I spied still-wet rags and buckets of soapy water left haphazardly across the room, as if everyone who’d been cleaning had up and left in an instant.
My eyes cut back to Aleksander, his bloodred gaze on me intently. I hadn’t realized I’d stopped walking. “You frighten them.”
His eyes burned. “I frighten you, too.”
I swallowed hard. “No, you don’t.”
His nostrils flared as he scented the air. Then he cocked his head at me pitilessly. “She lies.”
“Fine.” I inhaled sharply, resuming our walk. Maybe this would be my only chance at an honest conversation with this man who held so much fury and yet so much power. Whom we’d need if we had any chance of winning this war. “You frighten me, yes. But I feel sorry for you, too. I…have empathy for you.” His jaw tensed, and I shivered, an unpleasant reaction to his severity. “You’ve suffered. Is all I mean. You—”
“Subtlety is not your strong suit, full-blood. My men will not be used as weapons again. You’d be wise to keep any other pesky thoughts to yourself.”
But I couldn’t. Not when I hoped there was a chance. A slim one that—
“Don’t you see? If Lazarus wins, they’ll—”
“Do not argue with me,” Aleksander hissed, stepping toward me with intent. I pressed myself so far up against an oil painting to get away from his wrath that I could smell the fresh varnish.
But he only folded his hands back into his pants and continued toward the foyer. I caught my breath and tried in vain to still my racing heart as we passed more decorative arches and luxe pastel furniture in tense silence.
Finally, we arrived at the castle entrance. A single guard stood there, the first we’d seen in the palace all night.
“I did mean it,” I murmured, so quietly I wasn’t sure I’d said it aloud. “That you don’t deserve the suffering you and your people have endured. And I’m sorry for it. Whether you fight with us or not.”
“Don’t you despise me? The blood of your king’s family is on my hands.”
“I must believe there is some light buried inside everyone. Even those who appear at their darkest.”
“Youmust?” he asked, incredulous.
Mocking or simply arrogant, I didn’t care. I nodded at him just the same. “It’s the only way I can live in this world. Compassion must be born out of all this cruelty, otherwise I just can’t see my way through. What would be the point of any of it?”
Aleksander said nothing, eyes desolate as he stalked onward.
The Rose guard stood taller and opened the wide, gilded white doors for us with a grimace. A chilly breeze kissed my face. There,in the bustling city center, beyond the palace gates, were Kane, Mari, and Griffin.
Before I could race down the polished stairs to them, the Rose guard spat at Aleksander, muttering,“Filthy fucking viper.”
I froze—ready for a fight, adisembowelment…whatever it was unpredictable, violent Hemolichs like Aleksander did when disrespected with such a slur—
But he only clicked down the stairs past me, hands still lodged in his pockets, cold red eyes on the falling snow.
32
Arwen
The freezing air wove throughmy lungs as I launched myself into Kane’s arms.
“My bird,” he murmured, pulling me into him. I inhaled at his neck, savoring his scent and warmth as he stroked his fingers through my hair. He only pulled me from him to kiss me once and ask, “Are you—”
“I’m fine,” I said, refusing to let go. Gripping his shoulders more tightly. “I’m fine.”
I pulled Kane even closer, relishing the fresh air outside the vast castle gates, amid the hustle and bustle of Revue bathed in snowy starlight.
“Holy Stones, Arwen, I am so sorry,” Mari said from behind us.
When I finally released Kane and got a decent look at her, my throat tightened. Mari’s eyes were ringed in red. She looked stricken.
