Page 47 of A Reign of Malice
“It’s Aeson,” Dasha says bitterly. “Everything about him is twisted.”
There’s something raw in her voice, something personal. I step closer, my headache forgotten. “You’re not surprised to find us here. You know about Julian.”
Her breath catches, but she doesn’t show any shock. “Of course I do,” she whispers. “I’ve known since the beginning. I was there when he ordered the runes to be carved into the stones of this castle. I saw the magic they used to trap him. I held the chains that bind him. I saw it all.”
My heart hammers in my chest. “And you didn’t say or do anything? Why?”
If she tells me Julian did something just as evil as I know Aeson to be, my heart might actually shatter.
“What could I do?” Her voice cracks and her eyes glisten in the low light. “Aeson made it very clear what would happen if I intervened. To me. To my brother. To anyone I cross paths with should I dare stand in his way.” Her gaze hardens, tears drying before they can fall. “So I did the only thing I could do. I watched. I kept my mouth shut. And I waited.”
“Waited for what?” Clara asks tersely.
“For someone like you.” Dasha meets my eyes, and there’s a flicker of hope in hers. “Someone strong enough to stand up to him. Someone he couldn’t just kill without consequence.”
I almost laugh, but it dies in my throat. After all I’ve learned, there’s no doubt in my mind that Aeson’s already plotting my death, something to be blamed on anyone else, something that would garner him sympathy.
“Why tell me now?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even, but my words still slightly slur.
“Because you need to understand what you’re up against,” she says simply. “Aeson isn’t just a king desperate for success. He’s lost his true purpose as alpha. In his mind, power is the only accomplishment that matters, regardless of the cost. He can’t even shift nowadays, his energy is so uncontrollable. And that makes him dangerous in ways you can’t yet imagine.”
I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry because I actually can.
“Just be careful,” she adds. “I can’t help you—not directly. Not without putting my brother’s life on the line. But I can look the other way, pretend not to see things, like you stealing Aeson’s blood or visiting Julian on multipleoccasions.” Her voice softens, her gaze flicking between all of us. “You don’t need to consider me a threat, but I’m not your ally either. I can’t be. All I promise is to protect your movements as much as I’m able, for as long as I’m able. But if it comes down to you or my family, I’ll choose him every time.”
“Fair enough.” This is already more than I expected from her. “What about tonight? What will you tell Aeson?”
“As far as he knows, you’re all sleeping soundly after an exhausting girls’ night.” She glances behind us. “I’ll make sure this is cleaned up, and when the sun begins to rise, I’ll let Aeson know that Isla and Estee have retreated to their rooms. After that, you’re on your own.”
Relief washes over me. It’s thin, but enough for now. “Thank you,” I murmur, the words feeling woefully insufficient.
“Don’t thank me.” Her expression turns grim. “Just don’t get caught. Because if you do, there won’t be anything I can do to save you.”
With that, she turns and slips back into the shadows, her footsteps soft against the stone. We stand in silence, the weight of her confession settling over us like a heavy blanket.
“Well, that’s sobering,” Estee mutters.
“No kidding,” Isla agrees, rubbing her temples. “I think I’ve sweated out half the vodka.”
“We should go back upstairs,” Clara says, her tone leaving no room for argument. “It’s too risky to stay down here.”
I nod, though my heart aches at the thought of leaving Julian behind. But Dasha’s warning rings in my ears. If we’re going to save him, we need to be smart. “Let’s go.”
We make our way back to my room in silence, the earlier laughter and chaos nothing more than a distant memory. By the time Estee and Isla head to their rooms andI enter mine with Clara, exhaustion slams into me like a tidal wave.
“Try to sleep,” Clara says gently, guiding me toward the bed. “I’ll keep watch.”
I want to tell her it’s not necessary, but considering the room is spinning and I’m minutes from passing out, I’m more thankful than ever to have her.
“Don’t forget. You need to get a message out for Estee.” My eyes start to flutter closed. “Aurora. Their healer. Need help.”
Her hand covers mine. “I’m already on it.”
I think I nod, but my thoughts drift off within the next second.
Tomorrow will be here all too soon.
The sun pierces the curtains,each beam of light a dagger straight to my skull. My head throbs with the relentless beat of my own pulse, and every sound—every footstep, every hum—makes me want to crawl under the covers and never come out.
