Page 49 of The Crownless King
“A curse?” Sophia’s eyebrows furrowed. “Is that what the Chawi are told?”
“Is that not true?”
Sophia shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. To my understanding of Bayi/Chawi relations, it’s a dangerous combination, but a curse? I’ve never heard that.”
It was Amaya’s turn to frown. “We’re told that matings between the Bayi and chaos Chawi specifically can result in a curse.”
“And yet, in their presence, your mother’s condition has not deteriorated.”
It wasn’t a question. Sophia’s eyes darted around the room as her face turned contemplative. Amaya was afraid to voice a thought that had been circling her mind for weeks. She’d been observing her mother, and Anita had been improving. In small ways at first, but these days, according to Levi, he was having full-fledged lucid conversations with her mother. That was impossible weeks ago.
Sophia’s eyes speared her. “You think being at the Bayi compound is the reason?”
Her heart thumped a hard rhythm. Amaya wiped her sweating hands on her pants and cleared her throat.
“Anything I have is purely anecdotal.”
Amaya knew how Sophia was when it came to information and facts. There was no room for feelings in research, according to her boss. Sophia barely allowed speculation when solving problems.
Sophia hummed. “Do you imagine King Levi would allow for me to visit your mother?”
Amaya shrugged.
“This is incredibly dangerous speculation,” Sophia insisted.
“I understand,” Amaya assured her. “I wouldn’t do anything to put my mother at risk.”
Sophia sighed. “I’m gonna put Raven on this curse business. You know how I am.”
Amaya nodded. Sophia liked to be two to three steps ahead of information.
“I’ll quiet any rumors on my end. The last thing I want is for the Collective to become involved. They are rabid about pairings and I can only imagine how they would react to a chaos Chawi living with a vampire.”
“There is nothing going on between me and King Levi,” she hastily assured Sophia.
How long that statement would stay true was anyone’s guess. After that kiss this morning, Amaya would have to be vigilant because Levi was slowly breaking her down. With every interaction between them, they were getting closer.
Her boss eyed her skeptically. “Just do what you can about shielding the Akachi allegedly in his possession and I will see what I can find out.”
Relief relaxed Amaya’s shoulders. “Thank you, Ms. Sophia.”
“Mating is… It’s not something that can be denied, and while I share the Collective’s worry, I don’t have the same pessimism. I would never want you to miss that blessing.”
Her throat clogged. “It’s not gotten as far as that,” Amaya whispered.
“Let’s hope it stays that way until I can be sure you won’t be endangered by whatever this…turns out to be.”
“I can do that,” Amaya said softly.
She got up and left, feeling buoyed by the conversation. It felt good to have someone on their side, even if she hadn’t decided whether or not she would even attempt a relationship with Levi. One thing Sophia was right about—she needed to shield the Akachi. If Levi still felt the same about her after the influence of the meteor was gone, then…maybe she wouldconsider whether a mating to a vampire was worth the ensuing trouble.
Chapter eighteen
It took two days of research and then another day for Amaya to formulate her plan. With a bit of finessing and promising Bronx that she would be on her best behavior, the two of them had made a few stops after work. She was finally ready to go to King Levi with her plan. Excited, she rushed into the mansion, hoping to catch him before he left for the evening. It had taken her a little longer than she’d planned to finish everything.
The first person she ran into was Sebastian as she slid her shoes off at the foyer. “Is the king available?”
Sebastian nodded and tilted his head for her to follow him. Amaya clutched the small box against her chest. She’d gotten permission from Ms. Sophia to take some of the shielding sand from the sacred garden for the ‘hypothetical’ stone in King Levi’s possession. Her boss had quickly agreed, happy that some part of their conversation was being dealt with. Raven was coming out of the dining room when she spotted them.
