Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
“He’ll come around.”
He kept his focus on his hands. “I’m not sure what to do.”
I studied his face, unsure of his meaning.
“After everything Ivory told me, everything that happened with you…I’m just so confused.”
“I don’t think there’s much to be confused about.”
His motions halted for a moment, probably because the bitterness in my voice had a bite to it. “It’s not a matter of what I think is right or wrong. It’s a matter of changing it. I’m not sure how to do that.”
“Ivory said align all the Kingdoms then defeat Necrosis.”
He finally turned and looked at me head on. “And you think that’s going to be easy?” His eyes shifted back and forth in incredulity. “That is literally the most complicated plan ever. That requires cooperation from not only my father but King Rutherford, and I can tell you right now, neither man will be on board with that.”
“Have you tried?”
“You don’t know my father…”
“But I have a pretty damn good idea what he’s like. You know, since he sacrifices innocents without losing sleep.”
Ryker looked away. “I can try—but I don’t think it’ll go anywhere.”
“And if it doesn’t? What will you do?”
He gave a shrug. “No idea.”
I knew I was being too harsh. He was the one who had confided in me, and it would be wrong to judge his every thought and emotion. “How’s Ivory?”
He gave a slight chuckle. “She’s good.”
“What was that about?”
“What?”
“The laugh.”
“She’s getting laid, so I’d say she’s doing really good.”
“What?” I blurted. “By whom?”
He shook his head. “No idea. Don’t really care. But I don’t want us to get caught.”
She’d told me she was married, that she missed him, so jumping into bed with some other guy just didn’t sound right. That must mean…he was in the castle. Right under Ryker’s nose. Under the duke’s nose. “I wouldn’t worry. She’s smart.”
His hands broke apart, and he looked at me head on. “So…I have some bad news.”
Oh no. My parents were dead.
“The Blade Scions are coming. That means you’ll need to come with me to the castle.”
“There’s no other place you can put me?”
He shook his head. “Not on such short notice.”
“It’s okay. I can wait it out in the city.”
His eyes shifted back and forth, the disappointment settling in like the setting sun. “You don’t want me. Made that loud and clear. I’m not the kind of guy that doesn’t take no for an answer.”
I doubted any woman had ever said no to him.
“You can have the bed. I’ll take the couch. When the Blade Scions are gone, I’ll bring you back here.”
“And we’re just going to do this forever?” I asked incredulously.
“Just until we figure out our next step.” His green eyes watched me, both authoritative and sad. “We’re going to have to play this by ear for a while.”
I’d lost everything in the lottery, and now I had nothing left. I was completely dependent on him—because I had no other option.
He rose from the couch and stepped away. “Come on, we should get going.”
He snuck me into the castle, and like last time, the guards didn’t even glance at me. My face was covered with a shawl so my face was hidden, but I doubted anyone here would remember me from last time, would know that I was the one who’d won the lottery.
The castle was a special place, with the crystal chandeliers, the thick rugs that spanned the full-length hallways, stone statues, and oil paintings on the wall. It also had electricity, something the rest of Delacroix lacked. It gave all the rooms a gentle glow, like the heat of a fire that spread to every corner of a room. When the nighttime chill settled on the land, the castle stayed warm. The only sign of the cold was the frost that pressed up against the glass.
Ryker escorted me the same way as last time, turning left and right, and then approaching his door in a quiet hallway. We stepped inside, and once we were in his large bedroom, I looked at the rug at the foot of the bed.
I remembered exactly what happened there. Could taste him on my tongue. Could feel the tightness in my throat and the blockage of my airway. The heat settled in next, warming my skin from head to toe.
If he had the same thought, he didn’t show it. He stepped into the room first and bent down to start the fire in the enormous hearth. He got it going quickly, the flames licking the wood quietly. “Hungry?”
“Already ate.”
He got to his feet then headed to his private bar. The bottle of wine was uncorked, and he filled two glasses. He didn’t offer one to me, as if he were afraid I would misinterpret the offering. He set his glass down on the coffee table in the sitting room then disappeared down the hall.