Seven Black Diamonds (Seven Black Diamonds #1)(51)

“Lily, the queen—”

“Doesn’t rule me,” Lily interrupted firmly. In a softer voice, she explained, “Abernathy Commandment #16: Know how far you’re willing to go for a belief. I am willing to go all the way for freedom.”

“I might like you after all.” Violet reached back and patted Lily’s knee. “You feel like chaos ready to erupt.”

For a moment, Lily looked back at her, and much as she had earlier with Creed, Lily decided to take the risk. She lowered her hand to her side, and called a tongue of fire from her palm. The instant she knew that Violet saw it, Lily closed her fist around it, extinguishing the flames before the driver noticed them. “I suspect that we might both be a little prone to eruptions.”

Violet laughed joyously. “Oh, I definitely like you, LilyDark.”

“Lilywhite,” Lily corrected.

For a moment, Violet simply smiled, and then she shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She glanced at the two boys, whose faces were practiced neutrality, and announced, “Things are definitely going to change with her around.”





twenty-two


ZEPHYR

Zephyr couldn’t deal with Creed, so he pretended not to even see the other boy. Instead he pulled Alkamy closer to him as he settled into the back of the car Violet had called for them. “Stay still for me.”

Alkamy didn’t argue, despite the question in her eyes when he pulled the necklace from his pocket. Her eyes widened. “Zeph?”

“Don’t take it off. Don’t lose it.” He fastened it around her throat and looked at her. “Is it . . . okay? Does it feel okay I mean?”

“It’s warm.” Her fingertips touched the stones, sliding across them lightly.

“I brought it back from my meeting.” He paused, debating how much to admit. “I made it.”

Creed’s gaze flickered their way briefly, but then he studiously stared out the window.

Once she saw the cuts on Zephyr’s palms, Alkamy took his hands in hers, holding them by the fingers. “Why didn’t you come to me? Or ask Vi to cauterize these in case of infections or—”

“I’m fine, Kam.” He pulled one hand free and used the other to hold her hand more securely in his. “It was only a little blood.”

Creed looked back at them, gaze falling from the necklace at Alkamy’s throat to Zephyr’s hands. After a moment, he asked, “Was that all of it?”

Zephyr nodded. “I don’t know if I should be relieved or wounded that she didn’t want it.”

“Oh.” Alkamy gently traced the cut in his hand and then touched her fingers to the necklace again.

“Relieved. You should be relieved. Letting anyone have your blood like that is a risk. The humans could prove what you are. There are fae who could track you. Either way, it’s scary shit.”

Zephyr put his arm back around Alkamy. “Not with everyone.” He watched Creed instead of looking at Alkamy. “I’d trust you with it. Even when we fight, I do trust you with my life.”

The far-too-familiar scowl that often graced Creed’s face vanished completely, and Zephyr wished he had the skill to keep his once-closest friend at peace.

Then, Creed’s expression changed to an arrogant grin. “Don’t want to wear your girly necklace. Best let Kam keep it. It matches her clothes anyhow.”

Alkamy made a rude gesture, but she was still smiling and continued to stroke the necklace with her fingertips.

This was what he’d missed more than anything, the feeling of closeness among them all. Creed’s anger and drunken binges had put them at odds so often the past year that he almost forgot what it used to be like. Until last year, Creed’s steady presence and sense of humor had anchored him. Zephyr wished it could be like that again.

He pushed the button to raise the privacy screen and then, in a low voice, said, “She ordered me to bring Lilywhite to her within a month.”

Alkamy took a shuddering breath.

“What? Start from the beginning,” Creed ordered.

So Zephyr did, filling them in on every detail he could recall from his trip to the Hidden Lands. This was what he needed, all of them working together, thinking together, functioning as a proper unit again.

The next several days were odd. Zephyr was pleased at how well Lilywhite integrated into the cell. Alkamy seemed to adore her, and Roan and Will were instantly at ease with her. If anything, Roan had to be stopped from monopolizing her as they talked about contracts and conflict negotiation. The problem, unfortunately, was that Zephyr couldn’t pretend not to see how Creed watched her. He’d never seen his friend so . . . love-struck. There was no way around it, no other way to explain it: Creed had feelings for Lilywhite.

He and Creed were getting along better than they had in years, but sometimes it took effort not to drag his longtime friend into a deserted classroom and punch him. It wasn’t that Zephyr didn’t understand Lilywhite’s appeal. She was obviously clever and pretty. In more than a few ways, she reminded him of Violet, and he felt a growing fondness for her. Admittedly, there was no insistent need to be near her, but that didn’t matter. Lilywhite was his partner, and Clara had all but said that if they both survived, they’d be wed.

Unions ordered by the queen were the sort of unions that were bound by fidelity charms. That meant that Creed’s infatuation with Lilywhite could end badly—for all of them.