A Poison Dark and Drowning (Kingdom on Fire #2)(76)

I had to move swiftly but without panic. If someone stopped me for a chat, I had to look interested, excuse myself politely, and keep moving. There could be no suspicion, even as I made like hell for the stairs. If anyone noticed my panic, it might draw attention, and then—

Rook had been a shadow, lurking in the corner of the room. If he could do that, how far gone was he?

In the front hall, I was prepared to lose all propriety and start shoving. I managed to navigate the crowd elegantly, but as I neared the staircase, Eliza and Magnus moved onto the stairs. Neither saw me, but I heard them speaking.

“We’re doing this now?” Magnus asked.

“George will be back soon,” she hissed.

Magnus sighed, raised his stave, and dimmed all the lights in the room. That gained everyone’s attention, and the chatter died. All eyes turned to Magnus and Eliza standing slightly above the crowd on the stairs. She smiled, her cheek dimpling, and spoke clearly.

“Thank you all for coming. This has been the most marvelous debut anyone could ask for.”

I didn’t know much about society’s ways, but I was fairly certain Eliza wasn’t supposed to speak publicly tonight. Hunting for Foxglove, I found him gazing at his soon-to-be-fiancée with bewilderment.

What in hell was going on? Magnus raised his punch glass and took over.

“Lord Blackwood should be making this speech, but he’s missing.” Magnus glanced about as if assuring himself that Blackwood was, indeed, gone. Then he kissed Eliza’s gloved hand, while she looked the very illustration of excitement. “That makes it my pleasure, then, to make a tremendous announcement. Lady Elizabeth Blackwood has consented to become my wife.”





The silence was absolute until a trickle of whispers began. The trickle gave way to a stream, and soon the room filled with confused murmuring. A pocket of commotion erupted near the side of the room as Aubrey Foxglove shouldered his way out, probably in search of Blackwood.

I didn’t understand, and right now I didn’t want to. I’d no time for any of this, though my stomach gave an unanticipated drop.

As if to cue me, Maria appeared at the top of the stairs, looking about in a panic. I signaled to her, and she waved me up urgently. Launching myself onto the landing, I skirted around the newly engaged couple.

Magnus had the audacity to try to stand in my way. “I need to talk to you,” he said, his voice low. Eliza tugged at his arm.

“Not. Now,” I said through gritted teeth, and barreled past him and up the stairs. Maria pulled me along beside her.

“He’s worse,” she whispered.

No. Please, no.

Fenswick was not in the apothecary when we barged in, but a person was lying on Maria’s cot. She grabbed up her ax by the door.

No, it wasn’t a person on her bed. A great mound of quivering shadow lay there.

“Rook?” I said, my voice weak.

The darkness developed a form and features, melting into Rook. He lay curled on his side until, shaking, he sat up. His eyes were rimmed in red.

“Were you going to tell me?” he whispered. So he had been in the aviary. He had the power to become shadow now.

“How much did you hear?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.

“Enough.”

“What’s going on?” Maria whispered.

With a curl of his fingers, Rook beckoned me to him. He was sweating, as if he’d been laboring under a fever that had finally broken.

“Let me look at you,” he said. Slowly, I did as he asked, and shadows exploded from every corner of the room, extinguishing the candles on the table. Maria cried out as I set my hand aflame and held it up to look at him.

Rook’s eyes were pure black.

“How long have you been able to do this?” I asked. Somewhere off to the side, in the impenetrable darkness, I heard a little voice whisper. I couldn’t make out the words. When I held up my flame, the voice was silenced.

“I can’t see anything,” Maria said. I’d never heard her so afraid.

“Please take the dark away,” I whispered.

“No. Show me your face.” That wasn’t Rook’s voice; it was too cold, too demanding.

I did as he asked, holding the fire close to my chin. He reached a hand out of the blackness and stroked my cheek. His touch was ice cold. By my light, I could make out the sharp contours of his face.

“Do you love me?” he murmured. I put a hand to his chest.

“You know that I do.”

He clutched my wrist. “Then why didn’t you tell Lord Blackwood he was wrong?” he said.

“I said I wouldn’t marry him,” I whispered.

“Not before he said I wasn’t good enough for you.” The shadows knitted together as Rook put his hand to my neck. For the first time in my life, I was afraid he would hurt me.

“I was too shocked to think.” I let the flame overtake both my hands, let it creep up my arms and cover my face, which made Rook move away. I wanted to keep him from touching me; I’d never wanted that before.

“I’ve never known you to be too shocked to think, Henrietta.” Once, I’d loved the sound of my name on his tongue. Not now. He drew in a deep, shuddering breath. “How convenient for you to give your promise to one person and then think of taking it away.” This was the thing living inside Rook’s skin speaking.