Savage Beauty(46)

“Now, more than ever. Yes.” If I killed Aura, her roses would wither. Maybe their toxin would dissipate as well.

He filled my almost-empty glass with more wine. “Why do you float when you sleep?”

I laughed. “Aura doesn’t, in case you were wondering. I think it’s due to my power to control the air, and maybe unconsciously, I make myself as comfortable as I can.”

“What about the moon? How does the moon make you feel?” he asked.

I smiled. “Whole? It’s a strange feeling, really. The sun makes me feel empty and weak, but the moon fills me with strength and makes me feel complete. I’m sure the opposite is true for Aura.”

“Your father must have been very powerful. I mean, since you only inherited a small part of his abilities. He must be terrifying.”

I smiled. “I’ve often wondered who he is. According to the woman who raised us, he was a very bad man. Evil to the core. She was terrified of even speaking about him, and refused to give us his name in case it somehow called him to us. But if we only hold a sliver of his power and he’s as evil as she said, maybe that’s what’s wrong with us. And maybe we’re better off not knowing who he is.”

“Luna,” he said, drawing my attention. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

I took a sip from my glass. “You’re biased because you like me. But there are a thousand people in Virosa whose opinions differ.”

“Did you ever think that if you sever the bond, you’ll be putting yourself at risk? If people are as afraid of you and Aura as you say, you might be putting yourself in danger.”

I shrugged. I didn’t care. Much.

“I don’t want to see you hurt…” He gritted the last word. His hand stiffened and he dropped his fork, clutching his stomach and bending at the waist as he shoved his chair backward. He let out a cry, his face contorted in pain.

I was at his side in an instant. “What’s wrong? Your stomach?”

His cheeks puffed with every strained breath. He paled and as the spell passed, I could see it took a lot of his strength with it. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“I don’t want to go—”

“You need to lie down,” I insisted.

I slung his arm over my shoulder and hefted his weight, walking him to my bedroom. He sat on the bed with his head hung low.

“I’m not ready to go yet,” he mumbled. “I don’t want to die. We haven’t had enough time.”

“What’s enough time, Phillip?” I asked. “I’ve felt more alive in the few days you’ve been with me than I ever have in my life.”

“Me too,” he said, falling back onto the pillow, exhausted. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I said.

His breaths became slow and I panicked. Not now. Please, not now. Not yet. He let out a low snore and I released a breath, squeezing my eyes closed with a silent prayer. He’s okay. He’s just sleeping.

I combed his auburn hair with my fingers and held his hand all night. When the sun rose and my body weakened, I asked Ember to watch him while I slept.

Before I fell asleep beside him, Malex showed up. He settled on the stool in front of my writing desk, offering, “Relax, Princess. I’ll guard you both.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, as sleep took me away from Phillip.





chapter eighteen




LUNA

When I woke, I went outside and quickly bathed in the stream, putting on britches and a black tunic, and tucking my knives into their sheaths on my belt. While lacing my boots on the porch, Malex sat down beside me.

“Do you want me to go with you?” he asked.

“No, but will you stay here with him?”

“Of course, but at dawn, I do need to go prepare a few things. We’ll try to make the spell tomorrow night. Bring Ember and Phillip. You can all stay with me during the day. I’ll have a bed ready for him.”

“Thank you,” I croaked, tears threatening to well in my eyes.

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Terigon will have men with him, and they will be heavily armed.”

“They can’t kill me, Malex,” I scoffed.

“No, but they can hurt you and take you back to the castle.”

I didn’t want to think about that. The castle of Ringsted wasn’t like other palaces with their gilded decorations, marble floors, and proud columns. It was built to keep enemies out. Terigon’s castle was a fortress, equipped with every torture device imaginable. Even as far away as it was, sometimes when I flew at night, I could hear the screams radiating from their dungeons.

No, they wouldn’t kill me. But they would have fun trying, and I shuddered at the thought. Steeling my shoulders, I looked Malex in the eye. I wasn’t going to let them have the upper hand. “They won’t have the chance,” I said defiantly. “I’m going to do this quickly.”

He nodded and stood when I did. “Once, a century or so ago, a human bit me,” he said off-handedly. “When he ingested my blood, it changed him. He became fae.”

My heart stopped before it began to thunder. Does that mean Phillip could be turned into a fae? Would he even want that?

I didn’t know how much of Phillip’s current personality Aura had influenced. Did she give him new memories to make him hate us, and me, less so he could get close to me? Or was he just not as prejudiced as his brother was? William had told me about the superstitions of Grithim and how his father loathed the fae and forbid anyone from entering the dark forest.