Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)(92)

The door burst open, and to my shock, the Archbishop strode in.

Reid rose and bowed at once, his face registering the same surprise—and wariness. “Sir?”

The Archbishop’s eyes cut between us, fierce and determined. “We just received word from the royal guard, Reid. Dozens of women have collected outside the castle, and King Auguste is nervous. Make haste to disband them. Secure every Chasseur you can.”

Reid hesitated. “Has someone confirmed magic, sir?”

The Archbishop’s nostrils flared. “Would you suggest we wait to find out?”

Reid glanced back at me, torn, but I swallowed hard and nodded. The words I hadn’t spoken congealed at the back of my throat, choking me. “Go.”

He bent to give my hand a quick squeeze. “I’m sorry. I’ll send Ansel to you until I get back—”

“No need,” the Archbishop said curtly. “I’ll stay with her myself.”

We turned as one to gape at him. “You—you, sir?”

“I have an urgent matter to discuss with her.”

Reid’s hand lingered on my trembling knee. “Sir, if I might ask—could you postpone this conversation? She’s had a very difficult day, and she’s still recovering from—”

The Archbishop skewered him with a glare. “No, I cannot. And while you kneel there arguing with me, people could be dying. Your king could be dying.”

Reid’s expression hardened. “Yes, sir.” Jaw taut, he released my hand and brushed a kiss against my forehead. “We will talk later. I promise.”

With a sense of foreboding, I watched him walk toward the door. He paused at the threshold and turned back to me. “I love you, Lou.”

Then he was gone.





Ye Olde Sisters


Lou


I stared into the corridor for a full moment before his words sank in.

I love you, Lou.

Warmth spread from the tips of my fingers to my toes, chasing away the numbing fear that plagued me. He loved me. He loved me.

This changed everything. If he loved me, it wouldn’t matter that I was a witch. He would love me anyway. He would understand. He really would protect me.

If he loved me.

I’d almost forgotten the Archbishop until he spoke. “You have deceived him.”

I turned toward him in a daze. “You can leave.” The words came without the bite I’d intended. A few tears still leaked down my face, but I brushed them away impatiently. I wanted nothing more than to bask in the heady warmth overwhelming me. “You really don’t have to stay. The performance should be starting soon.”

He didn’t move, continuing as if he hadn’t heard me. “You are a very good actress. Of course, I should have expected it—but I shan’t shame myself by being fooled twice.”

My bubble of happiness punctured slightly. “What are you talking about?”

He ignored me once more. “It’s almost as if you truly care for him.” Striding toward the door, he pushed it shut with an ominous snap. I hastened to my feet, eyeing the desk drawer where I’d stored Andre’s knife. His lip curled. “But we both know that isn’t possible.”

I inched closer to the desk. Though Reid trusted his patriarch implicitly, I knew better. That furtive gleam still shone in his eyes, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to be trapped on a bed.

As if reading my mind, he halted—shifted so he was directly in front of the desk drawer. My mouth went dry. “I do care for him. He’s my husband.”

“‘And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.’” His eyes flashed. “You are that serpent, Louise. A viper. And I will not allow you to destroy Reid for another moment. I can no longer stand idly by—”

A knock sounded on the door. Brows knitting together angrily, he whirled in a storm of crimson and yellow. “Come in!”

A page boy poked his head inside. “Begging your pardon, Your Eminence, but everyone is waiting for you outside.”

“I am aware,” the Archbishop snapped, “and I will be along to witness the hedonism momentarily. I have business to attend to here first.”

Oblivious to the reprimand, the boy bounced on the balls of his feet in barely contained anticipation. His eyes gleamed with excitement. “But the performance is about to start, sir. They—they told me to come fetch you. The crowd is getting restless.”

An agitated muscle worked in the Archbishop’s jaw. When his steely eyes finally settled on me, I motioned pointedly toward the door, sending up a silent prayer of thanks. “You don’t want to keep them waiting.”

He bared his teeth in a smile. “You shall accompany me, of course.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary—”

“Nonsense.” He actually reached out and grabbed my arm, tucking it firmly beneath his. I flinched away from the contact instinctively, but it was no use. Within seconds, he’d dragged me out into the corridor. “I promised Reid I would stay with you, and stay with you I shall.”

The crowd milled around the wagons eating treats and clutching brown paper packages, noses red from a day of shopping in the cold. The Archbishop waved when he saw them—then stopped short when he noticed the eclectic band of performers on the cathedral steps.