The Blood Spell (Ravenspire, #4)(80)

“Your guardianship document held up to examination,” Adelene said.

“Of course it did.” Dinah promised herself she’d give her solicitor a lovely bonus once the wraith laid waste to her enemies. A man with his talents should be rewarded.

“I won’t tell the council about your financial situation, though unfortunately, this takes Jacinthe out of the running for the betrothal.” The queen’s voice held regret. “I’d so hoped to unite our families, but we must do what’s best for the crown.”

Dinah nodded, careful to keep her expression blank. What was best for the crown had cost Dinah everything once. It wasn’t going to cost her again.

“We should go inside,” the queen said, rubbing her arms briskly as a chill descended and the first drops of rain began to fall.

“Agreed. But first, I’ll need to get the volshkyn for Blue,” Dinah said.

“Over there beneath the rynoir tree. Only take a little bit. It’s very potent and takes years to grow back.”

“Thank you,” Dinah said as she walked toward the rynoir tree, envisioning Adelene’s blood and the blood of her children staining the seashell path red.

She had a dinner party to attend tonight at Lady Faure’s, and a brunch with Lady Perrin in the morning, but her schedule the following night was clear. Once the midnight bells rang, she would head to the Wilds, and then the people of Balavata would get the reckoning they deserved.





THIRTY-THREE

THE DAY AFTER Blue and Kellan had nearly drowned at sea, he showed up at her doorstep just before breakfast. She opened the door to his knock, Papa’s apron wrapped around her, a wooden spoon in her hand.

“Are you cooking?” he asked, his expression hopeful.

“Are you telling me you didn’t already eat half the castle’s food supply this morning?”

“I only ate one-third of the food supply, so clearly I’m nearly starving at this point.” He gave her his charming smile. The one that weeks ago would’ve made her want to slam the door in his face. This time, something warm and fizzy ignited in her chest and spiraled into her stomach.

She stepped back to let him in and said, “I’m trying to make Grand-mère’s fried apple cake recipe.”

He sniffed the air. “Smells good. I’d say you’re succeeding.”

“Papa always did the cooking. I’m still trying to figure out if I’m any good at it, but I think it’s a lot like alchemy. It’s just the science of making sure the right ingredients go together the right way.” She turned toward the stairs. “Should I tell Jacinthe and Halette that you’re here? Dinah didn’t tell me you were coming for brunch today.”

His hand shot out and wrapped around her arm. “I’m not here to see them.”

She paused. “Dinah?”

“Nope.”

Turning, she gave him a slow once-over as Pepperell wound himself around the prince’s legs.

“Obviously, I am here to see your adorable monstrosity of a cat and eat some fried apple cakes.” He winked, and she felt a strange heat in her cheeks.

He leaned closer and said softly, “In case it isn’t already apparent, I’m here for you, Blue.”

The fizzy feeling gushed through her veins, and she winced inwardly. How was she supposed to keep walking away from him when he’d bared his soul to her the day before at the sea and then showed up on her doorstep just to eat breakfast with her? Turning quickly toward the kitchen before he could see her expression, she cast around for something to say. Something normal and non-fizzy-feeling.

“Do you think this is a good idea?”

Ugh. Look who she was asking. The boy who got in street fights and jumped off a cliff into a stormy sea just to feel alive. The gap between his definition of a good idea and hers was an entire canyon.

She stopped at the counter, where her batter bowl rested, and then he was there beside her, leaning on one elbow, his dark eyes boring into hers.

“I’m here because you jumped into the sea to rescue me yesterday, and because I was able to tell you things I’ve never told anyone else.” He stuck a finger in the bowl, dabbed a bit of the batter onto his fingertip, and licked it clean. “And I’m here because I’ve decided you and I should go west to check on the wraith like the bounty hunter suggested yesterday. Things are hectic right now between the ball in three days and hunting for whoever murdered Marisol and Gen, but knowing if the wraith is still imprisoned, or if we have a much bigger problem on our hands than a rogue witch, is a priority, and we should go there together.”

“We should?” she asked in a soft, breathy voice that sounded nothing like her.

Hang it all, she wasn’t the type of girl to swoon over a boy. Especially a prince who in three short days would be betrothed to someone else.

But if she was swooning over him, it was his own fault. Defending her from Dinah. Helping her grieve. Caring deeply about her, about his family, and then trusting her with his darkest secret. She’d been so sure she knew him nearly as well as she knew herself, but she’d been wrong, and now she didn’t know what to do with him. She couldn’t have him. Not the way she wanted. And she also couldn’t seem to figure out how to walk away.

“We should,” he said. “It will take hours. Hours where there will be no one with us but the pair of trusted guards I brought with me. We’ll have a picnic on the way.”