bChapter /bb173 /b

    I blink several times, thinking I must have read it wrong, but every time I do, I see the name of the Diluido leader signing the note more clearly. I swallow, hoping to moisten my suddenly dry throat.

    “What are you going to do?” Drystan gestures for everyone to leave and leave us alone. Probably the entire room has been protected against eavesdropping, as if I pay close attention, it’s evident this is a war room. “It could be a trap.”

    “I know.” He flexes and extends his fingers, as if needing to destroy something. “He’s also shown that he switches sides easily.”

    “It could be our chance to catch him and make him pay.”

    “It might be.” He turns towards me for a second before moving to one of the windows and looking outside where the day is slowly starting to fall. “I’ll think it over, and when I know what to do, I’ll let you know so we cane up with a solid n.”

    “As you wish.”

    When silence stretches and no one seems to want to break it, Drystan decides to leave, but not before throwing me a look as if begging me to blook /bafter his friend. I smile in response and gesture with my head to let him know he’s right to leave and leave us alone. He exits quietly, only the soft click of the door marking his departure. For a while, I watch Viktor’s figure, outlined by thest light of day……

    I wish I had the ability to read his mind, to dive into the chaos and help him untangle the knot of thoughts. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that’s possible, so the only thing I can do is stay by his side. His body radiates fury in waves, and I approach like an injured animal, although I know his rage will never be directed at me. I ce myself next to him, brushing my arm against his, and smile so he knows I’ll always be here.

    “Please, don’t ask me to take you with me,” he pleads through gritted teeth.

    lift my hand and pass it over his arm like a caress.

    “I wasn’t nning on it.”

    He sighs, relieved.

    “Good, because I don’t want you near him.” As if he has the ability to read my thoughts, he adds: “And it has nothing to do with jealousy or possessiveness. I don’t want you near a traitor, someone who was capable of handing you over to the enemy. I don’t care if it was for his son.”

    “Does Eleazar have a son?”

    “Evanora told us he went to the camp asking for refuge for the child, but apparently, they refused. You know how much they despise the opposite gender. Eleazar must’ve made some kind of deal with the shapeshifters. Desperation makes people stupid.”

    “Refuge from what?”

    He stops looking out the window to focus his attention on me. He wraps an arm protectively over my shoulders and pulls me closer.

    “From us, from me, from the world. We’re in a hostile world; no one is safe, especially not children.”

    “Does he think you’d hurt his son?” I ask, rmed.

    A bitterugh escapes his lips.

    “Darling, I’m a monster. Of course, he thinks I’d go after his son.”

    “You wouldn’t hurt an innocent child,” I reply.

    His face rxes, and his gaze softens in such a way that even the blue in his eyes seems to clear, turning into the color of a clear sky. I thinkb! /bcould catalog hundreds of different shades of his eyes and link them to an emotion or moment. He runs his free hand over my cheek, brushing my skin with his knuckles. I press myself even closer to him, longing to be so close that it hurts.

    “You’re the only one who believes I can be good,” he confesses. “And you don’t know how much it hurts to disappoint you.”

    I know what his words mean, and yet I’m not willing to believe it or be deceived by his mouth. I know there’s a good part of Viktor, ino /imatter how stupid it may seem to think so. It sounds like a cliché, but I know it’s there. I cover the hand that’s wandering across my face with mine.

    Took over his shoulder, noticing all the scattered maps, the little figurines here and there, the letters piled up under a gargoyle–shaped

    paperweight, ink stains, scattered feathers, strategy books…

    “We’re in quite a mess, aren’t we?” I nibble my lower lip. “How are we going to get out of this without dying in the process?”

    From his expression, I know he’s asked himself the same question several times and hasn’t found an answer. We’re surrounded, we have fronts open in all directions. The shapeshifters want to use me, the Purebloods fear me, and they don’t even know the whole truth. I fear what the fear of the unknown could lead them to do. The only thing I’m sure of is that I’ll do everything possible not to be used by any of them.

    “Don’t worry about anything,” he says. “You’ve been through too much, and I’m not going to let this harm you any further. For now, I’ll see what the traitor Eleazar wants.”

    “So, the decision is made. You’ll meet with him?”

    “For better or for worse, I think it’s the first step I have to take. He might give us valuable information, or it could be a trap. In that case, I’ll be ready to catch him. He won’t escape twice.”

    “What will you do with him?”

    “Darling, don’t ask questions to which you already know the answer.”

    I stay silent, unable toprehend why part of me feels bitter thinking about the possible death of the Diluido. He used me, traded me to the enemy. I should hate him. Viktor sees the change in my expression and shifts his position, wrapping his arms around me and putting us face

    to face.

    “Everyone is responsible for their actions, ra. He doesn’t deserve your concern.” Reluctantly, I nod and force myself to stop thinking. “There’s something I’ve been wondering.”

    “What’s that?”

    “Truth is, I was hoping you’d tell me, but curiosity is killing me.” For a moment, he avoids my gaze as if he’s embarrassed. “What did Ciro

    say?”

    A malicious smile wants to curve my lips, but I try to keep my face as innocent as possible, enjoying his apparent difort.

    “When?”

    “You know when,” he answers, frowning.

    I stand on tiptoe, leaning close to his ear and making sure to tickle him with the brush of my lips. His chest puffs out against mine.

    “He told me he would never be afraid of me. He apologized for pushing me away from you, thinking he was freeing me when he was really causing me pain. He asked me to bend and break the bars of my cage.”

    “And does that cage have a name? Is it me?” he whispers.

    “You’re not my cage; you’re the impulse to fly.” I wrap my arms around his neck and caress the back of his neck, listening to the soft purr that escapes his lips. “My cage was myself.”

    “And have you broken the cage?”

    “I’m working on it.” Heughs tenderly against my neck. “What do you think, should we have dinner and then go ito /ibed?”

    “We could also go to bed and then have dinner…” He gives me one of his wicked looks. “I have to make sure I memorize your body well before I leave, so I can visualize it perfectly when I…”

    “Don’t finish that sentence.”

    “Don’t you want to know how many times I’ve had to visualize you in my mind when I was alone? Even when I thought I hated you, when others were in my sheets, when I refused to think about you, you snuck in without permission.”

    “Well, I’m really sorry for those women. I don’t think there’s anything worse than sleeping with a man who’s thinking about someone else.”

    His wicked smile widens as he narrows his eyes.

    “You’re jealous, Miss Voss.”

    “I’m not…”

    I don’t have time to finish the sentence before he grabs me in his hands and throws me over his shoulder. I make a feigned attempt to straighten up, but the simple movement makes my whole head spin. I try toin, yell at him, though myugh soon joins the mix. As he carries me toward his room under the curious stares of the staff, I can’t help but think that when he returns from his meeting with Eleazar, it’s possible that I won’t be here.

    The perfect moment for what I need to do will be when he leaves.

    And there will be no turning back.