Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
I held his stare. I repeated two words that turned into a vow. “I know.”
His nostrils flared. He didn’t move.
Finally, he nodded and opened the door with a harsh yank. “So be it.” Slipping into the darkness, he somehow became part of the night. “Follow me.”
I stepped after him, cursing fresh trembles down my legs.
The moment we left the sanctity of his room, I second-guessed everything.
The castle swallowed us whole.
Oppressive and chilly, watchful and sly.
I’d never really had a reason to be stealthy before. I’d never crept up on my brother or played hide-and-seek, yet as I followed Henri down shadowy stone corridors, I suddenly wished I had. I wished I knew how to mute my footsteps. Wished I knew how to use the night to become invisible.
Hissing as low as he could, he muttered, “Walk behind me, head down, hands by your sides.” His eyes scanned the t-shirt I’d pilfered. “I should probably take that off you but...ah, well. We’ll deal with that later.”
Our gazes held.
I had the feeling he wanted to say something else, lots of ‘else’, but he merely pinched the bridge of his nose, cleared his throat, then snapped his fingers. “Come.”
I fell into step with him as we moved through his floor and toward the curved staircases in the heart of the castle.
Carved steps loomed out of the darkness. Candelabras flickered with electrical warmth, mimicking candle fire without the mess of dripping wax and threat of flame-wrought disasters.
Henri paused on the first step, his eyes narrowed. His head tipped to the side as if listening for footsteps.
I stopped breathing, waiting.
My senses prickled, but I only felt stone and rock, not bone and blood.
With a tense nod, he beckoned me forward.
Slowly, quietly, we started to climb.
Third floor, fourth floor, fifth.
Still, we kept going.
Up and up.
My bare toes stung from cold travertine, leading us higher into the towers.
Only once we’d reached the top floor did Henri throw me a look, then turn left down a stark, icy corridor. The breeze from outside howled through thin arrow slits, causing a haunting lament as cool air ran its elemental fingers through my hair.
Goosebumps shot down my spine as he kept moving, past the strip lighting on the floor and ignoring closed doors bracketing us.
Does he know where he’s going or—
A creak of hinges.
A grunt of someone opening something heavy.
“Ah, shit,” Henri spat under his breath. Turning to granite in front of me, he didn’t move as a door opened and closed a few metres ahead.
A slim, tallish shadow appeared, monochrome in the dark.
No rooms for us to duck into. No nooks or crannies to fake canoodle in.
All we could do was wait as the figure turned toward us. They fell into limping motion, then jerked to a stop. The man’s head shot up; his mouth fell wide. “Ily—”
Peter.
Oh no.
Tearing his gaze off mine, Peter glowered at Henri, then dropped his chin like a well-trained jewel. “Master H.”
Henri seemed to grow taller in the night. “Peter.” Blackness bled through his tone, turning him into a sadistic Dominant. “What the fuck are you doing up here at three in the morning?”
Peter kept his chin down, well used to being cursed and questioned. “Dr Belford’s personal rooms are up here.” His voice sounded respectful, but I couldn’t miss the anger stalking inside him. “I…I needed to see her.”
My heart skipped.
What happened to him? Who happened? What did they do?
Stepping forward, drawn by empathy for my sullen friend, I opened my mouth to ask.
But Henri grabbed me around the nape and forced me to kneel beside him.
In the second I went from standing to bones crunching on the flagstones, I forgot my place and remembered my role.
Pretend, Ily!
Just because we’d been spotted by a jewel instead of a Master didn’t mean we could ever stop acting.
He’s your friend, but he can’t know.
No one must know.
Keeping my gaze on Peter’s bare feet, I didn’t look up.
“Go to bed, Peter,” Henri hissed. “Now.”
“Yes, Master H.” Bowing respectfully, Peter padded past. Or rather, limped past. His fingers drifted over my shoulder before snatching back and continuing on his way.
Henri noticed.
Of course, he noticed.
“Wait.”
Peter paused, breathing hard.
Henri turned on the spot to focus on him. “Did I say you could touch my jewel without my permission?”
What is he doing!?
I groaned under my breath and rolled my shoulders.
This wasn’t the time nor place.
Whatever protective instincts he had for me jeopardized everything.
Peter slowly turned, keeping his hands balled. “No, Master H. I-I bumped into her by accident.”
“Accident, huh?” Henri stalked toward him. “Perhaps I should throw you into one of these rooms and toss away the key by accident.”
I dared look up.
Outwardly, Peter behaved and respected, but inwardly, that same fire that’d gotten me into trouble burned far too bright. “I’m not quite myself,” Peter clipped. “I…visited the doctor for a reason. Forgive me, Master H.”