Текст книги "Throne of the Fallen"

Автор книги: Kerri Maniscalcol

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 35 страниц)

THIRTY-THREE

APPARENTLY HOURS AFTER he’d arrived at House Sloth, Camilla finally received word that Envy was on the premises. She felt immediately annoyed that he hadn’t bothered to check on her. After bathing quickly, she’d wandered around for the entire day, doing her best to hunt down their next clue. Alone.

Not to mention that the last time she’d seen him, he’d had a dagger sticking out of his chest. Instead of letting her know he was indeed all right, he’d gone straight to a chamber on Fae history.

If Camilla harbored any misconceptions about where his priorities lay, they were dashed now. Clearly his one and only focus was on the mysterious game.

“Despite our introduction, Lo seems very personable. And he is rather handsome,” Camilla said by way of greeting, curious to press Envy’s sin to see how much of a rise she could get.

Envy snorted but didn’t lift his head from the book he was flipping through. His sin had not been invoked. Maybe he didn’t feel for her. The thought rankled.

“You clearly disagree. Why?”

Envy flicked his emerald gaze to her.

“After stabbing me, did my lovely brother happen to explain why he goes by that name?”

She slowly shook her head and his devious grin emerged, alluring dimples and all.

“Because he delights in laying his enemies low. Sloth is as wicked as they come. I’d advise never falling for his personable veneer.”

“Although one ought to be thankful I at least make an effort, right, brother?”

Lo leaned casually against the doorframe, a pair of spectacles hanging from a chain around his neck. He’d discarded his tailcoat and rolled his shirtsleeves up, exposing toned arms and what appeared to be a tattoo of some phrase peeking out.

“My court is searching through every chamber as we speak. If there’s anything out of place, they’ll find it.”

He glanced between them, his expression difficult to read.

“It’s getting late, so I’ve instructed my cook to send food up to your suites. Since we’ll be working around the clock to locate the clue, we don’t have time for a formal dinner. I hope that will suffice, Miss Antonius.”

Envy clapped once.

“Well done. You skirted the truth beautifully.”

At Camilla’s inquisitive look, he added, “Sloth prefers to snack in his chambers while reading. Whenever he can avoid a large dinner gathering, he will. His House motto is Libri Ante Vir. Books before man. He probably has it permanently inked on his ass.”

Lo didn’t deny the charge.

“Should you need anything, Miss Antonius, please don’t hesitate to ask. My cook is more than happy to make whatever you’d like.”

“Have some of my preferred cocktails sent up. And some demonberry wine for Miss Antonius to try.”

Envy leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up onto the table, the picture of arrogance. He’d just ordered another prince around, in a circle that did not belong to him. Even Camilla understood that that was deeply insulting.

Lo pressed his lips into a line. He was probably debating whether to strike Envy again. This time Camilla imagined he’d stab deeper.

“Don’t forget the muddled blackberries and brown sugar,” Envy added. “It’s going to be a long night.”

Camilla smiled as Lo rolled his eyes and exited the chamber. Envy would be lucky if she didn’t stab him next.

“What, exactly, are you hoping to find in this section?”

Envy cut a look her way, then held up the book he’d been immersed in.

It was a history of the Unseelie King.

“Lennox thinks himself a god, but he must have a weakness. Once I find it, I’ll exploit it.”

Spoken like a true villain.

But that was just another mask, she guessed. She considered her response carefully, knowing that how she proceeded here would either set the stage for him to share what drove him and open up, or it would make him close his heart off entirely.

She’d start slowly.

“You’ve met the king?”

The air chilled several degrees. “Next time we’re in the same room, one of us won’t freely walk away.”

Hatred, ancient and colder than ice, laced his words. It was a dangerous vow.

Camilla shuddered. The Unseelie King must have well and truly done something terrible.

“I imagine the Unseelie are no worse than any other creature in this realm,” she hedged. “Why do you hate him in particular?”

A servant quietly entered the chamber, depositing a silver tray laden with bourbon, syrup, orange zest, and blackberries, and an interesting bottle of wine. It was dark and sparkled like stars.

“Wine or bourbon?” the prince asked, changing course.

“Wine, please.”

Envy got up immediately and fixed them both a drink, handing her a glass of demonberry wine before downing his first cocktail in one go. He made another and sipped it.

He looked her over with slitted eyes. “Were you all right here, alone?”

His question surprised her.

His tone was quiet, casual, but she sensed something dangerous writhing below the surface of his placid expression. It could indicate that what Lo said was true—that Envy would be territorial until their time together ended. Or it could be something else he’d already learned.

He was extremely difficult to read when he wished to be.

“Yes. Your brother gave me a tour.” She paused, observing the way his hand tightened on his glass. “It was all very impressive. I must have asked about everything, but he answered all my questions with a smile.”

“How very generous of him.”

“I asked about you,” she said.

Envy’s brows rose fractionally. “And? What secrets did my dear brother reveal?”

“You have a very interesting rule.”

He looked like a panther that had just scented prey. He sat forward, his half-empty glass dangling from his fingertips, gaze locked onto hers intently.

“Did he fill your head with fairy tales, Miss Antonius? That I am somehow wounded and in need of the right salve?” His smile was all teeth. “I like who I am. I like the challenge of the one-night rule. The way it drives lovers wild. Their jealousy sustains me. Gives me power. And there is nothing I enjoy more than gaining power. You’d do well to keep that in mind, over a fantasy.”

“Maybe it’s your power I’m after, my lord.”

She said it to provoke, but the words didn’t ring untrue.

He smiled at her then, showing off his dimples for the second time that night.

“Remember this conversation after you visit my bed.”

There was that damnably cocksure prince again. At least he was amused.

She wanted to steer him back to their original topic. “You were talking about the Unseelie King, about why you hate him.”

“I’d much rather we discuss our night of passion. How do you feel about wings?”

Wings would be very interesting indeed. Her expression gave away nothing.

She knew he was trying to distract her. But Camilla didn’t take the bait this time. She sat silently, waiting for him to either open himself up to her, or close the door firmly instead.

He topped his drink off, then exhaled, the sound half contented, half resigned.

“Lennox took something from me. Not once but twice.”

Envy sipped his bourbon, his gaze fixed on some faraway point.

“I made the mistake of becoming intrigued with a mortal once before.”

Camilla held her breath, heart pounding at the idea that it was happening a second time. She knew that whatever he said next would be terrible, knew that whatever had transpired had deeply wounded the prince.

“Before Lennox decided to play the first game with me, I used to receive invitations to visit the Wild Court on occasion. Their art is unlike any other, and a party in Faerie… they are legendary for good reasons. Chaos, debauchery. It fuels those who are beings crafted of sin. And the dark Fae are far wickeder than my brothers.”

Envy finished his drink, his attention sliding back to the bottle before he decided to continue.

“That night… something unsettled me about the invitation. It was not just for me, but for… her. However”—he lifted a shoulder and dropped it—“I wasn’t sure if my envy was clouding my judgment. Perhaps I didn’t want her to go because I didn’t want her to be fascinated by anyone else. Perhaps I didn’t want someone to see what I had and manipulate her. Or perhaps I was a selfish, controlling demon, as she’d accused me of being.”

“She went to the Wild Court on her own,” Camilla ventured, her stomach twisting into knots. It was no place for mortals.

“Fae are seductive by nature, especially to humans. You know well—humans grow up on stories, most of which don’t relay the full truth of the Folk. So she went to Faerie, tempted by adventure, tempted by a fairy tale that no one had bothered to reveal is actually a nightmare. She drank their wine, ate their food, and danced with their king. I arrived late, tried to save her. Then I was banished.”

It felt like a bird’s wings were beating inside Camilla’s chest.

“I asked my brother Wrath to intervene, to help me break the ward, but he declined. Wanting to avoid a war with the Unseelie.”

Rumors and legend claimed that the Unseelie King could create wards so intricate not even the strongest being could break them. She knew how powerful Envy was, knew he would have tried repeatedly to slip beyond those impenetrable threads. That his brother had refused must have hurt tremendously, but Camilla wasn’t sure even Wrath would have succeeded.

“From what I know, Lennox didn’t tire of her for a long time. When he finally did, instead of keeping her there where she could live forever, he dumped her back in the mortal world, at the queen’s behest.”

Envy’s gaze when it met hers was void of all emotion.

“Do you know what happens to humans who remain in Faerie too long, Miss Antonius?”

A tear slipped down her cheek. Envy watched it fall.

Time moved much differently in the Fae realm. If the king had kept her there for a long time by his standards, that meant hundreds of years had likely passed in the human world. When the king sent her back, she would have aged instantly and died.

There would have been nothing Envy could do to save her.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Truly.” Camilla was surprised by how fully she meant it, considering how deeply this mortal woman had clearly affected the dark prince before her.

“Don’t be. It accomplishes nothing.”

Envy grabbed the bottle of bourbon and stood, heading for the door.

He paused before facing Camilla again.

“Promise me something?” he asked.

Camilla nodded but didn’t speak, unwilling to make a vow without hearing the terms.

“Don’t ever trust an Unseelie royal, Miss Antonius.”

He was gone before she could respond.

With his confession still weighing down her heart, Camilla was slow to realize he’d only given her part of his story.

When he first began his heartbreaking tale, Envy had said the Unseelie King had taken from him twice. If the mortal was the first thing, then what else had the king stolen?

If she solved that mystery, Camilla suspected she would finally have the answer to what Envy was after, and why winning the game was worth any cost.

THIRTY-FOUR

ENVY STARED AT the bottom of another empty glass, wondering what had possessed him to share that story with Camilla.

No one knew the whole truth.

Not even Alexei. And one of the main reasons Envy had taken the vampire on as his second-in-command was to rally certain members of the vampire court to his cause, should a battle between House Envy and the Unseelie King ever happen.

It had been nearly two hundred years since Alexei had come to House Envy, and he’d been present for a handful of previous games throughout that time. All had been frivolous back then. But Lennox had also been less sadistic, more interested in Fae trickery than true torment.

Envy had slowly seen the change in Lennox, sensed trouble simmering in the Wild Court. If he were to actually win this game, he wanted to prepare for any outcome.

He’d been less cunning back then. He would not make the same mistakes now.

Envy had spent the years since then becoming someone new, someone who could not be defeated. Now every move he made had a purpose, a strategy.

He planned for all possible outcomes, slowly moving pieces into place, waiting for the chance to make his ultimate move.

Envy fixed himself another Dark and Sinful and sat on the overstuffed sofa of his sitting room, where Lo’s staff had laid a crackling fire.

He’d lied once again; he knew exactly why he’d told Camilla about the Unseelie King. He needed to ensure that the artist would not be tempted by Lennox. Envy had little doubt that their paths would inevitably cross as the game drew closer to an end.

If Camilla knew how dangerous the Fae were, she stood half a chance of surviving an encounter with them.

The knock was quiet but drew his thoughts into the present.

“Enter.”

Sloth shut the door behind him, his gaze slowly sweeping the room.

The scheming bastard had placed Envy and Camilla in a shared suite connected by a bathing chamber and this sitting room. He’d claimed it was to keep them close together for their comfort.

Envy had taken one look at the rumpled bed she must have napped in earlier and headed straight into the communal room, needing distance from her scent and his swirling thoughts about those sheets.

“Miss Antonius isn’t here,” he said, jerking his chin toward her room.

Sloth nodded as if he didn’t already know that.

“Good. I wanted to discuss something with you privately.”

Envy motioned for him to get on with it.

“I used my sin on her.”

“And she resisted it.”

“It happened with you as well,” Sloth surmised.

“No, Lust attempted to seduce her in Waverly Green. At first, I assumed it was because that realm dampened his power somehow. I believe she succumbed in the Sin Corridor, but barely.”

Sloth nodded again, taking it all in.

Envy knew he was sorting and compiling facts, taking his time.

Finally, Sloth spoke. “An amulet warding against dark magic is the simplest explanation. Or perhaps she has an enchantment inked onto her person?”

He looked Envy over clinically.

“Have you noticed any tattoos hidden on her yet? Maybe a symbol or initial?”

“You know my rule.”

“And I suppose she’s still here, so perhaps you don’t know.”

“I thought you’d interrogated Camilla?”

Envy suddenly wished to know what else his brother had talked with her about. Camilla had mentioned a tour but had changed topics quickly. Now he wanted to know why. What had his damned brother tried?

“Easy, your sin is infringing on my circle.”

Though his words were light, Sloth’s tone held a warning.

He was especially testy, making Envy wonder what he was preoccupied with. Hopefully some secret lover was driving him as mad. Sloth didn’t feed his passions often or as widely as the rest of them, but he’d had a few serious relationships over the centuries. First Liam, then Ivy.

No tragedy or heartbreak was involved—the relationships simply ran their course, ending amicably each time. Sloth avoided drama. The bore.

“I’m simply suggesting you get on with it and pay attention to any marks on her body,” he said, as if exhausted by Envy’s antics.

“I’m not going to bed her for information.”

Sloth grinned at him, slowly, immensely amused.

“What?” Envy snarled.

“Morals look interesting on you, brother. Did you ever stop to wonder if she might be your next clue? She’d make for an interesting riddle, and you know how cunning Lennox is.”

Envy was silent. Of course he had. The moment he’d deciphered the last clue, he’d considered that Camilla was a larger part of the puzzle, but he’d since dismissed it.

Mostly because he didn’t want her to be part of the game. That Sloth had also landed on the possibility indicated that it was something he needed to explore.

Envy had said time and again that the game was all that mattered.

It was time to prove that. He didn’t think she was a player, but something was driving her, something more than simple curiosity. He’d almost sensed it before he took her to the void between realms, then she’d walled that emotion off.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she was a player, and he was just a pawn on her board.

“If you don’t want to seduce her for information,” Sloth continued, “simply pay attention when you make love to her. Knowing you, you’ll make your one chance quite… thorough.”

“I will not take her to some borrowed, subpar bed here.”

Mischief glittered in Sloth’s eyes.

“This wing is warded for privacy. No one will hear her, if that’s your concern. I know modesty is a consideration for most of her species.”

“Humans.”

“Mm. I assume you haven’t felt any power in her either.”

“No.” Envy debated the merits of keeping the next bit of information to himself. “She does possess a rare talent with art, but other than that, I haven’t sensed anything.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“It doesn’t concern you.”

“Interesting.”

Envy truly despised it when he said that.

Sloth studied him very carefully again, like Envy was nothing more than an insect for him to pin down and dissect.

“Did you see the latest gossip?” Sloth asked at last, far too casually. Envy stared until his brother elaborated. “Gluttony’s reporter printed this just today.”

He pulled a newspaper from his pocket and slapped it against Envy’s chest.

Envy glanced at the headline, then scanned the article.

RUMORS ABOUND!

A mysterious game seems to be afoot, drawing players to the Seven Circles from across the realms. Some insiders claim the Unseelie King is up to his wicked ways, pulling the strings of our very own Prince Envy.

The prize is rumored to be something worth killing for, tailored to each player and tempting enough for them to sell their souls. Though it’s unclear if murder is or is not permitted this time around. We’ll hope to find out.

A few more farfetched theories speculate as to whether this game is a darker, more nefarious plot by the Unseelie King to take advantage of how distracted the demon courts have been of late by the Goddesses Fury and Death of House Vengeance.

With the Seven Circles in peril, might Lennox slip his leash and sneak into the mortal land again?

The Unseelie King’s obsession with mortals is well known, giving credence to this theory. What we know is that two strangers were spotted here in the past week. Both players?

Before this article was submitted to print, the ever-lacking Prince Gluttony was questioned about a guest he’d hosted the previous night, but he refused to comment or confirm any part in the game. This same guest was seen heading toward Bloodwood Forest in the predawn hours.

He hasn’t been seen since.

Some have posited that the unidentified male was heading there to find the Crone who’s believed to frequent the magical forest. When asked directly, Gluttony remained mum, hinting only that it was likely a lover sneaking out after overindulging in sin.

That the prince would attempt to play coy and fail spectacularly is unsurprising. Gluttony is the least clever of his brothers.

Multiple witnesses have spoken in anonymity about a certain white-haired solitary Fae who’s been seen lingering near the woods in different circles. Should this prove to be true, it begs the question why. Is Lennox spying on his players or is there another mystery in need of solving? Or perhaps this Fae is hunting his true love.

If you have any information, do contact us at once.

Lastly, it has been noted that the usually boastful House Envy has gone silent. It leads one to believe the stakes might be higher than the prince may admit. Why else would Envy lock his circle down at the same time as the game’s rumored start? Others are wondering why he hasn’t been seen taking flight in the wake of the curse’s end. Where are his wings? And could the two be related?

Envy crumpled the paper in his fist. “Tell me you’re not believing gossips now.”

“Is it true?” Sloth asked, watching as Envy tossed the paper into the fireplace. “Did you lock your circle down?”

“Would it matter if I did?”

Sloth was silent for a long moment. They stood, watching the flames devour the page, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Summon your wings,” Sloth said, finally, lifting his icy gaze to Envy’s face.

“Shall I roll over or fetch next?”

“Levi—”

“Where are your wings, brother?” Envy shot back. “I don’t recall seeing them recently. Should I write in to the paper? Give them something else to speculate over?”

Envy needed this line of questioning to cease at once.

Who gave the reporter her cursed information? One fact Envy had gleaned was that there were at least two players who had also made it to this realm. Gods damn it all.

Hopefully they were the only other players left.

“She could be Fae,” Sloth said casually, changing the subject so abruptly Envy almost missed who he meant. “Seelie Court, perhaps. Maybe even half Fae.”

“Camilla isn’t Fae.” Envy gave him a hard look. “Shifters also resist most influence and have talents. And they appear human for the most part. She sometimes…”

“She sometimes,” Sloth prompted, goading.

“She sometimes has their temperament,” Envy said.

Sloth didn’t press the issue. It was as plausible as his guess. If anything, Camilla’s being a shifter made the most sense.

Envy just wasn’t sure. He didn’t get wolf, but there were other rare shifters that weren’t pack creatures.

It would explain why her mother had left, at least. That innate need to roam, to keep moving. Most shifters who weren’t pack creatures found living in one place extremely difficult. It also lined up with when her mother left. Camilla had just come into adulthood, no longer requiring her mother’s guidance. If only the gods-damned woman could be found.

“Of course, if you simply do not wish to sleep with her, there are other ways of obtaining that information,” Sloth said. “I have taken the liberty to set something up, in the event you weren’t amenable. Technically, one only needs to see her nude form to look for any suspicious marks.”

“What have—”

“Oh!” Camilla burst into the room, then stopped short, her smile faltering as she took in the princes. “I didn’t expect you to be here. Is this… should I come back?”

Envy had taken his dagger out before he realized it. Clearly, his need to protect was heightened.

Envy stepped away from Sloth but didn’t put his weapon away.

“Is everything all right, Miss Antonius?”

Camilla bit her lower lip, the move signaling her hesitation. A flash of when she’d done that same thing in bed crossed his mind.

“I was hoping to find Lo here, actually.”

Sloth shot Envy a smug look over Camilla’s head.

“Why, exactly, were you hoping to find him in your bedchamber?” Envy asked, sharply.

Camilla’s expression darkened.

“Do not take that tone with me.” She glared at him for another moment, driving home the point that she was not his to be ordered around, then looked at Sloth. “Perhaps we should postpone my visit to the steam room. I find the idea of relaxing impossible now.”

“I’m sure my brother doesn’t truly mind. Do you?” Sloth asked, the picture of gods-damned innocence.

Envy was too riled up to respond right away.

This was what his cursed brother had meant about setting something up. Bringing her to his steam room? Envy had to mentally restrain himself from throttling his brother.

Sloth crossed his arms over his chest, his obnoxious smile growing as Envy’s sin chilled the room. The conniving sadist. His brother had played a dirty game, but Envy needed to leash his sin, lest he be thrown out of this circle. Again.

“Shall we?” Sloth asked, offering Camilla his arm, ever the perfect gentleman. “Unless you’d prefer some time alone with Miss Antonius, brother? Remind me… was there something important you wanted to ask her? Maybe you should escort her to the steam room in my place. You are looking like you could do with a bit of the treatment.”

Envy was sure he did look that way, thanks to his vicious brother.

Camilla did not make this easy on him. She raised a brow, waiting to see what his next move would be.

Envy positively loathed their teaming up.

“Get the fuck out, Sloth.”

His brother flashed him another victorious look before slowly swiveling to Camilla. “Alas, my brother is feeling testy. I’ll send some refreshments up. You’ll need them.”

“Thank you.” Camilla smiled warmly. “That will be lovely. Another time?”

A beat after Sloth left, an enthusiastic knock sounded at the door. Envy attempted to pull himself together, adopt his mask of indolence.

He drew in a deep breath and opened the door. Sloth had indeed played filthy yet again. The demon standing with a tray of refreshments was classically handsome and far too intrigued with Camilla as he craned his neck into the room, smiling brilliantly at her.

He gave her an appreciative look as he held up a robe.

His arousal hit Envy like a hammer.

“Hello, miss, I brought this for you and some—”

Envy hauled off and hit him, his fist landing squarely in the demon’s mouth, his jaw cracking like thunder as it dislocated.

The demon clutched his face and darted back into the corridor, his covered tray and plush robe clattering to the floor.

It was probably the fastest anyone from House Sloth had ever moved.

Without turning, Envy said, “You and I need to discuss some things, Miss Antonius.”

Like what secrets she was keeping and why.

Envy finally pivoted to face her, his expression void of warmth. He would no longer play the game of flirtation with her.

None of this was about passion or seduction.

This was about winning.

This was about his court.

And Camilla needed to understand that whatever had passed between them would remain in the past. His brothers were getting the wrong idea about their arrangement.

Others would likely follow suit. Namely, the Unseelie King.

Camilla’s expression was impossible to read. Perhaps she’d just remembered what he truly was. Or maybe she was unwilling to part with her secrets. She might even already sense what he was about to try to uncover.

“Sit.” Envy closed the door to their shared suite and jerked his chin toward the sofa. “Better yet, take off your clothes and put on the robe. We’re going to test a theory.”