Page 72 of Hallowed Games
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He stared down at me, then brushed a lock of hair from my eyes. With the brush of his fingertips, a shiver ran through me. “Gold. Now that is enchanting.” He sighed. “Ah, yes. It reminds me of myself. Is that why you drew the gold on your eyes?”
I blinked, shocked at the turn in conversation. “Why are you here if you already know everything you need to know?”
The iron-crossed door opened, slamming into Sion’s muscular shoulder. It was like the sound of heavy metal hammering against stone, a boom that echoed off the wall.
Sion’s shoulder dented the metal slightly.
Archon above. These guys were stronger than the castle walls.
Maelor shoved the door all the way open, his expression dark. A chill spread through the room. “What the fuck are you doing in here, Sion?”
And here I was, trapped in a small room with two vampires.
Sion gave a slow shrug. “Just visiting our old friend.”
Our old friend?
Maelor’s eyes had darkened to midnight, and he flashed his fangs. In the next heartbeat, he was standing before me protectively. “Stay away from Elowen.”
Maelor was like a wall, strong and impenetrable. From the other side of him, I heard a low, animal snarl from Sion. The primal sound made a shiver hiss over my skin. “Have you stopped writing poetry long enough to actually pay attention to another person?”
“After all these centuries, I’ve finally found someone worth talking to.” Maelor’s arms widened, and the air crackled with tension. “Now get the fuck out.”
“Enjoy the night, lovebirds. Just try to make sure it doesn’t end in a pool of blood.”
He slammed the door closed behind him, the sound echoing in the room. When Maelor turned to me, his eyes were the dark blue of a midnight ocean.
I frowned at him. “Is he going to tell anyone that you’re here?”
He cut me a sharp look. “Don’t worry about him.”
I took a deep breath, trying to sort through the tempest of my thoughts. I dropped down onto the bed. How much did I trust Maelor at this point?
I could tell he was still furious with me. But I was also desperate for an ally to keep Leo safe.
He sat down next to me on the bed, and I touched his arm. “Sion has Baron Throckmore, the man I used to work for.”
“That man let you take his place in the trials.”
I nodded. “The problem is that the Baron has set something in his will. If he’s murdered or executed, his soldiers are supposed to kill Leo. Leo’s killer gets the gold.”
Shadows stained the air around Maelor. “That’s how he controlled you?”
I nodded. “I don’t want Sion to know anything about Leo. But can you persuade him not to kill the Baron?”
“I think I can.” His eyes shone again with a pale blue. “I’ll try to get the Baron out, or whatever’s left of him. The man would probably rather be dead at this point.”
“He can kill himself, then.” I let out a long, slow breath. “Leo is fine as long as no one executes or murders the Baron.”
Maelor narrowed his eyes. “I can’t stay here long and risk you trying to seduce me again.” A hint of steel undercut his velvety voice.
I arched an eyebrow. “The first thing you told me when I got here was to look out for myself, that I had no friends. That I should trust no one. Why are you surprised?”
“So you preyed on my weakness.” He reached into his robe and pulled out a small silver flask. He took a sip, and I smelled the faint scent of whiskey in the air. He didn’t offer me any. “It’s really very vampiric of you.”
My chest tightened. “The Baron trained me to find people’s weaknesses. Yours wasn’t hard. Sion told me that from the beginning.”