Page 41 of A Touch of Shadows

It was almost a torture. He wanted nothing more than to lean into her touch, but Leander would see, and he would know, and what fresh tortures would come from that?

He couldn’t find the strength to tell her that it didn’t matter what she did to help him now. Leander would kill him anyway. That had been his brother’s plan in following him. Their father was growing old and infirm. It was only a matter of time before Leander became king and he wanted no other sons of Sidon left when he did. It was their way, succession by fratricide.

They could dump his body in the forest and deny all knowledge. Even to her.

He had the feeling she’d refuse to believe him.

Or maybe… maybe she wouldn’t. She didn’t look so very sure of anything right now. And Wren wasn’t an idiot.

All the time he was aware of Leander watching them, making his many calculations, scheming, looking for anything he could use.

Wren leaned in closer, her lips inadvertently brushing his ear, sending a shiver through him in spite of the situation. Her breath played on the sensitive skin of his neck and he closed his eyes, trying to block it out. This was not the time. There never would be a time, not now.

‘Trust me,’ she whispered. And he wanted to. Dear light, he wanted to.

Wren looked up, over his head, and fixed her gaze unerringly on his brother. ‘What do you plan to do with us?’ she asked.

Leander sprawled on the divan and someone had poured him a glass of wine. There was always a servant somewhere, or a spy. Someone in the background, protecting him, serving him, fulfilling his every whim. They were very good at not being seen. He drank half of his goblet’s contents in one go and smiled, wine making his lips red as blood.

Holy light, Finn hated that smile. Though he had been raised in Asteroth, his father King Alessander had wanted assurances of his health and education. Every so often he had been brought back to Sidonia to join the court full of vipers like Leander. There had never been word of his mother, whoever she was. The king found it amusing to set them all against each other. Even ancient as he was Alessander was cruel. Finn had learned that early on. And Leander took after him in every way.

Each time he could not have got back to Pelias quickly enough. Roland had always said it was his duty, but that didn’t help. Being able to bring back information to the knights had been a comfort though. He hated Sidonia, and Ilanthus.

‘What do I plan to do with you?’ Leander repeated in a lazy drawl, almost as if he was mocking her. Perhaps he was. He just wouldn’t want Wren to know that yet. But Finn knew. ‘That’s an excellent question. It all depends.’

‘On what?’

The smile widened like the mouth of a shark. ‘On you, my lady.’

CHAPTER 24

FINN

A slight tremor passed through Wren’s hand where it still pressed to Finn’s face. She pulled it away, clearly trying to hide her fear from him. But he knew. And understood. Wren knew how serious this was and that should not have been the comfort it was.

‘What does that mean?’

She was going to make Leander say it? And why not? Make the bastard admit to what he wanted from her. Make him say it out loud. Finn just didn’t want to be there to hear it. He didn’t want to see her face when she realised she had no choice but to give in to him. Leander was a prince of the blood royal of Sidon. He took what he wanted.

Finn wanted to throw up at the thought.

‘Come here,’ said the crown prince. And it was definitely the real prince now, with that tone of voice. No doubting that. The charm was gone. ‘And you,’ he snapped, the command undoubtedly directed at Finn. ‘You can stay right there. On your knees. If you move, you die.’

‘Wren,’ Finn whispered. ‘Don’t. You don’t have to. Not for me.’

‘Then for herself,’ Leander interrupted. ‘Or don’t you want her to know the truth about who she is and what she may be capable of? Determined to keep that secret to yourself until you hand her over to your precious Grandmaster, no doubt. Now shut up or I’ll gag you myself.’

Wren’s eyes flashed with anger and she squeezed Finn’s shoulder. It shouldn’t have been comforting, not here, not now, but it sent a ripple of something through him. Something like resolve. Or encouragement.

‘If I cooperate with you, you let him go.’

Leander shook his head. ‘Impossible. He’s family. And a traitor. He’s been feeding information back to his precious Grandmaster for years. My father should have let me cut his throat when he first came back. There are laws to deal with spies.’

The set of her jaw changed subtly and Finn realised Leander had made a mistake, even if his brother didn’t. ‘Your laws don’t work here, do they? You aren’t in Ilanthus.’

Like that mattered to Leander. But she was right. He had no place on Asterothian soil. If the knights found him here, he’d be in deep shit. If he was captured, held for ransom, their father would do anything to protect him. Or at least that was what Leander believed. Finn wasn’t so sure.

Alessander didn’t bend until forced to break.