Page 48 of Chasing the Night
Chapter Sixteen
What’s Forbidden
Keif
Things couldn’t get any worse. I had been caught in a public space with a forbidden woman. Caught, being salacious with a young lady I didn’t speak for. A young lady that came from the second highest House in the land.
I inhaled the swampy scent that lingered around the dock and pawed my aching face. If I survived this, it wouldn’t matter. Klarissa would never allow me in the mansion again. I’d end up on Ender’s surgery table, awaiting him to pronounce me if I tried.
“Here,” Messiah called.
I opened my eyes to find him standing over me, a dagger in his left hand. There wasn’t anywhere to back up to, my back was to the damn jail. After a moment, I realized he meant to free me, and I held my hands out.
He quickly sliced the ropes and held a hand out to me. It took a moment for me to trust that he wouldn’t hurl me into the water, but I finally took his hand. He had the kindest eyes I’d ever seen on a Krypt.
“I thank you. For seeing Lady Chalice of House Krypt to water when she fell ill. Your kindness will not be forgotten,” he told me in a voice that was eerily relaxed, and far too low for a magistrate.
“Are you fucking serious? Are you…” Ender seethed until Messiah rushed him. His back connected with the wall, and Messiah slapped his cheek roughly.
“Are you fucking serious? Do you know what this could do to her reputation? Her prospects for a future?” Messiah snapped.
I backstepped a few paces. If he was willing to do that to family… I began looking around for, for what I didn’t know. An oar? Driftwood? Pfft.
“Do you want to see me toss her to Lake Last? Is that what you’re trying to force me to do here?” Messiah barked, slamming his fist against the wall of the jail.
We all sobered. Instantly. He was right. If the Upper District heard of this scene we had caused, Ender and I would both be branded, but Chalice, she would end up being tossed into a lake that ate flesh from bone.
“Go to the house of Lady Nayana’s son. He isn’t home, but his woman is. I have orders from Nayana herself to interrogate the Lady,” Messiah said as if we had already made some silent plea bargain.
“What about us? What about all the witnesses?” I sputtered.
“The peasants know the story. They’re the ones who created it. One of you three must have touched a heart or two.”
Messiah
I hated extracting from women. Not that I wouldn’t do it… I just needed a drink first. I sighed, took one last swig of the Cognac and headed back inside.
Chalice’s eyes were trained on me while I took the chair from my desk and placed it so that we could face one another. The normally dark jewels were now black. She despised me right now, and she wasn’t wasting the pretense to hide it.
Her fingers were tightly laced in her lap. Her legs were crossed and the top one twitched with what I knew to be bottled emotion. She was biding her time, I could see it all over her face. She wasn’t as used to this game as I was.
“I’m sorry I hit you…” I began, only to stop when I saw the smile waiting in her eyes. Damn it. Why didn’t any of them understand? It would kill me to have to execute a woman. But to execute one that I loved? It had killed me to see it… I knew they would have to kill me, I could never. Not Chalice.
“No. You know what… I’m not sorry. Do you want to know why…”? My eyes narrowed dangerously, only to slowly open as I found my senses a split second later. “You do know why.” I sighed, plunking my weight down onto the chair so loud it barked against the floor.
“Yes, yes. I know why. Because Atticus will be upset. Atticus might have his plans ruined. Isabella wouldn’t like it and Ender might smack somebody over it. There are a million reasons why I can’t live my—”
“Live.” I scoffed on a high-pitched laugh. “Living will be the last thing you do if—”
Ender and Keif Kanter saddled past the window, a slumped form stretched between them.
Chalice stared expectantly at me, waving her arms in a silent bid for me to finish my thought. I held a finger up and hurried for the door.
“What the fu…” Chalice began when she saw the unconscious prisoner. My finger froze on Chalice like a witching stick. She really had to work on that tongue. Keeping company with the Kantor boy wasn’t helping matters.
The guys lugged Lady Nayana’s daughter-in-law inside. Chalice, meanwhile, had darted from the chair and found a corner to hide in. It almost made me laugh; she really thought I would harm her. The wistful smile lingered, albeit ill placed, while they kicked the chair aside and secured the prisoner to the cuffs dangling from the wall. She was a short thing, her toes barely found good ground.
“Are you sure…?” Keifer began.