Heartless Hunter (Crimson Moth, #1) (82)

Not wanting to spark panic among the gentlemen here, he decided to leave a message with Alex’s manservant, warning him about Cressida’s return.

“One more round,” said Alex.

Gideon tipped his money pouch upside down to show he wasn’t lying.

“Surely you have something else you can bet with.”

“I once bet my silk handkerchief,” offered Bart. Which might have been helpful, if Gideon owned a silk handkerchief.

He was about to say as much when Alex pressed him. “Empty your pockets.”

Gideon raised his eyebrows but did as his brother requested. Reaching into both trouser pockets, he pulled out their contents: a folding knife; a crumpled message from Harrow about their meeting tomorrow night; and his prison access coin for bringing witches past the seventh gate.

“That,” said Alex, pointing to the coin, “will do.”

Gideon shook his head. “It’s not currency.” Not the kind that was valuable to these gentlemen. “It’s worthless to you.”

“It’s silver, isn’t it? Silver can be melted down.”

“I need it to enter the prison,” said Gideon, already returning everything to his pockets.

“You can get a new one, can’t you? Besides, don’t the prison staff know who you are by now?”

“Sure. Except—”

“Just one more round,” said Alex. As if he truly wanted his brother to stay. “For me.”

Gideon remembered their fight in the boxing ring. He remembered daring Rune to strip down naked and swim in the sea with him, even though he knew how Alex adored her. He remembered kissing her in the garden, his mouth and hands insistent. Then kissing her again in that alley.

The shame of it scorched him.

Gideon sat.

“One more game,” he said, tossing the prison coin into the pile of money in the center of the table. “And then I’m out.”

Fifteen minutes later, he lost that round, too. And with it, his prison clearance.

“I’ll walk you out,” said Alex, tossing the coin once and depositing it into his pocket.



* * *



IT WAS RAINING LIGHTLY by the time they left the parlor. Drops speckled the windows and plinked against the roof as the brothers strode side by side toward the front hall.

“There’s something you should know,” said Gideon, trying to ignore the lingering scent of roses in this hallway. “But until I have more information, I need you to keep it between us.”

Alex shot him a look. “All right.”

“Cressida Roseblood was at the Luminaries Dinner. It was her spell that came for Rune.”

Alex’s stride halted. Slowing, Gideon turned to find the color seeping from Alex’s face, turning his skin white as parchment.

“You’re certain?”

“We found her casting signature under a table.”

“Does Rune know?”

Gideon shook his head. “I haven’t told her yet.”

“Shouldn’t you? If Cressida—”

“I believe Rune is aware of the danger she’s in, but yes: she should know. I haven’t had the chance to—”

“I’ll tell her.” Alex ran long fingers through his hair, walking on, like he was still trying to make sense of what Gideon was saying. “I’ll ride to Wintersea first thing in the morning.”

“Fine,” said Gideon.

As they arrived at the entrance to Thornwood, Alex pulled open the front doors while Gideon shrugged on his coat. Rain dripped from the lintel and splashed across the slabs of stone. The sun had set a long time ago, and darkness cloaked the woods beyond the doors.

A question was burning inside Gideon. Before he stepped out into the rain, he turned to ask it. “Alex? Is there any chance Cressida wasn’t dead after you shot her?”

Alex stared at him. “I shot her three times.”

Gideon nodded. Alex hated revisiting that night. His brother didn’t have a violent urge in his body. It would have gone against everything he stood for to take a girl’s life. He’d done it for Gideon’s sake.

The bodies of all three sister queens had gone missing the next morning. Defiled, Gideon had always suspected. But if Cressida was truly alive, what had happened in her bedchamber that night? Had Alex unknowingly not finished the job, or was some dark magic at play? There were stories of witches in the past powerful enough to raise the dead, but Gideon had always assumed those were tales witches used to frighten people into obedience.

He wondered now if they were true.

“Never mind.” He put a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It might not be her. It could be another witch imper sonating Cressida. Either way, we’ll catch her. And this time, I’ll finish the job myself.”

Alex only nodded, saying nothing. Feeling like he’d ruined his brother’s night, Gideon dropped his hand and changed the subject.

“When do you leave for Caelis?”

“Four days from now.”

So soon? thought Gideon, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Will you come to see me off?”

“Of course.” Gideon turned to leave, thought better of it, then pulled his little brother into a tight hug. “I’ll miss you.”