Snorting, I ran my hand over my jaw, realizing I hadn’t shaved. I squinted, dropping my hand back to the other arm of the chair. “The Duchess expects word from the capital either today or tomorrow.”
“I heard.” Kieran propped a booted foot on the low table between us. “Jansen told me. I’ve also been promoted.” He gave a broad, mocking smile. “To Huntsmen.”
“I don’t think that’s considered a promotion.”
He laughed. “Neither do I, but I’ve been cleared to escort the Maiden to the capital once the time comes.”
The Maiden.
I took a drink of whiskey. The shit scorched my throat as I glanced at the bed. I didn’t see Kieran and Circe there. I saw Poppy and me. Gods, this fucking chamber.
“You know, we could already be gone.” Kieran scratched at his chest. “We should be.”
“I know, but…things got rough.”
I wasn’t sure how much Jansen had shared with Kieran, but he didn’t speak up.
“Her other guard? Vikter? He was like a father to her and died in front of her.” The second drink of whiskey was easier to swallow. “She sort of lost it after that. Killed an Ascended.”
“That, I hadn’t been told.” His brows rose. “Why did she do that?”
“The bastard laughed at Vikter’s death. She hacked him to pieces.” A brief smile tugged at my lips. “And I fucking mean pieces.”
“Shit,” he murmured.
“Yeah.”
Kieran was quiet as he eyed me.
Didn’t last. “And you couldn’t get her to the Grove in the days before you learned that the Crown would likely summon her back?”
“Could I?” I laughed dryly, downing the rest of the liquor. “She was self-medicating, and before you think that would’ve made it easier, she wasn’t eating or drinking. Having her weak for the kind of journey we have to take her on wouldn’t be good.”
I set the glass aside. “But here we are now, given a boon, have we not?”
“I suppose that’s one way of looking at it, but yes. Now, we have permission. That means we can get a hell of a lot farther before we raise any suspicion,” he said, fingers tapping his bent knee. “But that also means we’ll have others to deal with.”
“It does, but we can probably make it to New Haven before she ever finds out the truth,” I countered.
“Before, we’d have been fighting to keep her under control from here to there—and trust me, we want to delay that, she can kick some ass.”
“I imagine she can if she hacked an Ascended to pieces.” Kieran was still eyeing me in that fucking annoyingly astute way of his. The tapping of his fingers halted, and I tensed.
“You’re acting weird, just so you know.”
I started to deny it, but what was the point? My head was a fucking mess. I flicked my gaze to the rafters in the ceiling. “She’s survived some horrible shit and has the scars and strength to prove it. She’s brave, Kieran. Passionate. Hungry for life and experience.” My jaw worked.
“She’s fierce, even a little vicious when provoked.” I paused. “Or a lot vicious. You were right when you said we’d underestimated her. She’s nothing like we expected.”
“Sounds like I’ll like her.”
“You will.” I smiled at that.
“She doesn’t know the truth about the Ascended, but I know she doesn’t agree with a lot of the practices, especially regarding the Rites, and even her position among them. She doesn’t understand why she’s Chosen, and I know…” I worked my neck from side to side. “I know that if she had a choice, she wouldn’t have picked the life of the Maiden.”
“You sure about that?”
“Positive.” I exhaled roughly.
“And even though we still don’t know why she’s Chosen or what role she plays in the whole Ascension, it’s safe to assume it’s going to be some fucked-up shit.”
“No doubt.” He reached for the decanter and poured himself a drink. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking she…she doesn’t deserve whatever the fuck they have planned for her.
She deserves a chance to have a life,” I said.
“Well, if the plans haven’t changed, Cas,” he said, and my gaze shot to his. “Then what does all of that mean?”
“Nothing.” I laughed, but the sound was without humor. “It means nothing at the end of the day.”
Kieran shook his head. “You sure about that?”
Absolutely not. It meant that Poppy deserved a future, one that allowed her to live, but that wasn’t something I would involve Kieran in.
So, I lied. “Yes.”
THIS IS PROGRESS
I waited until
the Duchess’s guard left the hall outside Poppy’s room before I approached her door.
Reaching for the handle, I stopped. I doubted I was interrupting anything. Poppy was likely sitting by the window. That was all she’d been doing since she left her chambers in the middle of the night to seek revenge.
Poppy had grown even quieter than usual, more withdrawn. The jut of her chin more stubborn. Not once since I’d seen her awake had she cried or had her eyes even looked glassy. At first, I thought that was good.
But now?
I didn’t think so.
The gods knew I was no expert when it came to dealing with one’s emotions—obviously—but she’d lost someone important to her. That pain didn’t go away simply upon waking.
Knocking on the door, I gave it a moment and then entered. Poppy was by the window as I expected, but as I stood there, taking in her tired eyes and paler-than-normal skin tone, something occurred to me.
She hadn’t donned that damn veil in the days since she woke.
Poppy’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
I crossed my arms. “Nothing.”
“Then why are you here?”
Her churlishness threatened to bring a smile to my face. One that would likely irritate her further. “Do I need a reason?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t.” I had a reason to be in her chambers this time; however, she was actually speaking instead of staring at me silently.
“Are you just checking to make sure I haven’t figured a way out of the room?”
“I know you can’t get out of this room, Princess.”
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.
I fought a grin but welcomed the anger over the silence. “I’m going to take a second to remind myself that this is progress.”
Poppy frowned. “Progress with what?”
“With you,” I told her. “You’re not being very nice, but at least you’re talking. That’s progress.”
“I’m not being mean,” she shot back. “I just don’t like to be called that.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Whatever.” Poppy looked away, squirming a little on the stone ledge.
I watched her as she stared down at her hands, the tension seeping from her rigid shoulders. I quietly moved closer. She looked…I wasn’t sure. A little lost? Or maybe stuck between anger and grief. I knew that feeling.