Page 18 of Wicked Thirst
Anger and sadness warred within me. How could he never tell me about this? How was I just finding out right now that he was cursed? And why did I know that this was somehow my fault? “How do we fix it? How do we break it?”
Atlas scoffed. “You think we haven’t tried to break the curse? Perhaps you think us sitting idle, watching the members of this house perish each time the curse befalls one of us?”
Perish? No, I refused to believe this was how Grayson and I ended. “I didn’t mean?—”
“—There is no fixing it.” Titus’ words were low and seething.
I wanted to scream that there had to be a way. Grayson was the life of us all. We couldn’t give up on him this quickly.
Titus didn’t look at me. He just turned to Atlas. “Find him and bring him home. Now.”
Atlas said nothing. His silence sent a shiver down my spine. It made me uncomfortable, but I couldn’t put my finger on why.
“I’m going too,” I said. “He spoke to me. I can get through to him. I know I can.”
“My dear, that belief will only break your heart in the end.” Moira pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, and it looked like it pained her to just speak, as though she was already grieving him. “There is no happily ever after. Only sadness lies ahead.”
I shook my head. Fuck that. “I won’t give up on him.”
He was my soulmate, my love, the love I’d been waiting for all my life. I was sure as hell going to kick his ass for keeping this secret from me once we broke whatever the hell curse this was. Moira could only look at me like her whole world ended.
“Then bring him home where we can keep him contained,” she said sadly.
“I’ll see to it.” Atlas gave a single nod, and I felt something seethe under the surface of his words. He didn’t look at either of them, didn’t give Titus his unwavering bow as he always did. Something was off.
“As will I.” Grayson was my soulmate. I would make sure he came home and we would fix this.
“I do not need your help. You’ve done enough,” Atlas snapped.
“Take her,” Titus commanded.
“Your majesty . . .” he tried to argue, but Titus silenced him with a single look.
“Do not question me. I have not the time nor energy to settle petty squabbles. Bring me my nephew. See it done or I will appoint someone else.”
“Your majesty, I have one more concern.” Now didn’t feel like the right time but would there ever be a right time to bring this up?
He waved me on. “Yes.”
“My friend, Sanchita?—”
“—Now is not the time for this,” Atlas snapped, interrupting me.
“Let her speak.” Titus silenced him with a single look.
I sighed. “I don’t want to bring this up now, of course, but she’s being held in the dungeon and she shouldn’t be there.”
“She was found in the tunnels in the wake of Marius. Of course she should be there,” Atlas growled.
“Your Highness, if you knew her like I did, you’d know she would never go against you. She must’ve gotten caught up in the wave of people running. It was chaos. I swear, you have my word that she is innocent.”
“As if he doesn’t have enough to contend with right in this moment?” The venom in Atlas’ voice was unmistakable. I’d never seen him so on edge before.
“Perhaps you will let me decide,” Titus rumbled. “I will look into your friend, Piper.”
“Thank you so much.” It was one less thing I had to worry about.
Atlas’ jaw dropped. “My lord, I can assure you?—”
