Page 30 of Given

“You judge me for taking pleasure where I can find it when you’ve been fucking the king for years.”

Fury vibrated inside me like a string plucked on a lute. I wasn’t a fool. I knew all of Nor Doru was aware of the nature of my relationship with Laurent. But it had been a long time since anyone dared to throw it in my face.

“Watch your mouth, Evelina.”

She tilted her head. “He has the Sithistran princess now. I saw him escort her to his chamber. That must be disappointing for you, Brother. But take heart. He still has a use for you. She might be able to give him what you can’t in bed, but she could never command his army.”

My temper snapped. I raised my hand but caught myself just before I let the blow fly.

She stood her ground, her eyes blazing with challenge. “Go ahead. Father never hesitated.”

All the air left my lungs. My hand dropped to my side. For a second, I stood numbly as the weight of her words settled over me. I didn’t want to believe them. I couldn’t. But the truth was in her gaze. “I thought…” My voice was so hoarse I had to clear my throat. “It was supposed to be me. Only me.”

Her smile was bitter. “Well, you didn’t come home much after you were knighted. He had to find another outlet for his anger.”

I swallowed thickly. The fire in the brazier popped—a delayed crescendo to our argument. “You never said anything. You should have told me.”

She hugged her middle. “No, I shouldn’t have. You would have tried to kill him, and he would have killed you.”

We fell silent. I wanted to argue, but she was right. I’d never been a match for our father—until I was, and then fate and circumstance had robbed me of the chance to settle the score between us.

She looked at the ground. “He died badly. It’s a small consolation, but it’s something.”

“Lina…”

“I’m going to bed.” She took a swift step backward. “I can make my own way there. Good night, Varick. And…I’m sorry about Laurent. I know you care for him.” She was gone before I could think of anything appropriate to say. Not that there was anything I could say to right all that was wrong between us.

And now I knew just how deeply I’d failed her. My whole life, the only useful thing I’d done was keep others safe. But as it turned out, I hadn’t even done that. Not for her, anyway. My own blood. The only member of my family I’d ever given a fuck about. I’d told myself I was being indulgent by allowing her a lengthy betrothal—by letting her dally at court. But really I’d just wanted to wash my hands of her so I could focus on my own life. She hadn’t needed parties and palaces. She’d needed me.

A shuffling sound interrupted my spiral of regret.

I snapped to instant attention, all thoughts of Evelina fleeing my head. Slowly, I drew my dagger.

The sound didn’t come again, but I didn’t need it to. Ten generations of predators surged through my veins as I strode to the privy set in an alcove. I wrenched the door open and seized the man inside. In a blur of movement, I slammed him against the wall and put my blade across his throat.

The little shit from the Brotherhood blinked at me with wide blue eyes.

I bared my fangs a hair’s breadth from his face. “Get an earful?”

“I-I wasn’t eavesdropping!” His heart pounded so hard I thought he might expire on the spot. He whimpered. “Please, I swear it. Holy fu— Lord, you’re big.” He squeezed his eyes shut, as if he thought that might make me disappear.

I pressed the blade harder against his throat, drawing a trickle of blood. “How convenient for Sithistra to have one of its spies show up the same day as the princess.”

“I’m not a spy! Please. I’m not even Sithistran.”

He told the truth about that, at least. His blood held a whiff of magic—the pure, sizzling air that comes after a lightning strike. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to distinguish him from humans who lived south of the Rift.

“Wesyfedd,” I said. “You’re lucky.”

“L-Lucky?”

“I already fed this night. Otherwise, I’d drain you dry,” I lied. “Your people make for good eating.” The only thing that kept Wesyfedd independent was its geography. The territory nestled between the Thicket and Nor Doru. Its border of craggy mountains kept the Deepnight at bay and allowed humans to thrive there. The land was also honeycombed with caves, which gave the Wesyfeddans their real strategic advantage. They didn’t have an army and they didn’t need one. Their smugglers were formidable fighters when they were on their own turf. Knights in armor ended up trapped like rats in those caves.

But when Wesyfeddans ventured outside their lands…well, they were a rare delicacy.

The brother’s gaze fixed on my fangs. Another whimper escaped him.

I shoved him harder against the wall. “What does the Brotherhood want with Nor Doru?”

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