Page 35 of Lifeblood

“I am sure.” Tristan held his arm out to me as Lance had before. “Let me escort you back to your chambers.”

And he did. But it didn’t stop me from wondering why he was hesitant about Gareth.

That was when I remembered how much rage had been in Gareth’s eyes at the Shard. And how thin a line existed between lust and hate.

CHAPTER14

Iwasn’t sure when I’d fallen asleep, only that I had done so quickly. Maybe it was the comforting way Tristan had returned me to my quarters, caring only for how exhausted I was. Or maybe it was the plush bed more comfortable than anything I’d ever slept in before. But sleep came, and I fell into it hard.

Which was why when a gentle nudging on my arm stirred me from it, I nearly leaped out of my skin. As if my mind had suddenly remembered the events of the last few days and, devoid of logic until awake, immediately assumed danger in the demon kings’ castle.

“Easy,” someone said as she laughed. Female.Hurry, brain—Maria.Maria?

I blinked through the heavy fog still clouding my mind. Maria was beside me. Holding my arm. Smiling. Happy Maria.SafeMaria. “Maria?”

Her smile widened, reaching her brown eyes and lighting them up with joy. “Oh, good. You haven’t yet been soravishedby these men that you’ve forgotten your best friend.” She’d said “ravished” with some pronounced accent which absolutely did not fit with how we would’ve talked about the demon kings prior to this wife lottery.

I grabbed her arms as panic swept through me. “You’re here.”

“Yes, Ava,” she said, her eyes wide as she nodded. Like I was being unreasonable. “I am. Calm down, please.”

My mind must have been struggling to catch up. “You’re not supposed to be. You’resupposedto be safe. At home. Untouched by the Demon Courts.”

She held my face in her hands and spoke slowly. “I am safe. I am not here because I’m to be one of their wives. I’m here because the King of the Court of Brimstone thought you might want reassurance of my safety.”

Which made about as much sense as a dog riding a unicycle. “Gareth. Brought you here. Because he wanted to reassure me?” I said each phrase slowly, more for my benefit than hers. “It’s notsafehere, Maria. You need to go home.”

I pushed her a little out of the way so I could swing my legs off the bed. I was still in the pink dress I’d worn yesterday to meet Lance for lunch. A quick peek out the window showed the sun high in the sky once again. I’d been asleep since before sunset yesterday.

My mind raced. I rushed to the door to find it locked from the outside, so I spun to face Maria. “There have been attacks by other Demon Courts. I don’t understand why they’d bring you here when it’s not safe, regardless of what Gareth thinks I need.”

And that really was the hardest part to understand becauseGarethwouldn’t do something nice forme. As far as I knew, he still hated me, even if our mate bond wanted us to connect and never let go.

Maria raised her hands before her as though she were approaching someone irrational. Maybe I was. But I’d revealed myself to save her, to keep her from coming to this very palace, so to see her here in this context…

I closed my eyes and forced some deep breaths into my lungs. Only then did Maria approach me.

“The attacks are part of the reason I’m here, too,” she said as she glanced me over. She probably also hadn’t fully believed that I’d be safe here. “Someone came knocking on our door. A bunch of someones, actually.”

My eyes narrowed. “What? Are you okay? Your mom and sister?”

Maria reached for my hand. I let her and clasped hers in both of mine. “Yes, we’re fine. They wanted information on you, but obviously, you weren’t there. But the police must have been onto them or prepared because they were there to stop it. Nothing crazy happened. But then some demon soldiers from the Court of Brimstone came and escorted us out of London.”

Again, here Maria was saying Gareth and his people were doing nice things for me after I’d stolen from him. Lied to him. Nearly blinded him. And then agreed to share this mate bond with all four of the demon kings instead of just theonewho’d found me first.

“Your mother and sister are here, too?” I asked.

Maria shook her head, sending her brown hair cascading. “No. In another castle in the Court of Brimstone. I think I’m bring brought there too after this.”

Which explained bringing her here at all. Obviously, it wasn’t safe. And I’d definitely be angry if Gareth had brought her here knowing that, which wouldn’t help our relationship at all.

This made sense.

I took another deep breath—a relieved one—then wrapped my arms around my best friend. “Oh, Maria.”

She hugged me back, tight and fierce. I wasn’t sure who’d be the first to let go. “I know. Thank you, Ava. You didn’t have to do that.”

I nodded into her shoulder as tears pricked my eyes. “I did. I should have long ago. I’m—I’m sorry for never telling you the truth about me.”

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