Page 93 of Deadly Alliances

Arya

My fingertips roamed Alex’s ribs like spider legs, digging in every now and then to throw him into a fit of helpless giggles. His laughter rang like wind chimes. It was fast becoming my favorite sound in the world, and I had no intention of relenting any time soon.

Agnes, who had just entered Alex’s room and now stood in the doorway, cleared her throat loudly. I was sure that if I looked up, I’d see a disapproving frown wrinkling the woman’s shrew face. God forbid Alex should have any fun.

“Arya, your father wants to see you in the Conference Room,” Agnes said when I didn’t acknowledge her presence.

My fingers stopped their siege on Alex’s abdomen, my eyes staring blankly at his black tufts of hair that had been disheveled by his rolling on the floor.

Hadrian rarely called for me. When he wanted to talk with me, he always came to me in person. This didn’t bode well. Something was up. Did he know about my and Shea’s plans?

“Best not keep him waiting,” Agnes said, snapping me out of my pause. “And Alex, you have a chess game in ten minutes.”

I stood and pulled Alex to his feet. “I’ll see you at dinner,” I told him, hoping it was true. Then, before I left the room, I called back, “Have fun playingchess.” I made a funny face as I said the last word.

Alex smirked and waved goodbye, and I left the room, my blood a crescendo in my ears as I headed for the main floor withmy guards in tow. A million paranoidwhat ifsflitted through my mind as I traipsed down the stairs, my guards following close behind. For all my former arrogance over being Hadrian’s daughter, I suddenly wasn’t so sure that I mattered anymore to him than a fly on the wall. If he knew what I was planning, I wouldn’t be safe from his wrath.

But I couldn’t let myself get too worked up. This meeting could be about something completely innocent, and if I came to him with a racing pulse, he’d get suspicious—if he wasn’t already. I had to be calm. I had to behave as if there was no reason for suspicion.

I took a deep, soothing breath as I approached the Conference Room so that by the time I reached the door, my heart rate had returned to normal.

I opened the door and entered. Hadrian sat in the same seat as yesterday when I’d come to beseech him on Tobias’s behalf, and when he saw me, he smiled and opened his hand toward the empty seat. I came forward and lowered myself into the chair, all the while analyzing his blank expression as he looked at me.

“I noticed you weren’t at the party last night,” he said, leaning forward and steepling his hands in front of him. “You missed the celebration of my transformation into a daywalker. And here I thought we were growing close.”

Of course, he’d notice that I wasn’t there. I had felt particularly festive after hearing him torture my mate.

“What else was so important that you had to miss such a momentous historical event?” One of his perfectly arched eyebrows raised, and I could hear the edge of imminent accusation in his tone.

“I was upset over your decision about Tobias,” I said with asmooth voice. “I needed time to process.” I chose my words carefully. None of what I said was a lie, and if I didn’t lie, my pulse wouldn’t jump.

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”

My breath caught in my throat. “What?” I managed to ask without stuttering.

“Answer the question, Arya. Do you think I’m an idiot?”

I think you’re a lot of things, but you’re definitely not an idiot.I shook my head.

“I thought I smelled you down there, but I told myself it was just your scent clinging to my clothes.”

My mind flashed back to that moment in the dungeon when Hadrian stopped right next to where I was hiding. He had known I was there.Shit!

“You went to see him right after I gave you my decision. For what purpose, Arya?” His eyes began to glow red, and I couldn’t bear to look at them. In that moment, he was terrifying.

“For what purpose?” he yelled, making me jump. I’d never heard him raise his voice before—he was scary enough without needing to.

“I needed to warn him that worse punishment was coming,” I confessed. “I needed him to know that I had at least tried.” Again, not a lie. I hadn’t gone down to the dungeon with the intention of getting Tobias out and going with him. No, I’d made that decision after.

“You love him, don’t you?” Hadrian accused.

My eyes darted to his, the question catching me off guard. I didn’t know how to answer that. Not to Hadrian or to myself.

“You’re a fool,” he sneered. “Have you not seen the way he clings to that dragon girl that came with him? He’s obviously gotten over you and moved on.”

His words were meant to cut me, to slice me up, and I couldn’t deny the sting they inflicted. Even with what I now knew about Tobias’s true feelings, it wasn’t easy to see another girl so close to him.

“You’re a Denholm,” he snapped. “You’remy daughter.You don’t pine over someone who clearly doesn’t want you.”

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