Page 66 of Lady of the Lake

“Wrythe set this all up,” I say. “I’m sure of it. He wanted the targeted assassination to fail so he could enact his own plan. And knowing him, it’s probably going to be monstrous.”

“It doesn’t matter what we think, Nia. Or what your best guess is. Our job is to follow orders, and our orders are clear: get back to Avalon Tower. Every minute we stay here is a chance of being discovered. I’ve already stuck around an extra day for you. I can’t linger any longer.”

“Go back without me.” I hold her gaze. “But I’m not going back. I don’t trust Wrythe as far as I can throw him, and something tells me I need to stay here.”

Her cheeks flame red, and anger flashes in her eyes. “You’re going to be found out any day now. They’ll make an example of you when they catch you. If you want to risk burning alive because of your instincts, you’ve lost your fucking mind.”

Mordred’s warning rings in my thoughts.You don’t answer to fate or those idiots in Avalon Tower.

“Nivene, I will handle this in my own way. You asked me to trust Avalon Tower. I’m asking you to trust me.”

She turns, marching away from me in the snow, and my stomach twists as I watch her walk off.

Well, it’s official now. I’ve gone rogue.

CHAPTER 32

“Nia.”

My eyes snap open, and I’m instantly alert. It’s the middle of the night, and at first, I’m not sure what woke me. My ears listen for any hint of danger, and I mentally scramble to figure out the best exits and nearby weapons. I sniff for the scent of smoke in case another bomb has gone off.

“Nia.” Then I hear it again, my name in Talan’s tempting, sinful whisper.

As my eyes adjust, I see him sitting on the edge of my bed. Moonlight silvers him, and he’s watching me with a faint half smile.

“What is it?” I blurt, still trapped in the fog of sleep.

“You talk in your sleep, you know.” His deep murmur sends a warm shiver down my spine. I’m suddenly conscious that the sheets have fallen off me, and I’m wearing only a thin silk nightgown that stops at my upper thighs.

I pull the sheets up, my cheeks warming. “What did I say?”

His molten copper eyes gleam from the shadows. “Something about being breathless. You were thrashing aroundin what I can only imagine is a filthy dream about me, but I still can’t wander inside your head to see the details. Such a shame.”

Slowly, the dream returns. Talan hikes up the hem of my dress, about to fuck me hard against an oak tree…

“I wasn’t dreaming about you,” I lie. “I was dreaming about a giant moth.”

He frowns. “Now there’s a kink I hadn’t anticipated.” He cocks his head. “But itisinteresting to picture.”

I raise myself on one elbow, clearing the sleep from my thoughts. “What time is it? What are you doing in here?”

“It’s the middle of the night, about four hours until dawn. Get dressed. We’re leaving.”

I rub my eyes, desperate to curl up under the covers again. “Leaving? Why?”

“I want us to enter Lord Kahedin’s dreams as soon as possible. I might be running out of time to set my plans in motion.”

Yawning, I rise from the bed. “What do you mean, running out of time?”

“The assassination attempt has the king on edge. He launched a full investigation into the people behind it, as did I. But when he digs deeply enough, he’ll find out exactly what I’ve been up to. I might not have long until he realizes I’m trying to dethrone him.”

I swallow, my thoughts ringing with Nivene’s warnings.

Going to the wooden wardrobe tucked in one corner of my library nook, I pull it open and slip a thick, warm dress over my thin nightgown. “And how, exactly, will this plan involving Kahedin keep you safe from your father?”

“Lord Kahedin is the last member of the council I need to control. With him on my side, I will have enough power to destabilize Father’s rule.” He hands me my boots, frowning atthem. “Your left boot has faint blade marks in it. Why have you been walking around like an armed assassin?”

I snatch them from him. “Why do you think? A woman can’t be too careful these days, especially if that woman is me.” I pull my boots on, my pulse racing. “So, why do we need to go? Can’t we enter Lord Kahedin’s dreams from here?”

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