Page 120 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

Frantic guards paced back and forth outside the tall gates of the castle, letting Lessia and Merrick pass only after a thorough interrogation of what they had been up to.

Lessia mumbled something about drinking in a tavern, squaring her shoulders and keeping her face impassive as the guards’ brows rose upon noting her blue lips and pale complexion.

But when Merrick backed her up, stepping in close, they averted their eyes, a shiver running through the nearest one as he gestured for them to walk through.

Still, eyes burned into her back as they walked the footworn stone path to the large double doors.

Merrick opened them for her, and when she stepped over the threshold, she nearly walked right into a bloodied Zaddock. His eyes flew to hers, immediately narrowing, and he blocked her path as she tried to take another step inside.

Her gaze snagged on the bloody trail that snaked downhis face from his temple, then moved to his heaving chest. “Are you all right?”

“Where have you been?” Zaddock’s nostrils flared as his eyes sliced between her and Merrick.

Forcing herself to keep his stare, she said, “I had some business to attend to.”

Brows pulling, Zaddock shifted closer. “And whatbusinesswas that?”

Lessia shrugged, casting a glance at the empty hallway behind them. “Just tavern business. You can ask Ardow when you see him next. I just left him.”

Ardow would catch on quickly if Zaddock asked.

He always did.

Her pulse quickened when Zaddock didn’t back down, his face remaining stony.

“Why don’t I believe you?” He wiped at his cheek with his dark cloak when more drops of crimson trickled down his face. “Seems a bit convenient that you storm out of our house, luring Loche to follow you back to the castle only to find you weren’t there. Instead, there was an ambush waiting for him outside your room.”

Lessia had opened her mouth to respond when Merrick placed a hand on Zaddock’s chest, easily driving him two steps back.

“I suggest you back off. My understanding is that she saved your life during the last attack. And now you’re implying she might have something to do with it?” Merrick snarled.

The two males glared at each other, and Lessia imagined the chilling glint in Zaddock’s eyes was mirrored in Merrick’s.

Pulling at the Fae’s cloak to get him to step back—without any success—she cleared her throat. “We’re on thesame side. There is no point in fighting each other when we should find out why Stellia and her men are doing this.”

“She’s half-right, you know,” Loche drawled as he limped into the room, his black jacket and breeches ripped and blood marring his face from a split brow.

Something stirred in Lessia’s chest as he came closer, and she clenched her hands when a whisper of fury danced over her skin. Even if his usual smirk graced his face, shadows clouded his eyes when they met hers.

“What do you mean?” Merrick growled with eyes still fixed on Zaddock.

“We’re on the same side. But Stellia is dead. She is not the one doing this.” Loche grimaced as he shifted his weight to his right foot.

Lessia’s mouth fell open.

“What?” she whispered.

A frown formed between Loche’s brows as he trailed his gaze over her, from her snow-covered leather boots to her still-clenched fists, slowly lifting it to meet her eyes.

Hesitating for a moment, he seemed to be debating with himself but finally set his jaw. “You’ll find out soon enough anyway. Frayson is calling a meeting with all nominees any minute now.”

“Loche—”

Loche’s eyes left hers to bore into Zaddock’s, and his guard’s lips tightened into a thin line when Loche glared at him.

Moving to lean against one of the white pillars in the foyer, Loche turned to her once more, ignoring Merrick as he stepped up right behind her.

“My men found parts of Stellia’s ship floating around one of the small islands just across our borders. When they ventured onto land, her body was the firstone they found. Most of her company was found dead with her. They’d fought hard—there was too much blood for it to have come from just her soldiers. But whoever they fought cleaned up after themselves.”

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