Page 134 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

“Lift your arms,” she ordered.

Merrick hesitated for a moment but finally raised his arms over her head.

“Good male,” she joked as she pulled the tunic off. “Now—”

Lessia sucked in a sharp breath.

A silver snake tattoo twisted around Merrick’s forearm, coiling its way up his large bicep, the dark eyes of the snake glaring right at her.

“You’re—you’re—” she stuttered.

His head fell to his chest.

Merrick was blood-sworn to the king.

Lessia stared at the tattoo, and couldn’t help but trace it with her finger.

It was identical to hers, with the same twists and turns, a vicious reminder that the king had them in his grasp.

The mark of a Fae traitor.

But Merrick had been in the king’s service for centuries. Surely he couldn’t…

“How long?” she whispered.

His head tilted slightly, but no words left his lips.

As no words would have left Lessia’s lips if she’d been asked the same question.

“The entire time?” She almost didn’t want the answer.

But the small twitch of his jaw told her everything she needed to know.

“Oh, Merrick,” she whispered as she moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight.

He stiffened at first but then leaned into her embrace, his heart hammering in sync with hers as the air turned thick with grief.

No wonder he understood her so well.

He was living the same life.

Had been living it for hundreds of years.

They sat like that, quiet and holding on to each other for a long time.

It was only when Lessia remembered his wound that she got up and cleared her throat. “I will get some water and cloths to clean you up.”

With heavy steps, she made her way to the bathing chamber, where she picked up a bucket already filled with water and a soft cloth hanging off the side of the bath. As she made to walk out, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and winced at the paleness of her face.

Staring into the lifeless amber eyes, she ground her teeth.

She should have figured it out.

The fact that Merrick not once had mistakenly looked into her eyes was surely a result of King Rioner’s orders. His insinuations about the evil men in Vastala. His attempt at protecting her from the king by choosing his words so carefully.

She dragged a hand through her damp hair, her finger getting stuck where the tips had frozen fromthe chill wind.

How had he ended up like this?

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