Page 154 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

She did know more than she let on.

But the blood oath wouldn’t allow her to tell him, invisible fingers wrapping around her throat even at the thought of trying.

Loche reached out for her and pulled her onto his lap.

Nestling his face into her neck, he spoke softly. “We need to return immediately. They’ve decided to speed everything up again. The Fae delegation is coming tomorrow already, and the votes will be counted the day after that.”

An icy hand squeezed her heart at the thought of the Fae.

But King Rioner wouldn’t send his best men.

Not for mere humans.

Drawing a shaky breath, she nodded. “At least it’ll be over soon.”

Loche tensed beneath her. “They’ll make you go through the last ordeal today, Lessia.”

“What do you mean? How do you know?” She pulled back to look at him.

His eyes bounced between hers, then moved to the still-sleeping guard beside them. “He came to bring you back.”

Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to pull air into her lungs.

It was fine.

She’d managed the other ones.

One last trial before she got her freedom back.

“What about you? And Craven?”

Loche’s arms wrapped around her, one of his hands stroking her back. “I’ve already gone through mine.”

She didn’t like the look in his eyes.

Not one bit.

And when the scent of sorrow washed over her, she swallowed audibly.

“What was it?” She forced the words out—wasn’t sure she really wanted the answer.

“A deep loss. One I’ll live with for the rest of my life.”

His head slumped forward, and Lessia’s mouth went dry at the guilt lining his shoulders.

Leaning into him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

They sat like that until the guard stirred, his mask falling over with a loud thud as he accidentally kicked it, making them both jump.

“You ready?”

The guard glared at her for a moment before shifting his gaze to Loche. His eyes trailed her arms around his neck and narrowed as he noted the conflicting feelings twisting Loche’s features.

When Loche didn’t say anything, Lessia got to her feet, making herself meet the guard’s hostile eyes. “I’m ready.”

The guard continued to glower at her the whole time they packed up their things, said goodbye to Geyia and Steiner, and started walking toward a tunnel.

Within the tunnel, wide steps snaked their way up the hill, and as Lessia took the first one, she offered Loche a small smile. “So there was another way in?”

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