Page 155 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

He gave her a crooked smile back, but it didn’t reassure her at all.

His eyes remained hollow, with anger and something else flashing in them.

Glancing from him to the guard, she wondered whether she was missing something.

She didn’t understand the hostility radiating from the guard, nor did she understand whatever was going on in Loche’s head.

Fixing her eyes ahead, she tried to clear her mind.

Two more days.

Then she could be free.

Chapter

Sixty-Three

The ride back was quiet, and when she tried to strike up a conversation, neither Loche nor the guard answered with more than one word.

Loche’s arms held on to her as if she would disappear if he released his grip, and every so often, he’d lean in and rest his chin on her shoulder.

But she didn’t miss the way his muscles locked, the sound of his teeth grinding as he stared off into the distance.

When they finally reached the town, she was exhausted from trying to understand what was going on and from trying not to force Loche to speak to her.

As they entered the castle courtyard, more guards than she’d ever seen filled it: rows and rows of soldiers mixed in with Loche’s own masked men and some in uniforms she’d never seen before. Based on the old family crests sewn onto their jackets, she guessed they were the nobles’ own guards.

With wide eyes, she let Loche help her off Reks, and she didn’t even have time to pat him before one of Loche’s men led him off.

Merrick and Zaddock stood right outside the large double doors leading into the white castle, and her heart began pounding when the Fae immediately gripped her arm, pulling her into one of the alcoves.

“We don’t have much time.”

She’d never heard his voice like this.

It wasn’t the soft pleading she’d heard when he was injured and feared being found out for what he was.

There was real terror in it.

Merrick pulled her close, urgently whispering in her ear. “You need to remain calm. Whatever happens, remember why you are here. Two more days, Lessia.”

“Merrick…” she started, her blood rushing in her veins.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t come with you,” he interrupted. “But you need to promise me to stay calm.”

“What—”

He raised his voice. “Promise me!”

“I…”

The grip on her arm tightened.

“I promise,” she whispered.

Merrick nodded. “I’ll find you after.”

Then he stalked right up the stairs, leaving her standing there, feeling colder and more alone than she ever had before.

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