Page 65 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

He was dressed in human clothing: black leather breeches, a deep green tunic that offset his moon-colored hair, and an even darker green cloak with a delicate golden clasp resting over his chest.

When he didn’t say anything, she raised her brows. “What time is it? And since when do you knock?”

His sharp canines glinted in the light of the lanterns when his lips curled back. “It’s midnight. I won’t force you to train tomorrow; you need to regain some strength first, but Frayson informed us that the council is due to arrive the day after tomorrow. There will be a debate and some kind of social gathering. You need to be prepared.”

Her stomach dropped.

“I thought he said we would have time to recover?”

Two days were nothing.

By that time, she’d probably not even be able to eat a normal portion of food.

Merrick shrugged. “Apparently, they decided to come early. I have something to attend to tomorrow, so stay out of trouble, as I won’t be around. You should rest. Make sure you can play the part convincingly.”

With that, he opened the door again, but Lessia called out before it closed. “Wait! Did… did you help me to bed?”

His back stiffened, but his head tilted ever so slightly before he slammed the door shut behind him.

Lessia stared at the closed door for a moment, her hands gripping the sheets.

Then she forced herself out of bed, grateful that her legs kept her standing.

If she was to meet the council, she needed to see some friendly faces first.

After getting dressed in her usual black tunic, leathers, and black cloak, albeit painstakingly slowly, she opened the creaking door to her room and walked into the corridor.

As before the weeks in the cabin, guards stood every few feet of it, and she nodded to them as she walked by.

Lessia had to grip the railing tightly when she made her way down the stairs, one excruciatingly slow step at a time.

No one stopped her as she grabbed a small lantern and walked out of the double doors, and she drew a deep breath of the chill winter night as she made her way out of the courtyard.

It took her twice as long as it had last time to make her way to the warehouse, as she had to stop several times, leaning against the sides of buildings to catch her breath andmake sure the black spots dancing before her eyes didn’t take over.

The door was locked when she reached it, and when no one answered her soft knock, she cursed her decision not to bring a key.

Knocking harder, she held her breath until steps sounded. From the staircase, if her hearing hadn’t gone with her energy.

Amalise’s eyes were wild when she opened the door a fraction, her blues slamming into Lessia’s before they rounded, and the door flew wide.

“Lia! I’ve been so worried!”

Lessia let her friend drag her into the warmth, laughing softly when Amalise pulled her into a crushing embrace.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered into Amalise’s blonde hair, gripping her with all the strength she had left. “We were in the woods. I had no way of letting you know.”

Amalise pulled back, her eyes sweeping over her. “Ardow told me. You look like death, Lia. They truly didn’t give you any food?”

Shaking her head, Lessia forced a smile. “It was fine. Nothing I haven’t been through before.”

But Amalise’s sharp eyes homed in on her neck, the ocean blue shifting into midnight. “What is that?”

Before Lessia could stop her, Amalise dragged her tunic to the side, her teeth slamming together as she hissed, “Why do you have a wound here? Did someone hurt you?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Lessia shrugged. “You know people aren’t happy I’m participating. And can you blame them? Your family lost everything in the war, and while the Fae didn’t instigate it, they caused a lot of damage that hasn’t been forgotten.”

Amalise clenched her hands into fists. “They can’t blame you for that. You weren’t even born! And they always seem to forget you’re half-human as well.”

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