Page 64 of Sanctifier

Hugon’s gaze bored into hers, his blue eyes mirrors of sapphire. “My lady is capable of more than you know.”

Ru peered back at him, trying to see the truth in his eyes. But his walls were solidly back in place. “Is she hurting you?” she asked, taking a small step toward Hugon. “Coercing you, using her powers to manipulate—”

“You overstep your bounds,” Lord D’Luc interrupted, his voice cold. “You needn’t ask these mawkish questions. There is but one thing I need from you, Delara, and it is not your sympathy or your inquisition. It is for you to do the right thing at the appointed time. That is all.”

Ru didn’t dare speak again. The ice in his eyes, the cruel glint, was too much like the Lord D’Luc she’d seen back in the Tower dungeon. A feral thing pushed to the limit.

After all, he was right — she had crossed yet another line asking those questions. She’d stopped playing the game, forgotten her role. As she remembered Hugon’s pained gaze, the vision of a man whose facade had cracked, a horrible realization hit her. Because she recognized that emotion in his eyes. She had felt it herself: the piercing ache for death.

CHAPTER 23

“Be honest,” Taryel said, “have you ever seen anything like this in your life?”

Ru took in their surroundings — a circular room with a domed glass ceiling, full to bursting with elegant smiles, courtiers in fine raiment, and footmen carrying plates of food. A harpist played an enchanting melody, while a trio of contortionists performed at the center of the room. And above it all, settled on an ornate golden perch that hung from the apex of the ceiling, was a sky mouse. At least, that was what Lord Edelliar, its keeper, had called it — some exotic mouse from the forests of southern Mekya, which he had claimed could actuallyfly. And the cause for all of this celebration, according to Lord Edelliar, was the creature’s birthday.

Had she seen anything like it in her life? Ru had to admit that she hadn’t.

“What do you think?” she said, tilting her head toward Taryel.

He glanced down at her from the corner of his eyes. “You tell me. For all I know, you’ve been hiding a menagerie of beloved sky mice in your rooms since we met.”

“And in my pockets, I suppose?”

“Maybe that’s why you’re so enamored with cinnamon buns. You take them back and feed them to your flying mice.” His expression turned to faux shock. “You don’t even like pastries at all, do you? It’s themice.”

Ru snorted, smiling despite herself. Taryel had been in charming form that day, and she was grateful for it. A heaviness had clung to her since the descent to the cavern with Lord D’Luc. While he had not made her demonstrate, had led her back up the stairs after his revelation about his past, it had felt like a punishment nonetheless. Somehow the knowledge that Hugon was tied to Lady Bellenet by the force of a hopeless love made him seem more dangerous to her, more unpredictable.

“What are you thinking about?” Taryel said, always attuned to her.

“Nothing,” Ru said, pushing the thoughts away. “Just… I have something to tell you, after the party.”

“Is it that you’re finally warming to me?”

“No.” Her mouth twisted in an attempt not to smile.

“Not even when I send you cake?”

She turned. “I haven’t received any cake.”

He grinned. “Not yet.”

“Well don’t. It would look desperate.”

Taryel only laughed, a low chuckle in his chest. Ru couldn’t help the way her traitorous body responded, the way she yearned to laugh with him, lean into him, move her hands over his velvety waistcoat, eager for the hot skin beneath.

“And now,” said Lord Edelliar’s shrill voice, startling Ru, “Dionyse Milliottia Edelliar, apple of her father’s eye, shall come and have her cake!”

The gathered partygoers cheered, watching with rapt attention as Lord Edelliar reached up with a hook at the end of a wooden pole, unfastening the door to the sky mouse’s cage.Everyone gasped as the tiny creature, its orb-like eyes shining like onyx marbles, leapt from the great height.

Ru watched, awed by the tiny thing, as it soared, all four of its tiny legs spread wide, revealing webbing between them. It drifted down to Lord Edelliar’s shoulder, gripping his silken jacket with tiny clawed feet.

“There we are, Dionyse,” crooned Lord Edelliar. “Are you ready for cake?”

A cheer erupted as a cake was wheeled into the room, a majestic thing of pink and white with edible pearls scattered across its sugary surface. The crowd shifted, and Ru reached out for Taryel’s hand, unthinking, so as not to lose him.

It occurred to her then how nice it was, not being the center of attention. She and Taryel had been invited to the party as honored guests, but the star of the show was Dionyse Milliottia Edelliar. Ru felt safe in that brief moment, allowed to be just Ru Delara, academic, amazed by a strange new animal.

“What do you think?” Taryel said, turning to Ru and smiling. “Shall we wish Dionyse a happy birthday?”

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