Page 31 of Lera of Lunos
A thread of relief ran through River despite his racing pulse—at least Jawrar was no longer in Lunos, just as Autumn had predicted. If Griorgi was telling the truth about the emperor’s departure.
River’s heart tightened with another thousand questions he wanted to ask now that the crossbow sat inside his pocket, the poisonous dart aimed at Griorgi’s chest. He’d thought it would be easy to pull the trigger, had dreamt of doing so countless times since his mother’s murder. But now that the moment was here . . . to snuff out his own father’s life. He swallowed. Steeled himself.
“Why work with Jawrar?” River asked. “Why not—” He squeezed the trigger.
22
River
The small dart ripped cleanly through the cloth of River’s trousers, speeding straight at Griorgi. River hadn’t gotten fancy, had fired in the middle of his own question, when the bastard would be least expecting the assault. And he’d aimed for the king’s center mass. This was not time for a show. It little mattered where the dart hit—the poison would spread quickly enough.
His body tensed, waiting for the soft slither of needle into flesh. The hiss of surprise.
Clink.
A melodic ring along the floor froze River’s blood.There should be no ringing, his mind insisted numbly. Aswooshperhaps. Maybe a grunt of pain. Or a cry of shock. Not the ringing of metal on marble. River was three paces away. Griorgi could never have gotten a shield up, not at this small distance with no hint of warning. It was impossible.
And yet... yet there was the dart, rolling innocuously across the marble floor.
Silence as thick as the Gloom settled over the throne room, until a deep, booming laugh shattered it into a million shards.
“Oh, River, you truly are still a colt.” Griorgi adjusted his vine-like vambrace, the deeply inlaid rubies now glistening with mercurial blood. “Mors magic. A present from Jawrar.” Griorgi waved his hand in dismissal of River’s confusion. “This pretty piece of bloodwork is an armor of sorts, reacting without need for direction from the wearer to shield against physical assault. Takes a bit of practice to use, but quite worth the investment. The qoru find it useful when herding their livestock. The bucks, especially, can be unpredictable.”
River’s mouth was dry, his heart beating so fiercely against his ribs that it was a wonder the bone didn’t crack. “A useful trinket,” he said, his mind racing for the next step and conjuring nothing better than stalling. Autumn’s static shield ward was working well, as of yesterday, and she would likely bring the amulet with the inscribed rune once she heard Coal’s summons. River pointed toward the vambrace with his chin. “Where might I get one?”
Griorgi laughed again. “I’d get you one at the next opportunity, though the cost of keeping it charged might turn your stomach. Not everyone who likes meat can slaughter the animals, and you are much too dainty for such things.”
“I might be persuaded to change my mind,” River said, releasing a small breath as one of the side doors opened to reveal Coal, Tye, and Shade—the latter bloody and swaying on his feet. River pushed his worries aside for later. If the males were here, it meant Autumn likely had her shield in place, ready to keep Griorgi from getting away no matter what happened.
“I’m glad you see it that way.” Ignoring Coal and the others, the king pulled a set of bracelets from the inside of his tunic. The design somewhat echoed the vambrace he wore, though the metal was dull and, in place of rubies, held a line of stones so dark they swallowed the light.
Just like that shield Emperor Jawrar had erected to protect against River’s attack.
“Put these on.” Griorgi tossed the cuffs to River, who caught them on instinct.
At once, bile rose into his throat, the corruption and wrongness of the things twisting his magic.
Griorgi held up a hand, his eyes suddenly as dark as the obsidian stones. “There is something I’d like you to see, River—before you do something unwise. Wait here.” Rising from his throne, Griorgi stepped into the Gloom, the air about him rippling as he disappeared. Two heartbeats later, the male was back.
And he had Leralynn with him.
River froze.
From the girl’s wet hair and robe, he guessed Griorgi had snatched her right as she was finishing a bath. Writhing against Griorgi’s grip on the back of her neck, Leralynn curled in on herself, her right eye swollen shut, the left hooded with deep bruising. A gag in her mouth prevented speech—but didn’t mask the sounds of fury and horror in her throat.
Terror filled River, each muscle in his body tightening with the need to fight. To kill. He didn’t notice rising or filling himself with all his magic until he had already done it. Knew his quint brothers were doing the same on the edge of the room. One more breath and River would bring down the whole damn palace. Half the kingdom. Anything.
“Stop.” Griorgi shoved Leralynn to her knees, exposing the girl’s neck—a collar of darkness encircled her throat. A leash running from the collar was looped around Griorgi’s wrist. “Coal can explain the details of this little tool to you, I’m sure, but in short—”
Leralynn jerked, her hands clawing at her throat.
“Won’t help, luv,” Griorgi told the girl, his voice filled with perverted sympathy. “Only River’s obedience can help you now, I’m afraid.” He gestured at the bracelets in River’s grip.
Leralynn shook her head, her one good eye flashing in defiance.No. Don’t.
Nausea rolled through River, his pounding heart stilling as Leralynn’s lips darkened from a healthy pink to a deadly, airless blue. Another moment and the bastard would kill her by accident.
“Stop.” River held up the bracelets. Whatever the corrupt things did, they would do it to him, not Leralynn. That itself was better. “Let her go and I’ll do as you say.”
