Page 156 of Black Wing and Shadows
The table was still roaring with laughter, Elizabeth banging her spoon, Arkin mock-groaning about my “mysterious taste in males,” when Theodora leaned forward, her smile a little too sharp. She had been mostly quiet during dinner.
“All right,” she said, her tone casual but her blue eyes cutting straight to me. “One more question, Auri. Tell us—how does it feel to be General Blackcreek’s daughter… and know he killed the uncles of your mate?”
The laughter collapsed into silence so fast it left my ears ringing.
My chest went cold. My fork slipped against the plate with a scrape. Every sibling stared now—some curious, some guarded, some clearly enjoying the spectacle. Nikolai’s smile vanished. Eli stared at his plate in disbelief. Oliver, who had remained quiet, stared at me with pity.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Gods, how did she know that?
Before I could form a single word, Zane’s chair scraped back hard against the floor. His hand closed over mine, steady but iron-strong.
“That’s enough,” he said, his voice low, dangerous, the kind of tone that stopped even Arkin mid-breath. His eyes swept the table, dark andburning. “You’ve had your fun. You’ve got your questions. She answered more than she owed.”
He looked at his parents, his gaze sharp yet respectful. “With your permission, we’ll retire. It’s been a long journey.”
The duke inclined his head, expression unreadable. The Duchess’s smile had been faint, but I caught the approval in her eyes.
Zane hadn’t waited for further comment. He pulled me gently to my feet, his arm sliding around me as he steered me toward the doors.
Behind us, the siblings already erupted back into whispers, their voices carrying sharp undercurrents of curiosity and speculation. But I didn’t look back. Because my heart was still hammering with Theodora’s words, and my biggest fear came alive on the first day we were here. I knew I had to address this because they would wonder. There would be more questions.
The door to the dining hall closed behind us, muting the roar of voices. My lungs ached like I had held my breath the whole meal. Zane hadn’t spoken. His arm stayed around me, guiding me through a side corridor lit by flickering sconces, until we reached the quiet of his chambers. Only then did he let out a long, sharp breath, dragging a hand through his hair.
“They shouldn’t have asked that,” he said, his voice low, taut with fury. “Not like that. Not at dinner. Gods.”
I leaned back against the door, my stomach still twisted. “How could they even know? Theodora—she asked it like she was certain.”
Zane crossed the room in two strides, catching my hands in his, his eyes locking on mine. The bond pulsed hot and steady between us.
“They know things they shouldn’t. They’ve always been too sharp for their own good. But listen to me, Auri—”his grip tightened,“—you don’t owe them anything. No explanations. Not pieces of yourself. Not now. Not ever, unless you want.”
The heat in his voice startled me. He hadn’t just been protective—he was livid.
I exhaled slowly, trying to let his steadiness bleed into me. “I just don’t think learning the real truth will benefit them either. Learning one of their uncles raped someone, raped your mate.”
He hadn’t said anything, just pulled me into a hug.
“Your sister practically gutted me with one question.”
“Theodora’s blades are always sharp.” His thumb brushed over my knuckles, gentler now. “Don’t feel like you can’t throw the dagger back… metaphorically, of course.”
For a while, we just stood there, wrapped in the silence of the chamber, the fire crackling low in the hearth. His arms around me, the hum of the bond steady, the tension of the hall fading little by little.
Then—a knock at the door.
Not hurried, not soft. Deliberate.
A voice followed. “Lord Zane. The duke requests your presence. Both of you. In his study.”
My stomach plummeted.
Zane’s jaw flexed. He pressed a kiss against my temple before drawing back, his hand still in mine.
“Then we don’t keep him waiting,” he said.
Through the bond, I felt a shimmer of worry. I hadn’t thought this conversation would be happening today, but it's better to get it over with.
The duke’s study had been all dark wood and heavy velvet curtains, the fire snapping low in the hearth. I braced myself for cold silence, for his pale stare.
