Page 156 of Promise of Darkness
“He is,” I whisper. “I kept his amulet. It’s in my jewelry box in Ceres.”
“What did you do with the body?”
I blink. “I think my sister buried him in the forest.” It’s exactly what Andrastewoulddo.
Baylor steps forward. “I forget how much you don’t know.” He captures my hand, and rests it against his chest. “Neither Lysander nor I can truly die, Vi. Feel my heart.”
His chest is hollow. Empty.
Nothing beats there.
I tug my hand back in shock.
“We were never fae,” he admits roughly. “I was born into a different body than this one. I was born with the howl in my veins and the scream of rage in my soul. I was once one of the hounds who rode with the Grimm, when he stalked this world. Over time we learned to shift skins, to better hunt our prey. The fae. But when the Grimm was trapped in his Hallow, we were set free. The Seelie Alliance wanted to destroy us, but Thiago bartered for our lives. We serve him now and forever, but as long as the Grimm still exists, then we cannot truly die. My brother would have risen from his grave with the moon. He’s still out there. Somewhere. Thank you for telling me.”
My shoulders slump. “I should have told you sooner.”
I can’t believe the guilt and grief I felt has no true purpose. He’s alive. Lysander is alive.
Baylor’s smile is a brief flash in the night. “Now you have no reason to hide from me.”
“I wasn’t—” I pause. I was.
I grace him with a hesitant smile.
“Go,” he tells me gruffly. “Find your prince. If I know him, he’s licking his wounds in the baths. He loves you, Vi. Don’t be too hard on him. He’s just worried. And thank you. Now I know where to look.”
* * *
One of thedemi-fey watches me as I climb down the stairs into the cellars and I gesture it closer with my fingers.
“Do you know where the baths are? I’m looking for the prince.”
It blinks at me, cocking its head.
“The prince?” I mimic a big, scowling menace, and flap my arms.
Ah.Its eyes widen, and then it scampers along the hallway, leading me lower into the castle, where the heated baths lie. Crouching outside the door to the steam room, it wends its way through my legs like a cat.
An expectant cat.
“I don’t have any milk or honey right now,” I tell it. “But I’ll set some in a saucer at the foot of my bed later.”
It gives me a look that can best be described asyou’d better, and then it flounces away.
Inside the bath chamber the air is sticky and hot. Steam drifts from the enormous pools I haven’t had a chance to use yet, providing an excellent curtain for Thiago’s activities.
He turns at the sound of my footsteps, green eyes flashing.
I can just make out a hint of wet flesh and the dark shadow of wings. Despite myself, I’m curious to see more of them. He’s always shrouded in that cursed cloak or his illusions.
“We need to talk,” I tell him.
He’s been avoiding me ever since he yelled at me.
Thiago stands up, water dripping from his elbows as he wipes it from his face. I rest my hands on my hips, staring him in the eyes with a resolve that’s starting to weaken.Do not look down.Do not. Do not. Do not….
Curse it.
