Page 115 of The Chaosweaver's Daughter
A grin tore across his face as he took off, back toward his apartment. As Kas’s foot touched down on the top stair, the door to the Tarisden Suite banged open and Nes stumbled onto the landing, wearing his robe.
He liked the look of it, quite a lot. But it wasn’t the right time for those types of thoughts.
Racing to Nesrina, he scooped her up and gazed into her majestic eyes.
“I told you to stay in bed!” Letif’s gruff voice cut across the landing.
“I’ve got her,” Kas called at the same moment Nes murmured a somewhat insincere, “Sorry,” under her breath.
“We’ll be in my old room.” He wanted Thera informed more than anything else.
The door banged closed behind them as Kas hit it with a gust of wind.
“This is your old room?” Nes peered up at him.
He shrugged and she gripped onto him a little tighter. “Until I became the duke.” Kas deposited Nes on her favorite chair before perching on the second one himself. “You wanted to talk to me.”
She nodded, eyes wide as some memory assaulted her. “Rihan.”
He grunted as his heart dropped several feet in an instant.What about the arse?She’d been mumbling his name in her sleep for days. Kas had hoped—foolishly, he now realized—that he’d been mishearing her. Nesrina didn’t want to marry him, she never would. She still harbored feelings for the blond soldier, despite whatever story his sister and the king heard.
“Rihan kidnapped me. He tried to kill Ataht too, I think. And King Ehmet.”
Never mind.
He gripped the arms of the chair and stiffened as a chaotic mix of understanding, relief, hope, and self-directed frustration washed over him. “Why? Did hehurtyou? Force himself on you?” A tortured sort of rage overcame Kas and he stood, sat, stood, and sat again.
Nes pressed a hand to her heart. “No! Aside from the blood, I’m unharmed.”
Relieved, he scooted his chair closer, reaching out to grasp her hand. “Did he say anything helpful at all? Why would he do such a thing?”
She shook her head, then froze. “Wait, yes. I asked him if he was going to kill me—”
“Youwhat?”
“Stupid, I know. But he didn’t.” She winced at the memory before shrugging. “He said he had what he needed. Then he said the ruins would reveal everything, thetrueking, or something like that.”
Kas sat there for a moment, thinking, or trying to, as a million tinymoments, comments, bits and pieces fell into place.Shit.The Big Secret had, without a doubt, caught up to him. A final piece clicked into place. “Runes.Runes not ruins.”
“What?”
“He rode south.”
“What?”
Lord Kahoth turned his gaze to Nesrina. “You’repositiveit was Rihan?”
“Without a doubt.”
Kas nodded tersely. “Stay here?” His words were a question more than a command.
“Yes. I don’t think I can get far anyway.”
“I need to tell Hevva.” He pushed up from the chair and made it partway across the room before turning to face Nesrina. “She’ll likely leave immediately for Kirce. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“Wait...” She struggled to her feet, looking woozy.
He rushed over, steadying her shoulders as he gazed down into her mossy eyes.
