Page 70 of Realm of Wind and Vines
“I am not leaving him alone withher!” I growl at her. “You know how vicious and cruel she is. I need to get him out.” Challenge drips from every word as I finish with, “You owe me, and I am calling in that favor right now.”
A soft snarl rips from her throat. “Ryat is going to kill me for this.”
“That sounds like ayouproblem.”
Shaking her head, she lets out something between an exasperated sigh and a huff of amusement. “If this is what it’s like from the other side, I’m starting to get why people are so pissed off atmeall the time.”
In spite of everything, I smile.
She just heaves a resigned sigh and flicks her wrist. “Fine. Let’s go threaten Grey.”
To my surprise, she doesn’t even change clothes beforeleaving her room. She just walks out into the corridor barefoot and wearing only that tiny dark blue nightgown. Though I suppose that she is lethal enough even without any equipment.
When we reach the door to Grey’s room, I pull out a pair of lockpicks and start working on the lock. Next to me, Isera raises an eyebrow in surprise. I just shrug in reply.
After we assassinated that Wolfstalker guy when we first came to the Unseelie Court, I asked Draven to teach me how to pick locks. So in the weeks while we played the Great Games, he did just that. He was right that it’s a very useful skill to have when you need to assassinate someone. Or simply get through a door without having to kick it down.
The lock clicks open.
Straightening again, I motion for Isera to enter first since she will be doing most of the threatening. She sweeps her hair back behind her shoulders and then pulls the door open silently. I follow her as she slips inside, and then I close the door softly behind me.
Grey’s bedroom is large and surprisingly luxurious. Though I suppose it makes sense given that people with portal magic are incredibly rare, which makes him invaluable to the Unseelie King.
The portal-wielder in question is lying on the left side of a large double bed. White sheets are tangled around his legs in a way that makes it look like he kicked them off during the night. He is only wearing a pair of underwear, and the clothes he wore earlier tonight are draped messily over a chair by the desk. His mouth is slightly open and his chest rises and falls with steady breaths.
Isera strides up to the bed and positions herself right next to the edge. Then she summons a shard of ice, puts a hand on Grey’s bare chest to keep him down, and then unceremoniously places the shard against his throat.
His turquoise and yellow eyes snap open, and he tries to jerkupright. But Isera’s hand on his chest keeps him pressed down against the mattress, preventing him from accidentally slitting his own throat on the shard of ice. He struggles for a second. Then his gaze focuses on Isera.
“Oh, Malachi’s fucking balls,” he blurts out. “Not you.” His chest starts rising and falling faster while he stares at Isera with wide eyes. “He’s going to kill me for this.”
“We need a portal,” Isera simply announces.
“Alright, alright,” Grey presses out so fast that he almost stumbles over the words. Fear flickers in his eyes. “But please take your hand off my chest, and for God’s sake, put on some more clothes. If he finds out that I saw you like this, he’s going to carve my eyes out.”
For a fraction of a second, I swear I can see a smug smile ghost across Isera’s lips. But she does remove her hand from Grey’s chest and takes a step back.
He immediately scrambles out of bed. After dragging a panicked hand through his brown hair, he snatches his rumpled clothes off the chair and yanks them on while flicking his worried gaze between me and Isera.
“I need a portal to Hunter’s Marsh,” I say, locking eyes with him.
“Only His Majesty can grant permission to open portals,” Grey replies.
Isera smirks. “You can tellHis Majestythat I forced you.”
“Oh, I plan to. But I still won’t open any portals without his permission.”
“Not a problem. Selena will just go and bring him here right now then.” She gives him a knowing look as she sits down on his bed and crosses her bare legs. “I’ll wait here.”
Panic pulses across his face.
“Selena?” Isera prompts.
I start towards the door.
“No, wait!” Grey calls, and lurches forward as if to stop me.
Both Isera and I pause and raise expectant eyebrows at him. Indecision flashes across his face. For a moment, it looks as if he even considers opening a portal for himself to escape through. But that would still leave Isera in his bedroom dressed like this, and we all know how Orion would react to that.
