Page 46 of A Court So Dark
“Literally?” I asked, unable to help the question from jumping out of my mouth since he’d sounded so adamant about it.
“We may not be related by blood, but we certainly are by choice.”
“Oh.”
“So you should know that no matter how much you squirm and how much you slither, you won’t be able to get between us. He’ll get tired of you. It’s nothing new.”
If he thought that was a threat, he needed to try harder. I was already tired of Cardian and Varamede. They were nothing but scum, unhappy people who took joy in spreading their misery. I just needed Cardian to remain interested until he led me to Kalyll.
Outside, a familiar figure appeared. Across the street, the hood pulled over his head, Kryn stood, his shoulders squared with the tavern, his head moving right and left as if he were looking for danger.
My heart clenched at the sight of him, and I had to remind myself that it wasn’t Kalyll, that it was just a trick, a spell from a very talented sorceress. Those weren’t his midnight blue eyes and matching hair. That wasn’t his supple mouth, which I longed to kiss again. That wasn’t his usual intensity and poise. It was only his half-brother, someone who clearly knew Kalyll’s mannerisms. Only an illusion.
I willed Varamede to glance out the window, but he was intent on the contents of his tankard. The asshole. Was he good for anything other than blasting people? Well, someone needed to get this ball rolling.
“Well, I think that—” I cut my sentence short, widened my eyes, and jumped to my feet, causing the table to rattle and the ale to spill. “It’s him!” I exclaimed. “He’s here.”
In an instant, Varamede was on his feet, lightning crackling between his fingers. He followed my gaze and it landed squarely on Kryn.
CHAPTER 16
DANIELLA
Varamedewastednotimeshooting out the door.
I nearly screamed for Kryn to run, but I managed to bite my tongue as I rushed after the thunderlord, wanting to trip him or slow him down somehow.
When I burst out the door a few steps behind Varamede, I was glad to see that Kryn was already marching down the street, the bottom of his cloak swaying from side to side.
Varamede went after him, dodging people, electric power growing brighter in his hands. I struggled to keep up as the thunderlord got closer to his quarry, without divulging his presence. Except Kryn knew we were after him, so why wasn’t he running?
“Hurry up,” I urged Kryn through clenched teeth.
At the corner ahead, Kryn stopped. Then, he glanced over his shoulder and pretended to finally notice his pursuers.
Varamede jerked an arm forward and lightning flew from his fingers, heading straight for Kryn. Not an instant too soon, he took off at full pelt, swiftly disappearing around the bend. The thunderlord’s attack struck the road, sending cobblestones flying in every direction. People screamed and dashed out of the way, running into adjacent businesses, whose doors and shutters quickly slammed shut.
As he reached the corner, hand ready with another attack, Varamede put on the brakes and carefully peered around the wall.
My heart hammered at the same rate that my feet struck the street. “Kryn, you idiot!” He was going to get himself killed.
Just as I got there, Varamede turned the corner and disappeared. I followed, just to run straight into his back as he came to a sudden stop. He staggered forward, cursing.
“Dammit,” I cursed too, and quickly backed away from him, rubbing my left boob, which had gotten squished during the coalition.
“Where did he go?!” Varamede demanded. He whirled on me and repeated his question. “Where the fuck did he go?”
“How should I know? You lost him. How do you expect me to run with these shoes?” I tried to appear as irritated and frivolous as the vapid women in Cardian’s gathering last night.
“What good are you? You didn’t even launch an attack to stop him?”
“Well, I could have, but you were in the way, and I suspect you wouldn’t be happy if I’d given you a haircut.”
God, my levels of bluff were epic. I couldn’t have damaged one precious hair on his head even if I’d busted a blood vessel trying. I was dry.
He huffed in displeasure but didn’t argue with my logic. He liked his hairandhead right where they were.
“That was… him? Wasn’t it?” I asked. “We didn’t just imagine that?”
