“That’s ridiculous.” When he didn’t laugh, she grew worried. “You’re serious?”
Will frowned, “Don’t you want to know who I chose?”
She shook her head. “That’s a stupid question. Besides, you chose Selene, right?”
He sighed. “No, I decided she was already safe, so I chose you, but unfortunately he was thinking the same way, so he freed Selene to spite me.”
Laina smiled. “That’s good. Now she can come back.”
“You’re still trapped—” he began, but then her words replayed themselves in his mind. Now she can come back. A surge of happiness ran through him with that realization. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself?”
“I’m too young to worry about something that’s going to happen decades from now. Besides, I’ll figure out a way to stop him before then,” she said confidently.
He wasn’t sure he believed her bravado, but it felt necessary, so he didn’t argue. Instead he asked, “Why did you come to my house that night?”
“To find Selene.”
“But why?”
She gave him an odd look. “Can I trust you?”
“Really? After everything we’ve been—”
“Relax, I’m joking. I had two reasons. One was business. Someone I trusted stole a large amount of money from the donations to our charity. I didn’t want to make it public, or accuse the man openly, since he’s well known in lofty circles. I hoped that Selene, as a princess, could apply quiet pressure and force him to admit his wrongdoing, or at least return the money while avoiding a national scandal.”
“What was the other reason?”
“I was mad. I’ve been mad since she married you, then she disappeared without even giving me an explanation.”
Will frowned. “It was unusual, but she probably thought you’d understand that she fell in love. It’s not the most unbelievable thing in the world, after all.”
“But we had been friends most of my life. It was too sudden. It felt like a betrayal. I was closer to her. If it had been anyone…” She stopped there, her cheeks coloring. “Forget it.”
A few days prior and he would never have understood, but after spending time in her body, with her soul, the knowledge leapt out at him. “You were in love with her.”
The look on Laina’s face was one of pure panic. “Absolutely not.”
“You were jealous.”
“Will you stop?” There was a thundercloud brewing beneath her lowered brows, with red cheeks on the horizons.
“It’s all right,” he said calmly. “I was jealous of you too.”
That made her pause. “How so?”
“Your family,” he said simply. “It’s the same thing really. Being jealous of someone else’s love. Well, except yours involves kissing and naughty bits, while I was only jealous in a more innocent fashi—hey!” A pillow had struck him in the face.
Laina still held the weapon in her hand, and she was ready to use it again. Will stared at her then slowly puckered his lips. “Oh, Selene…!” Whop! He hopped away as she began beating him steadily with the pillow.
That pillow gave up after several heavy blows, and down feathers exploded across the room. Not deterred at all, Laina grabbed a larger cushion and resumed the chase while he laughed and ran across the bed to escape her. “By the way,” he hooted, “did you know that this bed is the very first place where we…” He stopped and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Laina shrieked and threw her pillow at his head. “You’re dead. You’re absolutely dead!” But she was beginning to laugh even as she yelled at him. It was a sort of hysterical release, a confession, a battle, followed by understanding—all facilitated through the medium of pillows.
Will ducked, continuing to taunt her, when the door opened and Tiny caught the pillow with his face. It slid off, then dropped to the floor, while the big man stared at them with an odd expression.
Will and Laina both stopped, red-faced and panting, as they tried to adopt a more somber demeanor. He glanced at his sister and saw a sliver of fear in her eyes, but he shook his head. I wouldn’t tell anyone. “She wouldn’t wake up,” he lied to his friend.
“And you wouldn’t leave me alone, so I had to defend myself,” added Laina pointing awkwardly at the pillow at Tiny’s feet.
Tiny said nothing for several seconds, then backed out and slowly closed the door.
“It wasn’t anything strange!” called Laina, but the door clicked shut on her words.
From the other room they could hear Darla ask, “What was all that about?”
“Just a pillow fight.”
Chapter 49
The city seemed to be holding its breath as they walked back to Wurthaven, as though it feared that even the sun wouldn’t bring safety. The northern part of the city, which they didn’t quite enter, was sullen and quiet, lacking its normal sounds of bustling activity as the people began starting their days.
Will felt guilty, though it wasn’t his fault that vampires had taken so many from their beds. His remorse was for the portion of the city that had been utterly destroyed. They couldn’t see it from the lane they walked down, but he knew it was there, just a few blocks over, hidden from view, a violent scar across the face of Cerria.
Back in Wurthaven, they walked to his home first. He intended to leave immediately and begin seeking advice, but a piece of parchment was pinned to his new front door. Will felt a sense of foreboding as he pulled it down and turned it over. It was Rob’s handwriting.
You must leave, for they won’t let us escape. We are kept here, even though they know what the king has planned. We are merely decoys. No matter what the outcome tomorrow night, Terabinia loses.
Leave, or I may kill you. Please.
Will folded the paper carefully and slipped it into his pouch. He had a lot to think about and little time. He would have to consider Rob’s words while he worked on other things. We are merely decoys, the words repeated in his head.
The door opened before he could knock, and Janice stood within, looking distinctly unhappy. Will was relieved to see that her gaze focused primarily on Laina. Blake stood behind her, and he waved to Will with an expression of helplessness.
Laina lifted her chin, ready to face the challenge, until a deep voice boomed from down the hall. She visibly wilted as she recognized the owner. “Is that her?” demanded Mark Nerrow.
Janice gave the baron’s elder daughter a smug look. “Your father waits on you inside, Miss Nerrow.” She glanced down and saw Will squeeze his sister’s hand briefly, and a questioning frown flickered across her features.