House of Secrets and Vows (Crown of Deceit #1)

22. The Reveal

22

THE REVEAL

I had every intention of playing this game with Zariah much longer.

I’ve grown fond of her company, even if I’m aware of her double life. Truth be told, knowing she’s up to something has gripped me even tighter.

But with so much at stake, holding off on confronting her is too risky. “What are you up to, Priestess ?”

Her mouth opens slightly as surprise widens her eyes. The emotion doesn’t linger, flashing as quick as a blink before her features settle into neutrality.

I’ve shocked her, which means she had no idea I was on to her.

I can’t help but smirk as I wait for her to deny it.

“Why did you join the House of Blood?” Her voice is a whisper as she crosses her arms. “All that talk of wanting to help the little people of Valazica, and you are a member of the very group tearing them apart. Do your friends know?”

“No, and it has to stay that way. No one can know.” I bite my tongue at the thought of any of my friends learning what I have become. Part of the reason I brought Zariah tonight was to keep them distracted.

They all know me too well. It’s why I’ve avoided them lately. Outside of a quick meet-up before my last revel, it has been over three months since I last spent time with the group. The one time I was supposed to meet Lachlan, Mavet ran me out of The Red Raven before my friend arrived. I blamed it on Lachlan’s late arrival and have come up with any excuse I can think of to refuse his requests since.

It seemed better to keep their focus on the mysterious woman I brought than on me. Their curiosity and questioning of Zariah was only a bonus.

I keep my voice low as I ask, “Who have you told since my confession?”

I’ve been so intrigued by her charade, I haven’t stopped to think how dangerous the knowledge she possesses is. Phelps is right about the Houses all battling for power, especially with rumors of my father’s illness floating about. As a priestess, she belongs to the House of Secrets, for fuck’s sake.

“No one. I told you I can’t share a secret given in the confessional.”

“Or you would have?”

“Maybe. You’re going to be named permanent heir. The people deserve to know who their future king is.” She stares at me, intensity bursting from her large green eyes.

“Look, I’m not a monster. I just… I made a reckless decision. But I left the House of Blood. It’s why Mavet keeps attacking people. He isn’t happy I told him to get lost.”

Truthfully, I never really promised my loyalty to the vile House or its monstrous leader. I’d been tricked into pledging myself to Malikar in a ceremony that is nothing more than a blur in my mind, but I’ve denied every single one of Mavet’s requests to ally with the House of Blood.

Another flicker of shock crosses Zariah’s face as she tilts her head like a crow. “You left?”

“I don’t want this,” I say. “I’d take it all back if I could. But I fucking can’t.”

Footsteps approach, so I lift my finger to my mouth before I peek out the carriage door.

“Is everything alright, prince?” the carriage driver asks.

“Yes, we’re ready to leave now,” I tell him. Then I lean toward Zariah and whisper, “We’ll talk more later.”

We’ve already said too much here in the open, where anyone with the gift of increased hearing could be lingering. Rumor has it that the breeze itself bows to the House of Whispers just as darkness serves the House of Shadows.

I wait for her to argue, but she doesn’t. I'm not the only one with a secret I don’t want to be revealed.

The ride back is long. As we sit facing each other, our knees occasionally bang against each other as the carriage drives over patches of bumpy cobblestone.

Neither of us speaks, and in the quiet, I can’t pull my focus from the sound of blood pulsing through her.

I should have drunk a bottle of blood before coming tonight, but I’ve been going as long between servings as I can. I hoped, with time, I could train my body not to need blood.

It isn’t working. Thinking it would is just another dangerous mistake.

Zariah peers out the window. Her hair falls in long waves to the middle of her back. One side is tucked behind her ear, exposing her long neck in the moonlight shining into the carriage.

Thump. Thump.

With my now-enhanced vision, I can see the rise and fall of her pulse at her throat.

I bite my tongue so hard I taste the metallic tang of my own blood.

God, I’m parched.

Body heat rushes to my face as my craving deepens, primal in its overwhelming pull. I pry my gaze away, guilt and shame rushing through my veins like poison, but within seconds, my focus returns to the perfect curve of her neck.

Her hair shifts with every jolt and sway of the carriage, only tempting me more. I try to focus on anything but her delicious floral-tinged scent and ignore the way my throat aches with need, drying as my thirst grows.

I can’t give in. No matter how hard my body fights against me, I have to remain strong.

My fingers curl into fists, and I remind myself to breathe, dropping my attention to the floor.

But then my eyes wander back to her neck again, and a hissing breath escapes my mouth before I can stop it.

Zariah’s attention snaps to me, her gaze wide and alert.

She eyes my clenched hands. “Are you okay?”

Her posture changes, back straight and muscles stiff.

“No,” I say. “Yes, I mean… I’m trying.”

I inhale through my nose, which is an instant mistake. Her sweet scent lingers in my nostrils, amplifying my hunger. “Fuck. I hate this. So fucking much.”

Saliva fills my mouth. I close my eyes and tip my head back, but the beat of her heart rings in my mind.

One drink is all I need. Just a sip to curb this incessant hunger. I won’t hurt her...

Her voice pulls me from my thoughts. “What can I do?”

I open my eyes to find a blade in her hand. “Tell me about yourself.”

If I can just make it home, a bottle of blood is waiting in my room. It will be enough to calm me. We have to be halfway there by now.

Zariah keeps the blade out, but her muscles loosen. “I came to Valazica as a child after my mother died. There were things in my old home that made it unsafe for me to remain, so I packed everything I could fit in one bag and fled. It was a long journey, and one that nearly killed me, but when I made it here, I thought I’d finally be safe.

“But then starvation nearly took me. I arrived at the beginning of winter, the most unforgivable Valazican winter in recent history, or so I was told at the time. It didn’t help me sleep at night, but I told myself if I could make it through those few months, things would improve.”

“Where are you from?” I hear no foreign accent in her speech.

“That’s unimportant, but what is important is that I know what it’s like to go to bed hungry for an entire month. To lose feeling in my fingers because they’re so cold, I feared hypothermia was sure to set in. Someone rescued me from the cruelty of the streets. But there are still so many that suffer. I’ve done what I can to help, but it will take someone like you, someone with real power, for this kingdom to ever be a kind place.”

Her words settle into me. “My older brother dreamed of making our kingdom a paradise for everyone. It’s why he volunteered to travel to Solendale, despite the risk. He hated the thought of others dying.”

I remember the shock I felt when my brother told Maddox and me that he planned to leave. I didn’t understand how, after berating our father so many times for what the war cost them over nothing more than pride, he suddenly wanted to be a part of it. But he said that everyone out there fighting for the kingdom, and all those who lost their lives, deserved to see their future king contributing to the prosperity of the kingdom, too.

“After he died, your father just agreed to a treaty?”

“My older brother River was the opposite of my father in nearly every way, but he was our father’s true pride. He hasn’t recovered from losing him. The pain of loss hit home when my brother died, and from what I’ve gathered, we were losing ground.” I had never seen my father back down from anything before he sent a treaty offer to Solendale, despite River’s death. “Now he’s dying.”

“And he plans to pass the crown to you.”

“Yes. I never wanted it. I’ve always loved being the middle son. There was no pressure to be anything other than myself. I could do what I wanted without the scrutiny of my father or the people. It’s why I stupidly went and—” I stop before I reveal too much. Zariah might know what I’ve become, but the driver doesn’t. “—got myself into an unfortunate situation.”

“Unfortunate situation?” Her mouth quirks. “That’s one way to put it.”

I stretch my arms. The overwhelming bloodlust has calmed, for now at least.

“Thank you,” I say, grateful for her conversation. “Once I return to my room, I will be just fine.”

She eyes me warily, then slides the blade back into her boot.

I peer out the window and see the castle gate in the distance.

Soon, the driver parks in front of the main entrance, and we exit the carriage.

“Why did you bring me tonight?” she asks as the carriage pulls away.

“What do you mean?”

As the wind pushes her scent toward me, another wave of bloodlust strikes. I need to get to my room before I do something stupid.

“You’ve known who I am and what I know. Why bother getting to know me?” Zariah stares at me with genuine curiosity.

“You intrigue me,” I say.

Which is a danger to us both.