Page 63 of Of Bargains & Betrayal

Who knew how many times they had each been through this? Hell, who knew how many of them had access to the tonic Maksym had tried to force me to take? They’d already proved their worth before, already had their position secured. I’d known plenty of people who would have cheated with even less at stake.

But what did catch me by surprise, sometime after my tenth or maybe hundredth drink of the tainted water, was who I saw being hauled out of the sauna caves.

The disruption had grown so loud, I braved opening my eyes, looking past the hazy image of my father, decayed and rotted, and I glimpsed an Elixia I had not anticipated being carried out by two others. He was one of the two Maksym spoke with in the atrium the day before, and who had also seethed some unpleasant sentiments in my direction in their language at the feast.

He was screaming, utterly distraught, arms and legs fighting against the two dragging him out.

I couldn’t fathom what he was seeing—couldn’t fathom the stores of horrific memories someone of his age and position held—but a pleased smile tugged at my otherwise flushed cheeks, and I closed my eyes again.

The next time someone touched my face, I expected to see Gallan, ready to assess my state and force me to drink more water. Or maybe the figment of my father had grown brave and passed right through the boundary of my mind.

I did not anticipate Maksym.

I blinked repeatedly, trying to clear the false image of him crouched beside me, but the strikingly handsome Umbrite king would not dissipate. Why I felt so much relief to see him, I refused to question, but I pushed myself upright and almost lost the fight to a wave of brutal dizziness.

Maksym held me steady by my shoulders.

“It’s over now,” he said. “You did it.”

“Over?” I stared at him, blinking more, as if that would help.

But I slowly realized there were more people down in the sauna caves, filtering in and out of the rooms, helping the Elixia and prospects up. The room had also cooled dramatically, and it took me a few very delayed seconds to realize I was shivering.

“It’s sunrise?” I asked in an awful rasp.

Max grinned and nodded. “It is. Very well done, Miss Wynn.” He extended a vial to me next, a waterskin ready behind it.

I regarded the milky substance inside the glass with heavy trepidation. “And this is…”

“It will neutralize the effect of the toxin. And this is just clean water, I promise you. Drink them both, and then we’ll get you upstairs to rest.”

Well, it wasn’t like I had anything left to lose.

I uncorked the vial and drained it in one gulp, clenching my teeth at the overt sweetness. Thankfully, Maksym was right there with the waterskin. After I took a couple of careful sips, Maksym said he’d return and left me to drink the rest on my own.

He ambled from person to person, in and out of my room, checking in and having hushed conversations, playing out his kingly role of concern so well, I had a hard time taking my eyes off him.

When he returned to me, making sure my fresh water was drained, I didn’t hesitate to take his offered hand to help me up off the ground.

Verticality, unfortunately, was not yet my friend.

The dark stone walls around me swam, and I cursed, planting my hands against Maksym’s chest as he gripped my shoulders again and held me steady.

“Just give me another minute,” I said, even though I was desperate to get out of that cave. “I don’t think stairs are a good idea just yet.”

“No, they definitely aren’t,” Maksym murmured from above me. “Hold on.”

“Hold on to—oh,” I squeaked as Maksym shifted, slipping his arm under mine and hooking me behind the knees. He lifted me up with ease, and I’d never been so mortified. From head to fucking toes, I was dripping with now-icy sweat, but there I was, pressed against my future husband and his impeccably clean clothes.

Goddess, he smelled incredible.

And I was so bone-deep exhausted, I didn’t protest, or even say anything. My fleeting resolve folded entirely, and I rested my head against his shoulder, shut my eyes, and let him carry me out of the caves.

14

CURSE MY PETTY LITTLE HEART

Maksym