Page 70 of Tempt

“I have. He’s at my cottage,” I say.

Jyrion’s eyes narrow. “And you did not think to introduce him?”

“It was unnecessary, Your Grace,” Rathyn cuts in. “As you well know.”

Jyrion flicks his ears in irritation, but he doesn’t acknowledge Rathyn. That’s not uncommon. Not these days. Not after Rathyn openly defied Jyrion with Everest. We both know the prince is planning some kind of revenge.

He does not tolerate disrespect. Even council-approved disrespect. He was defied by nearly every member, and I know it’s only a matter of time before he finds a way to remove Everest from Rathyn’s care.

Everest will not survive the dungeons, and Rathyn will not survive losing his VySytheh.

We must make our move before that happens.

“I wish to meet him,” Jyrion says after a prolonged silence.

Rathyn’s shoulders tense, but I am not rising to the prince’s bait. “And you shall. He’s adjusting to Erethar at the moment, but he will attend with me at the next gathering at the capital.”

Jyrion gives me a slow up-and-down look, then flicks his ears again, this time a dismissal. “Let’s hope this one goes better than the last.”

The hurt hits me before I have time to hide it from my expression, and that makes Jyrion smile. The cruelty is not lost on me. It’s not lost on Rathyn, who doesn’t know all the details of what Jyrion did.

Watching the Vyastil smile—the one who gave the order for Kori’s last breath and for each striped scar laid on my body—sends a rage through me like I have never known. And it is only my many years honing my control that keeps me from taking my claws and ripping his throat out.

Though I suppose that would be one way to solve our problems. He is the worst of the family. Perhaps if he was gone, we would make progress without discord or violence.

But it’s not worth the risk. Not now. Not with Luca existing as my new, soft, vulnerable spot.

“I expect to see you and your new human soon,” Jyrion says, then he taps his portal key and steps through, closing it before Rathyn can follow.

We both know it’s not safe to speak openly here, so Rathyn simply meets my gaze and inclines his head once. “Will I meet your human?”

“Yes,” I tell him.

My cottage was a gift from the royal family, but since using it, I have ensured it is not observed by them. They believed that destroying my human companion and leaving me in an eternal public shame in the form of scars would keep me in line for the rest of my life.

They think I am broken, and perhaps I am so, but with this logic, there is no reason to observe me there.

“Tomorrow. Bring Everest.”

Rathyn nods once more, steps up, then presses his forehead to mine. “You are brave,” he murmurs in English.

I take comfort in his words because at the moment, I do not feel brave. I feel fury and defeat all at once. I want to believe I can do this—that I can find the allies we need and put an end to the madness the system has created.

But I have never been a particularly strong Vyastil. I am simply…long-lasting.

Rathyn pulls back and turns, opening his own portal and stepping out. Once again I’m alone, and I have two choices ahead of me. I can head to my office on Earth to work on the rest of my research, procure supplies for Luca, and stick to my plan…

Or I can open a portal to my cottage and fall into Luca’s arms, giving in to the hours of temptation he laid upon me over the last several days.

I know what I must do, but for the first time in so long, the want is almost more powerful than my obligation. If the entire fate of my people and Luca’s weren’t resting on my shoulders, my choice might be different. But I know that in order to save him—to protect him—I must do the right thing.

And perhaps when it’s all over, and assuming I survive it, then I will be able to give him exactly what we’re both craving.

Exactly what we both want to live for.

I detest being back on Earth without Luca, but the distance between us allows me to focus on what I need to at the office. I have a small collection of records on a human computer that the Vyastil can’t break into.

Right now, I’m logging any suspected bonds between Vyastil and humans, and possibly between Vyastil and other beings as well. I have my eye on Hepyn and Zinni, though I have no proof just yet whether or not their relationship is superficial—born out of survival—or something else.