Fantasy of Fire (The Tainted Accords Book 3) (22 page)

He stretches behind me and curls back into position, remaining silent for some time. I don’t blame him.

“I don’t know whether to yell or laugh,” he says finally. “Thank you,” he offers. I twist to peek at him.

“Your kindness has always amazed me.” He kisses my forehead.

“At the risk of you putting me on a pedestal, I should mention the self-defense classes are funded with money stolen from seven whorehounds I killed.”

He stiffens and then kisses my ear.

“That … does put a different spin on it,” he agrees, making me giggle. He brushes his nose against mine.

“That sound,” he says. I smile at him and turn back around, closing my eyes.

“It would be nice if every moment were like this,” he sighs, his breath deepening. The sound makes my own eyes heavy.

“Enjoy it. You’ll be pissed at me again tomorrow,” I mumble. He shakes with sleepy laughter. “Really pissed,” I mumble.

“Have to do with where Rhone is?”

“Yep, and Blaine,” I say, snuggling back into his warmth. I sigh, half-asleep, and squeeze the hand I hold. I’ve never been so comfortable in my life.

When Jovan speaks, I’m so far down the path of sleep I barely recall what we were talking about.

“Consider me warned,” he mutters.

“Fucking fuck!” a voice says.

I frown and nuzzle into a warm shoulder. At the same time, an arm tightens around my waist. On my bare skin.

A door slams and I jerk awake; the body next to me does the same. I blink sleepily and remember Jovan is there. Some part of me must already know because I’m not particularly worried. In fact, I’m supremely content.

My mind begins to process every observation I’ve made in the last few moments. Firstly, the furs that were wrapped around me last night are no longer there. Jovan lies raised on one elbow and I’m facing him, our legs twisted together. He’s not looking at me. The man I’m lying with is looking straight ahead. I follow his gaze and shriek.

It wasn’t Jovan that spoke.

Ashawn stands at the foot of the bed, gaping through his raised visor.

“Get out,” Jovan whispers. Ashawn’s eyes dip down, and I realize my chest is completely bare at the same moment Jovan does. He throws an arm over my breasts while I locate a fur, face burning. Jovan is vibrating. A sign he’s seconds away from bringing the place down.

“There are other guards outside,” I remind him. They can’t know the king is here. I peek through the furs, watching him take shallow breaths.

Ashawn clangs to the side of the bed in his armor. “So … what I’m thinking is…”

He looks between us and around the room, eyes resting on Kaura and then moving back to me. Jovan’s youngest brother hasn’t blinked in several minutes.

“I don’t know what I think,” he finally admits.

I retrieve my veil from underneath the pillow and hold it up helpfully. Jovan growls and jerks the fur up over my shoulder.

“Fuck,” Ashawn says, removing his helmet. He drops it on the bed seat. “Fucking shit.”

“We have something to tell you, Ash,” Jovan says. For some reason, I’m struggling not to giggle. I’m completely mortified, and it crosses my mind that I haven’t even thought about the fact I’m supposed to be terrified of him seeing my face. Even with that, I can’t help finding the whole situation hysterically funny.

One tiny giggle slips out and I lose it. I cover my mouth with both hands and laugh so hard, and for so long, they both probably think I’m insane.

Jovan pries my hands away, an adorable bashful look on his face. “I apologize, Lina. I was supposed to sneak away before morning.”

“This is so bad,” I say, wiping tears from my eyes and giggling again. Jovan snorts, amusement crossing his features for a moment before he gives his brother a hard look.

“Turn and face the wall while the Tatuma dresses,” he commands. His brother blinks and rattles around to face the wall.

Jovan leans in close and kisses my cheek. “You were naked all night?” he asks. I nod and dart up to place a returning kiss on the cheek closest to me.

“Please don’t do that while I’m in here,” Ashawn calls.

I untangle myself from the furs and hurry to wrap myself in one before Jovan can see too much.

“There’s a sight to remember,” the king says as I retreat behind the screen. I hope it’s a good sight.

Jovan starts to explain my story to his brother as I dress. He brushes over my history and the actions of my mother.

“You’re Frost? But you’re the Tatuma? You ran away from here and somehow became a
pit fighter
?” he says incredulously. “That’s damned hilarious!” He high-fives me as I take a seat next to Jovan.

“You can’t tell anyone about this.” Jovan doesn’t stand over Ashawn as he says it. Instead, he gives him a level look. The look of an equal.

“No shit, brother,” he says seriously. “And what about the other thing?” Ashawn asks, looking at the rumpled bed behind us.

I feel my cheeks heat and turn to Jovan. This isn’t something we’ve dealt with before. I still don’t even know what happened last night.

Jovan wraps a hand around my jaw, thumb grazing over my cheekbone. “Could you give me a minute alone with Ashawn?” he asks gently. I nod with a small smile and place my veil over my head, giving my eyes a couple of moments to adjust.

“I’ll see you both at breakfast. I’ll tell the guards you’re cleaning up Kaura’s mess,” I say to Ashawn with a grin. I stop next to him, missing his shoulder the first time.

“Sorry, it takes a few minutes to get used to it when I’ve had it off,” I say. I find his shoulder the second time and squeeze it gently. “I trust you to do the right thing.” My words are sincere. The Ashawn here now is not the headstrong, bitter person I first met. I believe Olandon has helped him a great deal. Given him a friend and a distraction, allowing him to regain some normalcy in his routine.

“Plus,” I say, “what were the words you once used?” I pretend to think. “Frost is oddly nice for a paid fighter – once you get past the fact she can probably end you.” I snigger as he shifts uncomfortably.

I head for the door, hearing him continue talking behind me. “I should’ve known. Her tits are just the same!”

I smile at his grunt of pain as I slip out of the door.

As I enter the food hall, I remember what I’ll be doing today. Blaine may be dead by darkness. Or maybe it will be me. I wind around the long way to the food benches. Alzona, Shard and Avalanche are still absent. I was going to launch my plan as soon as they got back.

I pass by the delegates’ table and my heart falls at Rhone’s empty spot. He’d said he would only take three days, but any number of things could go wrong with the sleds. I need those papers!

I grab a pear off the bench and head to the kennels to see if the dogs are back. Maybe Rhone’s just skipped breakfast. I nod a greeting here and there, squeezing specific shoulders as I go. Small things to alert the select people that today might be the day. I hear Macy gulp audibly when I nod to her. She must be terrified. Out of everyone, she has the most at risk. Today could be everything she’s dreamed of, or her worst nightmare come true. I myself am wondering if Jovan will smile at me as tenderly as he did last night once I force his hand in this matter.

The kennels have a few teams in them, but not Rhone’s favorite set of dogs. Nerves flare in my stomach. Where is he?

I sit through the morning council, noticing Ashawn is there today. The two brothers have come to some kind of understanding. I’m glad for them both. Kedrick used to connect the pair, but it seems they’ve finally found a way to salvage their relationship. I’m glad Jovan will have someone he doesn’t have to pretend with once I’m gone.

I’m not called upon for an opinion and I’m grateful for it because I’m frantically running through the main points in my mind, trying to identify holes, readying myself for Blaine’s rebuttal. The rest of the time I’m distracted by the king, who keeps turning his head my way. Does he feel my tension and wonder at it? I feel a thrill of terror as I think of what I’m about to do to him. I realize I haven’t been trying hard enough to convince Jovan of Blaine’s guilt. I should’ve tied him down and forced him to listen. I need to try just once more.

But I get no such chance over lunch and my stomach threatens to revolt. If I do the trial without telling Jovan, he’ll look like a fool. I calm myself with the reminder that Sanjay was going to talk to him.

I take the long way to the food tables again and see Shard and the others have returned and sit with only Alzona absent, who will be waiting in the room she shares with Crystal. I lean my head in. If I’m quick Blaine won’t see what I’m doing.

“Please wait for Sanjay after the meal,” I say softly. “Alzona too. Crystal, meet me at the food bench.” I don’t wait to see if they’ve heard. I can’t risk Blaine catching me. I grab a bread roll from the table, fiddling with my food as I wait for Crystal.

She sidles next to me a couple of minutes later, running a gentle hand over the wall tapestry, pretending to admire the beautiful make of it.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Alzona’s dad paid the mistress to set Sanjay up. She says he was dragged in by two men and put in the bed, and the girls were only paid to be there when he woke up. Nothing else happened,” she replies, barely moving her mouth.

Whatever happens today, at least Sanjay and Fiona will be okay. I breathe a sigh of relief that something has gone right.

“Thank you,” I murmur, moving away. I stop at the delegates’ table, sitting next to Sanjay. When Fiona is distracted, talking to Greta, I swoop in.

“I tried, I swear!” He cuts me off before I can begin. “Every time I asked to speak to him, he waved me off.”

Damn it, Jovan! He knew Sanjay was one of my witnesses. I knew this pig-headedness stemmed from his desperation not to lose yet another person from his life, but it was getting beyond ridiculous. If only Macy had told him the truth. One of my witnesses was too scared to confess and Jovan was avoiding Sanjay. He’d heard Ice’s reports from the man’s own lips. He knew Blaine had been in the pits and talking to dodgy criminals. I’d told him I had written proof.

I was officially at a loss as to how I could get Jovan to listen. He’d left me with no other choice. Every instinct in my body was telling me Blaine had to be taken down as quickly as possible. I had to do this now. Today.

I remember I have good tidings for Sanjay and quietly relate the news after giving him instructions for the afternoon. His joy is so blatant that I scold him to tone it down. He still turns to Fiona and kisses her long and hard. She sits stunned afterward, looking at him uncertainly. Kissing her like that is something the old Sanjay would’ve done. Fiona doesn’t know what to make of his action and turns away.

Everyone has their orders. My witnesses will be waiting in the small room behind the meeting chamber for me to call them forward.

“Has anyone seen Rhone?” I ask.

Adnan looks up from the object he’s working with. “I haven’t seen him in several days,” he says.

“Three, I think,” Roman says. It must be hard for him. Things between Roman and Jacquiline appear to still be unresolved. They’ve been sitting at separate tables since I revealed my secret.

I debate whether there’s time to check the kennels again before the next session.

“The king’s finished eating,” Sanjay whispers. My stomach flips and I stand, walking up to the throne platform.

“King Jovan. Would you mind if my brother sat in on a council session? I think the experience will serve him well.”

Jovan immediately approves my request. His expression is blank. Perhaps he’s just recalling my words last night, my warning. He knows I’m up to something. It’s only a slight reassurance. He moves to turn away.

“Jovan!” I call. He pauses to look back over his shoulder. “Enter through the back room,” I say softly.

Olandon steps into place beside me as we leave the food hall. I’ve already given him his instructions, which is lucky, because I’m too nervous to speak right now. We’re the first to reach the room, my anxiety making me punctual. I fidget, preoccupied with controlling my emotion as the room fills. Blaine takes his seat – hopefully unaware of what is to befall him.

Ten minutes go by and Jovan hasn’t entered. At first the advisors talk amongst themselves, but soon, when twenty minutes go by, they begin to speculate on Jovan’s whereabouts.

His tardiness is answered a second later as he enters, not through the hall entrance, but through the door behind his throne. He listened to me, but my nervousness doesn’t abate, because I still don’t know if he’ll be letting me speak today. An ultimatum is before him; will he choose to remain loyal to Blaine? Or to trust in me?

He’s just walked into a room full of my witnesses. But has he sent them away? Has he destroyed all my hard work? Or has he opened his eyes? Is he willing to give me a chance?

“Veni!” I curse under my breath.

“The king is pale,” Landon wonders. “I’ve never seen him so unsettled.”

I’m shaking inside. What was he going to do? I’d worked so hard to orchestrate this! I half-rise from my chair, on my way to demand an audience with him.

“We were to discuss strategies for food distribution to the Outer Rings,” Jovan booms. Olandon pulls me back down to the hard stone of my chair. I tense, ready to jump back up.

“But there has been a change of plan,” he continues.

My mouth dries as I look up.

“Tatuma Olina, I believe you have a matter you wish to bring to my advisors’ attention,” he says softly.

Hot relief floods through me and I slump in my chair from the weight of it. He’s going to let me speak. Jovan chose
me
. For a minute, I can’t think past his words. Unfortunately, when I do, his tone of voice raises more questions. Jovan is allowing me to speak, but he’s not convinced.

Olandon prods me in the side. I stand, hoping no one can see me trembling as I make my way around the table. This is it. I just hope my legs don’t give way underneath me.

I clear my mind of everything: Jovan’s discovery of the truth, the advisors’ confusion, my own worry. Calm.

I straighten my shoulders and begin.

“Why are the Outer Rings rebelling? It’s a question I’ve heard a hundredfold since joining you in council. We have some of those answers now … but I believe the real question has been lost. The question we should be asking is, why now?” I clasp my hands behind my back and pace in measured steps.