Page 95 of Obsidian Throne

His eyes darkened, and he pursed his lips. When he spoke, he sounded so defeated that I actually felt a little guilty for bringing it up.

“All those times Evander accused him...I never truly believed my brother was capable of this.”

There was nothing I could say to comfort him, not when I felt the way I did about Iiro, so I settled on an observation instead, one that felt like it applied to so much more than Theo’s arsehat of a brother.

“I suppose you never really know what someone is capable of,” I said quietly.

For better or worse.

* * *

We stayed at a soldier’s inn where Theo insisted on us sharing a room, though he felt very clearly uncomfortable about it.

I tried not to look at the two beds and remember the first night I had argued with Evander about my propriety, the way that even then, he had made my heart race for all the wrong reasons.

Tried not to think about the journey to the cabin that last time, when he had settled on the small bed with me to stop my nightmares.

Tried not to think about him at all.

Instead, I waited until Theo disappeared into the hallway to ask the guard about dinner to dump half the vial from my dress into my flask of vodka. When he returned, I did my best to look contrite, or at least not enraged.

“Do you have a deck of cards?” I asked, pretending to take a swig from my flask.

“I’m sure my guards do,” he said hesitantly. “Why?”

“I just...need something to get my mind off everything.” I gave him a wan smile.

He nodded in understanding, and I almost felt guilty before I remembered that he had conspired with myaalioof a husband to trick me into going back to Lochlann.

“I’ll go ask,” he offered.

“Oh, we’ll need the guard as well,” I said. “It’s a game for at least three people.”

Theo reluctantly nodded and brought his guard in, along with a deck of cards. This was not the right audience for Kings and Arselings, so I taught them a milder game.

But it was still a drinking game.

“Oh, that means you have to take a drink,” I ordered when Stefan, the guard, laid down the wrong card.

The guard looked around, and I pretended to take another swig from my flask before helpfully handing it out to him.

He chuckled and took a sip, nodding at me. He would need at least three more for this to work, and then there was Theo. Fortunately, I was an expert in making up card rules.

It wasn’t long before they had each consumed about half of the flask and I had faked several more sips. Giving a huge yawn, I announced it was time for bed, and the guard excused himself.

He stumbled a little on the way out, and Theo narrowed his eyes.

“Guess he’s a lightweight.” I shrugged, infusing my tone with more playfulness than I felt.

Or it was the double dose of sleeping draught he just unwittingly consumed.

He stifled a yawn, not responding, and I settled ostensibly into my blankets. Then I counted down the seconds, slowly, until I heard his soft snores.

On featherlight feet, I crept from the bed, going to gather what I needed from my pack as quietly as I could. There was a low fire burning in the hearth, but it was enough for me to see by, enough to scratch out a quick note.

Theo,

I thought if anyone could understand drugging someone or conspiring to leave them in the middle of the night with no more than a note, it would be you.