Page 32 of Bladed Kiss

And I might be attracted to Denve, but Ocuri is dead, and the Thuvrol’s have to pay somehow.

And the best way to make that family pay is to take their only other son away from them.

It is a shame. I didn’t set out to hurt anyone. But losing two sons is nothing to losing half a coven of innocent purna.

Someone has to pay.

Denve and his friends stay at the tavern until just after one in the morning. The air is frigid as wind blows into Vhoig off the seas.

I revel in the crisp, bright, salty air as I watch Denve settle the bill.

This is a real shame. He tips well.

Everyone at the tavern acts as if they like Denve a lot, but again I wonder how many of them would like him if had less money.

He is very clearly drunk, and I’d be surprised if he wasn’t, considering the amount of spirits he consumed throughout the night.

He must have something he’s trying to run from. He’s going to put every producer of zhisk out of business if he does this every night.

He stumbles away from the tavern and heads back to High Towns, where the manor is located.

“Why the fuck didn’t he come in a carriage? Why is he walking? He must be an idiot, because I know he can afford to keep a driver and carriage waiting all night.”

I grumble the words to myself as Denve comes closer to the building I am standing on.

I keep the concealment magic around me like a shroud, and I watch as he stumbles down an alleyway.

He really doesn’t care about his life,I think wonderingly.Anyone could see he is a noble. He’s going to get robbed, or worse.

I burst into laughter at the absurdity of my statement.

“Iam the ‘worse’ that is going to happen to him,” I whisper and I swallow the fit of giggles as I walk along the rooftop. I follow Denve’s haphazard movements and then prepare to drop from the sky as the alleyway narrows.

I let myself fall and drag and grab at the energy that my movement created, letting it wrap around me and catch me as I get closer to the ground.

Then, pulling a knife from my boot, and summoning the rot magic into my free hand, I follow Denve Thuvrol.

I have to do this because I am reminded every day that I have lost count of the days since I lost everything in Prazh.

Because of Ocuri Thuvrol.

15

DENVE

Let’s see how long it takes to get home tonight. The last time you were this drunk, you only got home after two days of stumbling around.

I am surprised that I am able to form a coherent thought, considering the state I am in.

The truth is that I have been drinking my problems away. Everything about the ball did not go as planned.

I did not spend as much time with the right people, and I did not even spend any time with the Prince or the King.

Instead, I spent all night dodging Vhoig’s most eligible bachelorettes, and then there washer.

I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind.

She was perfection itself, and she vanished so quickly that in the day that has passed since the ball, I cannot help but wonder if I dreamed her up.