Sweet Ruin(49)

Because Magh had no interest in assassinating the warlock who’d cursed her husband. She wanted the warlock alive to bear the sorrow of his beloved daughter’s death.

A girl turning sixteen years old—Rune’s age.

“You’ve been invited to her birthday celebrations. Seduce her, cur,” Magh ordered him. “Make her love you, as you have all the others. Then strike. She’ll die with a heart full of love, a mind full of dreams, and a body riddled with your poison. . . .”

Compliments through dinner, murmured flirtations during cards. It wasn’t long before the young witch was infatuated with him. She was fair of face, but young for her age.

Had he ever been so naïve?

She whispered in his ear, “I want you for my birthday present.” Then she gave him directions to a hidden alcove beside her bedchamber. “I’ll raise the protection wards for you.”

He forced himself to smile. She was guarded like a treasure by magicks and warlock sentries. Nothing could possibly get to her.

Nothing but me.

He followed her instructions, finding the alcove. There, he paced. If he saved his mother by carrying out Magh’s killings, would his dam be able to forgive him? If he confessed, “I took the life of an innocent girl to free you,” would the guilt be too much for his mother?

A door glided open. Eyes alight, the witch peeked out. She’d changed from her dress to her nightclothes and let down her hair. “It’s clear.” She’d foiled her own protections, unwinding those wards as she’d unwound her braids.

She took his hand, guiding death into her bedchamber.

Her room was a palace all its own, filled with charms and priceless jewels. At least her sixteen years of life had been plenteous.

She crossed to her bed, patting the cover beside her.

How could he go through with this? “Perhaps we’re moving too quickly. You’re young yet.” If he didn’t obey Magh, he couldn’t return to Sylvan. Where would he live? Here? Maybe if he told the witch the truth, she would be moved to help him.

And abandon my dam?

“Nonsense, fey. I’m old enough. As of this night especially.” In a wistful voice, she said, “Only one thing could make my birthday more magickal.”

I can’t do this. My gods, I can’t. “We’ll meet another time, dove. I know the way to your room and will come each night.”

Her eyes watered. “I want you now.”

“I’ll be here for weeks yet.”

“But no other night will be my birthday.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.

In lowered voices, the witch and Rune continued quarreling.

Finally she said, “I’ll scream for the guards if you go.”

His jaw slackened. Are all nobles so underhanded?

“I’ll do it!” She drew a deep breath.

He leapt for her, putting his finger over her lips. He could still tup her without killing her. He had with all his other conquests. But those females had been more mature; they’d known the risks and how to avoid them. This girl didn’t.

When he heard the sentries changing shifts outside, he glanced over his shoulder. He should trace away. But then she’d know what he was. And where could he go?

He turned back. “I need you to listen to me—”

Her mouth was against his. She’d lunged forward, pressing her opened lips to his.

She’d stolen his kiss.

He flung her away and traced to a wine service, hastily pouring a goblet. Maybe the tales of his poison had been exaggerated. How did they know? He returned to her in an instant. “Drink!”

Eyes wide with terror, she choked on the liquid. The poison was already in her system. Her limbs contorted, muscles knotting.

The pain in her expression . . .

He watched her body ceding its life, the sound of her panicked heartbeat fading to nothing. The young witch perished in seconds.

The tales hadn’t been exaggerated. Rune was deadlier than anyone had ever suspected.

He turned to the side and vomited over and over until nothing remained in his stomach. He wiped his mouth, comprehension dawning: he’d stepped upon a path and could never go back. . . .

Jo woke, opening her eyes, confused she wasn’t in a magickal bedchamber filled with girlish charms and death.

Rune was petting her hair, his breaths deep and even.

She stifled shudders from that lifelike memory, fearing it’d only gotten worse for him. When he’d been even younger than Thad was now, Magh had forged him into a lethal lover with a kiss of death. She’d used Rune’s mother against him, the mother who’d been everything to him, just as Thad was everything to Jo.

What would Jo have done to save her brother? Anything.

Absolutely anything.