Page 82 of Of Diamonds and Vengeance
“I thought they weren’t reliable?” I asked, making everyone look over at me. I almost shrank under all their gazes, but I firmed my spine. “Since everyone perceives things differently, wouldn’t the truth potion just pull outtheirtruth, and not necessarily the actual truth?”
“That’s true,” Ruri admitted grudgingly. “But because we’re asking after orders he was given, it should be fairly straightforward. And then you can play with him after, brother.” He told Azurill with a catlike smirk.
The assassin’s eyes went wide with fright, looking between everyone present, but shrinking under the king’s gaze. “No! Please, I’ll tell you!”
“Will you now?” Azurill purred, a smirk rising and making the assassin’s panic rise in tandem at how delighted he appeared to have someone to torture.
“Yes! I swear to Soteria I’ll tell you everything, just don’t drag it out,” he begged, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. “She promised this would be quick and easy, and I’d be set for life after.”
“Who?” Azurill demanded, his teal eyes lit with a fire that promised retribution.
“Lady Zumra,” he said heavily, his eyes closing in defeat. “She said she was unfairly eliminated and it was Lady Jacinth’s fault. She thought that if she took her out, then you’d need to bring another competitor back in to have the numbers work out for the final trial. She said there was precedent for it.”
“The last time a lady was killed in the Diamond Queen Competition, they did have to bring back an already eliminated competitor to fill the ranks properly,” Balthazar added, nodding slightly as understanding crossed his face.
“Guards,” Azurill called sternly, “arrest Lady Zumra Giada of Emerald Court, by order of the High King.” The guards nodded, and Balthazar told several to go, while the others remained here.
“Ruri, go get Emrys.” Azurill turned to his brother. “We’ll need him to do damage control with Lord Khader and Lady Umina. They won’t be happy to have their daughter arrested. We’ll need to explain everything to them.”
Ruri nodded, taking off to find the only man who might be able to manage this mess. Balthazar and Alfrikr grabbed the assassin, taking him away to extract any more information they needed. But Azurill stayed, making me raise a brow at him.
“I’m not leaving you here alone after that, Mini-Dite.” He smiled slightly, though the stress was clear on his face.
“And what are you going to do?” I asked him, amused. “Sleep at the end of my bed like a watch-dog?”
He flushed, looking slightly embarrassed, before glancing around the room. Spotting the chaise lounge, he shrugged and waved an arm towards it. “That’ll work well enough.”
I couldn’t help but sigh, shaking my head at him. “The bed is big enough for two if you truly insist on this.”
“That would be most improper, my lady.” Azurill teased, but his tongue played across his teeth, making him look like a predator about to lunge for their prey.
“Would it?” I asked innocently. “I would hate to impinge on your virtue, so if you’re not up to the task, Veri, just say so.”
His low growl filled the room, and chills broke out across my skin, a shiver of anticipation wracking through me.
Just waiting for the predator to make his move.
Chapter Thirty-five
Jacinth
In a blink, I found myself tossed down on the bed, Azurill looming above me. His teal eyes were like silver fire, a shade I’d never seen in them before, but as his lips found mine, all thoughts flew from my head.
“Tell me,” Azurill murmured between kisses, “Mini-Dite,” his lips found my neck, “Does what you need to tell me,” teeth bit down hard on the column on my throat, making me moan and arch into him, “Mean this needs to end?”
I gasped, struggling to form a sentence, only able to get one word out, “No.”
“Perfect,” he purred, before he ripped my sleep dress straight down the middle, leaving me bare to his gaze.
“Az,” I panted, my head swimming with everything that had happened tonight.
“They could have killed you,” he hissed, his hands landing on my chest, feeling my heartbeat, before slowly tracing the length of my body.
“They failed,” I assured him, watching the path of his hands closely as he seemed to reassure himself that my skin remained unblemished.
“I need to block out everything but you,” he said, his voice lower and deeper than I’d ever heard it. His head cricked to the side suddenly, almost violently, making my face crease in concern as the veins on his neck bulged, his tattoo seeming to almost come alive with the movement.
Before I could ask any questions, he moved down the bed, his hand resting on my hip as he spread my legs apart with his shoulders. His eyes were burning bright as he looked into mine, the silver color so vivid it was just begging me to ask questions, but his next words banished them entirely.
