Page 74 of Whispers of Ruin
She could feel the explanation there, the knowledge of what she needed from him, from her… from the entire world and all the realms at the tips of her fingers and the edge of his tongue. What she sought wasrightthere, seeking to break free, but she couldn’t quite figure it out.
Maybe he knows.
She bit her bottom lip while waiting for him to say or do something; finally, his gaze met hers again. Tension built inside her as the connection between them became so palpable, she was half convinced she could touch it.
A lump formed in her throat, and her fingers twitched within his. He was so close, yet an unfathomable distance separated them.
She could breach it, but she had no idea what the result would be if she did or if that’s what she wanted. For so many years, she was so certain of everything in her life. A solitary existence was her saving comfort, andallvampires deserved to burn in a fiery oblivion.
Then Sahira and Brokk arrived in the crone realm and forced her from isolation. And more unbelievable, the two half vamps actually made herlikethem. Now, Brokk had made her do more than like him—she could no longer deny she had feelings for this man—and now, she wasn’t certain about anything in her life.
When she didn’t move or speak, Brokk’s eyes settled on something behind her again. “I’m not sure why they didn’t affect me as much.”
Kaylia’s breath hissed out. She’d been expecting something more from him, but if she didn’t know the answer for why they didn’t affect her as much either, then why would he? And it wasn’t like the beasts were still around to question them about it.
But though he’d given this answer, she suspected it wasn’t the full truth. There was an answer for her to grasp, and he may already have an idea of what it was.
It just wasn’t something he was willing to reveal. That only made her more curious and determined to piece it all together.
Her eyes narrowed as she carefully studied every nuance of his profile to see his reaction to her words. “There are always mysteries in life.”
“Yes, there are.”
She continued to stare at him while he ignored her for the wall. Finally, his head turned toward her.
The exhaustion and pain radiating from his eyes caused her anxiety to melt. She leaned toward him, seeking to help in whatever way she could, but his words froze her.
“Do you know about Allegra and King Leonidas?”
Kaylia was so thrown off by the strange question and the abrupt change in topic that she leaned away. “Knowwhatabout them?”
“After that last attack, when some of the witches were killed, I asked Ryker why they remained. Why didn’t they go home where they would be safer? He told me they paid the witches well, and they sought to revenge their dead, but there might also be something more to it.”
“Like what?”
“Allegra and Leonidas were having an affair. Ryker thinks the relationship means more to her than his king, but he suspects it is part of the reason the witches remain when they could easily return home.”
“He thinks she’s in love with Leonidas?”
“That’s what I gathered from it.”
Kaylia pondered this. “That makes sense. I mean, of course, the witches want money, and selling our services is one of the main ways we earn an income, but I’m sure they considered leaving after the first time one of them died in this valley.
“They might have stayed to get revenge on those who killed their friends and for the money, but a witch being in love with the man they’re trying to rescue would keep them here. Witches would never leave a loved one to an unknown fate, and the others would stay to prevent Allegra from suffering.”
She waited for him to say something more, to explain why he felt it necessary to divulge this information. Instead of expanding further, he laid down on his makeshift bed and draped his arm over his eyes.
He should rest, but Kaylia had to know…
“Why did you ask me about them?”
“After what happened with the mandarus earlier, I was wondering about Allegra,” he murmured.
“What about her?”
“Did they affect her too?”
His voice became groggy and a little slurred while speaking. She didn’t think he would have muttered the question if he’d been fully awake, but Brokk was asleep as soon as he finished talking.
