Page 31 of Sands of Atonement

Everyone stood from their colorful cushions, and the air was filled with praise and cheer. Even Ezra was clapping his hands. The girls and I bowed and made our way back to the entrance. Behind us, I could hear the party resuming its festivities with music, conversation, and laughter.

Before anyone could notice, I slipped away from the group of girls to the back of the pillars and into a dark hallway. Without hesitation, I took my face mask off so I could breathe freely for a moment, before placing it back over my nose. Because I was a dancer and not wearing much clothing, I could only carry the smallest of knives on my upper thigh. Now that I was inside the palace and the rest of the guests were busy inside the main hall, I took this time to prepare myself for my next victim.

Breathless, I made my way to the east wing of the palace, typically where the royal chambers usually were. The red and orange rugs below me kept my steps quiet as I made my way through the tapestry-filled hallways. My body thrummed with energy, sending a constant tingle across my skin. By the end of tonight, the royal family would be dead.

Maybe I would be, too.

Since they didn’t give my family a fair fight for their lives, I wasn’t going to either. In their sleep, or while they bathed—it didn’t matter. They were going to die.

The bottle between my chest sang to me.

I had slipped the venom from the Silver Snake I severed into each of their drinks. They might or might not drink it. It didn’t matter, but it would help move the process forward.

“I knew I recognized you.”

My steps halted at the voice behind me. My heart pounded in my throat. This could be bad, or this could be perfect.

Which brother was it?

I turned slowly. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

Ezra.

This was bad.

“I don’t know what you mean, my lord,” I said in a soft, sweet voice while bowing my head respectfully.

Ezra stepped forward, and my instincts nudged me to step back, but I didn’t. The beating of my heart became sporadic.

“You think I don’t notice the way you move.” He scoffed. “They mimic the pathetic little dance moves you performed for me last week in the arena.”

My eyes narrowed on his. “You’re going to regret ever saying that.”

“Don’t tell me what I’m going to regret saying or not.” His voice was low and lethal. God, he was so arrogant.

He hadn’t stopped moving toward me, and I retreated, but my back hit the wall behind me. I looked up, and within a split of a moment, he was in front of me with his large hand wrapped around my throat, sending an electric current through me.

My entire body tingled awake, screaming to me that I was in danger.

My hands crept toward my inner thigh for my knife.

Ezra’s gaze dropped with my hands.

Oh, no. His eyes lifted to meet my wide eyes.

Shit. I didn’t plan for this.

His other hand tightened. “Don’t. Move. That. Hand.”

I didn’t know if he knew I had a knife between my thighs or if he thought I wanted pleasure from this. His unpredictability was unnerving.

His hand around my neck went to my jaw and lifted my head. His grip was possessive, and my body shivered, though my skin was getting warmer by the second.

His eyes dipped to my mouth, and my breathing sped up. His lips were wet and perfect, and I wondered in that moment what it would be like to touch them before they grew cold from death.

Ezra lowered his head. My breath hitched.

“You want me, don’t you?” I dared to ask.