Page 128 of Fallen Court

“Baptiste, I…” My voice sounded foreign to my own ears, thick and raw. “I’m sorry about Étienne.”

She paused, her knife hovering over a half-chopped carrot, and a wry smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I thought you didn’t apologize.”

I shook my head, a mirthless laugh escaping me. “I don’t. But…I’m still sorry.”

The words hung between us, heavy with the weight of centuries of things left unsaid. The full burden of my immortality pressed down on me with its endless march of time and loss and mistakes.

The rhythmic thud of her knife against the cutting board filled the silence between us. I picked up a towel, methodically wiping Caleb’s blood from my hands before tossing it into the trash.

“You should know that the council reached out,” Baptiste said, her gaze fixed on the vegetables before her. “About the murders. I’ll let them know it’s been resolved.”

I nodded, but the tension in my shoulders remained. It was over, but its weight still lingered like a shadow—impossible to shake.

Baptiste glanced up at me, her brow furrowing. “This is the part where you thank me and tell me you’re relieved.”

“Thanks,” I said flatly. “You took care of one of my problems.”

“The bona fides is still in place, which means…” She put the knife down and studied me. “Let me guess. This is about that human.”

Suspicion flared in my chest at her sudden concern.

“Relax, Lach,” she said. “I’ve moved on, and I’m glad you have, too, even if she’s human.” She grimaced. “Unless you fucked that up, too.”

We were a chapter long since closed, but she still knew how to read me.

I let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t know, Baptiste. Everything’s just…complicated right now.”

She picked up the chopping board, turning to the pot still simmering on the stovetop, and dumped them in with a splash. “Let me give you a bit of advice. I’ve known you for centuries. I knew Étienne even longer. I thought I always would.” Her voice caught, a flicker of pain crossing her features before she schooled them back into a neutral mask. “I think it’s safe to say you thought the same.”

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat.

“We’ve been immortal so long, we forget what’s truly important,” she said softly. “No magic can guarantee forever. Any of us could die tomorrow. Don’t waste time.”

The truth of her words punched me in the gut.

“I don’t know how to make things right with her,” I admitted. “I don’t even know where to start.”

She dipped a spoon into the pot, tasting it with a critical eye before reaching for the salt. A knowing smile curved her lips as she glanced back at me. “Why do you think I taught you to cook? Food has a way of bringing people together.” She waved her spoon at me. “So, get your ass out of my kitchen and go fix what you broke. And for fuck’s sake, try not to screw it up this time.”

Chapter Thirty

Cate

Six words.

Lach and I hadn’t spoken for the better part of a week, and that was all I warranted. Six shitty words. I stared at the crumpled note in my hand.

Meet me for dinner at six.

No apology. No explanation. No I love you. He hadn’t even bothered to sign his freaking name.

Maybe it was part of his plan. Break things off in a public place with lots of curious humans watching so I wouldn’t make a scene. Clearly, he wasn’t interested in working through our problems—mating bond or no. I turned away from the door that led to the Avalon’s dining room, but I only made it a few steps toward the elevator before I changed my mind. Maybe it was better if he wanted to end things. How much harder could my heart break, anyway?

A deep pang in my chest answered. I rubbed away the ache and pushed open the door.

Inside, chairs were turned over on top of tables, and the overhead lights were off. The entire place was deserted save for an intimate table that had been set for two in the center of the room, adorned with silver candlesticks and a ridiculously large bouquet of red roses whose deep crimson petals seemed to glow in the flickering candlelight.

So maybe I’d read the note wrong. Still, it wasn’t going to be as easy as tossing a few flowers and lighting a few candles.