Bound to the Alpha King novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: The Bath

"Nothing," said Rorik.

He said it to the wall, with his back to me, in the side corridor behind the throne hall.

"I felt nothing when he cut you."

"I know. I watched your face."

"My face was lying."

"It was very good at it."

"I had to give them something."

He turned around, and his eyes were bleak.

"The rite-keeper told the court wounds pass."

"She told me the same, the night before the oath."

"They don't."

I leaned back against the cold stone.

"So either the rite was half said," I said slowly, "or she lied."

"Or she was lied to."

"And now she's dead."

"Yes."

I thought about the Chancellor's face, the cold flash of disappointment when the king roared.

"He wanted you to fail," I said. "He wanted the lords to see you feel nothing."

"Then I'm a liar, and you're a fool who was tricked."

"And they'd have a reason to unseat you."

"Yes."

"And you saved us both with a bad performance."

"I thought it was rather good."

"You roared like a cow in a ditch."

His mouth twitched.

He crossed the space between us and stopped close.

I felt the knock of his heart in my chest, steady again.

"There's something else," he said. "If wounds don't pass, then I can't promise what else is true."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning I don't know if the rest of it holds. The part about you dying when I do."

I looked at him.

He looked back, unblinking.

"Don't test that," he said.

"I wasn't going to."

"Good."

"I'm going to test the other one."

I took a bone pin out of my braid, pushed up my sleeve, and pricked the tip of my own finger.

A red bead welled up.

Rorik stood very still.

"Anything?" I said.

"Not a thing."

"Nothing at all?"

"Hedda, put the pin down."

"I'm trying to make a scientific point."

"You're bleeding on the floor of my palace."

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