The Consort

Chapter 23: Research

John's grip on my hand is firm as I pull him through the hallway, eager to sneak him into my room as quickly as possible. I pause before rounding the corner that leads past the King's door, peeking my head around to ensure that the coast is clear before moving further.

Heloix's guard is the only person present in the long corridor, his large body leaning against the wall directly across from the King's door as he stares up at the ceiling in boredom. I send a quick prayer that he doesn't report our passing to Heloix before tightening my grip on John's hand and hurriedly jogging down the hallway.

The guard doesn't bat an eye at us as we scurry past, and an enormous weight is lifted off my shoulder as we round the final corner to my room and I barge my way inside. John fumbles in behind me, his body turning quickly as he slams the door shut behind us.

"What the fuck, Adeline? You're going to get me killed." John hisses quietly as he searches the room for any signs of danger.

Ignoring him, I run over to my desk and grab my book, eager to show him what I've found. I spent all day yesterday reading the entire thing cover to cover in search of some answers, and while I didn't find anything concrete there are definitely some possibilities in here.

"Nobody knows you're here." I respond, spinning around and holding the book out to him. "I have something I need to show you."

John huffs quietly, reaching up and pushing his tousled blond hair away from his face with a scowl. He looks at my book wearily as he reads over the cover, his lips pursing as he reaches out and grabs it from my hand.

"What's this?" He questions.

"Heloix gave it to me." I answer, reaching forward to point at the small, torn piece of paper I stuck between the pages during last night's reading. "Open up to the bookmark."

John narrows his eyes when I mention Heloix but opens the book nonetheless. It takes him to the section about rituals, and I bounce nervously on my heels as I wait for him to finish skimming over the words.

"What's this about?" He finally speaks up, looking up at me over the top of the pages.

"You promise not to tell anybody?" I ask, weary of what Heloix will do if he finds out that I've spoken about what happened between us.

John is a loyal friend, and I trust that he will keep what I say between us. Besides, I'm sure that his fear of Heloix will make him weary even to speak his name, let alone spread unsavory information about him.

"I promise."

Taking a deep, calming breath, I step closer to John and point to the section a third of the way down the page.

"Sharing blood is considered a very intimate action between Beasts and is rarely done." I explain, giving some context to the section I am pointing to before continuing. "There are only a couple of reasons why a Beast would do it."

John looks at me, eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "Why do you care about Beasts sharing blood?"

His question is innocent, but the tone he uses screams judgment. I open my mouth to respond, watching as John's lips flatten into a thin line as he realizes what I'm about to say. A sudden wave of embarrassment rushes over me as I try to put into words what Heloix and I have done, the intense shame rendering me momentarily silent.

"Adeline?" He probes, voice trailing off at the end.

I shrug, avoiding eye contact. "Don't make me say it."

I know that John will find what the King and I have done appalling, and a small part of me fears that he will no longer want to help me after finding out the truth.