Sickly, Sweet - Book One

Ch. 20 - Written in Bone

***

A strong wave of silence engulfs us as four pairs of eyes travel back and forth across the room. Wanting to receive answers, my ears twitch in anticipation and my hands shake in anxiousness.

"It's not what you think, Saphira," Valentine interjected in a voice so broken you could barely recognize it was him.

I chuckle with utmost sarcasm and my eyes lock with his pained ones. "She's killing because of you. What did you do to her?"

"Saphira, I don't think this is the time to talk about this," Vladimir cuts in.

I shake my head I disagree. "I think this is the perfect time, don't you agree, Valentine?"

"Saphira," he warns and steps closer to me. I shouldn't be doing this, especially with the King in the room. Sebastian held an authoritative stance in the room but glances at us in confusion. He looks quite disappointed at the show we were putting on for him and his barely living wife.

Valentine doesn't answer but pleads me to stop with his eyes. I could feel his sorrow even with the distance between us. I drop my mouth to speak but before I could blink I am quickly transported out of the room and pinned to the wall. He had transported us to a room opposite of the master suite.

"Get off of me," I seethe through my teeth. "You're the reason I'm in this mess, and still in it, why don't you just give yourself up? You're the one she wants."

"Jealous, are we?" His body is warm and he looks absolutely predatory but there was comfort in his presence. He was pressed up against me and somehow it felt good.

"Leave," I hesitate to say, not really having the desire to. I lift my hands to wrap them around his neck, hoping to give him a little burst of negative energy. My hands are captured by his and now pinned above my head. It's provocative nature almost makes me forget all about our little feud.

"No, you wanted to talk. So, let's talk." His voice is gruff but holds a speck of softness. He presses himself harder into me and there was nothing but the solid wall behind me. I writhe as my lower back rubs against the wooden scaffolding, digging into my skin.

"Fine," I reply sharply. He loosens his titanium grip around me and slowly reverts. His hand, though, never let's go of mine, but leads me towards the door.

"Fine." He mocks as we walk down the winding hallway. I follow him with no hesitance, although very curious as to where he was taking me. Who knows what lurks in the corners of this spacious and historical building. "You must speak of this to no one."

"Why? Do you not want them to know of your forbidden love with the dark Queen?" His hand squeezes mine, tightly. Warmth blazes like embers on a summer night as his hand grips my own.

"No," he replies. "It's more for your own good."

I raise a brow. "How so?"

"Wouldn't want you to start spreading rumors. Like I said, sweetheart, it's not what you think." His voice was collected and held a strong testimony of his own words.

"Well, being kept in the dark isn't really helping my thoughts right now." I roll my eyes to the side.

We hastily enter a spacious room lined with shelves of books. The library is lit ominously with a warm glow that transcends into every corner. It was beautiful, a place I would not mind spending, if not all, most of my time in.

"Is this the Royal Repository?" I ask, running my fingers over the delicate leather bindings. Books, both old and new, stand upright as a comforting scene and assurance that everything has been taken down for historical reference.