Igniting Darkness (Courting Darkness Duology #2) - Robin LaFevers Page 0,94

head. “Beast always claimed he did not know who his fath—”

“He doesn’t know. Not yet. He has been on business in Brittany for the queen and left before Cassel arrived at court.”

Maraud grows quiet, looking into the red glow of the embers. Finally he says, “If there is one man who is owed vengeance upon Cassel even more than I, it is Beast.”

“I thought you could work together. He could be an ally in this. As could Angoulême. He can explain who gave him the order and why. And speak on your behalf. He is a Prince of the Blood. Furthermore, I believe the tide is turning against the regent.”

“Why?”

“Pierre d’Albret is here in Paris.”

His entire body stiffens. “Has he seen you? Recognized you?”

“No. But I wanted to warn you, all the same.”

He reaches out and takes both my hands in his, gripping them firmly. “You need to be careful. He saw through my disguise, he could easily see through yours.”

I purse my lips, weighing the risk. “Our paths have not crossed. I only learned it when someone else informed the queen. I will be cautious. But the more dire news is that Pierre and the regent are working together.”

“To what end?”

“We don’t know yet, but they have conspired in many ways against the queen, as far back as when she was duchess, and have not abandoned their alliance. However, it has begun to come to light, and the king is now mistrustful of them both.”

Maraud grins. “Then now would be a good time to add to the regent’s sins by revealing her role in my imprisonment.”

“And would remove one of Cassel’s most loyal supporters. And with Angoulême to speak on your behalf, you may well have a solid enough case to lay before the king.”

Maraud strokes his chin, thinking. “But would the count speak on my behalf?”

“Yes,” I say grimly. “He owes me that much at least.”

“Won’t that expose him to the regent’s ire?”

“Not if she is out of favor.”

To my surprise, he leans forward and plants a quick kiss upon my mouth. “Such a brilliant girl you are.” Something inside my chest feels light and frothy, like the foam on the ocean’s waves. After all that I have endured these last weeks, his words are a much welcome balm to my ragged soul.

Then his face creases in thought as he studies me so intently that I nearly blush. “What is your role in all this?” His gaze flickers briefly to the necklace before returning to my face.

“I wish to help you.”

At my words, his hands come up to cup my face, his thumb rubbing gently against my chin. “Why?” he whispers. “What has changed?”

“Everything.”

His gaze moves down to my lips. “Good,” he murmurs, pulling my head closer. He sets his mouth against mine, savoring the feel of my lips, brushing his against them once, twice, before he slants his mouth over mine, giving rein to the urgency that fills both of us.

I allow my own hands to touch his shoulders, savoring the sleekly muscled shape of him. For a brief moment, a memory of the king on the tennis courts barges into my thoughts. Guilt, quick and hot, causes me to pull away, and then Maraud steps closer, wrapping his arms around my waist, drawing the entire length of our bodies together, and all thoughts of the king scatter.

“Genevieve,” he murmurs, then moves his mouth to the line of my jaw, kissing along it until he reaches the sensitive place where it meets my neck.

I raise my head to give him better access and let my fingers play with the edges of his hair. My entire body aches for his touch, and I want him both to linger where he is and to hurry on to other places.

As if hearing my thoughts, one hand strokes its way up the curve of my waist, brushing teasingly against the underside of my breast. Of its own accord, my body arches into him. He groans and runs his hands up along my back, his fingers pausing at the feel of the silver chain along my spine.

I grow still, letting his fingers explore the silver links through the thick fabric of my gown as I curse the way my body responds to him, curse that such feelings can drive all caution from my mind.

He pulls just far enough away that he can look into my face. “What is that?”

I reach around and remove his hand from it. “ ’Tis a necklace, that is