gleam in her eyes that morning and nothing had been amiss.
He shifted his path around the tutanis with the intent to search out Darcy. If he had to cajole her about being gone longer than he’d planned, he was willing to do so and much more. He was willing to do a lot for her soft smiles and the feelings she pulled from him.
Cecilee stood in front of him, blocking his path and the first sliver of fear teased at the edges of his mind. Thoughts of Darcy attempting to escape again and being foiled by Lothar took root. “Where is she?”
“In your bed,” Cecilee said.
Then she was unharmed. He exhaled softly. Perhaps it wasn’t anger that kept Darcy from greeting him but her eagerness to wait for him in the way she thought he’d best enjoy. He stepped around Cecilee and her steps raced after him. “Nikol, wait! She—”
Nikol pulled back the curtain of his alcove. And froze. He couldn’t draw a breath.
His astéri.
Darcy was in his bed but it wasn’t joy Nikol felt upon seeing her. Shock gave way to anger. Nikol stormed to the side of his bed. Rage filled his veins as he stared at Darcy’s destroyed back. The slim graceful line he’d licked the night before leaving was covered in thin welts.
“Who dared?” He knew whip marks when he saw them. Darcy’s face was turned in his direction and even in rest agony creased her red brows. His heart splintered into a thousand pieces as he dropped to one knee and feathered his fingers over her hair, scared to touch her. It took several tries to clear his throat. “Astéri?”
Darcy opened glazed blue eyes. “Nikol.”
Clasping one of her hands between the two of his, he kissed her knuckles. “I will fix this.”
“I hurt.” A single tear rolled down her cheek.
He fought the urge to crush her to him. “Who did this to you, Darcy?”
There was no answer. Her eyes closed and she drifted back to sleep. They would pay. Whoever did this would pay with their life. The pain she felt was nothing compared to what he planned to do. “Get a medic to heal her! Now!”
“I will have one sent for,” Cecilee rushed to say. Then refusing to abandon her position, she yelled. “Amia, tell Tseju Nikol demands a medic. Now.”
Tseju. The door guard Nikol sensed had a soft spot for Darcy. He’d trusted him to see to her care. How had this happen? Why had no one treated her before now?
Nikol shook his head in disbelief. This—this was inexcusable. He set Darcy’s hand back down on the covers and eyed Cecilee, hovering in the archway. She was the one who’d suggested the title of First Placement to protect Darcy while he was gone and yet this had happened with all of them around.
Working to calm himself, Nikol had to take the blame for this. Why hadn’t he forced Lothar to act sooner? Instead, he’d rushed off to run one of his trivial errands and this was what happened in his absence.
“How did this happen?” If her injuries came from the hands of his father, Nikol would destroy every single person connected to allowing it to happen.
“Tseju,” Cecilee whispered in a voice soaked with remorse.
Nikol lurched to his feet. “I will kill him.”
Chapter 30
Nikol confronted Garmon alone at the door to his kitse. “Where is Tseju?”
“He went for a medic.” Garmon’s gaze darted around, not meeting Nikol’s gaze.
Anger coursed through him but Nikol needed answers first. “Why wasn’t a medic summoned immediately?”
Folds formed between Garmon’s brows. “You have made it clear Medic Crox is not to see any of the tutanis without your express permission.”
Nikol grabbed his shirt and slammed Garmon into the door behind him. “She is hurt! You were to protect her!”
Garmon met his gaze evenly. “Punishment was given. Isn’t that the correct way to handle a defiant tutanis?”
“Punishment?!” What could she have done to warrant punishment in the little time he’d been gone? Darcy had promised and Nikol refused to believe she would have lied to him. In fact, he was confident she hadn’t. There were many things between them but lying had not been a part of it.
Breathing deeply, Nikol gritted his teeth and stared at Garmon. Tseju came running with the medic in tow before he could smash Garmon’s teeth down his throat. He flung Garmon to the side and lunged for Tseju.
Within seconds, he had the younger guard pinned to the wall with his knife pressed to his