Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles #4) - Ilona Andrews Page 0,50

expression turned ice cold. “The nature of my conversations with my fiancée are none of your business.”

“One would think that a man in your position would be grateful that a female relative is trying to safeguard his not-fiancée.”

“A man in my position would be grateful for a bit of privacy!”

“You can have privacy when you’re dead!”

They glared at each other.

Right. She’d been in enough sibling battles to know exactly where this would end.

“My lady!” Maud said.

“What?” Karat snarled.

“Urgent news?” Maud prompted.

“Go ahead,” Arland said. “The sooner we hear this, the faster you can leave.”

“I came here to tell your not-fiancée,” Karat said, looking at Arland, “that the bride just invited her to the Lantern Vigil.”

Arland swore.

“When?” Maud asked.

“We leave in thirty minutes.”

Arland swore again. Clearly, this whole situation was getting to him, Maud decided.

“What in the icy plains do they want with her?” Arland asked.

“I don’t know,” Karat said. “You have to go, Maud. If you refuse…”

“It will be an insult. I know. I had the Lantern Vigil for my wedding.”

It was an ancient wedding ritual, born from myth and love. A thousand years ago, a vampire knight had gone to war against interstellar invaders. His fiancée, who had been crippled in battle, had to stay behind. Every week, despite her injury, she made a long journey to the sacred vala tree high on the mountain and hung a new lantern on its branches, praying that her fiancé would come home. When he returned, years later, triumphant, he saw the vala tree out of the window of his shuttle. It glowed with lanterns, a symbol of his beloved’s devotion.

Nobody remembered the couple’s names, but countless vampire brides made the journey to a vala tree carefully planted somewhere in the wilderness, preferably on a mountain trail. They were accompanied by the young women from the bridal party. The journey had to be made on foot. No armor. No weapons. No men.

“Can you get her out of it?” Arland asked.

“They specifically asked for her by name. It came directly from the bride.” Karat grimaced. “The bridal tree is five miles up the trail. The terrain is steep and the path is narrow, bordering a cliff. We’ll end up walking single file half of the way. The order in which we walk is predetermined by the bride. Maud will be walking between Onda and Seveline. I’ll be three women ahead. If something happens, I won’t even know.”

“You think they could push her off the path?” Arland’s eyes blazed.

“I wouldn’t put it past them.”

“To what end?”

Karat waved her arms. “To piss you off. To upset the wedding. For their amusement because they are evil bitches.”

Maud cleared her throat. The two vampires looked at her.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I’m hard to kill. Better people have tried and failed. Besides, it’s unlikely they would bump me off. I’m an honored guest. If I die, Arland would withdraw from the wedding to mourn me and they have a particular interest in him.”

“That sounds thin to me,” Karat said.

“I’m better out of armor than they are. I’ll need a booster,” Maud said. Walking five miles to the tree and five miles back would definitely count as “strenuous activity.” Under normal circumstances, she could hike it in her sleep, but considering everything her body had been through in the last few hours, she would need help.

“No problem.”

Arland locked his teeth. The muscles on the corners of his jaw stood out. She kind of liked it.

“A penny for your thoughts, Lord Marshal?”

He unhinged his jaws. “There is nothing I can do to remedy this situation,” he said, his voice so calm, it was almost eerie. “To refuse the invitation is a grave insult. The only acceptable excuse would be physical incapacitation. If we were to tell them that you were injured, there would be questions. First, how did you get injured? Why would House Krahr let a human guest come to harm? And if I were to disclose the true reason for your injuries, I would be throwing away the element of surprise, which may be the only advantage you have should your life be in danger.”

He looked so put out, she had to needle him. “Not the only advantage,” Maud told him. “There is also my sexy human allure.”

Karat choked on a laugh.

Arland shut his eyes for a long moment and then fixed her with a glacial stare. “I implore you to take this seriously.”

“Never underestimate the impact of a strategic hip roll.” Where was she even going