His voice came from behind, sounding cold and angry. “Preying upon young women again, Hugo?”
My eyes went to him at once. My body wanted to go, too—just the sight of him set my hands trembling. I had to fight not to walk mindlessly to him. He stood tall, holding his arms slightly askew, all coiled power.
Why had he come? He’d said we needed distance, but had he somehow sensed my distress?
Alcántara snarled, “Do you not tire of the self-righteousness, McCloud? I know I do.”
“A man always has a choice, and he has but to choose the right thing,” Carden said with a blithe smile, implying a whole universe of subtext that was beyond me.
His proximity seared through me, quickening my pulse, my breath. My throat was parched…thirsty. I was so thirsty. Too late, I realized that while I was watching Carden, Alcántara was watching me.
He turned to Carden with disgust. “You speak of the right thing. Learned men call such statements ironic.” Alcántara directed his next words to me. “McCloud buys into chivalric nonsense.”
“A man must prove his worth,” Carden said nonchalantly.
“His worth?” Alcántara scoffed. “I find the idea barbaric. I suppose you’d call a man unworthy until he’s done battle.”
“Unworthy?” Carden’s expression was dismissive. “Untested is perhaps the better word.”
Alcántara shuddered. “My father had such brutish notions. The real test is how one wields words, for they can be fiercer than any sword. But that is something you savages don’t understand.” He touched a finger to my chin. “You and I, however…We are of like minds, are we not, querida?”
I’d thought Carden might be the jealous type, but never had I imagined this. He looked ready to go ballistic.
I was certain I must’ve looked like a gaping fish as I fumbled to think up a reply that would keep me alive and the two vampires from shredding each other to bits.
But Carden saved me from answering—and if that was chivalry, I was all for it. “Words as swords? Is that what this is?” He smirked. “Some might say words are the tools of cowards who won’t do their own dirty work.”
There were clearly more layers of history in this conversation than I could deal with. I began to back away slowly.
“Stop.” Alcántara halted me in my tracks. He stared at Carden with pure loathing. “Are you quite finished with this vulgar rant?”
But Carden only laughed at him. By the look on Alcántara’s face, he didn’t join in the amusement. It was a dumb move that could get McCloud killed, and I braced for some form of retaliation.
“Have you urgent mathematical issues to discuss instead?” Carden raised a brow. “I’ll leave you to your triangles then.”
He was stupid and gutsy, not giving a care for what anyone else thought. And God help me, watching his strong back as he walked away stole my breath. Carden was all courage, and suddenly it wasn’t a stretch to picture him riding around on a horse, waving a sword.
The moment Carden was out of earshot, Alcántara spun on me, his black eyes boring into me. “As you may have heard, another young woman was exsanguinated.”
“I—I did hear,” I stammered, worried what the abrupt topic change might indicate.
“This time, the victim was not merely a Guidon. She was a Watcher. Those who ascend to Watcher are the cream of the cream. The elite. Such young women are not often caught unawares. Our Watchers do not die easily.”
“Yes,” I said carefully. “I know.” Every alarm in my head shrilled; every shield slammed into place. Why was he discussing this with me? He couldn’t seriously think I had anything to do with it.
“We are very curious as to Master McCloud’s whereabouts yesterday evening. Do you know, querida?”
He’d torn the ground from under me. He suspected Carden. Not only did Alcántara suspect him—I could tell by the look in those coal black eyes that he was after him, guns blazing.
But was this an investigation to discover if McCloud was guilty of murder, or was he also investigating whether he was guilty of being with me?
For all I knew, Alcántara had seen us talking last night, and this was a test to see if I’d lie for Carden. It was a stunt he’d pulled before. “Yes, actually,” I replied as calmly as I could. “We exchanged words in front of the dorm after dinner.”
He put a finger under my chin, like he needed a better angle with which to peer into my traitorous eyes. “Are you certain?”
“Yes, sir,” I replied, trying to sound blasé. “I’m certain. In fact, Tracer Ronan was there as well.” I cringed instantly. Why had I brought him into this?
Alcántara tilted his head as if to say he found all of this deeply fascinating. “What a compelling trio. Whatever did you discuss?”