Things That Should Stay Buried - Casey L. Bond Page 0,74
his Guardian. You’d really take his word for it? It seems a little too convenient, if you ask me. Of course, we won’t attack if it means we’d be killing ourselves in the process… but what if that’s a lie?” Xavier asked, his brows raising.
“He’s my brother,” I warned. “He would never lie to me. Not even for Aries.”
Xavier had the good sense to drop what he was suggesting. His eyes brushed over me and trailed over my stomach, partially bare, thanks to Helena’s expert knotting. “Where did the bruises come from, Larken?” he asked, an edge to his voice.
“Pisces tried to drown me while I was taking a bath,” I admitted.
He muttered a soft curse. “And Aries saved you?” he asked.
“Aquarius did.”
“Ugh. I hate Golden Boy. He’s a dick,” Xavier grimaced. “Where was Aries when Pisces attacked?”
“He had just left to get something from his room.” Saying it aloud, I admitted it sounded stupid. “She pulled me under before I had a chance to scream.” He came for me, I wanted to tell him. Aries knew she was near and came as soon as he sensed her. It was so fast; the whole thing lasted less than a minute. But it only took seconds for a human to drown.
His eyes sharpened. “Did you fight?”
“I tried, but… God, she was strong. I couldn’t break her hold no matter what I tried.” I remembered the crystal-clear water sloshing overhead as my fingers fumbled toward the light, never gaining enough traction to push my face to the surface.
“Is it possible that Aries wanted her to succeed? Just for the pledge to be broken?” he whispered.
Tears pricked at my eyes. “No.” I mean, I don’t think so.
Xavier was making me question everything now.
My eyes slid to the door guiltily where I knew Kes stood, listening in. He could hear every word that passed, even the whispers. If Kes had been the one standing outside the bathroom, would Pisces have been able to almost drown me?
A darker thought slid into my belly.
If Aries ordered Kes to kill me, would he have to obey?
If he refused, what would Aries do to him?
Xavier told me more about the rebellion that was forming. I learned it consisted mainly of a small group of men and that they were waiting for an opportunity to strike, but Aries was always in the castle, and always with me.
“You have to tell them to stop,” I begged. “Kes is not a liar. If they somehow manage to hurt Aries, our people will suffer.”
His brows raised, then furrowed angrily. “Our people?”
“The people in this territory,” I amended, flustered.
“Is that what you meant, Larken? Because for a second there, it almost seemed like you meant yours and Aries’s people.” He looked disgusted. “How do you stomach him? He treats you like an object, then just as easily throws you to me like scraps.”
“That’s not true,” I argued, the words dying in my throat.
He shook his head. “If you were mine… I would never push you into his arms.”
“Well, maybe you’re both wrong for thinking I’ll ever belong to anyone but myself.”
He stiffened. “You know what I meant. I mean, he marked you. His blood is under your skin. It’s barbaric the way he treats you! Ordering you around all the time, having you constantly guarded, telling me I have to make you happy – not that I wouldn’t want to anyway, but still. He acts like he owns you, but not like he respects you. Surely, you have to see that.”
I pressed my eyes closed.
“What if you just asked to speak to Taurus?” Xavier suggested. “Maybe you could make a deal with him. If you go willingly to your territory, maybe he would leave Aries alone.”
I didn’t tell him that it didn’t matter, because Taurus wanted me dead. I didn’t even understand it myself. Why would he care about one person? What was so special about me?
I needed to exert whatever influence I had with Xavier to stop those who would try to attack Aries. He would kill them for even attempting it.
“Can you get word to the people planning this rebellion? They need to understand what the consequences would be if they kill one of them. And if they try anything against Aries… it would be their last attempt.”
He blew out a tense breath, but trudged across the room. “They’re not striking anytime soon, but I’ll tell them,” he said. “I can’t promise they’ll believe it.”