“She has regained a little color, and the doctors just took her off the ventilator. She’s breathing on her own, though she hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors say that because she’s young, and because she didn’t take in more poison, she’s responding well to treatment.”
Relief flooded through Inari’s body. She felt dizzy with it. “That’s excellent news. I really wish I could be there. Please tell her I love her if she wakes up during the night.”
“I will. I would send for you, Inari, but the circumstances being what they are, I feel safer with you there,” Thane said.
“I understand. I feel safe here. Elias, Caspian, and Erick are all working on the case, which is keeping me somewhat distracted. Please call and let me know, anytime day or night, if there are changes with Lisbet.”
“I will. Your mother is wrung out with worry and fear, but I’m sure she’ll contact you tomorrow morning.”
“Kiss her for me. Bye.” Inari ended the call. She paced the room, staring at—but not seeing—the luxury formal décor. Her steps took her past a tall fireplace, a double pair of French doors, and a statue of a solemn woman perched atop a plinth.
She hadn’t lied to her father. She did feel safe there. But she was also restless, especially now that she’d had a few hours’ sleep. Her mind jumped from scenario to scenario, all of it to do with her stalker.
And Elias.
She recalled the strength of his body, the comforting way his broad hands stroked in tandem up and down her spine. Rock solid, a force to be reckoned with. His brand of masculinity was a bit more understated than some. He tended toward quieter introspection these days with small bursts of roguish behavior that reminded her of when she’d known him in younger years.
He’d grown, matured. Become a man preparing, eventually, to take the throne of his kingdom.
That thought brought to mind the image of him and Caspian sitting at a desk in one of the subterranean rooms. Why was it that men haunted those places? None of the women she knew, not one, preferred those dank, dark conditions to the regular rooms of a castle or even the sunshine of a late spring day.
It didn’t matter.
What mattered, suddenly, was that she help him as he was helping her.
She turned on a foot and, with new determination, exited the sitting room.
* * *
Elias studied Caspian, expecting any number of wild tales to come out of his mouth. Apparently they’d hit pay dirt thinking the women might know more about Inari’s past interaction with men.
What Caspian relayed to him, however, was not anything he’d imagined to hear.
“All right, so according to a few of Ivanna’s acquaintances, Inari was having an illicit, hot affair with none other than Wolfe Novak, of Weithan Isle, the illegitimate son of Valentina Novak, whom your father famously married then divorced.” Caspian’s brows arched high.
Elias didn’t need the reminder of who Valentina Novak was, and who she had once been to his father. His family history was steeped in rumor and mystique about that entire ordeal, when Sander Ahtissari had married Valentina under duress, then exposed the woman for her conniving, manipulative ways. In truth, the marriage had not been official, only staged, although Valentina hadn’t known it at the time. That incident had cooled relations between their countries. His father still spoke with Prince Severian, Valentina’s brother, now and then.
Wolfe Novak had apparently inherited his mother’s wild side. He was a rogue’s rogue, adept at playing women and breaking hearts. Elias sometimes heard rumors of Wolfe’s transgressions via the grapevine, though he tended to tune out of most of those conversations because who slept with whom interested him little.
“And how authentic are these rumors? Can they be trusted?” Elias asked. First things first.
“According to Ivanna, it was common knowledge among a select few royals that Inari was involved with Wolfe. This was a year ago, however. Inari has not been connected with another man since, which, of course, led Ivanna to announce that Inari was still secretly in love with Wolfe, but had ended the relationship because he’d cheated on her. Repeatedly.”
Elias considered all the information at hand. Inari being involved with Wolfe didn’t sit well, and it had nothing to do with the recent poisonings. He refused to examine his discontent too closely at the moment.
“Well, if she hasn’t been involved with anyone in the last year, and her last . . . beau was Wolfe, then it seems to me that we can close down that avenue of interest. If Wolfe is such a player, and we know that he is, I don’t see him coming back to try and kill Inari a year later, especially if he was the one cheating,” Elias said. He thought about his own reply, testing it for holes and shortcomings. Just because something seemed one way did not necessarily make it so.
“That’s what I thought, too,” Caspian admitted. “Wolfe has been playing the field this past year, moving from one supermodel to another. The pictures of him on yachts and in exclusive nightclubs and partying it up with beautiful women are legendary. If he was so broken up over Inari, then one would think there would be at least mention of phone calls or unreturned texts or something like that. He doesn’t act like a scorned lover or a murderer to me.”
“What’s more surprising is how under wraps the two kept it all, if Wolfe is prone to splashing his escapades all over the news,” Elias said.
“It was very hush-hush. Inari rarely talked about Wolfe to anyone, though my sister admitted that Inari seemed angry and hurt when it ended. After that, Inari apparently rarely dated and lost some of her vivacious, flirty ways.”
“It changed her,” Elias said. “Maybe she was seriously in love with him to have that kind of reaction.”
“Could be. Anyway, that’s the dirt on former beaus. I inquired about anyone before Wolfe, but Ivanna told me she couldn’t pinpoint one man that stood out. Things were casual, fun and nonbinding before Wolfe.”
Elias ran a hand through his hair. “Then we’ll drop that line of inquiry and keep on with the others. Maybe we should refocus on who benefits if the entire Ascher line is wiped out.”
“Or a political strike from another country. Who might want to overthrow Somero? That’s also a worthy question,” Caspian said.
Elias grunted.
Indeed.
Chapter 15
Inari blinked against a burning, gritty sensation along the edge of her eyelids. She reached a hand up to rub away the sting, which only afforded her a few seconds of relief.
But she couldn’t stop now.
Not when she’d just unearthed another letter from a book lying open on the desk. She’d been at it for hours, flipping pages, picking up where Caspian had left off. She knew this was the book he’d been looking through because she’d seen him in this chair when she’d arrived much earlier in the evening. Now it was three, or perhaps even four in the morning. Two guards stood outside the doors to the subterranean chamber—which she’d been given express permission to visit—adding an extra layer of protection.
She opened the document with gloved fingers and gently flattened it out.
* * *
My loathing for the Latvalan king knows no bounds. He left us to die. The Viking raids lasted for weeks and I have lost many men. Seasoned warriors who will not be easily replaced. Sandersson could have helped us avoid the slaughter, but he did nothing. Perhaps he even hoped for this outcome, to erase the Rehn name from history.
He failed.
A second wave of warriors arrived from the hinterlands overnight and beat back the Vikings. Those they did not kill in the midnight ambush fled on their boats back across the sea from whence they came.
It is rare that Vikings retreat from a fight. I can only think luck was on our side.
We have prevailed. Barely.
And I wonder if the retreating Vikings only left to gather reinforcements, so they could return with a larger flotilla and make a second strike.
I have called in every able man.
We will
fight to the death, until there is not one warrior left on Imatran soil.
Including me.
* * *
Signed,
Amschel Rehn
* * *
Inari read it again, fascinated by the angst she could all but feel jumping off the page. Somero’s own history had been bloody in the beginning as well, though reading firsthand accounts of a king put an entirely new spin on everything. Were there similar documents in her library? Journals of her ancestors? Inari knew Somero’s past intimately, could recite the battles that led to the birth of her country and the kings who fought alongside their armies. She knew dates, skirmishes both won and lost.
But she had never read from an ancestor’s personal journal.
Not a king of old, this far in the past, in the midst of war.
“Find anything interesting?” Elias asked from the doorway.
Inari spun around in her chair, startled at his silent entrance. She took in the new pair of navy slacks he’d changed into, as well as the crisp white shirt with the sleeves flipped back to his elbows. “I did. I found another letter. It appears to be written after the last one you found.” After a moment, she added, “You’re up awfully early.”
“It’s five fifteen in the morning. I’m usually up around this time.”
He approached the desk with interest sparking in his vivid blue eyes. Inari twitched when he mentioned the time, which she’d clearly lost track of. Instead of explaining the reasons why she was still awake—he wasn’t stupid, he knew why—she gently pushed the page over so he could read the contents.
“I see now why you’re so taken with the past. This is fascinating,” she said as he began to read.
His brow furrowed, expression intent.
“I didn’t realize there was so much tension in Latvala and Imatra’s past,” she added.
“I didn’t know things were like this either, until recently. These pages shed new light on the whole discord between kings,” he replied.
“I read the other entry, too. I’m thinking there must be an entire journal somewhere.”
“Probably.” He straightened and pushed his hands into his pockets.
“It doesn’t solve anything with the crest, but it does give you answers, at least.” She met and held his gaze when he looked her way. Inari had a strong desire to rise and step into him, sink into his warmth and strength.
She didn’t.
“You haven’t slept at all,” he said.
“That nap threw me off, I guess. I wasn’t tired after I talked to my father and got an update on Lisbet.”
“What did he have to say?” Elias tilted his body so that he could perch on the edge of the desk.
Inari didn’t have to look upward quite so far now. “That the doctors said Lisbet’s stats are looking better. She wasn’t on the ventilator for too long, which is a good sign. They’re able to say now that she should recover with time.”
“I’m glad. That’s good news.”
“It’s very good news. I still wish I could go see her. Hopefully she’ll be home soon.” Just as she started to say something else, Elias hit her broadside with an unexpected question.
“Tell me about your relationship with Wolfe Novak.”
Wolfe. She hadn’t thought about that name, or the person attached to it, for months. Regardless, her cheeks flushed and she fluttered a hand up to fiddle with a stray lock of hair. Why was Elias asking her about Wolfe? Moreover, how had he found out about the relationship?
“Yes, we dated. For about a year. We kept it—I kept it—under the radar for personal reasons. Then I found out he cheated on me, an accusation he hotly denied, and ended the relationship shortly thereafter.”
“Were you in love with him?” Elias asked.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Inari surged to her feet, suddenly annoyed and defensive. “We dated. He cheated. It’s over.”
“We’re investigating every angle on this stalker issue of yours. It seemed prudent to make sure, to be positive, that there wasn’t bad blood between you and him when it ended. It appears, at least to me, that you left angry, not him. That helps us narrow things down. You see?” Elias said in a calm, neutral voice.
Inari paced around the desk, resisting the urge to rub her stinging eyelids again. “I don’t know. Yes. I mean, I guess so.” She paused to collect her thoughts and get control of her temper. “Wolfe just isn’t the type to try and kill someone. He’s a player, yes. He’s wild and has a reputation for debauchery on the highest levels. But Wolfe is no murderer.”
“All right.” Elias nodded his head, as if accepting her opinion at face value.
“I didn’t mean to get so defensive,” she said a moment later. She felt guilty snapping at Elias when he had nothing to do with that whole situation. “I’m sorry I was so abrupt.”
“Don’t be. Clearly something about that whole ordeal still affects you.” Elias smiled and eased off the desk.
Inari had the strangest sensation of distance. As if he’d suddenly erected an invisible wall between them. His smile wasn’t the warm one she knew it could be, but polite. Cordial. As if they were strangers meeting at a state dinner party.
“Yes. It still affects me,” she confessed, deciding to confide in him. She wanted the other Elias back, the one who comforted her with a touch to her arm, who drew her into his embrace when he knew she was hurting. “He’s in love with me. Has been since early on in our relationship. He spent the first four months after our breakup trying to get me back, promising me everything. His devotion, his soul. But I’m that kind of personality. Once bitten and all that. I couldn’t go back, even though he’d denied ever cheating on me in the first place.”
“How did you find out he’d done so?” Elias asked, sliding his hands into his pockets.
“One of my closer female acquaintances heard it while she was at a gala on Weithan Isle. The woman Wolfe cheated with was one of the hired help in the castle. Not a titled princess or even the daughter of a wealthy figure. Just a member of the cleaning staff. Word got around, as it always does, until it reached my ears.” Inari didn’t understand why Elias frowned the way he did, sharp and immediate. “Why do you have that look on your face?”
“Just a curious state of affairs,” Elias said.
Inari suspected he was being evasive, and that there was more to his thoughtful expression than he let on. “I’m not sure what’s curious about it. Wolfe’s reputation is known far and wide.”
“It’s not his reputation I find curious,” Elias said. He pivoted toward the door, changing the subject along the way. “You don’t seem to be having any issues being down here, like you did at Kallaster.”
Inari fell into step behind him, ready to be above ground again. “I think it’s because the confines aren’t so suffocating. Your tunnels were much darker, much closer to the skin. It felt like being buried. Here, at least, the cavern is spacious enough to walk around and has plenty of lighting.”
“You’re right about that.” He smiled over his shoulder and gestured for her to take the lead. “Ladies first.”
“Well, isn’t that chivalrous? You must not want me staring at your ass.” The words popped out unbidden. She sucked in a surprised breath then threw back her head—at the same time Elias did—and laughed.
He set a broad, warm palm on the back of her shoulder and guided her in front of him. “Now that’s the Inari I remember from years ago. She’s still in there somewhere after all.”
“You almost sound like you prefer that me over this me.” Inari took the lead, but threw a look behind her. Elias wore a downright smug, wolfish expression that was a stark deviation from his controlled neutrality. She decided she liked it.
He leaned his head forward, shoulders bent, and whispered in her ear. “I like both equally well.”
Inari walked into the wall. Her shoulder bounced off the stone at the corner that led to the stairs, bumping her back into the solid mass of Elias’s chest. S
he laughed, a quieter peal of amusement, and didn’t balk when Elias used two hands on her hips to steady her balance.
“A real gentleman wouldn’t have let me walk into things.” She feigned indignation and rounded the corner. Quick steps took her from the bottom of the stairwell to the top.
“I was a little distracted by the tiny spider crawling across your nose,” he said, ever so casually.
Inari gasped and brushed at her face. Nose, cheeks, forehead. Even under her chin. Her skin crawled at the very idea that a spider had traipsed across it.
His baritone laughter assured her that there’d been no spider at all. On the landing, she spun to swat at his chest, grinning up into his face. He caught her wrist before the swat ever landed and pulled her close. It reminded Inari of a dance, how their bodies turned slowly away from the danger of the stairwell, meshing together while they stared into each other’s eyes. She did not pull her hand away, and did not resist when he suddenly swooped down to kiss her. There on the wide landing, the door to the main level of the castle standing open, she engaged in what started out to be a series of small, feathery kisses. Elias’s lips were warm and supple, his tongue darting against her mouth as if seeking entrance.
She gave it. Accepted him inside while he slid a strong arm around her waist. She made a fist in his fine shirt, crumpling the material while their tongues touched and glided against one another’s. He searched the deepest, most secret crevices of her mouth with connoisseur-like skill, effortlessly fanning the flames of passion.
When their lips parted, she stared up into Elias’s eyes, recognizing a gleam of desire that she knew was reflected in her own gaze. The moment stretched into several long seconds of silent questions and communication.
Should she ask him back to her room? Was that too forward? Would he accept? At least they could share another kiss there without fear of being discovered by the guards. In the end, it wasn’t the guards that found them.
Latvala Royals: Bloodlines Page 10