Chapter 17

Chapter

Seventeen

HARPER

G uilt dogged my steps as Einar and I entered Draithmere's kitchen.

He'd shared his secret with me. The least I could do was tell him I'd met Goliath and the others. I should have told him sooner, but the timing never seemed right.

Because I'd been busy enjoying myself on the receiving end of his tongue.

Heat flooded my cheeks. To hide it, I went to the fridge and peered inside. "Do you like chicken salad sandwiches?" I asked, raising my voice.

"As long as you have enough for ten of them," Einar said somewhere behind me. When I turned, a can of mayo in hand, he winked at me from the other side of the massive island in the center of the kitchen. "I burned a lot of calories today."

Well, at least now I had a reason for my flushed face. I pulled the rest of the ingredients from the fridge. As I arranged them on the island, Einar came to my side.

"How can I help? I'm pretty useless in the kitchen, but I can chop something."

I pointed to the celery. "You can chop that."

He got to work. I moved around the kitchen, gathering plates and forks. As I returned to the island, my gaze snagged on the moonlit maze visible through the patio doors. A fresh wave of guilt crashed through me. I had to tell him. The longer I dragged it out, the worse it was going to be. And why was I so reluctant, anyway? It wasn't like I did anything wrong.

Einar followed my gaze. Then he put a hand on my shoulder and turned me toward him. "You don't have to worry about the centaurs," he said, misinterpreting the source of my anxiety. "I'll make sure they don't bother you again. But it's still important to stay away from the maze. I know you're curious, but?—"

"I met Goliath," I blurted. "And Leander and Adina. And Keir and Rolfe."

Einar stared. Then he stepped back, his expression shuttered. "When did this happen?"

"On my third night here. Goliath wanted to apologize for Myrna scaring me."

"Goliath said that?"

"Yes."

"Where did you meet him?"

"Well, he came to my room. Then he took me into the maze."

Einar's eyes flickered, going from silver to gold and back again. "He showed you the maze?"

Oh no. This was going exactly as I'd feared. "Yes, but it was no big deal. Everyone was lovely. Adina gave me tea and—" I sucked in a breath as Einar grabbed my arm.

"Adina gave you tea?" he growled.

"Yes, why?" I tugged at my arm, my heart speeding up.

Einar tightened his grip. "Did you eat anything?"

"Just cakes. Einar, please, you're hurting me."

"And you drank the tea?" He loomed over me, his features suddenly sharper.

Fear pumped like acid in my veins. What was wrong with him? "Yes."

His fingers bit into my arm, and I couldn't help my wince. "When?" he demanded.

"I don't know! It was days ago." I tugged harder. "Einar, let go of me."

He jerked me closer. "Last week? Just before you saw the centaurs outside?"

Was it? I racked my fear-addled brain. "Yes, it was the night before, but?—"

He released me with a curse. Then he rounded the island and stalked to the patio doors.

Alarm bolted through me. "Einar!" I called, hurrying after him. "What are you doing?"

He ignored me as he flung the doors open and marched into the night. "Adina!" he bellowed. "Goliath! Show yourselves."

I ran down the patio steps, terror tightening my throat. "What's going on?" I asked, running to his side. "Why are you so angry?"

He rounded on me, rage blazing in his bright gold eyes. Fangs flashed as he spit his answer. "Because I don't like being taken for a fool."

"What?" I gasped, bewilderment joining my panic. "What are you talking about? No one thinks you're a fool."

Goliath stepped from the maze, his gaze darting from Einar to me. The hedges behind him rustled, and Adina appeared. Her mouth was compressed in a thin line, and she squeezed her hands together as she kept her stare pinned on the grass at her feet. The confident woman from the tea party was gone. Now, she appeared almost meek.

Einar stalked forward, stopping a few feet from the maze's entrance. His voice dropped an octave as he surveyed Goliath and Adina with furious eyes. "Explain yourselves. And don't fucking lie to me."

Goliath hung his head, his tail drooping. "It was my idea, Your Highness."

"No," Adina said, stepping to Goliath's shoulder. She lifted her chin, a resigned look in her eyes. "It was mine."

Goliath glanced at her. "We both played a role."

More confusion pummeled me. "What do you mean? What role?"

Goliath darted a look up at me before dropping his stare to the ground. "We, um, spiked your tea."

"Tell her the rest," Einar growled.

My heart pounded, a sense of doom gathering.

Adina met my gaze. "I infused it with a powerful potion designed to provoke extreme lust. And then I bribed the centaurs to put you in Prince Einar's path so you wouldn't suspect anything."

My stomach dropped.

"It was my idea," Goliath repeated, his voice thick with emotion. He shifted from foot to foot, and he looked miserable as he spread his hands. "You wrote about Prince Einar in your book, and I thought?—"

"You read my notebook?" I demanded. Angry tears burned my eyes. "You put drugs in my tea?" My stomach lurched. Oh god, I was going to be sick. "I thought you were my friends."

"We are!" Goliath cried, his eyes gleaming with moisture. "We never meant any harm."

Einar barked a short, humorless laugh. "Well, you've caused plenty." He looked at Adina. "Manipulating emotion is a crime on every plane. I should toss you from Draithmere and let the law of your coven catch up to you.'

Adina blanched. "You wouldn't."

Einar's voice went impossibly low. "I should—" He made a choking sound. The skin on his neck rippled. He dragged in a breath. "I should…"

My alarm grew. Something was wrong with him.

Goliath cast a worried look around the lawn. "Where's Arlo?"

Einar snapped his jaws, making Goliath jump backward. Adina gasped and then clutched Goliath against her side. "I rule here," Einar snarled, his words garbled. "Not Arlo. Not anyone else."

"Of course, Your Highness," Goliath said, cringing away. He shot me a terrified look and mouthed, "Run."

Einar convulsed, his features warping and twisting. A bubble of flesh expanded on his cheek.

Nausea burned my throat. I backed away, horror and disbelief rising. Memories of the video I'd watched in my father's office surfaced. But that footage had showed Einar shifting into a sleek, powerful beast. This was different. His limbs contorted. Skin continued to bubble and stretch. A second later, a bubble on his neck burst, and blood soaked his shirt.

Adina slapped a hand over her mouth. Eyes wide with terror, she tugged Goliath backward.

"You won't…" Einar growled, lurching toward them. Chest heaving, he turned his head and spit blood onto the grass. He appeared to struggle to form words as he advanced on Goliath and Adina. "You won't…speak to Harper…again."

"W-We won't," Goliath said, shaking his head vigorously. He gripped Adina's hand as they continued retreating to the maze's entrance. The bog witch darted a look around.

"Arlo!" she shouted. "Arlo, hurry!"

Einar roared. A series of cracks rang out, and his head and shoulders shot upward like they were spring loaded. Suddenly, he was six inches taller. Fur rippled down his arms. More cracks, and his pants split open. Blood poured from a dozen wounds on his face and neck. His legs twisted, his kneecaps rotating to the sides. He opened a mouth full of pointed teeth and released an agonized scream.

"I'm here!" Arlo cried, sprinting from the side of the lawn. He skidded to a halt, his gaze on Einar. Then he looked at me.

"Go inside, Miss Ward. Now."

"I can't," I said, my heart racing. "We have to help him."

"And I will." Horns appeared on either side of Arlo's head. His skin turned ruddy…then crimson. His eyes glowed, and his features grew sinister. As he continued speaking, his voice dropped to an ominous rumble. "But you're in serious danger. Prince Einar is a rogue lycan. He can't control his beast. And once he loses control completely, he'll kill anyone he can get his claws on. Including you."