A Court of Wings and Fate

22. Listing

Once again, Estelle didn't come back before the moon had risen. Mikael hovered near the window beside the front door. Celeste, Sienna, Nyx, and Calden were laughing around the fireplace. Nyx had brought home a few bottles of ale that they were sharing.

Mikael refused when he'd been offered a drink. He wanted to be thinking clearly if Estelle needed him again. Umbra was calm against his arm. Mikael scanned the street outside the hut. There was no sign of the Shadowsinger.

"Looking for someone?" Nyx asked quietly, joining him.

"Did you talk to Estelle before you left yesterday?" Mikael asked, not answering his question.

"I did. You mentioned she never told you where I'd gone."

"She never had the chance."

Nyx straightened, a wary look filling his blue eyes. "What do you mean?"

"She went for a drink after talking to you. Ze'ev, Ronan, and three other Illyrians cornered her." Mikael clenched his jaw. The urge to speak the truth was overwhelming, but...Estelle had just forgiven him. He couldn't jeopardize her trust. "There was a fight. I found her before things got out of hand."

Nyx ran his fingers through his hair. "Shit. Is she all right?"

"She's...fine, considering the circumstances. I'm just worried that it's going to happen again." Mikael rested his knuckles against the glass. "She has a history with Ze'ev. I can tell."

Nyx looked away briefly. "She does."

"You know what it is?"

"Yes, but it's not something I can share. If she wants to tell you someday, she will." Nyx gripped him by the shoulder. "But you don't need to be worried about her right now. She's in Velaris with her family."

Mikael narrowed his eyes. "Did she tell you to say that?"

"No, my father told me. I asked him where she was." Nyx withdrew his hand. "What's your problem?"

Mikael continued to stare out the window. What was his problem? What was it? He closed his eyes. Estelle's panic stricken face waited there. His problem was that she'd been with Nyx before anything happened. His problem was that her cousin had left her to cover for him while he snuck out with some female from the Spring Court. His problem was that if Nyx had been there, Estelle wouldn't have been in trouble.

"You should take a few more precautions when you visit your female friend," Mikael murmured. "You came back smelling like her." He turned away abruptly and headed to his bedroom.

Nyx followed him. "You know?" He closed the door behind them.

"Yes, I know. I just said you came back smelling like her."

"Why are you angry about it?"

"Does Estelle know? Is that why you asked her to lie about your whereabouts?"

"Estelle promised she'd cover for me. This isn't exactly something that everyone needs to know about."

"Why not?"

Who could be important enough to pull Nyx away from his cousin mere hours before something so awful would happen? Mikael couldn't stop the angry thoughts that pounded within his temples. If Estelle hadn't been alone, it would never have happened. If Nyx had stayed... If Mikael got there sooner...

It didn't matter that Estelle seemed unfazed now. She'd been panicking when he arrived. She'd been crying. She'd been pinned to the ground with daggers. He couldn't stop seeing that bruise on her collarbone.