Daylight

Chapter 35

Both Lucien and Feyre rounded on Jurian, who had the same expression as a child who'd been caught sneaking sweets before dinner.

"You sent that letter without her knowledge, didn't you?" Feyre accused.

"Guilty as charged," Jurian shrugged.

Vassa looked back and forth several times between Lucien and Jurian.

"What's going on?" She wondered.

"It appears your dear friend Jurian sent us a letter," Lucien explained, "posing as you and forging your signature. The letter said that Jurian had figured out how to break your curse."

Her eyes danced. "Really?"

"That part wasn't a lie," Jurian rushed to assure her. "I really did determine the spell your captor used and how to break it. I just figured if the letter came from you, they'd be quicker about coming."

"Then why didn't you tell me you'd solved it?"

"I didn't want you getting your hopes up in case they couldn't make it right away," Jurian's voice was soft. Tender even as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Wait." Feyre shrugged off her rucksack and let it fall to the floor with a loud thump. She pointed at Jurian. "So the part about the death god coming back in seven days..."

"Also, regrettably, a fabrication. Though it isn't like he gives us his schedule. have no idea when he'll be back."

"So, he could show up tonight and we'd all be dead," Lucien intoned.

"Always so negative," Jurian quipped. "Yes he could return at any time and that would be most unfortunate."

"Jurian, what were you thinking?" Feyre barked.

"In all fairness, I did put the most likely time frame in the letter. Most times, he's gone for roughly a week. He's already been gone for three days, so might I suggest we work quickly?"

"We," Feyre said with the authority befitting a High Lady, "are not doing anything until we've had something to eat and a hot bath. We've been winnowing across the ocean and all through the woods for two days and we're tired and hungry."

Jurian flourished grandly toward the staircase, which had plush burgundy carpet covering mahogany steps. The carpet looked untouched, leading Lucien to wonder how long it had been since anyone had gone upstairs.

"There are plenty of rooms available for you to wash up in. Help yourselves to whichever seem most comfortable to you. I'll have the kitchen staff whip you up something."

Feyre picked her bag up and stomped ungracefully up the stairs as Lucien followed her. They chose rooms next to one another, Lucien giving her a wordless nod as he went into the room on the left.

The room was modestly furnished and smelled a bit stale from disuse but looked comfortable enough. He found the bathing room and drew a bath with water as hot as he could tolerate—which for him was nearly scalding. Having fire in his blood made him susceptible to more extreme heat than most people could handle.

He wished he could just stay in the bath for the rest of the evening but knew he'd have to go back downstairs eventually. He hadn't enjoyed the way Vassa's eyes had lingered on him. She was a lovely person and he had enjoyed sharing conversation with her after the war. But he suspected that she wanted more than conversation and companionship, and he couldn't give that to her. And it also seemed she was too blind to realize that Jurian was right in front of her, offering exactly what she wanted from Lucien.

Lucien stayed in the bath until the water had grown tepid. After he'd put on fresh clothes, he knocked softly at Feyre's door. It opened with a creak and Lucien went inside. It was nearly identical to the room he'd chosen, and he found Feyre braiding her wet hair at the vanity.