The Glass Man - Lila Gray Book 1

Chapter Twenty-Three

By the time we'd made it to the top of the hill, I cursed myself for not taking the Dun Bray guard up on that ride. My legs burned, and my stomach was having a growly fit. The silent pissing contest between Liam and Nix—including heated glares and clenched fists—wore me down even further.

I stopped and gazed up at the turrets of the building that disappeared into the golden sky. The white scales that made up the outer walls gleamed and held hints of yellow from above. The scene glistened before me, a heavenly mirage or something out of a fantastic dream. A few of the windows blinked, and bright light shone from them. It was alive. A bit of tightness eased out of my chest, replaced with hope that the city wasn't beyond repair.

I'm not too late, mother. I'm here.

When I stumbled on the first of the stairs leading to the Court building, Liam and Nix came at me so fast they almost bumped heads. The killing looks continued between them, though Nix kept his grin. I didn't have the patience for anyone to fight over me; I had a lunatic to stop.

"I'm fine," I said, huffing from the hike. "I just need a minute."

"You're not fine." Liam scooped me up from the pavement and started up the steps without waiting for me to react. I had way too much skin touching his nakedness, and the delicious fire spreading through my body confused me.

He'd betrayed me. Taken my power, and here I was, drinking him up like high-proof whiskey. What was wrong with me? I started to protest, but my senses kicked into high gear and I ached to get closer. His heart throbbed beneath my arm, a steady rhythm that lulled me into calm. He smelled good, as if he wore some masculine, otherworldly perfume designed to bewilder me into submission. 

Before I knew I'd done it, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer, buried my face against his throat and closed my eyes. He cradled me closer to his body, protectively, or maybe possessively, I couldn't tell which. At the moment, I didn't have the strength to care. I could have stayed there forever.

*****

Sleep must have overtaken me at some point, because I woke up staring at a white ceiling, buried beneath a fluffy, gold duvet. Something sent a tingling sensation up my arm, along with warmth. I was still disoriented and groggy, my head lolling to the side, where a strange man held my hand. A woman stood beside him.

The man had the darkest brown skin I'd ever seen. Add pure white hair hanging in braids around his face, and it made for a startling contrast. His eyes were clouded, but I could tell they were a deep blue beneath the milky film. He wore a suit styled in the eighteen hundreds, a high-collared white button-down shirt, and a brown twill coat and vest.

The woman had metallic silver hair, stretching to the floor like Christmas tinsel. It moved even when she didn't. Her face appeared young at first glance, but a network of tiny lines hinted that she was much older. Her blue Seelie eyes had a lavender sheen bleeding out from the pupil. She wore a blue, sleeveless gown that tied behind her slender neck.

"Do not fear us, Lila," the man said with such a low voice it didn't sound real, like fingers strumming a bass.

I snatched my hand back, flexing and relaxing my fingers to see if he'd done something to me. Other than a few pins and needles, everything seemed normal.

"My name is Gallagher and this"—he nodded to woman at his left—"is Neasa. We are here to offer you council and to aid your transition to the throne."

Oh, hell no. "I'm not interested in your damn throne." I tried to sit up, but the room spun, so I didn't finish the motion. "Where are Liam and Garret?"