Auctioned to the Cruel King - Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Lance’s POV
I stood outside her door longer than I should have.
The hallway was still and empty. I’d relieved the guards of their duty for a while now since I believe there was no reason for them to be here anymore. Not to mention, having them here has caused more problems than solving any.
My hand remained curled into a fist, but I didn’t knock again. I’d already said everything I could tonight and too much of it was nothing.
She was beginning to be smart. Smarter than I gave her credit for sometimes. I should’ve known she’d notice the cracks I hadn’t sealed tightly enough. Or perhaps she’d found out another way.
“Cartier,” I muttered under my breath. Of all the names she could have brought to me. It didn't help that she’d asked about him over a month before.
I let out a slow breath through my nose and turned, my steps echoing down the corridor. Better she didn’t know. Better to keep her out of this entirely. That was the one mercy I still owed her.
And yet, she asked.
She asked.
Damn it.
I descended the grand stairwell toward the main dining hall, boots striking rhythm against marble. A thousand things warred in my mind. I was used to weight and decisions, blood and borders. But lately, it wasn’t war or conquest that left me exhausted.
Maybe I should return to my old self and end all these rising once and for all.
I pushed open the doors of the dining hall.
Vivian was already seated there even without being invited to the dinner—legs crossed on the edge of the long table, wine glass in hand, hair pinned in a deliberately careless knot. The candlelight made her look soft.
“I was about to age another year waiting for you,” she said lazily, swirling her wine. “I nearly started without you.”
“I wouldn’t have stopped you,” I said, moving to the head of the table. I pulled out the chair and sat. “But I see your fingers are healing properly.”
She held up her hand with theatrical flair, flexing them before going on to say, “Oh, I’ve got you to thank for that.”
I didn’t look at her. “Seriously.”
“What?” she pouted then. “You didn’t take me seriously when I revealed what the bastard was up to.” She smiled and dropped her hand. “Well, that’s alright, since you handled it, so—fine—you get one point.”
“The most ungrateful way to say thank you I’ve ever heard.” I picked up my knife. “You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She stabbed a piece of duck and chewed. “Eat.”
“Were we supposed to be dining together?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” she asked innocently. “You always eat alone. It’s boring.”
“You’re holding something back,” I said flatly, slicing into my meat. “Spit it out.”
Viv didn’t blink. “Spoken like a man with no tolerance for conversation.”
“I have no tolerance for performance,” I corrected. “If you’re here for a reason, get to it.”
She smirked. “Maybe I just wanted your company. Ever consider that?”
“No.”
She leaned back in her chair, eyeing me over the rim of her glass. “I was hoping our dear Luna would join us.”
I stopped cutting, but resumed after a beat. “She’s resting,” I said, voice like ice. “And if this is some twisted attempt to poke at her absence—”
“Relax.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re touchy tonight.”
“You’re digging tonight.”
“Same difference.”
I looked at her. “Enough, Viv. Why are you really here?”
She smiled at me, slow and satisfied. “What? Can’t a woman want a quiet meal with her king?”
“You’re deflecting.”
“And you’re brooding.”
I dropped my knife with a soft clink against the porcelain. “Vivian.”
She hummed, then turned to look toward the door. “Fine. You want the truth? You walked in here like someone punched you in the gut. I know that look, Lance. I know it too well. You saw Kayla, and you didn’t like what you heard.”
I didn’t answer. Probably because I never attempted to hide that.
“Right,” she said, sipping again. “Got it.”
“I tried to talk to her,” I said eventually, words forced through my teeth. “She just gave me more questions.”
Viv raised a brow. “Such as?”
“What are you fishing for?”
“Oh don’t be like that.” She placed her wine glass down gently. “I’m the only one left still trying to keep your kingdom from rotting from the inside. My ears are your best line of defense. And right now, those ears have picked up things I know you’d want to hear.”
“And here you are,” I said dryly, “bargaining with them like dice.” Even when I let them roam for her own fun. I could cut them all down or force information from them if I chose to, but I’d allow her to have her go at information.
She smiled. “Wouldn’t be me otherwise.”
I leaned forward. “Then let’s trade.”
Her lashes flickered. “What’s your offer?”
“You tell me what you’ve learned. I’ll tell you what Kayla said.”
Viv tilted her head, assessing. “Fair. Go ahead.”
I gave nothing away. “She asked about Cartier.” Again.
The mask dropped. Viv sat up straighter. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
“She actually asked you that?”
“She did.”
Viv’s expression shifted from surprise to something heavier and it was clear she had her suspicions. “So what do you think that means?”
I exhaled through my nose, clicking my tongue, I said. “Don’t act like you don’t already know.”
She was quiet.
“I knew the minute she said his name,” I said. “The look in her eyes. She’s circling something. I just don’t know what.”
“And that’s what has you rattled,” Viv finished.
I didn’t respond.
“I was right,” she whispered. “Something’s started. You just don’t know which fuse was lit.”
I picked up my fork again, if only to have something in my hands. “So. What have you got for me?”
She hesitated.
Then—“I can’t tell you.”
I stilled. “Excuse me?”
“It’s not that I won’t,” she said. “I just... I expected Kayla to be here. I was going to hear it from her. I thought it was the reason for our joint dinner and it would be wrong if I revealed it myself.” She was stalling.
I narrowed my eyes. “Now you care about boundaries?”
“No. That’s boring,” she replied. “I’m not boring.”
“Then tell me.”
She took another bite of duck. “This is excellent, by the way.”
“Viv.”
She glanced at me. “Fine. From the goodness of my heart, I’ll let her have the reveal. She deserves that much.”
I stared at her for a long moment.
Then I snorted and turned back to my meal.
Figures.
Moreover, I have already given her the idea to investigate Cartier. Knowing her, she took the bait.