The black silk tightened as I shifted my stance, the muscles in my leg outlined by the material. Requiem’s eyes slid up my legs, hunger burning in the black depths. “Because I like what I see when I look at you.”

He slid up next to me, and then was behind me before I could stop him. His chest brushing against my back, hands skimming down my bare arms to the tops of my thighs. “Perhaps I can be convinced not to kill you.”

Belladonna’s words came back to me. To tease, to draw a man out, but not give him what he wanted. That was a dangerous game. I wasn’t sure I could do it, but I was going to try for the sake of my life and my sister’s. “And your wife? What would she think of your offer?”

His breath whispered across the back of my neck. “She does as she’s told. Like a well-behaved woman should.” Worm shit and green sticks, his wife was still alive?

The struggle inside my head raged for all of three seconds. I had to keep Belladonna safe. That was my number one job. No matter what that meant, no matter what it cost me. Sex was a tool not every Ender had at their disposal. I just had to use this power the right way.

Before I could make another move, he bit me on the side of my neck, his blunt teeth digging in hard.

I pushed away from him, acting as though his bite didn’t hurt like hell, as I turned and placed my fingers on his chest. “I don’t do as I’m told. And I am far from well-behaved.”

His eyes flashed as I backed away from him, letting my hips sway. His eyes roved down my body, and he stepped toward me, growling, “Come here.”

Raising my eyebrows, I laughed at him. “No, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Rage flickered across his face, followed hotly by a bolt of lust that left his pants obviously too tight. “I will kill you then.”

“Not yet, you won’t.” I was at the door, the knob was under my hand and I twisted it, forgetting he’d locked it. Damn it. He grinned at me and I smiled back as he approached, fear and anger slicing through me. I grabbed hold of the anger and used it to push past the fear keeping me from my power.

A rush of strength shot through me as I connected to the earth. I placed my palm over the stone door, feeling every connection to the rock, every particle of sand that created it and pulled it apart, broke it down. The door disintegrated under my fingers, sliding to my feet in a pile of gray sand I stepped over. “Be careful who you play with, Requiem. You might find a hook through your gills and your fins removed.”

His eyes were wide as he stared at me, to the pile of sand and then back to my face. “Impossible.”

I turned and walked away, my back prickling like crazy. I took the stairs carefully, the urge to spin and stare him down nearly overwhelming, but I forced myself to keep walking. To keep moving as if I didn’t have a care in the world and didn’t feel his eyes on me as I moved away.

The curve of the stairs finally hid me and I slumped behind it, leaning against the wall. Breathing hard, I fought to get my heart under control, as I replayed the scene with Requiem in my head.

I had done the best I could. I hoped I hadn’t been foolish. I all but ran down the rest of the stairs and into the bright sunlight. Once I was across the bridge and back into the main section of spires, I finally allowed myself to slow.

I rounded a corner and nearly ran over Ayu. She stumbled to a stop when she saw me. “Ender, thank the mother goddess. Your ambassador . . . you have to hurry.”

She grabbed me and I let her pull me along. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, she was walking through the palace, her other Ender at her side when she crumpled to the ground. I can’t seem to ease the pain in her belly and she cries out for you. I have never seen anything like this.”

I grabbed her arm and we ran the rest of the way to our assigned room. As we drew close, Bella’s voice echoed through the hall: a cry that made me believe she was truly dying. I bolted forward and through the door. Belladonna lay on the bed, curled in a fetal position as she rocked.

“Bella, what happened?”

Her eyes, pain glazed and shadowed with tears, lifted to mine. “Lark, please don’t leave me. I’m so afraid.”

I was at her side in an instant, sitting on the edge of the bed. She reached for me and grabbed my hand. Her grip was amazingly strong and the glimmer in her eye caught me off guard. Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at Ash as he paced the far side of the room. “What happened?”

“We were down by the docks, she stumbled and fell to her knees.” His face was drawn and again, I could see there wasn’t a complete truth there.

“Go to the kitchens. Get us some fruit, if you can.”

He stiffened. “I am not an errand boy, Lark.”

Glaring at him, I tightened my grip on Bella. “Who can we trust but each other?”

His gaze flickered over me, resting on the bite on my shoulder. “Who indeed?” He stalked from the room. Ayu hovered and I waved at her. “Give me a moment.”

She bowed and shut the door as she slipped out. Belladonna gave a long low moan, her eyes flicking to the closed door.

“What in the seven hells is going on Bella?”

“Ash took a note from a messenger. I saw it.” She paused and I wanted to shake her but managed to restrain myself.

“And? What did it say?”

She paused and I saw the indecision there. “Spit it out, Bella.”

“Drown the flowers.”