2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

when, ambition or no, he did truly want an alliance. Maybe even friendship. No other
High Lords have ever bothered—or dared. But I think Tarquin wanted to be my friend.”
I glanced between him and the box and repeated, “What is that?”
“Open it.”
I gingerly flipped back the lid.
Inside, nestled on a bed of white velvet, three rubies glimmered, each the size of a
chicken egg. Each so pure and richly colored that they seemed crafted of—
“Blood rubies,” he said.
I pulled back the fingers that had been inching toward the stones.
“In the Summer Court, when a grave insult has been committed, they send a blood ruby
to the offender. An official declaration that there is a price on their head—that they are
now hunted, and will soon be dead. The box arrived at the Court of Nightmares an hour
ago.”
Mother above. “I take it one of these has my name on it. And yours. And Amren’s.”
The lid flipped shut on a dark wind. “I made a mistake,” he said. I opened my mouth,
but he went on, “I should have wiped the minds of the guards and let them continue on.
Instead, I knocked them out. It’s been a while since I had to do any sort of physical …
defending like that, and I was so focused on my Illyrian training that I forgot the other
arsenal at my disposal. They probably awoke and went right to him.”
“He would have noticed the Book was missing soon enough.”
“We could have denied that we stole it and chalked it up to coincidence.” He drained his
glass. “I made a mistake.”
“It’s not the end of the world if you do that every now and then.”
“You’ve been told you are now public enemy number one of the Summer Court and
you’re fine with it?”
“No. But I don’t blame you.”
He loosed a breath, staring out at his city as the warmth of the day succumbed to
winter’s bite once more. It didn’t matter to him.
“Perhaps you could return the Book once we’ve neutralized the Cauldron—apologize.”
Rhys snorted. “No. Amren will get that book for as long as she needs it.”
“Then make it up to him in some way. Clearly, you wanted to be his friend as much as
he wanted to be yours. You wouldn’t be so upset otherwise.”
“I’m not upset. I’m pissed off.”
“Semantics.”
He gave me a half smile. “Feuds like the one we just started can last centuries—