“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“Cas,” he sighed.
I rolled my eyes. “And how do you know I spoke with Reaver?”
“I know everything.”
Pressing my lips together, I blinked at him slowly.
“Whatever,” he muttered. “Reaver asked me what you wanted before he came to you.” He looked over. “And just so you know, he did it in the most impolite way possible.”
“Shocker,” I murmured, reaching over to drink the glass of whiskey I had placed on the nightstand before I bathed. Taking a small sip of the amber liquid, my lips peeled back at the bite. I then told him what I had discussed with Reaver and why.
“Did you notice the dead grass and flowers?” I asked when I finished.
“I didn’t.” He squinted. “You think it’s Kolis?”
“It makes sense.” I took another drink and then offered the glass to him. “Sort of.”
He reached over and took it. “It does. It’s what I thought, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to put it in your head.” Swallowing a sip, he lowered the glass to his chest. “Andbecause I didn’t know how it was possible if he’s basically a wraith.”
“But he’s apparentlynotjust that,” I murmured, thinking everything over. “What I don’t get is how the blood of an Ascended could do anything for him.”
“Me, neither,” he said, lifting the glass. “What made you think to have the Shadow Temple guarded?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I figured that’s where a Primal of Death would go.”
“Good call,” he remarked. “And good idea.”
“All my ideas are good.”
He snickered. “You keep telling yourself that.”
I smiled.
His gaze fell on Poppy. “The whole needing-a-vessel thing… You know what that means?”
My smile vanished. “Isbeth wasn’t sacrificing shit.”
“I’m sure you’ve already thought this”—Kieran’s gaze lifted to mine—“but what did she need Poppy for then?”
“Ihavewondered that.” I reached for the glass. “And I have no idea.”
Kieran finished off what was left before handing it over.
“Asshole,” I muttered, placing the empty glass on the nightstand.
One side of his lips quirked up. “By the way. I haven’t seen your brother in the last day or so.”
Inhaling deeply, I settled against the headboard once more. “Did he leave the capital?”
“Not that I’ve heard.”
Stretching out my legs, I crossed my ankles. “Have you seen Millicent?”
“No, but I get the feeling you only see her when she wants to be seen.”
He was probably right. “If I had to guess, Malik is wherever she is.”
