I shot up so fast, I hadn’t the time to think it through. “Why not give them that choice? It should be their decision to make.”
Damien’s eyes flitted to me, but he maintained that mask of calm confidence. If he showed even a sliver of doubt in my decision to speak up, it would be an easy target for Tobias to attack—to further divide.
Tobias growled, eyes like daggers as he spoke, enunciating each word as if he were scolding a child. “Because it is my decision to make as Kyrios,” he spat. He seemed infuriated that I’d even spoken.
“Coward,” I spat, my skin growing hotter as I stared him down. Barrett tensed at my side, the cool air growing warmer and warmer by the second.
Tobias’ nostrils flared as he shot to his feet, his hands slamming on the table as the venomous words spilled from his mouth. “How dare you even speak to me! You tarnish the name of the goddess you claim to be, human filth! You are no queen of mi—”
My body went rigid as the weight of my dagger vanished from my thigh. A loud thud rang out across the hall as Damien sank the blade into the wooden table, black mist and smoke dancing around it as my dagger manifested in his hand.
He stared at Tobias from across the table, his eyes cold and murderous. “Perhaps I should remove that tongue of yours.”
18
CASSIE
My eyes flickered to Damien as I tried to maintain a calm expression on my face despite my heart threatening to burst. I glanced at Tobias, whose wide eyes were locked with Damien’s, his guard frozen at his side, hand on his sword. Who did he ultimately serve? Would he draw a weapon against Damien or stand by? Sweat beaded on Tobias’ brow, and though he tried to hide his fear, his golden skin paled.
The hilt of my dagger groaned in Damien’s grasp as he clenched it tighter. It wasn’t a threat. Dear God... he’d really do it.
“I’d be honored to carve his tongue out myself, Lord Damien,” Barrett said from my side. His eyes were also locked on Tobias, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The formality of the title sounded strange as it fell from Barrett’s lips, but I knew the role he took at this table.
Thalia and Vincent watched us carefully from the far end of the table, waiting for whoever would make the first move. Zephyr remained solid as stone at Damien’s side, his eyes as cold and hardened as Damien’s.
My pulse pounded in my ears, and I feared my heart might burst.
Tobias combed his fingers through his hair and he straightened his coat. “If I’d known it was humans you craved, I wouldn’t have wasted my time sending Calista your way. Perhaps it could’ve been any human whore willing to spread her legs.”
My cheeks heated, and Damien’s body tightened next to me. Barrett and Zephyr stood frozen at our sides, their bodies wound tightly, but they didn’t move.
The air around me felt hot, my blood boiling at his statement, not just for Damien, but for Calista who’d been given no choice in what was to happen in her life. The thought of another woman touching Damien awoke some strange sensation in my chest, and that overwhelming presence of Moira and all her reincarnations echoed in the back of my mind.
Mine.
I drew a deep breath, trying to squelch the flame threatening to come to life. The last thing we needed was for me to burn the place down. My eyes opened, shifting back to Tobias, who was still watching Damien. Was he testing him? Seeing how far he could push him?
Tobias smiled when Damien didn’t respond. “Perhaps I’ll just mate her to another. Let you enjoy your human cun—”
Cold air descended around Damien. The shadows beneath us shifted as black mist and shadow enveloped him. He vanished from his throne before I knew what had happened and slammed Tobias back into his seat as he appeared before him. His knuckles paled around the hilt of my dagger as he sank the blade through the back of Tobias’ hand, pinning it to the stone.
Tobias barked a gasp, and Damien shoved his hand into Tobias’ mouth, pulling his tongue between his lips. Tobias sputtered unintelligible words as Damien yanked my dagger from Tobias’ hand, rich red liquid dripping from the blade and gushing from the wound.
The guard at Tobias’ side grabbed his hilt, but before he could draw his weapon, Zephyr was there, dagger pressed to his throat. The guard froze, eyes shifting to Zephyr. It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but Zephyr hesitated. His jaw tightened, his throat bobbed, and his dagger quivered as his blade hovered in front of the guard’s throat. The guard seemed unfazed, as if he were in control. I stiffened and shot to my feet.
Release him.
The guard’s eyes shot to me, wide, and the color draining from his face.
I ground my teeth together, skin burning as I held his gaze. Of course, the guard was a Nous user. Zephyr would be defenseless against his influence. Zephyr’s shoulders relaxed, his body easing. I forced my way into the guard’s thoughts, temptation clouding my vision as I shoved the warning into his mind.
Unless you want to slit your own throat, you will surrender.
The guard swallowed, releasing the hilt of his sword, and lifted his hands in surrender. Zephyr quickly released the harness securing his sword and disarmed him. I relaxed, settling back into my chair, glancing at Barrett, whose brows furrowed as he looked between Zephyr and me. Would I have done it? Would I have actually made the guard end his own life? I looked at Zephyr, his pale green eyes lit with thanks as they met mine briefly.
If it meant saving him, I would have.
Damien hadn’t spared the guard a look, his eyes locked on Tobias. “That’s three times you’ve insulted my mate, your queen. What more would you say? Go on, Tobias. I’m listening.”
