“Your destiny is too big for them to punish you.”
Ren took a deep, shaky breath and dropped her head back. A long, tense silence stretched as they watched Terena wrestle with all the seer had shared.
“So, I have to get him to think I don’t love him.”
Rydon’s chest swelled and he clenched his jaw tight to stave off the sting of tears the sorrow in her words evoked in him. Gods, why the fuck can’t they leave this poor woman alone?
“Do whatever you need to. However you need to. Once that’s done, the cypher can do her thing and then…”
When she didn’t continue, Rydon frowned. “And then?”
“Remember, this is just an idea, all right?” Cassandra pleaded, backing away another step. “So, theoretically, if he’s under the cypher’s power, maybe, if everything goes to plan, he might… try to kill Sonah.”
“What?” Ren gasped.
“Are youfuckinginsane?” Rydon roared. Both of them bounded toward the seer, who squeaked as she took a few running steps away.
“It was just a thought!” Looking at Rydon, Cassandra waved her hand at him. “And he won’t do it anyway, becauseyou’llbe there to stop him! You’ll take the killing blow instead, and, because you’re her guardian you’ll be fine!”
“By thefuckinggods, woman,” Rydon raged.
“Well, do you have a better idea?” Cassandra hissed, lunging forward like an angry little dog, baring her teeth at him. “The whole point is to get him to do something unforgivable! If he tries to kill Sonah, I’m fairly certain that counts! You’ll save Sonah because you’ll be right there; the bond will break once he does that. We save both Sonah and the commander with this plan. See?”
“How the fuck did you come up with something so convoluted?—”
“Will it work?”
Rydon’s head whipped around as he stared at her in horror. “You’re not considering this!”
“Have you seen this?” Ren asked, her eyes on Cassandra. “In a vision?”
“No,” Cassandra said mournfully, shaking her head. “But I saw the cypher wearing the amulet. Right after I saw Daris fall in battle.”
“So where is she? And how are we supposed to convince this stranger to go along with this scheme?”
“Uhm…”
“Speak, woman!” Rydon swore he saw red whenever this woman was around. His head was about to explode from the amount of blood pounding in his skull.
“Again, this is only what I saw in the vision. But good news, we do find the amulet. You know, because, uh… the woman is wearing it. In the vision. She’ll definitely do it for you.”
“Why?”
“Who’s the woman?” Ren asked. “Do we know her?” Her shoulders slumped as she gazed at Cassandra.
The seer gave her a wan smile, and she let out a hesitant chuckle.
“Aye. You know her well. It’s Sonah.”
Chapter 35
COLINAS, RAVOS
“May I speak with you?” Terena clenched and unclenched her fists as she stood before Hermes.
He was in the dining hall of the castle, laughing and conversing with his cohorts. As she approached, Hermes took one look at her face and dismissed his men.
“What ails you?”
