Leander’s frown deepened. He flicked a glance at Rydon, who was staring so hard at Leander, it was a wonder the shifter didn’t have a burn mark on his cheek. “Mercy, lord?”
“Yes!” The god clapped his hands together and kept them pressed to his lips as he stared at Leander. The shifter kept his stance wide and his body loose, despite his clenched fists.
“You see, normally, I would’ve killed you as soon as you lied about your mother.” Shrugging, Hermes paced away. “But as I said, I was shown mercy today. So, you’re welcome.”
Leander hesitated. “I… don’t understand.”
“He’s calling you a liar,” Rydon snapped. Gods, the boy wasn’t bright. Exchanging a look with Sonah, Rydon returned his gaze to Leander. “Speak true, or he’ll kill you.”
“I have,” Leander said with a withering glance back at Rydon.
“You said your mother brought you to Metilai,” Hermes purred.
“I did not.”
Hermes’s response was to crook his eyebrow.
Still, Leander remained silent.
“You try me, boy. By the time you went to Metilai, your mother was long dead.”
Leander’s face drained of color. Rydon caught the slight twitch of his head, the only sign he gave of his surprise.
“Do you deny it, then? That you lied when you said your mother brought you to Metilai?”
“I did not say that. I never said she brought me.”
“Gods,” Rydon said before he could stop himself. He braced, waiting for Hermes to rebuke him. Sonah’s brow was sweaty. A drop tracked down the side of her face, and he cursed Leanderagain. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if Sonah threw up again. At least then they’d have an excuse to end whatever the fuck this was.
Instead, the god cocked his head as he prodded Leander with his silence.
“I do not know how you know of my mother,” Leander started, glancing quickly at Sonah before dropping his gaze to his feet. “But aye, she died before I left for Metilai. I brought my mother’s ashes with me when I left Osta. I wasn’t going to let that—” Leander cut himself off with a shake of his head. For the first time since Rydon had met him, Leander looked as young as Croak.
The shifter lifted his gaze to Hermes, his posture straight, but not with challenge. To Rydon, he seemed resolved.
“I returned to the land of my father. For a new start. I found purpose in Heylisia. Where my legacy wouldn’t follow me. And now I have an even greater purpose.” Turning his head, he looked down at Sonah, who gazed back up at him.
“I have made vows to protect her,” Leander continued, his voice overly loud in the thick silence of the dining room. “Ones I cannot break. Nor do I wish to.”
Rydon watched the interaction between the god and the shifter. He didn’t know either well enough to know what they’d do next, but whatever happened, he was ready to spirit Sonah away. He’d throw her over his shoulder if he had to. Rydon knew Daris would assist as best he could, although he worried there was something going on between him and Hermes that wouldn’t allow him to hurt the god.
Not for the first time, Rydon wondered how the two had met in the first place.
“Sonah.” Hermes looked over at her. Rydon tensed. “Do you vouch for this man?”
“What? Yes? Aye.” Sonah frowned and looked between the two. “Aye.”
Hermes nodded. He crooked his finger and after a moment’s hesitation, Leander followed. The two huddled together. Hermes was whispering something to Leander no one was close enough to hear.
“Be ready to run,” Rydon said near Sonah’s ear. “Back exit. Melanos and Bethana are already out there.”
Sonah nodded.
“Daris. Go fetch Melanos. I don’t know why he thinks I do not know he’s here.” Hermes turned and grinned at everyone in the room. “And that, my dear gentlemen and, of course, my beautiful niece, is the end of tonight’s entertainment. But keep an ear out for our next production. I call it, ‘The Fall of a Small Man’.”
Hermes grinned and clapped his hands before abruptly striding down the center aisle between the tables. Rydon watched him walk away with a few of his men and Captain Soros trailing behind.
“What the fuck was all that about?” Daris asked as he came over. Rydon shrugged.
