Again and again, person after person. Grim’s fingers curled around Isla’s leg as an anchor against the rage. Against the sadness. Against the pain. She knew that this display bothered him too.
But still, he didn’t stop it.
When Jessel was dragged to the front, a thick layer of blood already coated the floor.
Cronan was the most powerful person in the universe. That was clear. They were no match for him. No one was.
Still, Isla stood. She couldn’t just keep fuckingsittingandwatching.
The entire room turned to face her, including Jessel. She could feel Grim’s eyes on her, but she didn’t even glance at him.
The world seemed distant and roaring, like a faraway wave, as she moved steadily around the table. She didn’t have powers. Cronan ruled over both her body and mind. As she approached, he examined her curiously, as if awaiting her next move.
Cronan wanted her willing. He was still hoping she would join him.
When she reached Cronan, she just extended her palm, and said, “Let me.”
Cronan had no reason to fear her. She didn’t have access to her abilities here. There was no trace of a storm. And even if she did, he had overpowered her so easily before.
So he handed over the blade.
She offered it to Jessel. “Wound me,” Isla said, “and live.” She gave her the same chance Cronan had given the rest.
Hesitantly, she took it. Her eyes were sharp, full of anger and suspicion, but a sliver of hope shined. Her fingers curled around the knife. She lunged.
It was too easy. Isla darted out of the way, twisted Jessel around, plucked the knife from her grasp.
And slit the woman’s throat.
GRIM
The room was silent. The Wildling carefully handed the knife back to Cronan. She stepped over the body and quietly returned to her seat.
Cronan looked pleased.
“It seems she might be turned yet,” one of the heads of planets said. “You were right, my liege.”
“Of course, I was,” Cronan said. “I told you she would see the benefits of joining me.” He returned to his place at the head of the table and raised his glass. She returned the gesture.
They drank, and Grim watched the crimson wine stain her lips.
Even when the conversation at the table resumed, Grim couldn’t stop his mind from wandering to her. What game was she playing? With her bleeding heart, she didn’t seem the type to kill an innocent woman like that.
You don’t know her, he reminded himself. All this proved was that she was unpredictable, a stone-cold killer if she needed to be. Capable of killing even someone she swore she loved.
But from where she leaned back in her chair, he noticed her smile did not reach her eyes. For the first time, he wished he had mind abilities, like Cronan. He wished he could sense more than just her emotions. Her aura was paler than before, as if drained of its essence. Where she had once been fiery and fierce, she was now gray and hollow.
Had Cronan...broken her? Had Grim’s behavior made her realize that she stood no chance at getting him to side with her against his ancestor?
Had she truly chosen to join them?
The image of her slitting the woman’s throat, her eyes hard and cruel, remained seared in Grim’s mind, even hours later. He told himself he only cared because she would be the one to kill him if he wasn’t careful...
So he needed to know if she was working on a plan against him.
It was late at night before he portaled down into the prisons. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to do. Interrogate her right then and there? Try to get her to admit why she did it?
He was rounding the corner, when he heard it.Her.
