I shook my head. “She’s the bonus—and the collateral. The carrot to dangle in my face while I go after what he really wants. He wants something from the Palace, and he’s going to give us everything we need—the blueprints, schedules of the guards, access to their keys. He’s offering mercenaries to fight on our behalf. And if we can bring the item to him, he’ll get Jules.”
“Bring him what?” Rhyan asked, his voice low.
“A shield hanging above the Emperor’s Throne.” My eyes searched his. “Rhyan, it’s the same one I saw in Meera’s vision. There was an orange crystal in the center—and when I saw it through the nahashim,” I placed my hand over my heart, “the Valalumir lit up again.”
His eyes widened. “Ereshya’s shard!”
I nodded. “I guess he decided not to go up against Aemon and Morgana—at least not yet. But, since he lost the indigo, he wants the orange in return. He doesn’t know that I recognize it, so I think promising Jules was a way to ensure I’d take the theft seriously.”
“And if we don’t steal it first, Aemon and Morgana will claim a second shard of the Valalumir,” Rhyan said dully. “And who knows how quickly they’ll find the others. Moriel will return to power. Fuck. Fuck!” He grimaced. “Fucking bastard could have mentioned that!”
“Your father?” I asked.
Rhyan’s mouth tightened. “Mercurial. Our old friend came to visit me in the prisons. Nothing useful to say. He went on about you finding the red shard, but said nothing of the orange.”
“Did he say anything else?” I asked.
His eyes flew to my heart, then back to my face. “In my memory of Kane as Shiviel, we fought him together. I don’t quite know what we did. I mean, what Asherah and Auriel did. It was some kind of ancient magic. Powerful. Whatever it was, it broke Shiviel somehow. Broke his soul, I think. And Kane is weakened from it,” he said. “It left him debilitated, permanently. He’s not as powerful as he could be, even in this life.”
I frowned. “That shouldn’t be possible. What kind of magic does that?” I asked.
Rhyan shook his head. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out. Mercurial also told me Meera’s identity. She’s Cassarya,” he said. “So that leaves us with only Hava to find.”
“Cassarya?” I closed my eyes. Of course. The observant one. Goddess of the Blue. I could see her suddenly, her silvery white hair, and large blue eyes, hypnotic, and commanding. Something Meera had always quietly been. “I’ll have to tell her. If I’m ever allowed to see her.”
“You’ll see her,” he said. “I promise you.”
I gripped his shoulders. “I’m sure Mercurial didn’t offer any clues as to who Hava is.”
“Hava? No,” Rhyan said quickly. “No, he didn’t.” He ran his hands up and down my arms, and kissed the crook of myshoulder. Then he stilled, like he’d realized something. “Lyr,” he breathed, his arms around my waist, pulling me toward him. “Are you sure this is the way? If you say it is, I’ll do as you command. But by the Gods. Every instinct inside me is shouting to take you away from here.”
There was a hiss at the door, and something black slithering in my peripheral vision.
“Your father’s nahashim. They’re coming,” I said.
“Not yet,” he groaned. “Not yet.”
I shook my head. The hissing was louder now, the snake sliding across the carpet. “It’s too late, they can see us.”
“So?” he practically growled. “Does it fucking matter? My father already knows about us. Nothing we do will placate him—nothing we do will convince him we feel otherwise.”
“We have to try. He has to see our effort.” Even if it was just for his own sadistic satisfaction. “He needs to see us jumping through his hoops. Playing along. Or he’ll do worse, you know he will. We can do this. We have to. To get your binds off.”
He gripped the nape of my neck, pulling me back toward him. “I’d wear them forever and burn with a smile if it meant I could be near you. But I will do as you wish. As always.” He squeezed his eyes shut, his finger twirling around mine. Then he stepped back, releasing his hold on me. A long moment passed as he stared at me. Then he bowed, the movement formal. When he rose, he looked ready to vomit. “Tovayah maischaon your engagement tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” I said, my eyes hot with fresh tears.
His mouth tightened. “We shall have a day of celebrations. You’re not the only one who will become betrothed,” he said, his voice choked. “Did he tell you?”
My chest tightened. “What? You? No! To whom?”
He shrugged sadly. “Does it matter? When it’s not you?” He turned around abruptly as the snakes undulated andhissed across the carpet. “You know, I’ve been forsworn for a long time. But tonight, it’s the first time I feel like I’m truly breaking an oath. The one that was most important. Protecting you.”
A sobbed welled in my chest, my heart feeling like it was splitting in two.
“Partner.” He looked over his shoulder at me. His jaw muscles working, his eyes red, his hands clenched so tightly I could see his veins popping out. Shoulders shaking, he gave me one final blazing look, like he was trying to memorize me. Then he turned, and walked out the door.
I stood before the fire, my eyes glazing over as the flames glowed. A snake slid up behind me. And I kicked it.
