His eyebrows narrowed. “Not just yet.”
“Because you don’t have the shard?”
“Because it’s not time, and I have other priorities. Something is coming. And if we are going to succeed, we need to be as prepared as possible. You took away one Lumerian with visions from my arsenal. So, I shall bring home another. One far more advanced in seeing the threads of the future than your sister.”
“A chayatim?” I asked. They were the cloaked ones, the vorakh hidden in the Emperor’s service.
Aemon nodded.
“Why now?”
His eyes fell on the shard. “It has strengthened me. Enough for this.”
“Can’t you free Jules?” I asked, hating how desperate and hopeful my voice had become. I was shaking with the request. “Please?”
“I will free them all. Every last one. I told you before, and I will tell you again. I do not allow vorakh to suffer. But even I have my limits, even I must play their games to achieve what we want—at least, I must while I remain without the shard.”
My pulse thumped. I knew what he was doing. Manipulating me, wearing me down. I couldn’t give in … couldn’t allow it. Not yet.
His lips tugged, reading my mind. “We will take Jules away from Numeria—she cannot remain with them. But not yet. I only have strength for one. Unless you change your mind, unless you’re willing to give me what I want, then I take my leave.”
I almost wanted to say yes. If it meant freeing Jules. And if I was there, too … maybe I could redirect him from hunting my sisters.
Unless they were hunting me. My throat constricted, and I reminded myself that this man had kidnapped me, had held me prisoner in the most horrific conditions. I would not give him what he wanted. Even if the price was Jules.
“What if I try to run while you’re gone?” I asked. “Go after Jules by myself? I’m a Guardian. A vorakh. And unlike you, I have the shard.”
“And you will fail. Force alone will not be enough—not the kind of force you’re describing. You’ll only make it harder to free them in the end.” He flexed his fingers. “But know this, Morgana. If you work against me, I will send my akadim to hunt down your sisters. As well as Auriel’s current incarnation.”
“You’ve already done that,” I gritted my teeth.
“I sent orders for them to be hunted and kept whole. No harm. But I don’t need them to be brought before me in such a state. Nor do I much prefer them alive. That is a courtesy I extended to you. I can just as easily tell my akadim to bring them back in chains. As forsaken. I can have them returned as akadim. Or presented to you as torsos without arms and legs.”
“No,” I said, feeling my own aura intensify, pushing back against his. “You can’t hurt them.”
“And yet, you will not hand over the shard. You choose them over Jules.”
“You’re making me choose!”
“The Empire is making you!” he yelled. “You just don’t see it yet. I can’t make you do anything.”
“No? Then how the fuck did I get here?” I growled. “I swear to you now, if you hurt them, you’ll never see the shard again!” I took the crystal into my hands, slowly, sensually sliding my finger down its length as I’d done to himon countless nights. I twirled it before him, taunting him. “How long do you think before I can wield this against you?”
His nostrils flared, the room flickering with darkness as his eyes tracked the movement between my hands. The crystal began to warm, glowing brighter. It was recognizing him, recognizing Moriel.
But it was still mine. It still belonged to me until I said otherwise. And with that thought, its glow dimmed, and Aemon was released from whatever spell he’d fallen under.
“See?” I sneered. “See how it answers to me?”
His hand wrapped around my throat, his fingers squeezing. “I will wait for you,” he said. “For a time. But I have eyes on your sisters, and Rhyan. They are safe for now.” He squeezed harder. “Safe from me, at least. But they are my enemies—and yours—until they decide otherwise. You remember one moment in eternity now, but there’s a thousand years’ worth of war and hatred between us.” Aemon released his hold on me and lifted my chin. “Talk to Parthenay if you get lonely.”
He stood, looking down at me, his eyes shifting longingly to the crystal at my side. His aura intensified. Darkening, threatening.
His dark eyes flashed, and then he turned, leaving me once more alone, the monstrous growls of the beasts echoing against the walls. Only the faint light of indigo was my companion.
I turned the shard again, feeling its power vibrate and pulse in my hands.
His power would grow even more. I couldn’t stop it.
