“What!”
“Apparently, his soturi found him with Lord Tristan.”
My eyes widened. “No. No.”
Sean frowned. “Cal and Marisol said he was part of the group.”
“He was.” My heart sank.
“I’m so sorry,” Sean said. “He was … he was executed.”
“Galen!” I cried out. I covered my mouth to keep from screaming. How much more pain was I supposed to hold. Galen had always been a friend, always kind and gentle and protective. Always at Tristan’s side—and even when things between me and Tristan were falling apart, when Haleika’s death had come between us—Galen was still there when I needed him. Fuck. Fuck!
“And what about Tristan? What did they do to him?” I asked.
Sean shook his head. “They’re saying he helped find and apprehend Galen. He’s back in Bamaria with the Emperor’s favor.”
My eyes widened. No. No he wouldn’t betray Galen. He was his best friend. And he’d—he’d fought with us, helped us. Hewouldn’t just turn around and work with the Imperator—the Emperor—again, would he?
Gods. It couldn’t be true. Not after what he’d done, what he’d told me. He was vorakh. The Empire was using him. Making him play along. The way they tried to use me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling like I was going to vomit. I would grieve for Galen. I had to. But when this was over, when I could grieve for Rhyan, too. I’d grieve for everyone when the time came.
I tried to take a deep breath and prayed. Prayed that this was it. I didn’t want to grieve for anyone else. Please, please, please let Jules, Meera, Aiden, and Dario be safe.
Sean poured another glass, and offered it to me. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this. But the next attack that occurred in the city today—was …” he paused, like he was trying to gather his thoughts.
“Was what?” I asked, my stomach twisting with nerves. I couldn’t take much more.
“The next attack the city suffered was carried out by akadim.”
I turned in my seat, still clutching Rhyan’s scabbard, my grip growing tighter and tighter.
“The akadim that attacked … fuck.” Sean pressed the heel of his palm to his eyes. “Rhyan was there. Cal and Marisol both saw him. In broad fucking daylight. He—” Sean looked sick. “He killed—turned ...” He sighed. “They saw him. And it—Gods, it was a massacre. Right about now … now that the sun’s down, there’s at least two dozen new akadim in the world. All created by him.”
The sound of despair that came from my mouth startled me. I pressed my hand between my teeth to stop myself from doing it again.
“They all turned?” I asked.
Sean nodded.
They all turned. Because of me. I let this happen. It was my fault. My fucking fault. I’d slept for two days. I hadn’t gone right after Rhyan. Because I’d been too weak. Too foolish. Even now I didn’t know if I could do it, and I had to. The evidence was right in front of me. Cal and Marisol were in danger. My friends were in danger. Jules and Meera were in danger, and it was coming from every direction. From the Emperor. From Rhyan. Every day I let him live, more would die.
But even now, I could feel myself wanting to crawl back into bed. To pretend I didn’t know.
“What about Rhyan?” I said. “He can’t?—”
“He can’t be allowed to exist like this,” Sean said simply. “I can’t allow it. Not as a soturion who swore an oath to protect people. Not as an uncle who loved his nephew. He can’t remain akadim. Not for himself. Not for the boy he was. The man he became, and the man—the man he would have been. He wouldn’t want this.”
“He wouldn’t,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That’s why I need to leave. I need to … to hunt him.” More tears fell, it felt like someone was squeezing my heart, strangling it between their hands.
“You don’t have to be the one to do it,” Sean said. “I’ve been fighting a long time. Seen more than my fair share of evil. I can be the one. I can go after him.”
“I can fight,” I gritted through my teeth.
“No. I know you can. I’ve seen you in the arena. I heard what you did to the Blade. That’s not what I meant. Not why I offered.” Sean’s jaw tensed. “It’s because I’ve been thinking—wondering what I’d do in your shoes. If it was Branwyn who’d been changed—who’d fallen to this fate. And I can’t,” his voice shook, “can’t imagine having to be the one to stop her—to … tokillher. But for Rhyan, it has to be done. He’d want that. Before he hurt too many people. I know it in my heart. I’ve known himhis whole life, loved him since he was a baby. He’s my nephew.” He shook his head, like he was still convincing himself of what had to happen, what had to be done. “But more than that. He’s part of me.”
“He’s part of me, too,” I whispered.
