The guards took the load from us and my shoulder ached with relief. Normally we would have been able to carry it ourselves, but using the magic had wiped us out. Tired and bedraggled, we made our way to the palace. The screaming had stopped and people were no longer running through the streets. Many had returned to their homes, while others had gathered in groups and spoke in hushed tones. Everyone stared as we passed by.
I heard a cawing above us and Kunguru came down and landed on Ahyana’s shoulder. He cawed again, flew up into the air in the direction of the palace, and came back to Ahyana, still calling out.
She turned toward me, her expression serious. “Something is wrong at the palace.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
When we reached the palace, Kunguru flew inside and we followed. He landed directly in front of the council chambers, where the doors were shut. I pushed against them.
Locked.
I wouldn’t be able to climb up to the roof here and break in. But there was something else I could do. “Dea Erinys.”
As the power surged into me, I took a few steps back and then threw my shoulder against the doors, as hard as I could. I felt the doors give way.
“What is the meaning of this?” Pelias demanded as we entered the room.
I shut off my aspect and then turned to the guards who had carried the terawolf for us. “You can drop that. Go and locate Prince Alexandros and tell him he’s needed.”
The only people in the room were the archons and Erisa. There were no other guards, no nobles listening to the proceedings. Kunguru landed on my shoulder, and I whispered, “Find Xander. Bring him here immediately.”
He cawed and flew off. Something nefarious was happening. “Why were the doors locked?” I asked.
Themis seemed surprised. “The doors were locked? We weren’t told that.”
“It was a safety precaution,” Pelias practically sputtered, as if scrambling for an explanation.
Heliodora stood. “What is that?”
“A terawolf,” I said. “We fought it outside the city’s walls. We killed the rest of its pack. What is this secret meeting about?”
“It isn’t secret,” Pelias scoffed, his confidence quickly returning. “And you’re not entitled to know what it’s about because you are not a voting member of the council.”
Xander hadn’t said anything about whether I could stab Pelias. I let my fingers rest on the handle of my xiphos, but I didn’t unsheathe it.
“Erisa called for a meeting to discuss tonight’s events,” Themis told me. I was glad I had befriended her. “She seems to think this is some kind of show or manipulation orchestrated by your husband. To trick us into thinking that Ilion is being threatened.”
“You can’t possibly believe that,” I said, aghast. Xander would never. I gestured toward the terawolf. “You are being threatened.”
“And we’re to take your word for it?” Erisa sneered.
“That, and the creature that hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years that is dead at my feet.” I hoped my eyes were conveying the message that I would gladly add her to the pile of things killed to save Ilion.
Erisa glowered at me. “Lies.”
“I suppose that’s an easy assertion to make when you’re here cowering behind the palace walls and not out at the docks helping like Prince Alexandros is,” I heatedly responded. Perhaps it was because I’d called on my fury aspect so many times this evening, but hatred and rage for this woman boiled through my blood.
No one in this room could stop me. I could run over and slit her throat before anyone could even react.
I heard yells and other noises, and they got louder, as if headed toward us. Relief engulfed me when I saw Xander striding in.
He dragged a dead body in each hand. He took them directly to the council table and the archons all recoiled.
“These are Carian soldiers,” he announced as he dropped them. “They have a tattoo of a hammer on their chests, indicating their allegiance. I have brought them as proof. They have rebuilt their nation and are coming to destroy all of Ilion. You can no longer put your head in the sand and wish this away. Or believe the lies that my father’s second wife has told you.”
Erisa was not intimidated by him, even though she should have been. “Why are you bothering to pretend like you need the council’s approval for anything? We know about how you have been bringing noncitizens into the city.”
“Those are Ilionian people. I don’t care if they’re from Troas. They deserve protection and safety.”
