The breath I took was sharp. “And why is he coming?”
Emil looked at me as if I should already know the answer, and I did. His arrival made sense in the worst sort of way.
“Who is Tylan?” Reaver asked, helping himself to an apple that had been left in the fruit bowl.
Emil’s gaze lowered. “Delano’s cousin.”
Ty wasn’t just Delano’s cousin. He was now the last of that bloodline, and he was cominghere.
The draken halted, apple halfway to his mouth. “Damn.”
Yeah.
Damn.
Delano never talked about the family he’d lost in the den. And then when he lost Ronan and Preela… That family had lost enough.
Reaver returned the apple to the bowl.
“So, he was notified of his cousin’s death?” Attes questioned from where he stood by the wall. “Does that mean Valyn’s wife was also notified?”
“Ty would’ve known—he would’ve felt it.” I dragged a hand over my face. “Eloana… she doesn’t know. That kind of news needs to be delivered in person, and…”
And I didn’t need to say more. For different reasons, neither Cas nor Malik would leave to do it. Or could.
Attes nodded. “I can do it.”
A frown pulled at my lips as I crossed my arms. “From what I know, Eloana has no knowledge of Valyn’s true bloodline. So, I don’t think her seeing you and then receiving that kind of news is a good idea.”
“You have a point.” He hesitated a moment. “But waiting much longer runs the risk of her learning.”
I knew that. Gods, did I ever know.
Reaver dropped onto the sofa, and I did something rather miraculous and didn’t tell him to get his ass off what had become my bed. At least there was something between the cushion and said ass.
“What’s the slightly concerning news?” I followed up, turning my attention back to Emil. “Or was that it?”
“Yeah, no, that wasn’t it,” he said, then went quiet.
I waited as he suddenly found the golden embroidery on the front of his surcoat fascinating. “And?”
“I’ll tell you,” Reaver announced. “It’s your best friend, theDark Lord.”
Clearly, someone had been spending time with Millicent.
Tension crept into my neck. “What about him?”
Reaver leaned back, kicking his legs onto the upholstered stool. “He’s missing.”
I blinked once, then twice. “What do you mean he’s missing? I know he hasn’t left Carsodonia. I can feel him.”
“He’s notmissing,” Emil said, casting a narrowed-eye look at the draken. “He’s just not where he’s normally at.”
As in he wasn’t in the Great Hall. And when he wasn’t there…
Well, shit either ended up in ruin or in ashes.
Fuck.
