It was my turn to be silent.
His chest rose with a deep but short breath. “I figured she’d be with you.”
I gave him nothing.
“For some reason, she…loves you,” he spat. “Then again, I’ve never known her to make the wisest choices.”
“Like accepting Kolis’s advances?”
“You mean welcoming his love and devotion?” he challenged.
Acid pooled in my mouth. “Is that what you think he offered her?”
“I know that is what he offered.”
I eyed him. He didn’t just speak those words. He swore them without hesitation and with reverence. There was a good chance he believed them, which was all the more disturbing because, with what little I knew of Sotoria and Kolis, I couldn’t comprehend how he could believe what Kolis had felt—had done—was remotely acceptable.
But that was neither here nor there.
“You know Kolis better than anyone,” I stated.
Something akin to pride sparked in the fuck’s stare.
“So, even if you were busy getting your ass kicked by Millicent,” I continued, and the pride in his stare quickly vanished, “I’m sure you were aware of his whereabouts.”
He was back to playing the quiet game.
“I know you were trying to get to Pensdurth,” I said, remembering what Kieran had said. “Do you know that Pensdurth is no more?”
His fingers curled inward again.
“I know you were told.”
“What I was told is irrelevant,” he said through gritted teeth. “And I know what I felt. A Primal fell.”
“A Primal did, including your precious Kolis.”
He chuckled coldly as he looked away. “You’re more delusional than I realized.”
“And you’re more of an imbecile thanIrealized, so I guess we’re even.”
His glare returned to me.
I winked. “I suspect you know exactly where Kolis would go next.”
He raised his brows at me.
“And you may not have been willing to tell the others this,” I continued, “but you should be more forthcoming with me.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because they wouldn’t and couldn’t kill you,” I stated. “But I can.”
He sighed. “Once again, we’re back to your paltry threats. They’re giving me secondhand embarrassment.”
I smiled at him.
Then I summoned the essence.
