Auraelia narrowed her gaze, searching his face for any clues as to whether he was telling the truth or spinning a web of lies. What she saw was resolve.
He’d resolved himself to the idea of dying. Saw it as the only way out of the situation that he was in, and a part of her pitied him.
“So, what do you say, Your Majesty? Now that you know more about what and who you’re up against.”
Auraelia tilted her head slightly. “Before we go any further, I have one more question.”
Caius raised his brows in surprise. “Go on.”
“Who is Davina’s informant?”
A slow, easy grin spread across his face. “Look to your own court, Your Majesty. Not all are as loyal as they seem.”
Anger, red-hot and searing, burned through Auraelia’s veins. Her magic bleeding out of her as lightning began to spark at her fingers. “Who?” she demanded, her teeth clenched so tightly that she could hear them grinding against each other.
“Remove the runes holding me here, and I’ll tell you.”
Shock hit her like a slap to the face. “You knew?”
“Of course,” he taunted. “Those may be considered organic magic here in Emerald, but in Garnet…well, that’s where blood magic begins.”
Keeping her gaze narrowed on Caius, she reached down and squeezed Daemon’s hand. “Do it.”
“Auraelia—”
“Daemon, please. There is a bowl of water on the desk with a rag in it. Just swipe it across the rune in front of the door.”
Daemon expelled a heavy breath but released her hand and did as she asked. As soon as the symbol was broken, a wave of magic swept through the room, severing the connection between each of the runes.
Caius’ smile grew, and it seemed full of relief when he sighed. Like the runes had been a heavy weight on his shoulders, and once they were nullified, he was able to breathe freely. “Well, this has been fun, but I must get back before she notices I’m gone.”
“Caius.” Auraelia’s voice was firm with warning, her lightning wrapping around her limbs like ribbons. Like hell, she would let him slip away without giving her an answer.
Unphased, he bowed. “Until next time,My Queen.”
Snow swirled around him, the cold sizzling against the anger that heated her skin. But before he was fully gone, a cold breeze swept past her ear, bringing with it the answer to her question.
“Lord Harland.”
That son of a bitch.
Chapter Twenty-One
Daemon
“Lord Harland?” Ser Aeron growled, shock and rage bringing his already baritone voice down another octave.
It had surprised Daemon just as much as everyone else in the room to hear that name fall from Caius’ lips, but they still didn’t knowwhy.And he couldn’t decide what irked him more—the fact that someone Auraelia trusted was betraying her or that the one who provided the information conveniently left without so much as an explanation.
Auraelia snatched the bowl and rag from the desk where he had left it and began scrubbing vigorously at the floor.
Her anger was palpable.
Sparks of lightning lit up the deep emerald coloring of her fingertips as a breeze began to lick against the back of his neck.
“My star—”
“Don’t.” Auraelia stopped scrubbing and heaved a heavy breath. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want to get this clean so Vee doesn’t kill me and go home before I do something I’ll regret later.”
