The Doorman interrupted, her eyes puffy but her makeup somehow still perfect. “Since when can Daphne Reynolds summon people?”
“Since she started going to other kingdoms in Garrison’s entourage. Aidan’s reapers reported it to me, and I decided it was worth seeing if we could use her.” She turned to Rollie. “Daphne is going to summon the fates, and I’m going to retrieve the talisman.”
She’d heldup her end of the deal. Maya had traveled to the safe house at the appointed time, and Elysia had the painful pleasure of reconnecting the siblings postdeath.
Holding back the dingy window curtain, Elysia ignored the ache in her chest as Topp and his older sister walked away from the safe house. Given Kava’s godless beliefs, it was rare that the current generations passed from their realm to Aidan’s. Instead, their souls skipped the pleasant respite of the death realm, and went straight into the beyond. The god of the dead had explained this as gently as he could to her. That Grim knew every soul meant for their rivers, and Beatriz was not on the list. Forced to acknowledge that Beatriz was never going to step off one of those shitty old boats, she’d stopped working from sunup to sundown after that.
Gaze on Topp’s strong wide back, she remembered the festering grief inside him—how years after losing Maya, it hadn’t relented but only darkened. Looking out the window at Maya’s soft brown hair blowing back in the wind, Elysia swore she’d end the bitch if she hurt Topp after he’d lost so much of himself to the grief of her death. She knew how bad Maya wanted vengeance and that Topp wasn’t far off in that desire. It had been a risk to connect them. He threw his head back, roaring at something Maya had said.
A hand on Elysia’s arm drew her attention, and she dropped the curtain.
“Are you ready?” Emmellin asked.
She nodded, following her into one of the dilapidated safe house’s bedrooms. Blindfolded and huddled in the corner of the plain mattress lying on the floor, Daphne was terrified. The others who had hidden out of sight from Maya’s arrival were already pressed against the wall, waiting for Elysia. She lifted the opaque blindfold from Daphne’s face.
“Hello, Daphne.” Elysia spoke calmly. “Apologies for the rough travels, but we needed to talk.”
Her old friend gaped, shaking like a leaf. “You don’t understand.”
“What don’t I understand?” Elysia’s hand settled on the handle of the dagger at her waist. She almost felt bad about it, but she needed her to talk, and it seemed fear was a heady motivator for Daphne Reynolds.
Blonde hair unkempt and pale eyes frantic, Daphne pleaded. “You were gone, and he started issuing all those bounties. He placed one onTopp, his own son. And then he went to my parents, saying he needed a new heir because of Topp, and I didn’t have achoice.”
Someone made a sound of disgust from the back wall, but Elysia ignored it, understanding all too well what Daphne was saying. Nonetheless, she pressed her. “But you always wanted a crown. We all saw how you looked at Topp. Heard your little comments about him. I just never thought you were fucked-up enough to go after his father instead.”
Daphne flinched, drawing back even further into the corner as she quivered. “Who wasn’t jealous of you? But I’m just trying to stay alive, and if that means being with an old man, then I will close my eyes and do it. You don’t get to judge me.” She hissed, suddenly coming off the wall only to fall back when she realized what she was doing.
Elysia smiled and ran her blade along the edge of her finger until the point pressed into the tip. “I have an offer for you. If you take it, you’ll be bound by magic and blood because not everyone believes or trusts you.”
Suspicion entered her gaze. “What’s the deal?”
“We need you to summon a few people for us, but the deal will prevent you from speaking of it to anyone.”
“And what do I get? I’m next to Garrison all the godsdamned time. Do you think I can just leave and do a summoning without it being noticed?”
If the situation had been different, Elysia wouldhave laughed. She liked this version of Daphne. Less frill, more teeth. “You get to keep your head.”
Her old friend went ghost-white.
“And…your disappearance could be arranged.”
Daphne froze, hope entering her eyes.
“Or you could agree to help and stay where you are. It may turn out that we need someone there.”
“Need someone where I am,” Daphne repeated back dryly as she licked her lips.
“Yes, in his bed. In the court. We may have eyes and ears, but they can’t be everywhere, and Garrison is about to lay siege to every kingdom he can.”
Daphne looked down at her bound hands, shaking her head, and adjusting her awkward position on the mattress. “You have no idea what he has in store.”
Fear sluiced through Elysia, but she ignored Daphne’s baiting. “So, what will it be?”
“How would you get me out?”
Elysia shrugged. “It’s not foolproof, but we have people who can keep an eye on you. Could have a traveler grab you and take you out of Kava. There are people you could stay with where no one would ever find you.”
“How reassuring,” Daphne muttered, suddenly scanning the people in the back of the room. “Remy?” Her brow wrinkled and her voice softened to a more familiar sound.
