‘You were supposed to be our ally,’ Aya snarled to the prince.
‘Ally,’ Dominic scoffed. ‘You want to know why we willnever side with Tala? Ten years ago, my wife was on her deathbed. No healer could save her. But I had heard the rumors. So I sent an envoy to the south in hopes of finding a Diaforaté who wasn’t bound by the gods’ limitations.’
His face flushed red, his anger growing with the memory.
‘They almost refused to help because of your late king’s embargo; because ofouragreement to it. But Kakos was merciful. If I gave them resources and supported their cause when the time came to make their move, they would help Madelyn.’
Aya’s heart pounded as the king’s eyes grew distant.
‘There was nothing they could do, in the end. But I made a promise … as did they. They would support my nephew’s claim to the throne, his affinity be damned.’
His face hardened as his gaze met hers. ‘I vowed that day to never again be too weak to protect those I love. With your raw power, my nephew will rival the gods. And so will I, when he passes it on to me.’
‘You’re sick,’ Aya breathed.
‘Am I?’ Dominic challenged. ‘Tell me … how far wouldyougo, Aya, to save someone you love? To hold on to the future of which you once dreamt?’
He nodded, and Will’s screams echoed through the chamber again, the sound enough to bring Aya to her knees if it weren’t for her guard’s grip. His body thrashed under the chains, the vein in his neck bulging as he hollered.
Dominic would kill him. She had no doubt. He would kill Will, and Viviane, and it would be her fault.
Unless she did this. She had no idea if she even could. She hadn’t truly mastered her power in the desert. She didn’t know if she could survive it – ifVivianecould survive power inside of her. But if she managed this …
She could buy them time.
They’d need it. They were outnumbered, not just in this room, but in the entire palace.
Aya glanced to Vi, and the woman met her gaze unflinchingly. There was fear there, but not of her. Will must have seen the shift in Aya’s face, because he sucked in a breath, his teeth bared as he spat a single command: ‘No.’
Dominic motioned to his guard, who stepped away from Will.
‘I have one condition,’ Aya rasped. She was in no place to bargain, but Dominic rose a brow, his curiosity winning out.
‘No,’ Will snarled again.
‘Let him go, and I’ll do it.’ Aya kept her eyes on the king, but she could see Will jerking against his bindings, his protests a steady chorus against the thundering in her chest.
‘I could just kill him now.’
Aya could feel her pulse hammering in her throat. But she forced her voice to remain in that lethal quiet as she said, ‘Then you’ll never know if my power is safe to take.’
Dominic considered her a moment, his green eyes calculating. ‘He returns to his suite under guard. Should you cooperate, we’ll see to it that he goes unharmed.’
Aya searched for the lie. It was too easy. But Will had a better chance at survival out of this room.
She dipped her chin.
Dominic nodded to two of the guards near Viviane, and they stalked toward Will, a set of keys in their hands.
‘Aya.’
She’d never heard terror in his voice, had never seen it on his face the way it was now.
‘Don’t do this. Please don’t do this.’
They unchained him, his hands still cuffed as they tugged him toward the door.
‘Aya!’
