Aya followed her as she wound through the forest. The wolf led her to a small meadow, where a stream with patches of ice floating between its gentle rapids spilt through the rocks and grass. Next to it, his head resting on his paws, lay Tyr. He stared at the water, not bothering to move as Aya approached him slowly. But he knew she was there – Aya could feel his awareness shift to her as soon as she stepped into the clearing. And when she lowered herself onto the ground next to him, kneeling by his side, he finally turned his gaze to meet hers.
Her heart ached at the devastation there, at how lost and desolate he looked as he took her in. He let out a low breath and lowered his head once more.
‘It’s not your fault.’ She curled her fingers into the thick fur behind his head, leaning over to peer at his face. ‘I’ll find out what happened to you,’ she swore. ‘On my oath, I’ll make them pay.’
Slowly, Tyr pushed himself into a sitting position. He pressed his forehead against hers, a guttural growl rumbling from his chest.
His own promise that he’d make them pay too.
16
Will stationed himself to the right of Gianna’s empty seat at the head of the long mahogany table in the formal meeting chamber, the High Priestess having taken the left. He drummed his fingers on the polished surface, Hyacinth remaining silent as they waited for the rest of their party. Every so often, her maroon robes, just a shade darker than her red hair, rustled, marking her fidgeting.
And though her face was covered by a sheer veil of off-white, it wasn’t enough to hide the tension there.
Whatever Cleo had uncovered, it was bad.
It should have been me in that interrogation.
The thought was bitter, and furious, and tinged with a sort of tension that kept his muscles tight. Because now …
Five damn years of waiting; five damn years of biding his time, only to be pushed out the very moment he needed to be in the most. The careful control he’d crafted was slipping through his fingers.
His gaze cut to the door as Aya and Tova arrived, and he scanned the spymaster once, fighting against the way his jaw locked.
There was still fucking blood clotted in her hair.
Aya slid into the chair next to him, staring resolutely ahead, while Tova dropped into the seat next to the priestess.
Gianna followed shortly behind them. Her white dress swished against the cobblestone floor, her fingers tugging at the delicate gold necklace that sat at her throat. Her lips werepressed into a thin line as she settled into the high-backed chair at the head of the table.
‘The man is a Diaforaté from Kakos. He used strength and persuasion affinities,’ she finally said. ‘Kakos has found a way to replicate raw power.’
Will stiffened in his seat.
Too fast. Things were unraveling too fast.
He forced his face into cold contemplation as he focused on his queen. Gianna’s voice was heavy as she continued.
‘I fear this is the beginning of the second rise of the Decachiré.’
A tense silence followed her words, and Will looked to the priestess. Her hands were clenched in front of her, her knuckles white. He could just make out the tightness around her eyes through the veil and the bright red spots that marred the usual soft, golden glow of her cheeks.
Hyacinth was angry.
‘You think they’re readying for war,’ Aya finally breathed. ‘You think they’re going to challenge the gods again. A return of the Decachiré.’
Hyacinth dipped her chin. ‘The Conoscenza does warn of a return of darkness. When the gods bound magic to a single affinity, it was done so that Visya would only have access to a single power, and therefore would not have enough to destroy their wells. We think the Athatis were a test for the Diaforaté to see if their dark power is truly effective in breaking the bounds of the Order, so that they might begin to erode their wells and achieve limitless power.’
Her lilting voice was colder than Will had ever heard it.
‘And is it?’ Tova asked.
The priestess pursed her lips in contemplation. ‘Yes. Andno. He did present both strength and persuasion affinities … that indicates raw power. And his persuasion went far beyond what any ordinary Persi could accomplish. Persuading the Athatis should be impossible, which would lead one to expect his well is far deeper than we’ve seen before. But dark-affinity work has always had consequences. The man was weakened by the use of his power. And the persuasion wore off the wolves, as is evident by your survival,’ she explained, nodding to Aya and Will.
Will saw Aya’s jaw shift from the corner of his eye, but he kept his stare firmly on Hyacinth.
‘Had the raw power truly worked, the persuasion would never have been broken. I suspect it means Kakos hasn’t found a way to stabilize raw power enough to be a significant threatyet,’ the priestess continued. ‘But it’s only a matter of time. And when they’re successful …’ Hyacinth trailed off, her lips pressing in a tight line.
