"Change," he barked at them.
"What—" Zya started.
"I don't repeat myself, Culled."
Zya flinched and I shot a glare in the general's direction.
"I said be hard, not cruel," I snapped.
"You get what you get," he growled and then strode from the room without a look back.
Kane and Zya stared after him for a moment, stunned.
"Who shit in his canteen?" Kane muttered finally.
Zya and I looked at one another and laughed.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Dante
“There will be no more trials, no more funerals. Find them and kill them all. Let their lower rings run red with their blood. Make them regret ever standing against the gods.”
— Patriarch of House Viper, Zander, in his Statement to the Guardian Forces
There wasn’t enough wine at this party.
I’d already drank three goblets since Ksenia had dragged me from my room to drop me in front of the king with a flourish. He’d nodded once, clearly unimpressed, disdain in every inch of his expression. I’d been free to roam the ballroom ever since, plucking glasses from trays and downing them in dark corners while musicians played music I’d never heard before and a new class of elite chattered excitedly amongst themselves. It was so similar to one of Cosmo’s parties, it sickened me. But at least now I knew these wretched affairs weren’t specific to Sanctuary. In fact, the need to mindlessly gather was apparently ingrained somewhere in our shared species.
“That’s enough of that,” a familiar voice announced.
I groaned as Ksenia plucked the fourth goblet from my fingers, placing it back upon a passing tray and nodding meaningfully to the servant carrying it. I’d been cut off.
“You’re forcing me to be here and you aren’t even allowing me the benefit of descending into a drunken stupor?” I muttered, perturbed.
She raised a brow, frowning.
“I thought you’d agreed to talk to her,” she said. “Don’t you think a clear head might help?”
“I said I’d talk to her,” I agreed. “I didn’t say it would be tonight.”
“Dante.”
“Why does it matter so much to you? You’ve never showed much interest in my state before.”
“She holds the Darkness. We need her to remain focused. Whatever exists between you needs to be resolved.”
I frowned at her, remembering a time when my mother issued a very similar command. Instead of replying, I just watched a passing waiter with a tray full of wine pass by, nearly reaching for it. I would have if I didn't think Ksenia would swat my hand away.
"Does he look nervous to you?" the spy asked.
I turned my attention back to her to see she was watching someone across the room. I followed her gaze to the mysterious general in the corner. I knew absolutely nothing about the man other than the fact that he was always hovering around Adrian and he seemed to be a complete asshole. Not that I had any right to judge.
"He looks pissed," I muttered in response.
"He always looks pissed," she replied. "But something's different."
"You seem to know him better than me." I shrugged.
