Added to that, I didn’t know whether Tempest had escaped. So I was counting down the hours until I could portal to Athira and be put out of my misery.
So yes, I was distracted.
Her boot connected with the underside of my chin.Oof.
I landed on my stomach this time, a nice change. Though I wasn’t a big fan of blood pooling in my fractured jaw.
“Enough,” called a cold voice.
Steth whirled and bowed low. “My king. We are just training.”
“So I see. I also see that my mate-intended is exhausted. Take care that your loyalties lie with me and what is best for the realm, demon.”
Steth bowed again and remained in the position. “I will, my king. I assure you.”
I rolled over and forced myself to stand. Which was more like staggering on the spot. But still. “I’m ready.”
Steth didn’t respond.
“Syera, you are required in council,” Carmine said.
His tone was off, and my heart stuttered in my chest. Shit. Athira had stabbed me in the back. I should have gone with Tempest to make sure she escaped.
Or had Carmine discoveredbothof them?Shit!
If Athirahaddouble-crossed me, then Adeuto would already be in the fortress.
I wiped my sleeve over the blood dripping over my chin to cover the whirling panic that threatened to consume me.
I weaved a line out of the training rooms. Carmine was waiting down the hall.
“Why are you exhausted?” he demanded.
I glanced up.What do you know?“I was up all night.”
His jaw clenched. His lips were white from how firmly he pushed them together. “What were you doing?”
He knew something. What should I say? Was Adeuto in the fortress?
I was keeping so many secrets from Carmine that his jealousy didn’t register for a few seconds.
Really?He thought I’d been up all night satiating my craving in the Pinnacle? Or elsewhere. I’d consider tormenting him if I wasn’t so damned relieved that he appeared to be in the dark about everything else. I struggled against the urge to release a shaking breath. “I was up all night listening to other demons fuck, Carmine.”
I walked on, and he gripped my arm to spin me back.
“What do you mean?” he demanded.
I considered exposing my knowledge about the craving magic. But keeping that lie alive suited me better. “That’s what most of the other demons do after the fight.”
He frowned. “Why?”
Wow,I had to hand it to him. I almost believed his innocent act. “Outlet for adrenaline. I don’t know.”
Carmine’s brows rose. “I would use the opportunity to eliminate other strong contestants while they were weak. I have wondered how their numbers stay so constant between rounds.”
Surely he knew… but feigning ignorance wasn’t the demon king’s style. He was more of a “lie through radical omission” type of guy.
I wiped my mouth again. The bleeding had stopped, and my body was nearly done healing the fractures.
