“And there’s a chance that Hunter might already know about it?” Quen added.
“I don’t think Hunter would be involved,” I pointed out. “I’m the last person to jump to his defence, but he seemed genuinely concerned when he realised what was going on.”
“Archer’s doing all this behind his back?” Quen asked.
“IfArcher is doing anything at all,” Larkin pointed out. “You’re going to both get in trouble if you keep going down this line without evidence. You’re so close to freedom, Quentin. Do not throw it away over a wild goose chase.”
“What if we found proof?”
“How do you expect to do that?”
“Archer had the planter in his room. If we showed people he’s been growing it.” Quen glanced at me. “Do you think we could convince Tobias to admit what they’ve been up to? He’s involved in it even if it’s just to help grow the oleander.”
I shrugged as the chaos rolled through me in violent waves. “We can make him talk.”
“Can’t you both hold off until after the vote?” Larkin asked, looking uncomfortable. “Hunter won’t have anything to hold against you after that.”
Erik shook his head. “There’s oleander in the heavens again. Who’s to say who or how it’s being misused? Who’s to say one of us won’t be next?”
“This is all down to me,” Quen told him, digging her nails into my palm as she balled her fist. “You don’t have to worry about Sloan or the children, Erik. I won’t mention you. Or Larkin.”
“And you must be mad if you think I’d let you take the fall if anything goes wrong here,” I said viciously, staring down at her. “This will be on my shoulders.”
“You need to come up with a plan. You can’t exactly knock on Archer’s door,” Quentin said.
“Do you have a better idea?” I asked.
Even as I said it, a plan already formed. Quentin was right. If I turned up on Archer’s doorstep, a fight would ensue. I’d draw negative attention, and Archer, the slippery snake that he was, would twist it into his favour and paint me as the detriment to the heavens again.
“You need to find him,” I said, turning to Quen.
“Why me?”
“You’re the object of his fascination at the moment.”
No part of me was comfortable putting her up as bait, but it was the quickest way to find the root of the problem. If Archer was occupied with Quentin, then it gave us a clear shot to search his home and grounds without distraction. I’d pull in Dionne and Marcel to help before going after Tobias.
“But I never seek him out, Gray. It’s going to look strange if I suddenly try to find him and engage in conversation. What would I even talk to him about?”
“Tell him you see his point. That you're reconsidering the engagement.”
“No!” Quen’s voiced was echoed with Erik’s.
I shook my head. “It would keep him preoccupied.”
“He’d see through the lie straight away,” she hissed.
“What’s your suggestion?”
Silence engulfed the room, and the anxiety washed over her in waves until the shaking started at the centre of her chest. Pure chaos. While I revelled in it, there was only a certain amount that Quentin could handle. We’d pushed her limits over the last few months and this was yet another unexpected twist.
My hands held onto her upper arms, offering her some stability.
“You’re okay,” I said softly. “We don’t need to figure this out tonight, but we just need to come up with a plan.”
“I can go again,” Larkin said. “He wouldn’t let me into his house the last time I tried to talk to him, but now I’m wondering if there was something more behind that. If he has cultivated those flowers in Elysia. On his grounds.”
“Could you imagine what Elara would say?” Erik whispered, shaking his head. “It would devastate her.”
