Cole tracked him with his eyes. He knew something about all this. Cole knew he did. Steig and his nephew had always been sickeningly close—their bond weak and demeaning in his eyes, given Steig’s mid-level parentage.
And because Cole was confident that Steig had had prior knowledge of this travesty, there was only one fitting repercussion.
The man would have to prove his loyalty.
Once all his daemons were settled around the table before him, he spoke to them, their eyes rapt like the good little children they were.
“There has been a sickening development,” he began. “Our connection to Iblis has been disrupted.” He looked around the table, assessing each of them for signs of disloyalty. For signs of argument.
There were none.
“I am confident this is a power play by the witches, meant to destabilize my rule, and we will not let this stand.”
There were murmurs of assent and agreement around the table as he looked to his brother on his right.
“Is it true, my king? Is what we sense correct? That…Gaia has returned to us?” Zak asked.
Cole paused, looking around the table at their sad little faces. “Yes. It is true,” he answered simply.
A gasp or two echoed around the chamber.
“How is this possible?” Zak asked, his brow concerned, mirroring the others.
“That is what I intend to find out,” Cole replied, his eyes drifting to Steig. “And why I have invited my son-in-law.”
Everyone’s heads turned to Steig. The man in question returned his gaze, and Cole narrowed in on it, looking for any hint of hesitation—of fear—but Steig gave nothing away.
“How can I assist you in this dark time, my king?” Steig asked, lowering his head in deference.
A show. It was all a fucking show.
“Don’t give me that,” Cole spit. “I know my nephew had something to do with this.” He leaned forward on the table so the man could see him better. “You will tell me what you know, or you will be punished.”
“I know nothing of what you speak, my king. You think Ty had something to do with this?”
“Don’t fucking question me!” Cole yelled, his voice echoing around the cavern. He could feel his blood beginning to boil.
Against him. They were all against him. They were all trying to oust him in Ty’s favor—because Haden always got everything, and now his son would too. Haden always took what washis—even her.
The table fell silent at his outburst, and Cole tried to calm himself. To quiet the raging sense ofwrongnessinside him that Gaia’s presence had induced.
He was quieter when he spoke next, though he could hear his voice shaking involuntarily. “You will go after him, boy. You will bring him and his witch-slave to me. And if you refuse, or if you disobey me in any way, you will never see your children or my daughter again,” he threatened, his eyes boring into Steig’s with venom. “Your newfound upper-level status will not stop me from putting you in the collar you deserve.”
Steig’s eyes burned with a hatred, a fire, that Cole loved to see in him, because he so enjoyed snuffing it out. This piece of trash had never been worthy of his daughter—and Cole would never stop reminding him of that.
“Do I make myself clear?” Cole asked menacingly.
Part of him hoped Steig would try to disobey, if only so he could put him in his place. If only so he could unleash his wrath the way he’d always wanted. But he watched as Steig swallowed whatever he felt, whatever he had to say, before he responded.
“Yes, my king.”
“Good,” Cole said, enunciating the word so they all heard it clearly. “Gunnar and Chans will accompany you, to ensure you keep to your mission. And I know just where you should go first to look for them.”
“Where’s that, my king?” Gunnar asked, seeming pleased at this development. The man was always so thirsty to serve Iblis.
“Where this all started for my nephew—the Auster Coven.”
END OF BOOK TWO
