Ivara raised her chin, looking at me down her nose as though I didn’t tower over her.
I rolled my eyes and looked away from her. “You’re right; my anger is not toward you. I apologize.”
“I as well,” Ivara breathed.
Returning with Daelan and Ivara, Sybil sat in the living area, her throat bobbing when our eyes met. Her face was still pale, her body tight with apprehension, but that fucking shadow cat leaned against her leg in comfort. Samian sat opposite of her, his hand rubbing against the back of his neck.
Ivara slipped past me, taking a seat beside Sybil, wrapping her arms around Sybil’s waist. I swallowed back my growl when Ivara whispered something in Sybil’s ear that had Sybil fighting a grin. Daelan walked past me and found a spot beside Samian, clapping him on the shoulder.
“So, does anyone want to explain what’s going on?” Daelan asked with a sigh.
My eyes narrowed at Sybil, and she shrank back. “Sybil has informed us that during her talk with Queen Cassia, she not only found out she has a third mate, but that she is destined to die. We also learned she has been having a front row view of that creature’s murderous nighttime activities.”
Ivara’s eyes widened, dipping to stare at the cat. The beast brought up its back paw, scratching a spot on its neck, oblivious to everyone in the room.
“That I didn’t know,” Ivara murmured cautiously.
Daelan cleared his throat, his face turning pale. “Ah, so…Lowell?”
“And Bramwell,” Samian breathed. “She had another one last night, though this time she was near enough for me to see it as well.” Samian grimaced at the memory of Sybil’s nightmare.
“Shit.” Daelan stood and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll go and ‘find’ Bramwell. Hopefully, I will beat the servants.”
“It’s too late,” Samian said. “There was a female with him, but the creature blocked her view of the attack. At least while it happened. I’m sure it's already known around the palace.”
“Fuck, okay. I’ll see what I can do.”
Daelan left the four of us, the silence ringing in his wake.
“What happens next?” Sybil’s gaze swept across the room, her voice tight.
“Next, we discuss why the fuck you would keep this from us,” I gritted out through clenched teeth.
Sybil’s face turned bright red, her nose curling. “I kept it to myself because I wasn’t sure what to think about it. I needed time to come to terms with it. Just because you’re my mate, doesn’t mean that I have to tell you everything.”
Ivara winced and placed a hand on Sybil’s leg, urging her to calm down.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I growled, stepping toward Sybil.
Samian jumped between us, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. “This is not the time to fight. Sybil is right, though I wholeheartedly disagree with her actions,” he said with a pointed look at Sybil. “She’s allowed to keep things to herself as long as she eventually tells us.”
“Why the hell are you so calm about this?” I spit out. “How can you stand there and act as if she told us something completely normal and ordinary?”
“Because I trust Cassia,” Samian breathed out. “Sybil is part of the royal family. I know it is frustrating, but Cassia wouldn’t work against Sybil.”
“And you know that how? Explain it to me, Samian, because from where I stand, Cassia is tellingmy mateto sacrifice herself for the greater fucking good.”
“She’s my mate too, Kieran,” Samian snarled. “I hate this as much as you do, but I also know Cassia. She raised me, helped me wheneveryonewanted me fucking dead. She might be exasperating, but she has never fucking failed me before, and she won’t now.”
“Stop it,” Sybil roared, her breathing heavy. The lights in the room brightened, flickering with her anger. “Just stop it!”
Ivara came to her side, putting her hand on Sybil’s shoulder, but Sybil slipped out of her hold to come between Samian and me.
“You need to calm down,” Sybil fumed, her finger pointed and digging into my chest.
What is it with these females and digging their nails into my godsdamn skin?
“I will not allow you to die,” I said, my nostrils flaring.
