Edris’s head snapped to Samian’s, and I straightened in my seat, the blood leaving my face.
“I don’t enjoy secrets being kept from me, soul-meander,” Edris drawled, his face hard. “I know Sybil is different and that her bloodline remains unknown. Cassia had kept that information to herself and had somehow stopped me from seeing it.”
“We don’t know either,” I said, hoping the half-truth was enough to convince Edris. “Queen Cassia hasn’t really been open about a lot of things. With Samian or with me.”
Edris released a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair, his head turning to meet Zarina’s annoyed glare. Her long nails tapped against the table, her body twitching with impatience. Edris frowned at her for a moment before looking back at the group.
“I was afraid of that. No matter. We will leave you to your night and will await word for when you will visit the Seelie Court.” Edris inclined his head before disappearing, though Zarina’s narrowed eyes slid to Ivara, lingering on her until she met Zarina’s gaze with a glare of her own.
When both Zarina and Edris disappeared, a collective sigh whispered through the room. The thickened air lightened, and everyone slumped back in their chairs.
“I may have faced endless battles and the mountains between our court and theirs, but nothing terrifies me more than the water goddess.” Ezra’s throat bobbed; his face was pallid.
“Edris is no joke either,” Orin said weakly, grimacing.
“They’re both assholes that will ignore you until they need something,” Kieran growled, his eyes boring into the table. “We need to start Sybil’s training.”
“Shouldn’t we discuss Sybil’s trip to the Seelie Court first?” Vivi asked softly, giving me a gentle smile.
I readily returned it, easing at her soft, motherly tone. “I think I should go as soon as I can. If Solaris was told how to break this bargain, then we can stop Ambrose from taking control of the throne.”
“I agree,” Samian nodded. “The sooner the better.”
“Are you truly okay with taking her to that court?” Kieran gave Samian a pointed look, which Samian gave back.
“I am,” he stated. “If her going to that court means she can be free of Ambrose, I’ll set whatever shit I have with them aside and give her that chance. If there’s an opportunity for her freedom, I’m taking it, no matter what.”
“Fuck,” Kieran grumbled. “Alright, figure out a time when she won’t be needed in the palace, and we will all go. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let her go alone. Not with that bastard.”
Vivi gave Kieran a look of disapproval, chiding him for his name-calling, though Kieran chuckled, telling her it was a term of endearment. Samian shook his head, his eyes rolling while the others paled even more. Disbelief and shock mirrored on everyone’s face at Kieran’s absurd lack of propriety toward the two gods. Even I could feel the squeamish discomfort twisting my stomach over the what-ifs of being in the same vicinity ashim now. Like the gods would come back and spite everyone in the room for it.
Sensing my unease, Samian reached behind me, slapping Kieran on the back. “We still need to discuss our plans for the execution. We also need to discuss Ambrose.”
“What about Ambrose?” Ezra frowned, his voice hard.
His hands curled into fists on the table. Tension that wasn’t there before took over his features, his back straightening. I watched him carefully, hoping that my face remained blank so that he wouldn’t see the curiosity I felt toward his reaction. Ezra never spoke about what Ambrose did to him, how Ambrose forced him into the dungeon, condemning him to death for treason. He kept that night to himself, but the intensity in his eyes and body looked more like worry for Ambrose than apprehension about what was going on in the palace.
Catching my stare, Ezra wiped the emotion from his face, his hands moving underneath the table.
“We learned he has been hearing a voice in his mind that’s causing him to lose control. As Edris mentioned, incomplete bargains cause the bargain maker to spiral—and that’s happening to Ambrose, fast. He killed Lord Vito during a meeting this morning for questioning him. He also severely injured Cassia and plans to kill her as well during the ball he is hosting after the execution.”
Curses littered the room.
“Why did he attack her? He has been keeping her safe in the dungeons because of your bargain with him. Why now?” Ezra blurted, his eyes wide with shock.
My head whipped in Samian’s direction, my thoughts going back to when I woke up to Kieran and Samian in my bed. I remembered the intricate ink etched into his skin.
Samian sighed, his jaw clenching as he turned to me. “I made a bargain with him long ago to keep Cassia safe. It was when shewas first put in the dungeons. I can’t harm him in exchange for his sparing Cassia.”
“But he tried to earlier,” I said, my brows knitting together. “Wouldn’t that have made the bargain react?”
“Not unless he truly believed she wouldn’t die from it. He may have felt some sort of pain, but that would be it.”
Scratching at the table, I replayed Samian’s words over in my head. “Does that mean he can have others hurt her?”
“Technically, yes,” Samian frowned. “However, he can’t know about it or plan it.”
“Why is he going against the bargain now?” Ezra asked again, his lips pressing together.
