Maelor met his gaze, and Killian held it. He let his king see how serious he was. That he understood everything that was at risk, and still believed it to be the best—the only—course of action.
Maelor’s jaw was tight. His fingers slid slowly against one another, as if working a solution. Slowly, he dipped his chin. “All right,” he acquiesced. “I’ll speak to the other monarchs. We’ll put safety measures into place, and we’ll be subtle about it.”
“It’s the right decision, Your Majesty,” Killian said.
“That remains to be seen,” Maelor replied in a solemn tone. “Keep me abreast of any updates. I’ll send you my itinerary for traveling to the games as well.” He stood and extended a hand toward Manny—a polite but firm dismissal.
Manny and Killian both shook the king’s hand in turn. Killian felt lighter yet somehow leaden as he made for the door.
“My offer still stands, Southwick,” Maelor said as Killian reached the threshold. Killian turned to look at him.
“Take down Lazarus, and I’ll restore your title.” The king stared at Killian, a promise in his gaze.
Killian nodded once before exiting the study.
26
Elyse
My goodness! It is so good to see you,” Zubir said for the third time as he bustled about the cabin. He was busy making room for Sera and Elyse at the table and acquiring much-needed glasses of water for them. “I was so worried for you after you left last time. You seemed so angry, and when you’re angry, well, you don’t always make the smartest decisions. Where are the others? Are they all right? I would have liked to see them again. They seemed like such decent gentlemen.”
Elyse, coated in more sweat than she’d ever been in her life, downed the entire glass of water and waited until Zubir’s chatter came to an end.
“Killian and Manny are doing well,” she said as she set down the glass. Water dribbled down her chin, and she wiped it with the back of a sweat-covered hand—a redundant gesture.
Zubir replenished her glass from the pitcher he hadn’t yet put down. “And Jaime?”
“Didn’t make it,” she answered in a flat tone. That was all the acknowledgement he deserved.
“I see…” Zubir set down the pitcher. He hopped into a chair that still had books on its seat; his feet dangled several inches above the floor.
“And how are you, Zubir?” Sera asked with an endearing tilt of her head. She’d been all smiles since they’d arrived at the cabin. Elyse didn’t know if their chat had made her feel better, if she genuinely liked Zubir that much, or if she had mastered her charm enough to be able to compel it at a moment’s notice. Perhaps it was a combination of sorts.
“Oh, I’m doing well enough,” Zubir said sheepishly. “I’ve started painting!” He gestured toward a pile of canvases that nearly reached the ceiling of the little cabin. A half-finished canvas was still perched on an easel. It depicted a rendering of a wolf atop a cliff, howling into the night.
“How exquisite,” Sera trilled. “If we had more time, I’d love to see each of them.”
Zubir gushed at that, his gray eyes squinting as he smiled brightly. He waved his hand. “You’re too kind.”
His hair was loose today. Elyse had never seen it down before, and it fell in silky tendrils to his chest. Bits of paint flecked the strands, stark against the black slate of his hair.
Elyse’s eyes gravitated toward the painting once more, lingering there for a moment, before she faced Zubir. “We need your help.”
“Of course,” he answered immediately. “Do you need more angel’s blood? Or something else?”
“No,” Elyse said, curt and concise. “We need you. We need your skills.”
Zubir’s tan skin paled. His eyes grew wide as they flickered between Elyse and Sera.
“Look at me,” Elyse beseeched. She reached toward him and grasped his hand.
Zubir’s gaze instantly flicked to hers. His shoulders rose and fell noticeably as his breath began to quicken. “I—But—” he sputtered.
“Sera doesn’t know what you’re capable of,” Elyse continued. Her voice was strong, encouraging—but firm. “That is your secret to tell, no matter how desperate I am. But I am desperate.”
Zubir stared at her, as if unable to move. If there’d been any magic on the island, Elyse might have thought he’d been hit by a stunning spell.
“Lazarus, the demon I told you about last time I was here,” she said slowly, emphasizing her point. “He has a body now. He’s been roaming the continent and terrorizing innocent civilians. We believe he’s going to attack at the Sammerhan Tournament in a few weeks. After that, I think he’ll be limitless. He will work endlessly to bring pain and grief to every citizen on the continent, unless we stop him at the Games.”
