“The Skellings were said to hold King Jökull’s only weakness,” Dyna said, watching Klyde carefully, fingers leisurely drumming on the armrests of her chair. Her crimson locks were braided back in a coronet. She wore black boots and black trousers, a fine blue redingote on her frame. Her green eyes were indifferent yet piercing. Looking every bit like a woman in power on her impromptu throne. “Their existence brought about his downfall.”
Lucenna remembered quite clearly the passage on Jökull’s death. He had been an immortal, one of the Seven Gods of the Seven Gates, yet he had been killed by his own creation.
Dyna crossed a leg over the other. “Do you know what Tarn is after?”
Klyde’s gaze met her cool one. “Aye, I do. After years of following his exploits, I probably know more about him than anyone. And I assure you, I have the means to stop him.”
“Slay him, you mean.”
His jaw clenched. “If it comes to that.”
The statement left Lucenna momentarily stunned … because it wasn’t a lie. Klyde was prepared to kill him. To come to terms with spilling his family’s blood, he had to have thought about it for a long time. Was it out of hate for his brother or out of love for his nephew? Because she had seen a storm rage in Klyde’s eyes when Dyna taunted him with Tavin.
He would do anything for that boy.
“I am not your enemy, lass. You can trust in that.”
Dyna ground her teeth as if offended by the vile word. “I have given you the chance to explain yourself, Captain. But make no mistake,I do not trust you.”
And she probably never would.
A disquieting feeling fell over Lucenna and the others. She glanced down at the sachet clutched tightly in Dyna’s fist, made of dark green velvet, embroidered with flowers in golden threads.
In the center lay the rune for dissipation.
A powerful rune.
A spell breaker.
They had each sewn one the night Dyna expressed her worry about protecting her mind. She had carried the sachet everywhere she went for fear King Yoel would attempt to erase her memory again. But never could any of them have ever imagined Cassiel would be the one to do so.
What would that damn Celestial think to know his compulsion never lasted more than a few minutes? Even in her confusion, Dyna still found her sachet and regained her memories the moment he stepped out into the courtyard. She had watched him shoot into the sky in a plume of blue flames, leaving her with the reality of what he had done.
Naturally, they were all furious with him, but how Dyna felt, Lucenna could only imagine.
“I know…” He searched Dyna’s face a moment before saying softly, “I understand the pain you feel, and I am sorry for that.”
Not only because Klyde was also left behind, but because he had never fallen under Cassiel’s compulsion. The magic imbued in his mercenary jacket had protected him.
Dyna’s chair screeched on the floor as she jerked to her feet. She turned away for the door as if needing to flee the crack his words had cleaved through her carefully formed armor. The barrier on her magic was stronger than the last one had ever been, but her emotions were so potent right now, Lucenna thought she almost felt a flicker of her Essence.
Dyna paused when she took the doorknob. “When you say you have the means to kill him…”
“It’s the only weapon that will, no matter how powerful he becomes,” Klyde said. “I hope that will be enough to buy my way into your fellowship.”
“Show it to them. If they can confirm what you are implying, I will consider allowing you to join us.” Then Dyna slipped out of the room.
Lucenna wanted to go after her, Zev too, but Rawn shook his head slightly. She probably didn’t want them around her right now.
They had a task to focus on.
Lucenna crossed her arms as she studied the captain. He kept his expression neutral. During the questioning, Klyde had been perfectly still, but he couldn’t quite prevent one of his knees from restlessly bouncing now. The only sign he was nervous about being left to her devices.
“I like you like this,” Lucenna said. “All tied up.”
His mouth lifted in a half smile, making one of his dimples appear. “Oh, I’m quite sure. Would you like me to beg you to release me?”
“Perhaps I’d like to torture you a bit first.”
