Cayden didn’t respond, but I spotted him moving out of the corner of my eye.
“Did I say something wrong?” A bead of sweat ran between Calista’s cleavage, and I quickly looked away.
“No, not at all; this is just, um, I, ah, can’t help you,” I said. “We don’t even know if Quinn’s magic changed Brit’s fertility.”
“It did.” Calista took a confident step toward me. “And she’ll need an honor guard, even if it’s not me. I’ve told my entire family so we can get to Quinn first.”
‘Get to Quinn first.’ The words pounded through me like a stampede.
“Just wait. The Architect will be here any second,” I said, more to calm myself than her.
Calista’s eyes widened, and we awkwardly waited until Xan and Cayden joined our little circle. I had her repeat everything.
Xan was so good. He listened and assured Calista that when they found out anything, she would know without making any promises. But even Xan couldn’t shake her unwavering belief in Quinn’s magic.
“We’ll know if it’s true in a few days,” Cayden said as they walked away.
“I’m sorry, what?” Xan ran his fingers through his drizzle and sweat-soaked hair.
“Ravana had Quinn use her Majekah on one of her nieces,” Cayden explained.
“How many people saw this?” Xan asked.
Cayden shrugged. “Not many. Less who understood what was going on.”
Xan’s baby-blue eyes smoldered. “You do not seem to understand the gravity of what’s happening here.” He ran his hand through his hair and pulled this time. “This”—he gestured to the retreating woman and her brother—“is one innocent person acting on a rumor. My next words are crass, but fertility is a limited resource. Men and women use it as a means of control. Some people will not want to lose that control, and just as many are desperate to gain their own. People are going to flock to Quinn, and she’s going to have to pick who she uses her Majekah on and in what order.” Xan slashed his hand through the air. “And that’s assuming she doesn’t end up under someone else’s control.”
I wanted a wall to lean on, but we stood in the mud.
“Someone like you.” Cayden slid his hands into his pockets, his voice dangerously even. “You could make a fortune charging for her Majekah, not to mention the power that would give you over the other families.”
Cayden’s truths punched my already twisted gut.
“Yes. That’s me.” Xan let out a bitter laugh. “The monster who exploits everyone.”
Even I picked up on the bitter sarcasm.
Of course he did. After months of watching Xan choose restraint, Cayden still reached for the ugliest explanation first. I bit back what I wanted to say, because disappointment cut deeper when you didn’t dress it up as anger. Xan pulled his shoulders back, and the mantle of the Architect filled his posture. “I’m done justifying myself to you, Cayden.” Like the rune mage, Xan didn’t raise his voice; steely control filled every word. “One minute, you rely on me to get through the day. Then, I’m the only person who can save what remains of yourfamily, and now we’ve come full circle. I’m back to being the evil, controlling mentalist.”
Xan locked gazes with Cayden. “Leave. Get out of my castle. Return your TB. Hope will get you out of my sight until you figure out your future.”
My jaw dropped.
“I’m taking Quinn with me,” Cayden stated.
Xan let out a bitter, ugly laugh and marched away from us.
“Cayden, what are you doing?” I hissed.
“Getting Quinn out of all of this.” Cayden clenched his fist. “She doesn’t need someone controlling her.”
Before I could respond, Cayden walked away. This morning, I thought we could hold it together. Now we were breaking.
Chapter 21
Cayden
Iconsideredjoiningmyfamily, but my pain was still too raw. I needed something new. Xan’s people set me up in a half-renovated flat above the Westwater bakery. With basic plumbing, no furniture, and a kitchen missing cook pads, the place was barely habitable, but still better than under a bridge.
