“I am?” Percy asked, looking up from his fashion pile.
“We can’t fight a room full of nobles—most are mages. You’ll give us an opening to flee.” She smiled mischievously. “Phae, do you think you can watch the kids?”
He raised his eyebrows, green eyes flicking to me. “Kids?”
“You three will read the room,” Seraphim explained. “And, if you see an opening, rob the palace.”
“Good idea.” Aethra hopped off the table. “Assuming Seth is okay with us looting his treasury?”
“It’s not theft to take what’s yours.” Seth smirked.
Rubbing my head, I focused on the task at hand. “If most of the nobles are mages, won’t psyches in the room read our intentions?”
Seth snorted. “There isn’t a single psyche noble in Duath Nun. Ma’at was the only one.”
“Hm,” Phaedrus hummed. “I hadn’t thought of that. These people don’t seem to bear much compassion.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. “Surelysomeare.”
“You’ll find plenty of chthonics and muses,” Seth explained. “We value art highly, so the latter is most common. But psyches? I’ve never heard of one.”
Even the Merchant Isles had psyche nobles. To think this place hadnone. . .
“How do they get their magic?” I asked. “I can’t imagine the nobles here suffer.”
“They don’t,” Seth agreed. His hands clenched and he gazed down at his map, as though it were the only thing anchoring him. “Parents torture their children, should they not manifest naturally.”
My eyes fell from his face. The slight quaver in his voice told me all I needed to know.
Haimyx had tortured him for the same reason.
“Eugh,” Percy spat. “I don’t think you could make me hate this scum more.”
Seraphim twisted her bang. “I have plenty of stories, if you want to test that theory.”
Seth waved a hand. “Later. Aethra?” He turned to her. “Don’t take much—just what you can carry. It’ll be more than enough to help fund our growing army.”
“Easy enough,” Phaedrus said. “Nothing three seasoned thieves can’t handle.”
“What about you?” Aethra asked.
“I intend to challenge Eris,” Seth said. “As Ma’at’s’ blood heir, I have the right to duel her in single combat for the throne.” He shrugged. “Eris won’t agree, but denying me will make her look weak.”
“Aha!” Percy interrupted, holding up see-through black fabric. “I have just the thing to dress you up in, Seth.”
“Ugh.” Seth rubbed his eyes.
“Give me five minutes with him, Aethra.” Percy shooed Seth out the door. “You’ll thank me.”
She smiled faintly before regarding the pile of clothes. “I suppose we should get ready, too.”
Nodding, I noticed a few masks scattered beside Percy’s treasure horde.
It would be nice to hide myself behind one again. I could pretend to be someone else entirely tomorrow night.
Or maybe I’d been wearing a mask all this time, and the man who’d been banished from Therapne was my true self.
30
