Geoffrey’s gaze settles on Cadence again.
If he even—
But he looks back at Rainier and says, “Once you’ve reinstated magic, I want to become adiwaller.”
Gaëlle’s forehead pleats. “You can’tbecomeadiwaller; you have to be born one.”
“Actually, once the Quatrefoil is whole, one of you can concede your Council seat to me.”
Since his gaze slides to me, I’m guessing it’s mine he wants.
“There’ll be a little blood exchange; nothing too outrageous.” His attention shifts back to Cadence’s father. “Thanks to Rainier’s thorough research two decades ago, we learned how everything works.”
A vein goes berserk beneath Rainier’s temple and pulsates his silver-streaked hair.
“Not that he shared it with any of us, mind you. Amandine found out about it almost by chance. Thankfully, though, she brought it to Camille’s attention, who brought it to mine sincemywifetrusted me.”
Forget bad, the blood between those two is toxic.
“And you wonder why Maman chose my father over you, Monsieur Keene?”
Those two fought over Amandine de Morel? No wonder they loathe each other.
Cadence’s posture has never been so straight, and her chin, so high. “She wasn’t into petty men.”
Geoffrey stares at her long and hard. There’s anger there, but there’s also something else . . . frustration, sadness. “I’m not here to discuss the past, Cadence. I’m here to discuss the future.Myfuture.”
“But Adrien is already on the Council,” Gaëlle says, matter-of-factly.
“Last I checked, my son and I aren’t conjoined twins, and I’m not a Mercier. Not even by name.” That last part is a direct jab at Rainier.
A jab that streaks color across Cadence’s cheekbones. “Never.We’ll never make you adiwaller.”
“Then I guess”—he gestures to the small shape beneath the white linen—“then I guess I’ll call up my dear golf buddy, the chief of police.” Geoffrey takes his phone from his pocket and touches the screen. “I’m sure after seeing the girl’s body, Henri won’t waste any time putting the lot of you behind bars.”
“Dad!” Adrien gasps.
I think the mayor’s bluffing. After all, he wants magic. Locking us up would be counterproductive. Unless he plans on locking Gaëlle and me up since we’ve already gotten our pieces . . .
“If we’re behind bars,Monsieur le maire,” I say calmly, “then you can kiss being adiwallergoodbye.”
“Is that so? Because if I’m not mistaken, Roland, you’ve already gotten your piece.”
Could the man be more predictable? I’m half tempted to force De Morel to unlock the safe so I can shove my piece at the tweed-wearing maggot. The expression on Rainier’s face tells me he’d offer no objection.
“If you lock him up, Monsieur Keene . . . oranyone of us”—Cadence’s voice is as dark as that ink blot on the scroll behind her—“when my piece shows up, I’ll sit back and watch it destroy our town.”
If I didn’t know her any better, if I didn’t know she’d sooner doom herself than innocents, I’d worry she’d follow through. After all, she exhibits none of the usual tells a liar does: her lids don’t twitch; her gaze doesn’t shift; her skin doesn’t turn blotchy.
“A seat to save a town. My offer isn’tterriblywicked.”
“Until the Quatrefoil’s assembled, there is no Council. We can’t promise you something we don’t have,” Gaëlle says.
He taps his phone’s screen with a buffed fingernail. “Do you want more deaths on your conscience?”
“Dad, stop. This is hard enough.”
I shove the icepack at Bastian, who jerks out of his stupor, then go toe-to-toe with the mayor. “I’m the only one responsible for Emilie’s death. As for a seat, you can have mine. Magic killed my parents. Killed Cadence’s mother. Killed this kid. When all of this is over, I’m out of here.” I’ve got to get out. I’m done hurting people. “Just do your fucking job and protect the people of Brume from any further dangers.”
