“Misery?” My fingers slacken before bunching back into fists. Not only does a name make her real, but one of Crow origin makes her one of his people. “Perhaps moving to Shabbewillmake her miserable. How about before giving me a definitive answer, you discuss?—”
“She’ll be fine.”
His lack of consideration doesn’t assuage my jealousy, but it does make me feel a twinge of empathy for this subjugated woman who gets no say in the matter.
“All right, then. I will see you in the morning?”
Cathal scans the courtyard. “Who will stay with you tonight?”
I tilt my head. “What do you mean?”
“Abrax is useless; Asha, less so, I suppose. Your Serpents are…do they have blood magic now as well?”
“Are you worried someone will spring an attack on me during the night?”
“Tensions are high, so yes, I do worry about retaliation. Especially considering your fellow female Shabbins can slip through walls unnoticed. You’ll need to ward your wing of the castle.”
“I’m immortal, Cathal.”
“So was Priya. So was that one.” He nods to the dead sorceress whose body still blights the sunstone.
“I’ll paint wards to keep the Shabbins out of my bedchamber. Besides, I don’t intend to sleep.” Even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t. Not in my present state, not with my insides sizzling as though I’d swallowed a lightning bolt.
“I’ll be back before sunrise.”
Before I can tell the Crow not to rouse his poor mate in the middle of the night, he melts into shadows and rises to the heavens in feathers. Suddenly he swoops back down, snatches Malka’s body, and dumps her onto the Mahananda. The second her body vanishes, he soars back up, his powerful wings stirring the stars until he becomes one with the night.
“What did he decide?” Fallon’s query carries my attention down to her.
“To come back and aid me.” Before my heart can run away with my reason, I remind myself that he’s only returning for diplomatic reasons. “Apparently, Cruaih won’t mind.” Though I don’t formulate this as a question, I wait with bated breath for Fallon to swallow my lure and tell me all about this Cruaih.
“She won’t.” Fallon holds my stare…and holds it, and then she blinks hard and looks down at the bloody sigils the Akwale left behind. “I’ll help you lift their spells.”
Though I wish she’d told me more about Cruaih, I do not speak her name again. I will meet her soon enough.
And I do. And she is nothing like I expect.
Chapter 50
Zendaya
Istand from the carmine seat I’ve been occupying since the stars faded and dawn ignited the sky.
My knees click from how long they’ve been folded and my thighs shake as movement rids them of numbness. I come to stand in front of Cathal and cross my arms in front of the dress Asha went to fetch me earlier so I couldfreshen upas she put it.
“Is she a shifter?” I ask Cathal as he strokes one large palm down Cruaih’s spine.
“No.”
I frown. “So you’re mated with a…cat?”
His hand freezes mid-caress. “Mated? I may be an animal myself at times, but I’m not some deviant, Príona.” He shudders. “Why the Cauldron would you assume such a vile thing?”
I gape at him, not in shock. Oh no. I’m not shook; I’m deeply and thoroughly maddened. “Are you fucking kidding me, Cathal Báeinach?”
His pupils contract at my robust tone, while Cruaih shrinks back and burrows behind the bulge of his forearm, peaked ears flat against her head.
“You told me you’d met someone! You told me that she was the reason you had no time to have tea with me!” My tone is far shriller than probably becomes a queen, but I cannot seem to give a single fuck.
