“Because if I didn’t, then Behati wouldn’t come back, and I need her here. I need to be able to access her visions. Eventually, I also need to convince her to bestow her power upon someone else.”
“Surely you can boot Kanti out for sticking listening sigils around the palace without losing Behati, no?”
I twist my lips. “What if she decides to leave with Kanti?”
“If her allegiance is truly with Shabbe, she’ll understand your decision. She might even second it.”
I nod. “I’ll pay her a visit tomorrow, then.”
Just as we head for the door, Ceres enters, along with Agrippina.
At the sight of Fallon’s eyes, both do a double-take and gasp in Lucin: “Your eyes!”
“What about them?” Fallon answers in Shabbin—surely for my sake. When their jaws slacken, she bursts out laughing. “You should see your faces.”
“You should see your eyes,” Agrippina deadpans.
“How about we go brew some tea and I’ll tell you why my irises changed color?”
“I sense I’m going to need something stronger than tea,” Ceres grumbles.
“Any excuse to tipple, ah, Mamma?” Agrippina winks, hooking her arm through Fallon’s and leading her toward the communal kitchen.
Ceres begins to follow with a shake of her head, but stops when she sees I’m not heading in the same direction. “Zendaya, I wanted to ask you something.”
I nod, indicating for her to continue.
“Would you grant me asylum indefinitely?”
“I’m offended you’re asking me for permission, Ceres.”
“I would never presume that your grandmother’s invitation remained in vigor.”
“My home is your home, Shrima Rossi.”
Before she joins her daughter and granddaughter, she offers me her condolences for Priya’s passing. I thank her, genuinely touched. Though my grandmother wronged me, she also loved me, something too few understand.
When I reach my bedchamber door, I find Lorcan and Cathal deep in conversation with Aodhan, who’s just come from the house Behati and Kanti moved into upon their return—a home that borders the Amkhuti and which belongs to Behati’s cousin. I heard through my grapevine of loyal guards, and through Aodhan—who’s taking his task of seducing Kanti to heart—that my cousin spends her days spreading cruel rumors about me and my shifters.
Though it grates on both Asha’s and Enzo’s nerves, I don’t mind my cousin’s badmouthing for, like Cathal pointed out, it’s helping us weed out potential dissenters. Every day, Agrippina adds names to the list she’s meticulously keeping.
“Everything all right?” I ask.
“Where’s Fallon?” Lorcan asks.
“With Ceres and Agrippina in their wing.” I nod in the direction I came.
He begins to dissolve but solidifies once more to say, “Thank you, Zendaya.”
Though I did nothing to warrant his gratitude, I accept it and wish him a good night.
“Aodhan said that Behati’s eyes turned white,” Cathal explains. “I think we should go pay her a visit.”
“Not tonight.” I reach for my bedchamber door.
“I’ll go alone, then,” Cathal says.
“Not. Tonight. Please. We’ll go see her first thing tomorrow.”
