As one, the heads of houses rose, hooking our thumbs together and pressing our palms to our hearts. “Goddess save you, Koron,” we said in unison.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed everyone.
Zarethiel lingered one moment longer, his toothy smile making my fingers itch to wrap around his throat. I tucked my hands behind my back and stared down my nose at him instead.
“How are the preparations for the trial coming?” he asked Stadiel.
“Everything will come together under the Goddess Moon. You only need to concern yourself with being present on the night,” the Koron drawled.
“Ah, but I must ensure the spectacle is appropriate restitution for the wrongs done to my house. After all, Dasha is once again on the marriage market, and I fear without a proper trial, no one will want to take her hand,” he all but purred. “She’s been tainted by Vaeron.”
I refrained from rolling my eyes. “Issaraeth,” I corrected him instead.
He pinned me with a glare, his smile faltering. One rose on my face in its stead, merciless in its intent.
“You know your house will be made whole,” Stadiel snapped. “Now get out. I have other matters to attend to.”
Zarethiel swept into a deep bow, coming up with malice threaded through aquamarine. “Of course, Your Grace. My apologies.”
Stadiel didn’t acknowledge him again as the male swept from the room. But I knew better than to retreat.
The scar on my chest burned like my father was carving thewords all over again—a warning to keep my emotions in check, no matter what wrath Stadiel planned to unleash on me.
For it could be any number of things, and I had no way of knowing which.
Once we were alone, he whirled on me. “You’ve wanted to be a permanent member of the army for a long time, Vaeron. Do your duty. Do not disappoint me this time. Remember who is forfeit should you fail.”
I needed no reminder about the stakes of the next few weeks. They were ever-present in my mind, even when I tried to shove them into a vault and lock them away so Sylaira wouldn’t hear.
My nails bit into my palms. I wanted nothing more than to go to her then, to hide away for a few hours and pretend like we were the only two people in all the worlds. “Always, Your Grace,” I managed to say with a smoothness that didn’t betray the seething seeds planted deep in my heart.
A long moment passed while we stared one another down. Stadiel might have had a century over me, but I was now in my prime too, and my magic carried an understandable measure of fear among his people. Other than Ishim’s magic, no other Kisst, Herr, or Angel with ice-blue irises alive could wield their power in a way that threatened his position.
No, political instability and groups plotting to kill him with bronze blades were his greatest fear.
Duty above all.
The words pulsed at the lie. And as I exhaled and spun on my heel, I allowed a single treasonous thought to enter my mind: perhaps the realm would be better off with a different monarch.
51
Two fucking weeks until the Goddess-forsaken trial by light. I rubbed my throat as I returned to my rooms, having once again Commanded a minor noble while Iaoth wiped their memory of the interaction. Whispers of white remained in my well; it never seemed to refill completely anymore.
Entering a trial by light with no power at my fingertips was entirely my sister’s design, to ensure that no matter what, I would lose. Yet if something happened to Sylaira between now and then, I’d be powerless to intervene—not without risking draining myself completely.
Maelsar was waiting for me, leaning against the metal mimicry of the forest outside, a wry grin twisting his lips.
“Why do you look like you’ve been thoroughly fucked?” I rasped, my voice still recoveringfrom using my magic.
He shrugged. “I wasn’t the only one who didn’t go to sleep alone last night.”
I rolled my eyes and flattened my palm on the door. It swung inward, revealing the mess of my living area. Since learning I’d return to my svaethi, I’d called for information regarding the people living there. Population, crops, the state of my manor outside Eloi. All of it was vital information I should have known, should have had a pulse on.
But there was no time when I was never there. Instead, others had overseen the lands in my stead. I swept a stack of reports off one of the chairs so Maelsar could sit.
Which unfortunately gave him a perfect view into my sleeping chamber, the sheets still shoved to the end of the bed from how I’d fucked Sylaira before she departed for the Seer’s feather that morning.
I crossed the room and shut the doors. No one got to see the space that was sacred to my mate and me, where our souls intertwined in otherworldly ruin.
