“None of that is Menon’s fault,” Malia cut in.She swallowed, buying time, her hands fluttering about the edge of her shawl.“It’s Saros’s.”
Saros.
His arms fell, the name hitting him like a punch in the gut.Saros.Kai whirled, searching his mother’s face, Etan’s, even River’s, for any hint of a cruel joke.They stared right back, River, mouth agape, looking hurt; Etan, vigilant, like he planned to have to pin Kai down.And Malia, solemn.Sorry.Really, truly sorry.
It was Etan who dropped his gaze first.“He said it was some kind of high-tier siphoning ward – ”
There it was, proof it was a lie.“Saros doesn’t know shit about wards.”
But that wasn’t true – he’d seen him drawing an amplifying ward; had noted, during their first meeting, that Saros could detect his wardstrings.Nepotism aside, Saros couldn’t be an Archpriest without some talent.
His brother shrugged.“Only relaying what he told Nalu and I.He said he found it in one of Llyr’s journals, a way to isolate Menon’s spirit and lock it into a human.”
The memory hit him, then, of how Saros smiled at him after Menon first possessed him.How happy he was.How utterly unsurprised.
Ice-cold dread pitted in his stomach – and rising swiftly above it, fury, blistering rage that sucked the breath from his lungs.Kai felt his shaking hands open and close, his fingernails digging into his palms, his jaw tightening.
Saros did this.To him, to Ione, to all of them.
River’s hands cupped his face.“Breathe,” he whispered, although his eyes were hard, his mouth taut with anger.
Kai backed out of his grasp, feeling cornered.He wanted to run.Destroy something.Break Saros’s door down and wring his fucking neck.
“Kai.”Etan’s voice was low, a poor attempt at soothing.“Calm down.”
Calmdown?Kai’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.He imagined screaming at them that he wasn’t fragile, that he had every right to lose his mind over this, that he’d love to see how happy Saros was with his creation when it knocked Caelos Shrine and everyone in it into the sea.
Arms wrapped around him and he jolted awake, breathed – in, hold, out, like River had taught him – and came back into himself.
“I’m sorry,” his mother said into his shoulder.“I’m so sorry this happened.”
Kai blinked, jarred by the embrace, by the words he was certain he’d never heard from her.He choked on a real response, stammering out a stunned, “You hate me.”
She sighed.“Don’t be an idiot.You’re my son.”She released him, held him at arm’s length.“Saros wanted a master of wards.He said you were perfect.He’d give you a title, a high and honoured position, everything I wished for you.”She squeezed his shoulders.“I let you walk into his plans without a second thought.I believed in him.”
In, hold, out.“If Etan told you all this,” he mustered, “then why haven’t you said anything?Toldeveryone?”
“And end up with you killed,” Etan interjected.“Saros said the only reason Llyr never cast this ward was because it was the same as stealing a god’s power, and I guess they’re real precious about that up north.”
Kai’s mouth went dry, recalling the priests and officers at their last meeting, the righteous indignation contorting their faces at the summoning of Sowelan into a human.He could only imagine the overeager spellcasters vying for his life if he revealed himself not to be chosen by Menon, but an abomination created by Saros.
“Right now, everyone believing your divinity is legitimate only works in our favour.”Malia crossed her arms, an admiral again.“We’ll go to the parley and at least rid ourselves of the Moth issue first.After that, we will deal with Saros.”Her eyes darkened.“And believe you me, he will not be forgiven for harming our family.”
“And Llyr’s journals – ?”
“Don’t you dare,” Etan grumbled, scratching his chin.“If he has them here, they can wait until this is over for you to start poring over them.”He clamped a heavy hand over Kai’s shoulder, another uncomfortably friendly gesture Kai didn’t know what to do with.“If anyone can figure out how to haul Menon and Sowelan out of the pair of yous, you can.”
Kai started, his heart thumping, but Etan waved him off.“Aye, Hilo told us about Sowelan downstairs, because – surprise, Kai – we’re not the enemy.”
Kai scoffed.His family had never not been the enemy.
“I’ll leave you, then,” Malia said, turning while Etan ensured that the hall outside was empty.“Lay low for now.And…” Her eyes found River’s and she coughed politely.“I suppose once we’re all through with this, we’ll have to invite you to the Cetos for dinner.”
“I dunno,” River said, taking his hand.“Kai told me about your dinners.I’m not sure if I want to have my throat slit.”
“That was a once-off,” Malia said, a hint of embarrassment.
“Oh, in that case.”
