I lifted a hand, cutting him off before his big gob could open.
“God! Enough with the sex jokes! It’s like I can see your mind swan-diving into the gutter from here. Have fun replayingthatmemory over and over in your head. Savor it, really, because there’s zero fucking chance I’ll be repeating that mistake again!” I pinned him with a disgusted frown.
A deep laugh broke from Pogue. He coughed into his fist, failing to muffle it.
Lochlainn’s face fell, glowering. “Why do ya wanna to be in the trials?” he asked.
I shrugged. “That’s none of your concern.”
“Actually, itismy concern,” he shot back. “You’d be representing Luckland. Representingme. I go for gold, nothing less.” The amusement in his face burned to ash. “So if you’re entering, you’re gonna win. So I’ll ask again—why do you want in?”
The intensity of my eye roll physically hurt the muscles in my face.
“To win,” I said flatly. “I want an Ovum egg. As you know, I’ve been researching relics—looking for anything that might help David with the restoration of Loveland. Call it agut feelingthat an Ovum would be useful.” I paused. “Also, you still owe me access to your archives,by the way.” My eyes narrowed, sass on full display.
It wasn’t the full truth, but it was truth enough. Over theyears, I’d searched for the stone and box, but now I wanted to look for any information that might help relight Loveland’s Candela. Anything that could potentially restore the land’s waning power. My inkling sparked, wondering if my dream relics played a part in that too . . .somehow. So yes, I had every intention of getting my hands on the grand prize. Winning fairly or not, I’d figure that out along the way.
Alvar’s foretelling, my visions—I’d be keeping those to myself. Lochlainn had abused my trust enough, making me play the fool. That was not on the table for me anymore.
“Hmm,” he grunted, dragging a hand through his hair. “Fine, I’ll consider it.”
Blowing out a breath, he narrowed his eyes on me.
“The trials could be played individually, but each land enters as a team.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly already regretting this. “I’ll select your other companions.” A grunt. “This better not be a cock-up!”
“It isn’t,” I said, burying the uncertainty in my voice. “But don’t just consider it.Doit!”
I braced for impact—fully expecting Lochlainn to throttle me. But it never came.
Instead, he just looked at me. It was completely unexpected. Something in his expression was at war. It was quieter than his usual smugness. Was it surprise, maybe? Or something even rarer—respect? I could see the gears turning. His calculating mind already running the odds, weighing the bet.Perhaps he found a new underdog to bet on.
“Don’t worry about my men bothering you again,” he finally said.
He didn’t deserve my gratitude, but I nodded anyway.
Then, he turned to Pogue. “You’ll train her. You’re both from the same land, similar abilities.With the trials just over a month away, that should be enough to get the basics in.”
Pogue was silent at first. Until his foot lightly tapped, small enough that most would’ve missed it. But I knew that kind of nervous energy. I’d felt it enough times to recognize it. Something stirred under that cold mask of his.
“As you wish,” Pogue sneered. “Go ahead and add me toTeam Luckland. If I’m going to invest my time training her, then I at least want a front row seat to the action.” He taunted with a cruel smile.
My ability involuntarily reached out and brushed up against his. Something that told me his soul didn’t match the gesture. Mask. Always a mask.
Behind us, liquid gently flowed down the side of a crystal glass.
Lochlainn poured himself a drink.
“Fecking gobshite,” he mumbled under his breath. “I’ll nominate ya for the Trials, but it’s ultimately up to the Luck-Blessed Well to deem ya worthy of it. You’ll toss a coin in at the Fortuna Ball to officially enter.”
“Fine,” I said, acting as though I totally knew what a Luck-Blessed Well was.
Then, a loud slam resonated down the hall, followed by violent, angry strides.
A familiar form rounded the doorframe.
Finley expelled an audible sigh of relief the moment he spotted me.
“Ah. Nice of you to join us,” Lochlainn said dryly, but the edge was unmistakable. “Shame you missed all the excitement.”
