I should have known.
Raiden
“Idespise dealing with idiots,” I say with a sigh. “Do you know why?”
Baltas looms over the big-mouthed, balding fae I’m referring to, Dolan, backing him into an empty, dark corner of one of the alcoves carved into the breezeway outside the ballroom. The orchestra plays, and I hate that I’m out here dealing with this shit when I could be in there looking for her. Watching her.
“Why, boss?” The grin on Baltas’ face reminds me why he’s my second.
I push off from where I’m leaning against the wall and move closer to them. “They always find a way to screw things up. Now, are you an idiot, Dolan? I hadn’t thought so.”
Dolan’s ruddy cheeks darken further, giving him away. This motherfucker is trying to ruin everything we’ve so carefully curated for years, and I won’t have it.
“I—I don’t know what you mean,” he stutters.
Baltas and I exchange a nod, and he has the stubby man pressed to the concrete wall with only his forearm in a blink.
“See, that’s not what I asked. Are. You. An. Idiot?” I whisper, standing to the side of their little scuffle.
Dolan struggles, as if he might be trying to respond, but his face is turning a shade too purple for my liking. I might be angry, but I’m not interested in killing him. Not just this minute, anyway.
I nudge Baltas to give the man some air, and he promptly releases his grip.
“No!” Dolan gasps, bending forward and clutching at his throat while his pigment normalizes.
I pat him on the back. “Glad to hear it! Then you weren’t the one mouthing off about going behind my back in an attempt to rouse the rebellion prior to my orders? Such a relief. I thought perhaps we’d had some sort of misunderstanding.” I don’t blame him for getting a little overexcited. I want the bitch dead more than anyone, but we aren’t strong enough to take her on yet.
And I refuse to be unprepared. Not when I’ve done everything possible to make sure we get this right the first time.
Dolan stares, gob smacked, eyes wide with fear.
He should be scared. Though I know he’s harmless, his actions could destroy everything I’ve worked for, and then my sacrifices would be meaningless.
He composes himself, and I admire his gall when he says, “I don’t understand why we can’t get rid of her now.”
The answer to that is more complicated than he could even begin to grasp. I want her dead. I want the Smog to end, but I’m missing a few very important players. In order for this towork, everyone must be on the same page, and we have to work together.
I try to level with him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You just have to trust that I know what I’m doing, and that Konnor put me in charge of this particular part of the mission for a reason. If you want to talk more about it, let’s be sure to do so below ground, where it’s safe from the wrong sort of crowd.”
Dolan rips himself out of my grip.
“Who says the Underground is even safe these days? What with the lot you’ve allowed in,” he spits, and I take a breath before answering.
“The whole point of all of this is to save the people, or have you forgotten that you were once a starving Lukasian, dirty and wasting away in the streets, as I recall, before the Rhiza brought you into the fold?”
He has the decency to look somewhat ashamed, remembering his own humble beginnings.
Arina
MY SHOES CLICK on the brick footpath outside the banquet hall.
Sweat tickles my upper lip, and I wipe it away, fanning my face and begging my body to cooperate.
I can face blood and broken bones, fight off the toughest of opponents when placed in a ring, but a banquet is what sends my heart racing and perspiration dripping down my inner arm. Ridiculous.
I’m not used to making so much noise, and my feet are already killing me from the arduous walk, so I slip out of the dainty things and hook them on two fingers, lifting my gown with my other hand so as to move a little more swiftly.
The breezeway outside the hall is empty, but lively music and laughter pour out from within, and light shines before the doorway just a short distance ahead. The people look forward to events like this one. It’s another way Queen Daphne ensures we’re all fed, even when supplies are low.
