But he’s offering answers, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t doubt I’ll get the truth.
Possibly, it’s something to do with the fury casting her daunting gaze over us.
Furies hate lies.
I try to hide my smile as I picture her setting upon James at the first hint of an untruth.
I take a seat and don’t mince words. “How do I destroy my father?”
James gives me a sudden smile. “You already are. Destroying him.”
I scowl. “I thought you were going to give me prompt answers.”
His hands rise, a placating gesture. “I’m not evading your question. But I want you to know that you’re playing a far cleverer game with your father’s fate than I ever anticipated you might.”
I lean back a little, contemplating the old god. “You expected me to be reckless.”
“I truly thought that if Galeia’s child were ever to escape the prison we searched desperately to find for years… well, I thought you would be blinded by hate. How could you not be? I anticipated that you would strike with swift and violent retribution.” He tips his head as he studies me. “Which would have gotten you killed.”
I grit my teeth. “Ending Taiven Nostra is certainly on my mind.”
James gives me a soft smile. “Ah, but your mother was an extremely intelligent person. I’m certain she foresaw that if she told you the truth—that your father was the monster who forced you into darkness—you would have gone straight for his throat.
“Instead, you slipped into his life without warning. You went to him with an impossible love in your heart. And, when you discovered that your love was misplaced, you struck with increasing impact.” James’s smile turns dark. “It is the careful knife that is the most effective.”
I suppose I didn’t see it like that, but it feels more real as James continues.
“You have systematically stripped away the outer layers of your father’s armor,” he says. “First, you gave me my freedom, which in turn gave Jonah his freedom. Then you stole your father’s most valuable possessions: not onlyThe Book of Dark Magic, but also his only heir.”
My eyes widen. “You mean Lucian?”
James nods. “Lucian may have suffered at Taiven’s hands, but without him, Taiven can’t promise his followers that the Nostra Empire will continue beyond his own death. He can’t promise them stability. You’ve thrown it all into disarray.”
I chew over this. I’m certain that Lucian was never encouraged to understand how crucial he might be to our father’s hold on power.
James gives a sudden snort. “Then you went and made friends with the crimson wolves. Of all the fierce creatures you could have made peace with.Andallied yourself with the dragon masters. A nearly impossible feat, even for other dragon shifters. Between the wolves and the dragons, you have secured powerful allies who not only walk in the light, but also have significant influence over the actions of other supernaturals.”
James eyes me. “Most importantly, and perhaps most astonishingly, you haven’t killed a single supernatural in the process.”
As I chew on what he said, he continues to study me.
“You may have even paved the way for a reconciliation between me and my sister,” he says.
“Ha!” I scoff at that. “Halle would rather char your bones.”
He sighs softly. “I would have thought so, too, but here I am, out in the open, and she hasn’t come to kill me yet.”
He looks dramatically around at our surroundings, as if he expects the goddess to appear at any moment.
I hate to burst his bubble by telling him that might have something to do with the fierce woman guarding us.
His tone becomes disgruntled as he continues. “Actually, I thought I might be higher on Halle’s list of priorities.”
I consider him carefully, refocusing the conversation with a certainty I can’t deny. “I can’t wield a careful knife any longer.”
A hint of wariness enters his eyes. “Can you tell me why not?”
“The keeper is dying,” I say. “I don’t know how to save him, but I know that the time for patience is over.”
