‘You would think that,’ I cut in. ‘Always been out for yourself, haven’t you?’
‘I just despise islander vermin.’ He sniffs. ‘A better world is an orderly world. Magic must be controlled, contained, and your islanders were stopping trade with your unlawful activities. The ruling council want Arnhem to be great, to bemighty, but you just want chaos. Well, look around. That’s what you’ve got.’ He looks again at Brielle, spreading his arms wide. ‘You think as a witch, ahunter, that the creatures of this world will accept you? That humans will allow youto live with the power you have, unfettered? They’re afraid of power.’
‘In the wrong hands, yes,’ Eli says. ‘Power in your hands has sown much fear.’
‘Indeed,’ Tiberius Rexilium interjects with an indulgent smile. ‘But now you’re all gathered here in one place. It is convenient, I agree, Hunter. Excellent choice of phrase. You needn’t fear us; we are benevolent rulers. If you follow our laws, we will care for you all.’
‘Even now, you believe you have the upper hand,’ Hillary Tresillian says with a small shake of her head. ‘You believe you can best us? That Arnhem would still bow to you?’
Tiberius’s gaze narrows. ‘Cut off the source ofyourpower, and what do you have, witch? Nothing. You are nothing without magic, without monsters.’
‘Control.’ Hillary smiles coldly. ‘It’s always been about control, hasn’t it?’
‘And expansion,’ a voice says from the side of the courtyard. Every head swivels, gazes raking the shadows as Rue steps forward, arms crossed. ‘But at what cost, brothers?’
‘Brothers?’ Brielle breathes, eyes widening. ‘Rue, you’re related to them?’
He nods his head. ‘Ambassador and half-brother. Not worthy of sitting on a throne, but always useful.’
‘How did I not see it before …?’ Brielle says, looking between him and the other Rexilium brothers, surprise giving way to something akin to sadness.
Rue takes a step towards her. ‘I should have told you. I nearly did, that night in the forest in Lorva. I nearly told you everything.’
Brielle shakes her head, opening and closing her mouth, as though unsure what to say.
‘Useful until now, it seems. Traitor,’ Otho hisses from the right side of Tiberius, knuckles turning white where he grips his hands into tight fists.
‘He may still wish to redeem himself,’ Tiberius says calmly. ‘Rue? Bind them.’
Nothing happens. I glance over at Rue, who continues to stare at his brothers, arms crossed. When I look back at the platform, all three brothers are staring at him, aghast. Someone chuckles quietly and I can’t help the smile spreading across my face.
‘Shame. I really believed you were worthy of the Rexilium name,’ Tiberius says. ‘Did we not bring you with us here, to this new land? No matter …’
A coil of shadow springs from his palm, splitting and darting towards us. I brace myself for that deep darkness to thread round me, to claw for my throat, to squeeze the air from my lungs, when a creature leaps in front of us.
Nova.
But not just Nova. Several familiars, all black fur and hungry eyes and claws. And where shadow hits them, it simply dissipates.
‘Do not absorb too much, any of you!’ Lowri cries, stepping forward. I grin as the Rexilium brothersrecoil, aghast. The witches of Coven Septern may have returned to Arnhem, but their familiars remained with us. And once Lowri convinced them of the plan … they agreed to feed. To stand before the men with shadow magic and absorb what they could.
Between us all, we are hungry enough for shadow alone, Nova says, and I feel her purr of delight reverberate through my bones. I know Lowri and Brielle can hear her too, and Hillary.We will not become grimalkin. Do not worry. We will not become what these brothers created in their world from their greed.
‘So grimalkinwerelike you, before they became … them,’ Lowri says quietly to herself, and I almost don’t catch it. She turns to Eli, murmuring, and his eyes widen.
Then Tiberius is on his feet, Otho and Nero rising to stand beside him. ‘Enough of this! You are undeserving. You cannot take—’
Oh, but we can…
Nova vaults for Otho as the other familiars leap for his brothers and the men’s stifled shrieks ring out as a tempest of shadow and magic forms on the platform, enveloping them. Lowri and Brielle look on, stony-faced, as the familiars feed. I gasp in awe and horror as the tempest subsides, leaving the familiars with smoky sheens surrounding them, and the Rexilium brothers pale as parchment, scored with deep wrinkles and old, weeping eyes.
Rue steps forward and Captain Leggan, eyes darting between the platform, us and Rue, scurries backwardsand dives through a door that leads into the prison. Caden sighs, signalling for Mer and Pearl to follow, and I turn to Rue as he opens his arms to address us. ‘With your leave, I will take my brothers back to our world to face judgment. Long have they escaped the repercussions of their actions there.’
‘And what will your fate be? Will you be punished as well?’ Eli asks. ‘I have seen what they did in your world. My father’s world. The shadow they cast over the city of Fallow. The fog.’
Rue’s smile is pained. ‘I will accept whatever fate the Society in Fallow deems appropriate. I may not have aided them directly, but I did not stand in their way. Until now.’ He turns to Brielle and she steps towards him, their eyes locked. ‘If nothing else, I regret not getting to know you, Brielle Tresillian. I wish we’d had more moments together, if I had been lucky, maybe even a lifetime. But I will have to remember you as you are, here, in this world. And I in mine.’
Brielle reaches up, brushing her knuckles across his cheekbone, eyes never leaving his. ‘If there’s a way, I will find it. I won’t forget you.’
