As he reaches for me, something glints, shining even in this consuming darkness. I narrow my eyes, trying to make it out, and then lose focus as I register his next words.
“That was all Alistair,” he says quietly, stroking my cheek. I desperatelywant to turn and bite his hand like Anassa would. “Personally, I don’t think there’s such a need for bloodshed. But he wanted to punish those who were loyal to you. And he wanted to send a message to his brother.”
“A message?”
“He wants Lucien to know that he’ll never be defeated. And he wants to keep you both out of Nocturna while he… searches.”
I blink. That’s new. “For what?”
Killian ignores my question, his arm sliding down from my face to wrap around my waist. I shudder, but then lean against him, hoping it seems like a shudder of passion, of love.
“Do you see it now, kitten? I am not the problem. Alistair and Lucien are the ones destroying our world. But together, you and I can defeat them. You can help me get rid of Alistair and his brother, and then I can rule both nations with you at my side.”
Egotistical dickhead.
Instead of telling him what I really think, I say, “How? Alistair is so powerful. Lucien, too. How could we ever hope to defeat them?”
He pulls his hand away from my waist, and I almost sigh in relief. But then he holds it up toward my face, and I stop breathing entirely.
He’s wearing the Mother Priestess’s signet ring.
Killian has a Goddess Tear.
“What is that?” I ask dumbly, although I know, Iknow.
He straightens in pride, his smirk growing. “It’s from the Faceless Goddess. And it has incredible powers.”
My head is spinning. Saela wasright. “What kind of powers?”
Killian draws back with a flicker of suspicion. “I’m not sure I should tell you that, beloved. You’ve been hard to reach for so long. I’ll show you the powers when I see you in person again.”
Rapid calculations pass through my brain. He’s right to be distrustful, of course. So I need to give him something. If he got that ring from the Mother Priestess, she’s surely told him how my necklace is another Tear. But he may not know…
“Lucien has one, too.”
“I know,” Killian says, uninterested. “His crown.”
“No,” I say more urgently. “He has a necklace, just like I do. If it has magic like your ring does, maybe I can figure out what it does. Bring it to you.”
Finally, the suspicion abates, and a small smile grows across his face. “Okay, kitten. This one provokes worship, just like a god would. It’s how Alistair and I turned so many to our side—its powers go beyond Siphon mind control, without the usual limitations of blood magic. He thinks there are more out there. He wants to find them so he finally has an advantage over his brother.”
“And what doyouwant to do?” I ask breathlessly.
“I want to find them and use them against Alistair and Lucien. It’s the only way, I think. What’s stronger than an ancient Siphon? The power of a god.”
He’s right.
And he has a head start.
Fuck.
“Tell me what to do,” I say needily. “How can I help you?”
He strokes my cheek again, drawing closer. Ugh, I recognize the softening look in his eye. He’s going to try to kiss me soon.
“You always did like it when I told you how to behave, didn’t you, my good girl?”
Foul.
