She waved me off. ‘You do that, but keep the fire going, and wait for her. Your Vila will arrive tonight.’
Chapter 6
Roksana
The Brotherhood mansion was buzzing with impatient conversation as everyone waited for Boyan’s arrival. The tables were full of food, everything arranged for a festive feast. I sat next to Boyan’s place at the high table, counting the factions.
Irsha’s Blades and the Chapter of Observers were already there, while half the Mules gathered in the corner, isolated from the rest. Then there were the Poisoners, clumped together and milling around, looking like abandoned sheep, lost without their shepherd.
‘We need to arrange new Master trials soon, or they’ll kill each other fighting for the position,’ I whispered to Irsha, nodding towards my chapter.
‘Maybe you should take over?’ he said, chuckling when my brow furrowed.
‘I’m too busy. Besides, I don’t like people using me as the solution for their problems,’ I answered, eyeing my friend.
Irsha looked as lethal as ever, dressed in an all-black ensemble with a wide sash encircling his waist, holding his daggers. Blade’s dark hair was tied at the back, and he’d even takenthe time to apply golden eyeliner, as he did when wearing the porcelain mask of his chapter.
‘I wish Lily could see you right now. You look positively dashing,’ I said, chuckling when he blushed.
‘Is she alright? I sent more men to keep an eye on the House of Lillies. It’s just…’
I placed my hand on his knee, smiling when he held it. ‘She has some family troubles, but she wanted to tell you herself. Talk to her, Blade. And for the gods’ sake, cuddle the woman. She needs someone big and strong to hold her, and for obvious reasons, I don’t qualify.’
His warm brown eyes lit up like embers. ‘She still wants to see me?’
‘Yes, she wants you. Men!’ I sighed. ‘Remember when I returned after poisoning Ignac Tivala? I told you I was fine, but you refused to go, and I ended up crying into your shirt.’ He nodded, his eyes widening a fraction. ‘She’s that fine.’
‘I’ll go to her after the feast,’ he whispered, and I patted his knee.
‘Good boy. Now focus, you’re about to become the centre of attention,’ I said when a servant moved to open the door.
Boyan strolled in, nodding his greetings, looking nothing like the man I’d found dying in his bed. I cursed under my breath, spotting his dilated pupils when he came closer. He must have taken a stimulant that, together with my aether transfer, made him able to act normally. He sat at the table between Visla and me, gesturing for everyone to take their seats before tapping lightly on his glass. Now, every eye in the room was looking in his direction.
‘Before we start, I have news that may surprise a few people here,’ he said. His voice carried strongly, but the skin on his hands was mottled when he tightened his grip on the table.
‘What’s the news? Jagon coming back?’ shouted a poisoner, and I couldn’t stop myself from wincing.
Boyan smiled, lowering his eyes before he reached his hand to me. I took it, standing up to join him. Then he gestured to Irsha, who also rose from his seat.
‘Death, our eternal ally, will soon come to collect my debt, but I won’t be leaving the Brotherhood unguarded.’ He stood up and moved between Irsha and me. ‘I will leave you with the two people I trust with my vision for the future. My daughter Roksana, the Deadly Nightshade, is my shadow mage and liaison to the king.’ He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. ‘And the Blade you all know and respect, Irsha Wilkor, my chosen disciple. He’ll train under my tutelage until he takes over as Grand Master when I’m gone.’
‘What the fuck? Have you gone senile, or has she drugged you into believing such a blatant lie, you old fool? And to pick her lover to lead us? Tymon should be Grand Master, not some over-muscled meathead.’ The outspoken smuggler stood up, striding to confront Boyan at the high table.
‘You’ll not question the Grand Master’s will,’ Tymon bellowed, hammering his fist on the table.
It was a convincing display of his anger if I hadn’t caught the signal and the smuggler’s smirk, betraying how performative it was. His questions were meant to be heard, not answered.
Irsha’s men began standing up, and the Mules rose in answer. If we weren’t careful, there was a good chance this would turn into a slaughter. The tension built when, with a sudden thud, a dagger flew past me with such force it embedded itself in the floor right between the smuggler’s feet. I glanced at Irsha, but he was staring at his dagger with a baffled expression.
Boyan smirked. ‘If you want to challenge my words or my decisions, pick it up and fight me,’ he said, deceptively calm. The room went silent. The smuggler, now shaking, bowed, returningto his table, making sure not even a piece of his clothing touched the dagger. ‘No? Anyone else?’ Boyan smiled, staring down these trained killers who, one by one, lowered their gaze to the floor. ‘Good. Let’s eat. I’m famished.’
He returned to his seat, and the room slowly drowned in the hum of voices and the clatter of utensils.
‘Tymon will do whatever in his power to discredit you during your time as Father’s disciple,’ I whispered to Irsha.
He nodded, reaching for the rack of lamb a servant placed on the table. ‘I know, and I’m ready. Besides, I’ll always have you, my shadowy liaison to the king.’ He produced a dagger from the gods knew where to cut me a portion, while my gaze drifted to his favourite blade, still embedded in the floor.
A silent testimony to the Grand Master’s power. As long as he could answer the challenge, Boyan’s power was absolute.
