The goddess nodded. “I’m happy to?—”
“But what thefuckhappened back in the city this morning?” Delaynie’s interruption was sharp and piercing, stabbing through the jungle. Quentin fought back a smirk, even when his instincts flickered back to awareness.
Krilene, thankfully, didn’t seem to take too much offense. She simply rocked back on her heels, pale robes swaying around her toned legs.
“It is like what I told you before,” the goddess said calmly. “I am their patron, but they know they have free will. I have little control over Varyn’s actions.”
“So, you know nothing? You haveno ideawhy we were ambushed and dragged out of our bed this morning?”
Krilene’s mouth tilted into a frown. “As I’ve said. I do not know Varyn’s reasons.” She hesitated, like she was about to say more, but instead snapped her mouth shut.
Delaynie’s eyes narrowed. “There’s more you know. Tell us.”
Krilene sighed. “Fine. Word reached our shores this morning from Vatha. Perhaps Varyn’s actions have something to do with what has happened there.”
Delaynie and Quentin exchanged a glance. Dread and concern sparked in Quentin’s chest. Sebastian and Ciana were in Vatha—at least, that’s where they’d left them.
“What word from Vatha? What happened?” Delaynie’s words were steeped with the same concern Quentin felt.
Krilene’s gaze softened, her expression turning apologetic, and Quentin almost wished they hadn’t asked.
“My Consort, Ydros, has decided to ally with Kol. I understand his reasoning, even if we do not agree.” She twisted a lock of pale hair around her finger, and for the first time, something akin to pain shimmered in the sea foam of her eyes. “He will never admit it, but he is afraid. He does not wish to see any more people suffer through a war.”
“So, he chose the side of a bloodthirsty conqueror instead?” Gone was Quentin’s concern. All he felt now was fury.
Fury for his friends. Fury for his queen. Fury for this world that was simply choosing to roll over in the face of tyranny instead of fighting for a future of freedom.
Krilene’s eyes flashed. “You did not see the destruction the First War wrought. I did. Like I said, I do not agree with him, but I understand why he made this choice.”
Quentin growled, low in his throat. His feet moved, pacing a track across the forest floor.
“And what of our friends?” Delaynie asked quietly. “Two of them were in Vatha. What has happened to them?”
Krilene winced. “Ydros and the Vathan King have taken them both as prisoners, declaring Onita and its queen enemies of Vatha.” Her features softened again. Quentin was a little shocked by how quickly her demeanor could change, as fickle as the tides. “I am sorry. Truly. I am told they are alive, but that is all I know.”
Delaynie was silent. She slowly faced Quentin, grief stricken across her face.
He felt the same. He paused his pacing, gripping her arms.
“They will be okay. They have to be okay.” He couldn’t let himself believe anything else.
Delaynie nodded. She turned back to Krilene. “We have to go to them. We have to help.”
“No. It would be far too dangerous for you to travel back to Vatha now.”
“It’s too dangerous for us here!” Quentin’s anger exploded from him. “Everywhere on this fucking continent is dangerous for us. The least you could do is help us save our friends.”
“I will not fight my Consort.” Krilene’s voice was firm.
“Then you are useless to us.” Quentin turned away. He didn’t know where he was headed; only that they had to go.
“I will not help him, either.”
He froze at Krilene’s words, slowly glancing over his shoulder. “Do you plan to do anything at all?”
“Yes. And it involves you.”
He was still so fucking angry and scared andtired. But Quentin couldn’t deny his curiosity at the strange lilt to Krilene’s words, as if she wanted to say more but was holding herself back.
