“Now is not the time for talking. We draw near to the gods. Prepare yourself.”
Tessa might not need to prepare herself. If this was some kind of trap, I would have to act quickly to get out of it alive. My power was clearly dangerous to these creatures, even if they could mute it. They’d gone to great lengths to minimize how it could be used against them. They’d even trapped me in a cave, hoping to neutralize me that way.
What if they’d decided just to kill me?
“If this is about what we were talking about earlier—” Tessa tried.
“Torchlight ahead.” I pointed at the hazy orange light spilling toward us. From here, I could make out four darker shapes outlined by the mist. They each stood with wings flared behind them. Not a single beast was in sight, but that didn’t mean they weren’t near.
“Stop!” a woman’s voice commanded as we slowed. “Approach the rest of the way on foot, or you forfeit any chance of negotiation.”
I frowned.
“My fault, I think,” Tessa said quietly. “They must have learned what Silver is.”
I didn’t like it, but I did as they asked. Before moving away, I patted my horse on the snout and whispered in his ear, “Stay close. Be ready to run if I command it.”
The horse whinnied and stomped his hooves. He wasn’t a joint eater, like Tessa’s beast was, but he understood me all the same. Most elite shadow fae were able to communicate with animals. I tipped back my head. Boudica soared overhead, keeping watch with her keen eyes. If all went wrong this night, she would fly straight to Toryn and show him everything that had happened here.
“You ready?” Tessa whispered as she pressed down the front of her fighting leathers. She wore a sword at her back, though the sheath at her hip was eerily bare. I’d gotten so accustomed to seeing the Mortal Blade there.
“Just stay close to me,” I replied, praying to the moon that I was wrong about my suspicions. But even if I wasn’t, she was my mate. I’d still lay down my life to protect her. “If I say run, run.”
She nodded.
Together, we walked into the circle of light, where three monstrous gods stood shoulder-to-shoulder. All wore plated amor with slits on the backs for their wings, making it impossible to tell much about them. All I could see were their crimson eyes, glowing through their helms. Andromeda stood in front, clad in black leathers that were painted with golden ancient symbols. She hissed when she saw us, flashing her elongated canines.
Beside me, Tessa stiffened. I pressed a hand against her back by instinct.
“Hello, daughter,” Andromeda said, pinning her narrowed gaze on Tessa. “How lovely it is to see you again, though I question your company. Kalen Denare is no good for you.”
“Better company than you,” Tessa replied without even a hint of fear in her voice.
Andromeda laughed. “I’m not sure I can agree with that. He’s weak. And he’s going to lose. You are on the wrong side.”
“He hasn’t forced me to kill anyone. That alone makes him ten thousand times better than any of you.”
Orion stood on the far left with Perseus and Sirius beside him. The two who’d helped Tessa escape averted their gazes. But Orion looked right at her and growled, “You say that and yet you murdered one of my sisters.”
“I thought you said I didn’t kill her.”
“Came close enough for me to want to rip your head off,” he snapped back.
“How’s your wing?” she asked sweetly.
“Fully healed. A pitiful thing like you could never do any lasting damage.”
“Enough,” Andromeda snapped at Orion, clearly irritated. “We have not come here to bicker.” She turned to Tessa. “Give us the gemstones, and we agree to fall back to Malroch. As I told you before, we have no wish to see the end of the fae people. We do not need to battle you to achieve our mission.”
“You sent the warriors of Star Isles against Dubnos,” I said. “Is that not battle? Is that not war?”
Andromeda waved her hand dismissively. “That was not our doing. The people of Star Isles took it upon themselves to attack you, hoping it would gain our favor.”
“And didn’t it?” I asked.
“Well, it certainly proved their loyalty to us, and for that, I am grateful. It’s more than I can for you and your people, Kalen Denare.”
I laughed bitterly. “Why would I be loyal to the creatures who have taken everything from me?”
