“Did you forget how to harness your power?” she taunted, and I realized that I forgot to make my question an actual compulsion. “Interrogation isn’t your strong suit. Maybe you should spend less time dwelling over men and more time learning to be less of a burden to your loved ones. I can’t believe that they put up with it all, to be honest. Learn to fight your own battles, Maeve. It’s quite pathetic, really,” she spat, the horror in her voice making her normally flawless appearance look hideous.
Sawyer raised a hand towards her cheek. “I don’t discriminate against women, and I won’t hesitate to slap you.”
She essentially hissed through clenched teeth as a response.
Venay wasn’t wrong, though. And I was getting distracted by the value of her answers, therefore getting sloppy with my work.
Snapping out of it, I recentered my focus. “Tell me if Archer is in on this with you,” I demanded, adding a snap of cruelty to my words. The idea of my father—the man chosen by the gods to rule a kingdom toprotect me—being Venay's accomplice seemed improbable, but I had to be sure.
Halting her attempt of breaking free, Venay fell victim to my power. “He is not. Archer has no idea. He thinks that Iactuallylove him.” She howled with a horrific cackle.
My brain swelled with pain knowing I’d have to break that news to him when this was over, but I pushed through, knowing time was limited. “Tell me what was in Cicily's journal.”
I wondered how strong the magic suppressant that Sawyer had given her was, because I swore I could feel the spark of her mental shields coming back.
“Cicilysawand wrote about my lover'schildren,” Venay growled, striving to stop her lips from moving by pressing them together, but still failing. “She saw how to make them stronger—wrote it out in detail. She wrote a lot about you, too, and how you are pure, raw power. She wrote about the prophecy being fulfilled, this land, and the bounds of mortality, which?—”
I lost my fucking focus. It slipped away as Kade peeked through the door, the interruption causing me to release Venay from my command.
“You guys should hurry up,” he urged. “People seem to be getting suspicious. I see a lot of eyes looking this way.”
No. I needed more time. I had so much to get out of her.
Panic made my eyes bulge, and Sawyer caught on. “Ask about Beaumont’s plans for the creatures. Or if he knows about Lumosia,” he advised.
With the growing strength of Venay’s willpower fighting against me, I figured I only had one or two compulsions left before she regained use of her shields. I was confident I would still be able to break through them, but regardless, I chose my demands wisely, asking for the information that held the most weight. “Tell me, did you tellanyoneabout Lumosia?”
She shook her head. “No. I cannot tell. ”
“What? Why not?” I asked, faltering again and not speaking as a demand.
Sloppy.
Before she could squeeze in a snarky remark, I corrected myself. “Tell me why you can’t tell anyone. And tell me why Beaumont is creating those creatures.”
“I made a blood bond with Cicily Hawthorne when we were young. A bond to protect him when I could.” She pointed at Sebastian. “Since he would someday reside in Lumosia, I have been physically unable to say to anyone where this land is. In addition, unfortunately protecting him now also means protectingyouat times. He would die for you without hesitation, and if I give up this location, that very well could be how he meets his demise and that could be considered breaking my bond. I explained this to Cyprian before I entered Lumosia, and he agreed to never ask or try to follow me here. If he were to find Lumosia once the wards fell, he would need to do so on his own. Lucky for me, I found some loopholes in the curse, which is why I don’t live my entire life practically a stalker to Sebastian. But if put in a clear position where he could be harmed, I have no choice but to intervene or in the case of this land, keep quiet. And in regard to your other question, my love is going to usehis children to help him claim the empire, and destroy you all if needed.”
“So you’ve just been doing all his dirty work for him.” Sawyer's pitch raised with his words as he seemed to be confused on whether they were a question or statement.
“How does that not upset the balance of life and death?” Sebastian whispered over my shoulder, and I repeated the words to Venay as a compulsion.
“Oh sweet boy.” Venay grinned. “It did. The thing is, I didn't care, and neither did Cicily. Ensuring someone lived to protect her boy was more than enough motivation for her to go through with the bond. I wouldn't be surprised if she never even made it to the veil with what she did. I bet her soul still wanders this planet, lost.”
The sound of Sebastian’s harsh inhale made my heart break, but I pressed on. “Tell me why you helped us find the journal.”
Venay raised two spindly fingers. “The blood bond—there was information that would have helped you get Sebastian out of Draemor’s dungeon, so when you asked after we had exceeded all other options, I couldn’t say no.”
“Then why didn’t you intervene when you knew Beaumont had captured him? Why did you wait until I practicallybeggedfor a way to help him?” I asked.
“Because I didn’t know he was captured—not until I returned from Caelestis and you told me. And at that point, naivety was my best option. Cyprian didn’t overshare when it came to Sebastian’s situation because what I did not know could not affect the bond. A blood bond is very specific in its means of fulfillment and it can be fickle. I feel a pull in the bond when it must be managed, and I felt that drag when you were so insistent about the journal.”
“So you helped us with a dark magic ritual that was entirely unnecessary?”
“Yes.” She shrugged.
“Tell me if you wrote any of the information down before wiping the journal,” I asked before my annoyance could make an appearance.
“Yes.”
