“At any cost,” Tristan muttered under his breath.
Eamon stood. “Your ridiculous idealism nearly cost our familyeverything.Did you ever consider the cost of Father’s leniency? What he risked to take pity on you?”
“I never asked for his mercy!” Tristan roared. “I would’ve rather he ended me. And things worked out pretty well for you, in any case.”
Eamon leaned forward, pointing a long finger at his brother. “Don’t pretend it’s a title you had any interest in. Your dreams werefoolish, Tristan. I was trying to save you from yourself. I’m sorry you don’t see it that way.”
He wouldneversee it that way. But this was dangerous territory. Territory that didn’t need to be retrod today.
He changed the subject. “What about Officer Zephyrus and Sister Cirillo? Has there been any news of their rescue?”
“Arran Zephyrus contacted me this morning. Maksym has been dealt with and his son has been retrieved.”
“What about Sister Cirillo?” Cassandra wouldtrulynever forgive him if anything had happened to her friend.
“Arran didn’t mention her, but I have no reason to believe she wasn’t rescued as well. Besides, it’s time we turned our attention to more important local threats. We have a new assignment for you.” Eamon nodded to Varuna.
“These rebels seem far more numerous, and organized, than Maksym,” the Vicereine said. “And their activities are leaking into the colonies. We believe they will try to make in-roads with disgruntled power players here among the elite.”
“And who is the most disgruntled power player in all of the colonies?” Eamon asked.
“You have got to be fucking kidding.” Tristan grimaced, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees.
“You have two choices, Tristan,” Eamon whispered. “You can either help me destroy our family’s enemies or you can sit back and watch this world tear itself apart. You may think me a monster but everything I am doing, every choice I have made, has been for our family. For Ethyrios. I am not your enemy, Tris.”
Tristan’s anger cooled at the childhood nickname. But was Eamon being genuine, or was this just another of the weapons he wielded? Tristan flopped back into his chair, bowing his head and running a hand over the back of his neck. “What do you want from me?”
Eamon sat back as well, the Vicereine sliding a comforting hand over his shoulders. “Help me avoid another war. Help me crush these rebels on behalf of the Empire.”
“That is what you and Father never understood,” Tristan said, shaking his head. “There willalwaysbe another Maksym, another group of rebels, if you insist on maintaining the status quo. These hierarchies between our sub-species, between Fae and humans, are bullshit. What are you going to do to change that? You’re trying to fix the symptoms and not the cause.”
“One problem at a time, brother,” Eamon said. “Deal with this threat, and then we’ll talk. But first, we need to understand which of the colony leaders are truly on our side. And which may be rebel sympathizers.”
“Do you truly believe any of them are?” Tristan asked.
“Maksym opposed us from right under our noses,” the Vicereine said. “How likely is it that he was the only one? The Fae who come to lead in the colonies are often seeking to prove themselves, prove their power. Some quickly become jaded, feeling like figureheads compared to their counterparts on the continent. It seems likely they’d be susceptible to other offers, to corruption and treason.”
“Your disdain for me is well known throughout the colonies,” Eamon said. “Start some conversations. Tease out their true motives. Mistress Fortin may yet come in handy again as well, given that the nature of your relationship has already been established. In fact, the colony elite have been buzzing about it for weeks.”
“What are you talking about?” Tristan asked.
“August Lambros has been whining to anyone who’ll listen about Ker, your new stunning, uppity mortal consort who had the gall to reject him at the Serpent’s Den.” Varuna regarded Tristan coolly. “She made quite an impression. The most powerful individuals in the colonies are salivating to meet her.”
“Absolutely not,” Tristan spat. “I refuse to put Mistress Fortin in that kind of danger.”
“You would so easily dismiss the use of her memory-pulling skills?” Varuna asked, raising her eyebrows and pursing her blood-red lips. “You should take advantage of her while you can.”
“I can ferret out the traitors without her. I don’t want her exposed to that scene again,” Tristan pleaded. “You know how those assholes treat their consorts. The expectations to…share.”
“You never had a problem sharing before,” Varuna’s lips curled into a knowing smile as she leaned forward.
“That was your kink, Your Excellence, not mine,” he growled.
“Careful, Tristan,” Eamon said. “It’s not your call to make. If we require her to do this work, she will do it. She wouldn’t dare refuse.”
Rage boiled Tristan’s blood. The two monsters before him would use any pawns at their disposal, risk anyone’s safety, to maintain a hold on their power. No sense arguing with them now.
“We done?” Tristan bit out.
