“The map.” El grabbed my arm.
Firose gasped out, “Youhave it?”
I chanced a glance at the traitorous enchantress. Her face was cracked by scarring—a ghastly one across her neck. “Then you know of the deathmarks. You know Caym has risen and—”
I lost control and let my Shadows stretch across the cell and wrap around her throat. “I said…silence.”
When I returned my attention to Mattock, his expression hardened as he watched Firose writhing against the wall, unable to breathe.He cared for her.
“Don’t kill her. Please,” Mattock pleaded. “Let her go; she is not to blame—Caym is.”
I scowled. They might know how to stop Caym. It was the only thing stopping me.
“Why are you two here?”
When Mattock’s eyes met mine, they were bloodshot and accompanied by dark circles beneath them. “I want to be free of him. Before he can hurt anyone else. We seek your help.”
Maybe in another context seeing Sybilla’s ex-lover look this desperate and exhausted would be satisfying, but it only put apit in my stomach now. If I hurt him, if I killed him…she’d never forgive me.
“Who are the other two envoys?” I ground out the question as Firose gasped for air. I motioned towards her. “I assume she is one?”
El squeezed my shoulder. “Krait, as much as I’d love to see her dead, too, please stop. We need to hear them out…”
My Shadows craved Firose’s blood. I didn’t want to let her out of their grasp. Listening to El’s better instincts, I reeled the vines back to me, but it took all of my strength. Firose heaved in a breath.
“Barden is one, but we do not know the other,” Mattock answered, looking relieved as Firose regained her composure.
A lump formed in my throat to see him so invested in her life.
“How is she not an envoy?” I refused to ask Firose the question, keeping my eyes trained on the North King.
“We don’t know,” Firose gasped out, and every muscle in my body tensed. “You don’t look a day over thirty. You haven’t found the answer to that prophecy, have you?”
I approached her, this time without my Shadows, and shouted, “Do not speak of that!”
“It was not me who told your father, Krait. I told you this then, and I will tell you again now. I loved Freya, dearly. Caym used her to get to you, to me. He wanted you in a rage; he wanted me broken. He wanted to make it as hard as possible for you to find the Last Daughter of Isleen. Please tell me you have found her…”
Every word she said made me want to tear her apart more and more. My Shadows whipped in the air around us, like they had minds of their own, reaching toward her. I wouldn’t let her speak of Sybilla.
I low growl rumbled out of me.
“Krait,” Elsedora warned from behind me.
Firose’s eyes widened. “You did,” she gasped. “Who?”
“It’s Syb, isn’t it?” Mattock’s voice sounded devoid of all hope.
His eyes had turned watery, which cooled the wrath in my veins.
It brought me no satisfaction to see the turmoil on his face when I said, “Yes.” I watched the man who had kept Sybilla safe, who cared for her, who had long been by her side, crumble, as I heard footsteps behind me.
Chapter 46
Sybilla
When Elsedora didn’t return with tea and pastries, I grew worried she’d gotten sidetracked. It was so very like her to flit around the estate and forget what she’d intended to do.
With my mules pulled on, I opened the door just as Ryn was about to knock. He offered me a smile that seemed weaker than his usual beam.
