“You should work on that, too.”
Killi straightened, and stepped closer. Kade spread his thighs to make room for Killi between them. He tapped Kade twice on the nose. “You’re just too smart for your own good.” Killi took Kade by the chin and tilted his head up so he could meet dark, intelligent eyes. “It was poison, but he’s alright now.I’malright now. They won’t get so close again.”
“You can’t know that.” Kade could hardly imagine it as it was, someone getting so close as topoison the king.Or to even have the gall to try.“How did they do it? What poison?”
Scowling, Killi shook his head. Then, his face pinched and he seemed to change his mind about something. “This doesn’t leave this room.” Kade nodded seriously. He wouldn’t break Killi’s confidence. Killi pursed his lips, clearly hesitant, but he pushed on anyway. “What do you know of anafei?”
“Anafei?” The name didn’t spark any recognition in Kade. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s a flowering plant not native to Netyere.” Killi sounded stiff, like he was reciting something he still didn’t understand. “The flowers are poisonous but the root has…stimulating properties. It was brewed into a tea.”
Kade went deathly still, his heart sinking into his stomach. Tea? “What color are the flowers?”
Killi’s brow furrowed as he recalled the information. “White.”
“I thought that the king dosed himself with poison regularly to avoid situations like this.”
“He does.” Killi ran a hand over his face, digging his fingers into tired eyes. “Apparently, not against this strain—this plant.”
There was a picture being painted in Kade’s mind, the broad strokes becoming clearer and clearer to reveal a horrible, devastating picture. There were scenes flashing in his mind, words said and decisions made that hadn’t mattered in the moment—hadn’t fit. Until now.
Kade saw Porthos in Hokda’s office, looking through the king’s history.
Kade saw Porthos asking Kade to swipe something from the king’s garden.
Kade saw Porthos saying he wanted to make ateafor his brother using the flower Kade got him. A white flower.
It couldn’t be true.
Eyes sliding shut, Kade fought down a whimper.He desperately needed to speak with Porthos.
“Hey,” Killi said softly, placing a gentle hand on the nape of Kade’s neck. “It’ll be alright. We’ll be alright.”
Kade nodded, even though he couldn’t quite believe it.
“We should go,” said Killi, nuzzling his nose into Kade’scheek. “They’ll be waiting.”
No matter the situation, Killi’s closeness was intoxicating to Kade. He leaned into the touch and—just for a moment—let himself melt against Killi, forgetting all the awfulness of the situation he was in.
“We should.”
Neither of them moved.
Too much time later, Killi pulled back just enough and held out his hand.
Kade took it, but didn’t move to stand. He brought Killi’s hand to his lips. “I don’t want to go.”
Tucking a loose strand of hair behind Kade’s ear, Killi said, “I know. Me either. I wish we could just stay here. Fuck everything else.”
“You should drink a vitality elixir before we go. You didn’t sleep.”
Killi’s expression softened. “I will if you will.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
HORNS CALLED, BRIGHT and proud as they announced the entrance of the king.
Fyar stepped forward, adorned in his usual white, but instead of his ornate, trailing robes, he had opted for fitted trousers and a matching tunic with embroidered sleeves. A simple riding cloak tossed elegantly over his shoulders. He looked as sure and as strong as ever, if only a little paler.
