“Me,” she repeated, louder.
Still, no response.
She raised her voice again. “Me.”
Every head turned her way.
Placing a hand on the table, she leaned forward. “I’m the bait. That’s the only way it’ll work.”
Casimir tensed.
“And mealone,” she added.
“No,” Casimir and Thorne said in unison.
Raine’s eyes were wide. Even Quinn looked hesitant. But Ava scanned the table and met eyes with Jorrar. He gave her a subtle nod. Yes. That’s what had to be done.
“You are not facing Andras by yourself,” Thorne said with authority, but she could see the fear in his eyes.
Ava held up her hand. “Just…listen. Please.”
He paused.
Ava took a breath. “He’s obsessed with stopping me. Raine, you said the army came here because they thought I was here when we were in Caelestia.”
“That’s correct.”
“Andras won’t be able to resist. Especially if he finds me alone.”
“He’ll kill you,” Raine said.
Ava shook her head. “Not right away. Not if I do this right. He’s cocky. As far as he knows, we still think he’s a daemon. Which means in his mind, we believe we can still kill him; that we won’t be making a portal for him. He’s not impulsive like Deidamia was. He’ll want to taunt me. Drag it out. That’s his one weakness. Overconfidence.”
Emotions warred on Thorne’s face. “Do you have a plan?”
“Yes. I just need to be a really good actress.”
Ava walked through the castle,her foot still sore as she searched for Casimir. He’d left the meeting abruptly, saying he needed time to think. She knew he was struggling with the plan. The plan that would put her in harm’s way without any assistance.
And though part of her knew facing Andras alone was the only option, another reason she insisted was that she couldn’t bear to risk her friends. If anyone else was with her when she tried to face him, she had no doubt Andras wouldn’t hesitate to end their lives. But if she was by herself…he would not do so immediately. She was sure of it.
Casimir wasn’t in the suite, nor any of the meeting rooms. She’d even checked the barracks. At last, it dawned on her. She knew exactly where he was.
She hurried out of the castle, through the herb gardens, and into the woods. The stars were out, an owl hooted in thedistance, and the breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. But even though peace resonated around her, there was an air of something else beneath…fear. As if the forest was holding its breath in terror, waiting to see its fate in the days to come.
And the only person who could determine that fate was her.
Reaching her destination, she stopped and took a deep breath. Parting the branches of the willow tree, she stepped inside.
The glow of butterflies illuminated the space, even more magical and stunning at night. The golden pond shimmered each time a fish darted to the other side, and Ava smiled at the memories this place held. When Casimir spilled his heart out beneath the willow tree.
There he was. Standing with his back to her.
She approached, stopping a few feet away.
Sensing her presence, he spoke, his voice strained. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”
“I know,” she replied softly.
