“But you agree that only those gifted with Sight could producetrueprophecies?”
“We seers divinate prophecies all the time depending on the messages our Astrals choose to share with us. Some acolytes are better at others than seeing further into the future. I do not recognize the words, though it is not to say they don’t originate from another territory.”
“Kole said that Rahzlyn washis, belonging to some foretold man. That everything in the prophecy is all to bring about either a fall or rise to power. A fallen Chosen, maybe?” I pondered.
“I am more concerned with what they intended to do with King Zephyr’s agate.” Gregorios frowned. “A talisman is uselessin the hands of anyone else except its Chosen, yet it is the most valuable and indestructible stone in existence.”
“Should we warn him?”
“You said they believe only the Black Rose can take it, right?” Gregorios stroked his chin absentmindedly. “If they think that’s Novah, then his talisman is safe.”
“Maybe they wanted to blackmail King Zephyr for money, or some other precious commodity in return for it?” Even as I said it, I shook my head. “The apostai aren’t that narrow-minded. Whatever they are after, it’s a cause bigger than themselves. Bigger than all of us.” I paused. “Rahzlyn believes the curse is connected to the apostai. What if our curseistheir cause?”
“Novah,” Gregorios corrected me. “It’s wise to presume anything could be possible. What I do know is that Novah and Kole are the keys to understanding it all, in time. The fact that you haven’t resorted to more persuasive measures to make him speak surprises me.”
“He means something to Rahzlyn.” Disgust stirred in my stomach. He was undeserving of her. “I can’t torture him without her permission. I won’t.”
“Novah,” Gregorios said pointedly again. “And if that is the case, why haven’t you told her yet about him?”
It was easier to plot and theorize with Gregorios than Rahzlyn. My conversations with the seer were tactical and impersonal.
“I didn’t tell her at first because I wanted to see what she would reveal. It quickly became apparent that she can’t lie to save her life.” Her expressive eyes flashed through my mind. “How is it that Baron Ionis didn’t notice his own wife was an apostate?”
“Sometimes it’s the ones we trust most who we forget to look a little more closely at.”
Since meeting Rahzlyn, I was reminded how much Ididtrust the people in my life—Hector, Gregorios, Alekko, Vesperah, Felaf, Letti, Nio, Gertah even. I couldn’t figure out how to reconcile that with Gregorios’s words of warning.
“Rahzlyn has had no idea about the lies and deceit that have surrounded her,” I said, wincing. “Telling her that a man she was once in love with and her best friend both used her for their apostate agenda would shatter her. She’s suffered enough pain with the loss of her grandparents and uncertainty of her brother. Everything she believed about herself and her identity has been a lie. She can handle it, but there’s a lot on her shoulders right now.”
“So, you are capable of empathy after all.” Gregorios’s following silence was assessing. “You care for her. I hear it in your voice.”
I shifted in the chair. “I merely feel guilty for not having believed her from the beginning,” I insisted, tasting the lie. “I worry my past has clouded my judgement more times than not.”
“It isn’t a bad thing to form ties with our fellow Chosens. You have not had time to form a proper bond with your royal, but caring as a guardian will strengthen your ability to do your job effectively.” He paused. “I’ve put our court in danger by sending you to Gemini, but that was an exceptional situation. It can be easy to walk down the path of treason after getting away with it once.”
My ears buzzed from his scrutiny. “I am in no such danger.”
“You’re certain there isn’t something else you wish to tell me?” Gregorios probed.
The other burden I carried wanted to surface.
Rahzlyn had once called me a hypocrite, and she was right. Here I was lying to everyone, including my seer, perhaps committing the most treasonous thing—all in the name of a woman I was forbidden from desiring.
I dreaded having to tell her the secrets I’d been keeping from her. Rahzlyn was far from fragile. But I couldn’t bring myself to quake her world when she was steadying her feet again, even if it was at a distance from me.
“I’ll get more out of Kole soon enough. I will,” I assured Gregorios. “Have you learned anything more about the bracelets?”
“No. I’ve never seen anything like them before,” Gregorios admitted, face grim. “I am hesitant to share them with my acolyte peers. The knowledge of such magic existing?—”
“Is both incredible and terrifying,” I finished for him.
“There’s nothing in my memories nor in any texts regarding forgotten stones of lore that could explain such power.”
“Maybe whatever they’re made of is the same magic imbued in the apostai’s brands. Or in the branding iron itself, which remains a mystery to us still.”
Gregorios mulled this over. “I’ll seek an alchemist, one who can promise discretion. We mustn't make anyone else aware of them. They could prove useful to us in the future. There is a reason the apostai have kept such an entity a secret. This type of power could be reason enough to go to war over.”
“Agreed.”
