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A weak laugh shakes out of me. But, as I truly take him in, my smile wavers. He’s thinner than I remember, his face leaner, his edges harder. But it’s him. His dark curls are as unruly as always, his posture that same perfect mix of guarded and defiant. He meets my gaze, and I see the relief bleed quickly into guilt.
“I think introductions are in order,” Kallias drawls. The prince appears as unbothered as ever as he reclines on a chaise longue, yet his gaze shifts between my brother and me.
My cheeks flush as I release my hold on Lucaz, though I stay close by his side.
“Right.” I clear my throat and cast a glance around, noting that Calliope must have slipped out of the room during our embrace, then let my gaze land on Myna, hoping the gratitude in my expression speaks louder than words. “This is Kallias. And Maxim.” I gesture between them. “They’re…friends. And this is Lucaz, my brother.”
“Kallias, is it?” Lucaz echoes.
The prince inclines his head, apparently unruffled that we both omitted his title.
“It’s clear why you’re willing to help,” Maxim says, then his gaze shifts from my brother to Myna. “But what about you?”
Myna crosses her arms. “I didn’t realize my motivations were in question.”
Maxim’s expression hardens. “We can’t afford to make mistakes, and it never hurts to clarify things.”
“I helped Aella with her plan, and I helped Nyssa escape. If either is caught and the Eagle finds out I was involved, my life is on the line.” Myna pauses, her gaze darting to me before adding, “And they’re my friends.”
My heart warms, even though she stumbles over the last word.
“All right,” Kallias says. “Everyone wants to be friends with Poison. Shall we move on to why we’re here?”
Lucaz looks at me, brows lifting once again as he mouths, “Poison?”
I ignore him and ask, “What happened in Intana?”
He blows out a breath, raking a hand though his hair. “We caught up with them in Intana, and Raven had Aella cornered. Then the—Xan—intervened. Came out of nowhere. Knocked Raven out cold before he even saw it coming. I let them go, and we lost their trail after that. I don’t know where she is now, but it seemed like they were working together.”
Even though I’ve already put most of the pieces together, hearing it confirmed leaves me torn. Was Aella ever planning to return, or was this her escape all along? My hand drifts to the pendant as the thought loops in my mind. I clutch it tightly, the corners digging into my skin.
The air in the room heats and I glance up, locking eyes with Kallias. The same question burns in his gaze, but there’s nothing we can do to answer it now.
“All right,” I say slowly. “And what about the Eagle? Any hint of what he’s planning?”
“I’ve been trying to look into it since I received your note.” Myna gives her back to the room as she pulls a satchel from her shoulder, setting it down on the desk with a thud. “The Eagle has recently assembled a Flight for a covert mission within the Sorrows. I’ve managed to tail them on a couple of occasions, and…” Her voice trails off as she grimaces. “They appear to be abducting nymphai.”
The statement shocks everyone. Kallias stiffens. Maxim slowly turns away from the wall of mirrors, rigid just like the prince. I can feel the cold knot twist tighter in my chest.
“The two families you tracked down,” I say, my gaze fixed on Maxim, “were they—”
“Nymphai,” he says grimly.
And so was Espris.
“What are you talking about?” Myna asks.
“We found a list of names hidden in the king’s study,” I explain. “One was a servant I shared a room with who had recently gone missing, so Maxim started looking into it.”
Myna’s lips press into a thin line. But then she exhales sharply. “Did Aella tell you about the document she found in the Eagle’s study?”
My blood runs cold.
An Instructional Guide for Theïkós Transference.
A way to transfer the divine magic from one being to another.
“Yes.” I meet Kallias’s gaze, and the pallor of his skin is confirmation he remembers too.
