Chapter Fourteen #2
Now River stepped closer, almost chest-to-chest with Kai.
This close Kai could see the faint but rapid pulse at the base of River’s throat, taste the scathing, bone-deep loathing.
Adrenaline thundered through Kai’s veins, giving him that dizzying, out-of-body thrill he associated with fighting, and for a split second he envisioned some alternate universe where he’d lost it, grabbed River by the neck, shoved his tongue into his mouth.
The moment passed, reality winding him.
“Use her, then,” River said, the edge in his voice softer, but no less deadly, “as you use everyone. But you’re right on one account: I’m not going anywhere.
” His lips curled into a fleeting, vindicated smile.
“Endurance is my middle fucking name, Kai. I will wait, and I will watch, and the moment Ione wants you gone – and she will – I will make you regret ever stepping foot on this island.”
Kai choked on a response that did not come, and River shouldered past him, silent save for a curt, “We’re through here, Holiness,” to Ione as she ambled back towards them.
“Oh, good job,” Ione murmured, coming to stand beside Kai. “He’s mad at both of us now.”
Seeing her calmed him, brought him back down – and that had to mean something, right? “I’ll buy you a real ring later.”
She rolled her eyes. “Is that all you got out of this? I’ve enough jewellery.” She slipped her arm through his and pulled him with her. “Come, we have one more battle to win and then I need a nap.”
Kai looked behind them, but River had already disappeared, the tray he’d been carrying abandoned on the side of the path. “D’you still feel unwell?”
“Tired,” was all she said. “Of everything.”
One more battle. And then another, another. Truthfully, he was growing tired of them, too.
He swallowed his nerves as the central pavilion came into view, squared his shoulders as Saros, Penina and Ronan levelled their gazes on them, ranging from pleasantly curious to appalled.
“You are in control,” Ione whispered before they stepped up onto the pavilion. “Until Menon decides to cooperate, I relinquish power to you.” She sent him one last look, testing. “Do not disappoint or you’ll have Her to answer to.”
Kai summoned a stupid grin, still shaken, embarrassingly, from what River had said to him. The deep black hatred in his eyes, as electrifying as it was painful. “You already said you’ll kill me someday.”
“Well, be good and I’ll make it quick.”
The table laden with pastries and fruit and tea went forgotten as Kai pulled a chair out for Ione, something he mentally patted himself on the back for remembering to do.
Penina and Ronan Artem stared, the latter holding a cup of tea inches from his open mouth, both of them looking like someone had just died.
It was Saros who spoke first as Kai slid into the chair beside Ione’s. “Good morning! My gods, son, it looks like you’ve gotten a bit of sleep for once.”
Kai swallowed and nodded, smiling, startlingly mute under the weight of their expectant stares.
Ione too did not speak as Kai cast for the teapot and poured her and then himself a cup of tea.
Black, bitter; he stirred a heap of sugar into his and awkwardly offered Ione some, his face heating when she shook her head.
Penina’s eyes locked onto her daughter’s ring finger. She swallowed and asked with forced quiet, “When did this happen?”
“He fits all of your requirements, Mother.” Ione ran a fingertip around the rim of her cup with an air of holy boredom. “Except he isn’t twice my age.”
Saros clapped his hands together, shattering the brittle quiet. “Artem and Mahina, joining at last,” he exclaimed, wheezing, ignoring or unaware of how Penina and Ronan glowered at him. “Your mother will be pleased, I’d say, son.”
At best, Kai expected a You could’ve done worse, I suppose from Mother Dearest, although he might earn a congratulations for being the first son to be wed. Even Etan, eight years his senior, hadn’t presented anyone to Admiral Malia yet.
Married. Menon wept. But as he watched Ione from the corner of his eye, fierce and caustic and beautiful, he reckoned his mother’s hypothetical opinion was right: he could do far worse.
To hell with River. He liked Ione and he’d take their deal seriously.
“She is far too young,” Penina ground out, gripping a butter knife like she was thinking of slitting his throat.
“They should at least have a… long engagement.” Ronan pushed a cube of watermelon around his plate with a tiny fork. “Give them time to think about it.” Change their minds, he left unsaid.
I’m right fucking here, Kai wanted to say but didn’t. Beside him, Ione continued to ignore her tea, expressionless.
“Nonsense, we could do with a bit of happy news,” Saros cut in blithely. He laughed, rested his forehead in one hand and blew out a ragged breath. “Well?” He turned his palms up, offering Kai an imploring look. “Any dates in mind?”
An irritated huff from Ione; beneath the table, Kai laid a hand on her thigh, a frail attempt at support. But Ione just flicked her gaze at him, hinting at violence. Go ahead and kill Saros first, Kai imagined her thinking.
“Actually,” Kai said, his hand still on Ione’s thigh. Some maudlin, dim-witted part of him thought it might be nice if she showed her own support by, for example, touching his hand back, but she just kind of looked at him. “I – We think this is the time to launch another strike against the Moths.”
He felt their eyes on them; he sat back and crossed an ankle over his knee, casual and assured.
A leader. “The other names and locations I gave you,” he went on, “We should act now, start knocking their pieces off the board. That Almenara’s let us rest this long is a blessing; we need to get him before he gets us. ”
Saros smiled as always, but there was a new brightness in his eyes, a vigilance.
“With Hilo up at Caelos,” Kai forged on, “I can borrow his ship. Fill it with men I know from Coralpool, men who once followed my father. Who’ll follow me now that I have Her Holiness’s backing; who’ll be smarter than Nalu, and more careful than Etan.”
He leaned forward, stabbed his finger against the table for emphasis. “We’ve fought long enough, Your Beatitude. I’ve done well to protect us here, but it’s high time I do more. As Menon’s Holy Seleneschal, I can end this once and for all.”
Saros nodded indulgently, the pleasant little smile never faltering.
“A good plan, son, and I look forward to the help of a new crew from Coralpool. Your people really do raise them differently down there, don’t they?
” His eyes crinkled. “But I’ve a few plans in the works myself that need finalising, and you won’t have the loyalty of your men until after your holy union. ”
“Fine,” Kai said, granting him that. “Then the sooner Ione and I marry, the better.”
Ronan blanched but did not argue. Beside him, Penina aggressively buttered a sweetroll until it crumbled on her plate.
Saros tapped his chin. “The autumn equinox is the nearest auspicious date. A fine night for a wedding, I should say.”
“That’s over a month away,” Kai retorted. “More than enough time for Castor Almenara to heal up and recruit a small army.”
Saros shrugged like that was about as threatening as a swarm of actual moths.
“Give me until the equinox to lay all my moving parts to rest. Caelos is nearly finished and the Moths are still licking their wounds, so let us focus on this happy occasion for the short time we have before we must up and fight again.”
Kai gritted his teeth, wishing he was privy to these moving parts and other plans. Wondering if Etan and Nalu were. “I don’t think distracting everyone with bread and circuses is – ”
“Kai,” Saros broke in, his tone flattening, although his eyes were still bright. “Don’t fret, son. Soon we’ll all see the fruits of my labours. So wait, Kai. Wait and watch.”
Something in his voice unnerved him, made him sink back. Kai nodded, eyes on his untouched cup of tea.
Ione stirred, warm fingertips tapping the back of Kai’s hand beneath the table. “Excuse me,” she murmured, standing.
She glided away without further comment, the sting of her discontentment skittering through him. And even with all her supposed power bequeathed to him, all Kai could do was sit and beg and roll over while Saros prattled on about the good fortune of an autumn wedding.