26. Barrett
BARRETT
I dropped a copper piece on the bar top the following night, and Semele eyed it as if it was some sort of creature ready to bite her.
“Not tonight,” she said, and I frowned as she set a glass in front of me. “Lord Damien’s covering the tab to celebrate.”
I looked across the room to where Damien, Zephyr, and Lucia sat. Damien’s eyes met mine, and a smug grin curved his lips before he tilted his head to me. I frowned at the lack of drink in his hand.
“Look at you,” Micah said, nudging me as he took a seat at my side, drawing my attention from Damien to find Thalia following close behind him. “Survived your first trip to the Godsrealm.”
I rolled my eyes before taking a swig of my drink, grimacing as it burned a path down my throat.
“Seriously, though. I’m glad you made it out of there all right,” he said.
“Me too,” I said. “This place is too fucking dull without me around. ”
Micah huffed a laugh and, for a moment, I thought I saw the corners of Thalia’s lips tip up into a smile.
Something blossomed in my chest as her eyes slid to mine.
They were the softest of grays, like churning clouds before a storm.
Something nagged in the back of my mind, a familiarity that scratched at the surface, but I shook it off before focusing on the amber liquid in my cup.
“How’re you feeling?” Lucia asked as she took a seat on the other side of me. I couldn’t have been more thankful for the distraction.
My brows rose, but I gestured to the newly healed skin on my forehead. “Good as new. The healers are ridiculously good at what they do.”
She smiled before taking a drink.
My smile faded, and I lowered my voice. “How are you feeling?”
She smiled sheepishly. “I’m all right. Sorry you had to see me like that. It’s been a while since I’ve lost it.”
I shook my head. “Don’t apologize.”
“I had gotten better about being in tight places, but it all happened so fast, and I...”
“You don’t have to explain,” I said. “How’s that kid settling in?”
Her brows rose. “Nora? She’s adjusting all right. We set her up in a spare room in the keep so she isn’t far from us. She’s still unsure of everyone, but I think she’ll warm up. She’s the sweetest child. I can’t wait to see her personality come out.”
“Scotland,” I said. “Do you think she has any surviving family?”
“There’s no telling,” she said with a shrug.
“She doesn’t even remember where she came from.
No family name... It would be near impossible to find them.
So, we’re offering for her to live here with us.
” She cleared her throat. “Um... I need to talk to you, if you don’t mind stepping out for a second. ”
“Pulling me away from my hard-earned drink?” I said as I arched a brow.
She elbowed me. “Oh, shut it. Come on.”
I set my drink down and turned to Thalia and Micah. “Thalia, be a dear and watch my drink. Make sure Micah doesn’t spike it with something and drag me to his bed.”
Thalia spit out her drink, breaking into laughter, and Micah blinked at me as I slid out of the stool to follow Lucia.
“I may just be tempted to fucking do that!” he yelled across the pub.
As we stepped outside, I found Damien accompanied by a few warriors, and I frowned. “What’s going on?”
“Sorry to pull you away from the celebration,” Lucia explained, taking a roll of parchment from Damien, “but the paperwork was completed while we were gone.”
My brows furrowed. “What paperwork?”
“The charges against Atticus Stratos and Jissena Stratos.” She extended the scroll to me, and I took it, unable to form words, unable to believe what she was saying .
“I’ve been conducting the investigation since I pulled you out of that cell, as was Salwa,” she said, her smile somber. “Zephyr completed everything while we were gone.”
I unrolled the scroll, reading through the charges. The list was extensive.
“It isn’t the justice Calliope or you deserve, but it’s a start,” Lucia added.
“I’m about to conduct the arrest personally,” Damien said.
I hadn’t seen Atticus in decades, wasn’t even sure what to make of what they were saying. “This is really happening?”
She laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s really happening. The question is, do you want to be there when we bring him in?”
I looked down at the order, my pulse pounding in my ears. “Yes. I want to see that bastard’s face when he finds out.” I wanted him to see that I was out, that I was alive, that he had failed in silencing me, that he wouldn’t win.
Damien nodded to the warriors at his back, and they took the lead. I fell into step with Lucia and Damien, unsure what to say. We walked in silence for a while before Damien cleared his throat.
“When you were being held in the cells,” Damien started, and I cocked a brow, “did you make any friends?”
I eyed him wearily. “Depends on what you mean by friends.”
The corner of Damien’s lips kicked up into a half grin. “Did you play nice with any of the nasties with big connections?”
“I may have made some beneficial relationships,” I admitted. “Why?”
“I need someone with your... particular connections,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Rumors have gotten around of an organization with ties to the Godsrealm; they could be a serious issue.”
“Is this a formal job offer, Your Majesty ?” I asked.
“If you’re willing,” he said. “It’ll be dangerous. You’d be building relationships with the members of this organization, gain favor, keep tabs on them and report to me. If your covers is ever blown, they’d kill you.”
I eyed him, but my lips curved into a smile. “Sounds like fun.”
———————————
“Atticus and Jissena Stratos!” Damien yelled as he banged his fist against their door, and I stood at the back of the group of warriors who had accompanied him, curious to see how this all developed.
Lights came on in the window upstairs, and it wasn’t long before Atticus appeared at the threshold, still in his night clothes .
“What is the meaning of this disturbance?” he shouted as he opened the door before he realized who stood before him. He stiffened at the sight of Damien and Lucia.
“Y-your Majesty,” he said, dipping his head, and Jissena appeared behind him. “Is everything all right? You gave us a fright.”
“Atticus Stratos,” Damien said, unrolling the parchment and Atticus’ brows furrowed. “You are hereby charged with use of Aethersbane, on a member of The Order, treason, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, conspiracy?—”
“What is this?” he demanded. “These charges are preposterous!”
I stepped forward, folding my arms over my chest, the flames writhing beneath my skin, dying to devour him. “Shut your fucking mouth and listen.”
He paled, his mouth falling open at the sight of me, and gods, if it wasn’t the most satisfying sight.
Damien continued listing off the charges while Atticus stared at me. “You-you... What are you?—”
“Jissena Stratos, you are charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence...” Damien continued as they both stiffened, their attention turning to him as he listed the charges she faced.
Atticus stammered. “This is a lie! It’s all a lie!”
“The only lies are the words falling from your tongue,” Lucia said flatly, her face holding no kindness. “You would do well to shut your mouth and come quietly.”
“I will do no such thing. I am a Kyrios of House Stoicheion! Females do not have any business speaking on matters of?—”
Damien grabbed him by the throat and slammed him up against the wall. Atticus gasped for air, kicking as he fought to breathe. The air around us turned icy, the shadows twitching on the ground. “You would do well to remember who you speak to.”
Jissena sobbed in the doorway, and one of the warriors stepped forward to put her in shackles.
Atticus gaped as Damien’s grip tightened around his throat; the shadows around them converged until what appeared to be claws inched along the wall toward him. “That is your queen you are speaking to. You will show her the respect she deserves.”
The shadows inched closer, darkness slithering along the ground at Damien’s feet. “Or, we could forgo all this nonsense and I could feed you to the shadows now. They’re eager to taste you.”
Atticus shook his head, and I wrinkled my nose at the sour scent tainting the air. A dark stain appeared on the front of his trousers, and I huffed a laugh.
Damien released him, and he fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering .
“Put this bastard in shackles,” Damien spat, leaving him on the ground. He looked to the guard holding Jissena. “And get her out of here.”
Atticus rubbed his throat, growling before flames sparked to life.
My feet moved on their own, shoving Damien out of the way as Atticus rose, fire erupting as he launched at him.
My own flames rose to the surface, snaking through Atticus’ fire as it engulfed me, and I drew my dagger before tackling him to the ground.
His skin grew hotter, his face turning red.
“I’ll take you all with me!” he shouted, and my heart lurched at the molten veins crawling across his skin, his skin turning white hot. I slammed the dagger into his chest, and he stiffened, his eyes bulging, and the fire eased, his skin cooling and paling.
He choked on his blood, coughing before gritting his teeth together as he glared up at me. He clutched at the dagger, only for me to shove it deeper into his heart. “You were... a waste of good blood... It should’ve been you... that... night.”
Air escaped his lips, and his hand fell away, his eyes drifting from me.
My hands shook as I clutched the hilt.
“Barrett,” Lucia said softly, and I flinched, twisting around to look at her.
“I...” I looked over him, my heart racing. “I didn’t... He went after him, was gonna use Telos Pyrai. He?—”
She rested a hand on my shoulder, and warmth spread through my skin. “You’re all right. He was a fool to attack Damien. You simply defended him, defended the innocent lives nearby who would have been killed in his attempt to stop this.”