Chapter 2
I groaned and rolled over.
“Worn out from your stroll?” a voice asked.
Gratia again.
I ran a hand over my face. After waking last time, I’d sat and fed myself. Then I’d decided to try my luck crawling to Carmine’s bunker. Clearly I didn’t make it. I couldn’t recall blacking out either.
“Where did you find me?” I asked.
“Outside his door. Out cold. If you want to see him so badly, I can take you.”
Not a bad idea, except Gratia would defend her brother. A faint wisp of pride reached me for managing to reach his door.
What I needed was Athira’s help to murder her son. We’d had a deal, and her failure to visit could mean that our deal was off. “Where is my dear mother-in-law?”
“She’s… busy.”
“Last time I checked, I was queen.”
“Not officially,” Gratia said after a beat. “Mother is hard pushed to keep everyone in line. She has to be present at all times.”
Sure she did.
Athira wasn’t coming. She was backing out of the deal, and she also knew about my son. Fuck! Was Athira still caring for him? If not, at least Adeuto had Owu, but two toddlers could only survive the desert for so long.
At least their supplies were full. For now.
I took stock of my magic. The smoke in my blood was thicker today. My divination magic flowed through my body, though not as vibrantly as usual. There was some strength in my body too. I may be able to walk.
But not open a portal to Adeuto.
Ice filled me at the thought of anything happening to my son and Owu. My top priority had been to kill my mate, but the importance of that had faded, replaced by fear that Athira planned to betray me.
I was in danger. My son. Owu.
Except every second I risked allowing Carmine to recover was a second he would recover. Ice spread through me again, and my thoughts returned to Adeuto.
A chill entered my voice. “You can tell Athira that if she finds herself too busy to visit the queen, then I will happily come to see her. And perhaps I will take matters into my own hands.”
Athira would read between the lines. I could easily mention her betrayal to Gratia.
Gratia sighed. “I’ll tell her.”
“Word for word. The realm isn’t in a state for her petty games.”
Which was laughable. My mother-in-law didn’t play petty games. She played dagger games. In a literal sense.
“Yes, yes, I will. As long as you promise not to pass out in the hall again. My brother needs you to regain strength while he has none. You’re more powerful than Mother, and no one in this fortress or realm will cross you after watching you fight in Tiers, or after seeing how much power you threw out in the joining.
The realm needs you strong again, Syera. ”
So did I.
If Athira didn’t arrive to reassure me of her allegiance before I regained enough strength to portal, then I’d need to leave Carmine alive for the time being.
My mind frantically formed an escape plan. Grab the boys, hide until I’ve regained strength, find a gate to Earth, escape to my twin in the coven.
Athira had been my only ally in this realm. Now my only ally was time.
I frowned. But perhaps not. I’d been exploring another avenue before the joining ritual. I should keep researching that.
Gratia was halfway out the door when I called, “Could you bring me some books from the archives?”
Gratia wrinkled her nose. “You want to read? You liked to do that when you were more human too.”
When I was sixteen and suddenly part demon and spurned by everyone in the fortress but Carmine? Yes, for some reason, I’d preferred books to company. “I might as well have something to do in here. Anything about the origins of the realm. Or the Crave Arena. Or nismus.”
“I… what?”
“Anything about the origins of the realm. Or the Crave Arena. Or nismus? Those are the subjects that I want books on.”
“You asked for those off the top of your head?”
A white magic had infiltrated my body during Tiers. Only the touch of a nismus through a blue gem gifted to me by Adeuto had managed to override that power.
If I could harness that white power, then that would be an ally indeed. And no, perhaps I wouldn’t figure that out in the next three hours, but trying to would keep me from insanity while Carmine was ripe for the killing just down the hall.
I yawned, then said, “Don’t suppose there are any books on demon deities?”
“Like ‘the Mother’ that Magus believe in?” She snorted.
“Yes, like the Mother. Maguskind believe in her for a reason, Gratia, and that is because they have witnessed her gifts and favor.”
The crimson didn’t reply, but her mocking look spoke volumes. “I’ll ask Raes to get you books.”
“Great. Don’t forget to tell Athira to get her ass here.”
The door slammed.
Was I an annoying patient?
If I was, then that was all I could be right now.
Which was a problem.
A big, fucking problem.