Chapter 67
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
PHOENIX
That night, I scarcely sleep. Not only because of the dull ache in my thigh, but also because of the dark, bottomless pit in my chest.
I toss and turn, my mind running a thousand miles an hour, replaying the conversation with Vera and Jax, my body wired from the fight with Caligos.
Jax stood there, beside me, and fought nails and teeth. He knew damn well it was a gamble for us to remain behind so Vera could escape. Yet when I asked, he remained with me.
It didn’t look like Caligos went easy on him. I don’t think any of them knew who he was.
So could that same man be the one who assassinated Kitajo? Who set the whole building on fire and watched it turn to ash?
With a sigh, I roll over and look through the window. Behind the tall mountains looming in the distance, sunrise is fast approaching.
When the first rays of early-morning sun breach the sky, I rise. No point in trying to get more sleep. So, I wash my face, untangle my hair before braiding it, which I rarely ever do, and dress.
I’m surprised to find Vera already by the dining table, a steaming cup of tea between her palms, when I make my way downstairs.
“Good morning,” I say, voice raspy.
“Morning,” she murmurs.
Her mood is just as sour as it was last night. I can’t say I blame her.
The table in front of her is set for breakfast, even though she shows no interest in food. Vera stares at her cup, not even lifting her eyes as I approach and take a seat next to her.
I glance at the selection of breakfast foods. But I’m not hungry. I pour a cup of black tea instead.
“I couldn’t sleep last night,” I say. Vera doesn’t answer. So I continue. “Too much on my mind. I had this idea…a way to ensure I win, and the Talbots are condemned for their crimes.”
That rouses Vera’s curiosity. She looks at me with an arched eyebrow.
“When I was at the Ezkai Academy, Daegel told me it’s no secret to the General and the Order that his family are Caligos. The only reason why they haven’t been put to trial is that there is no concrete evidence, just rumors and suspicions.”
“Yes. Caligos are good at hiding their tracks.”
“They haven’t hidden their tracks well, this time around,” I reply. Vera looks at me, her eyes blank. “Jax. He’s a loose thread. If we have him as a witness, we can finally bring the Talbots down.”
Vera shakes her head. “One man’s word is not enough.
It would start the trial, and then it would fizzle out when the Order can’t find physical evidence.
Chances are, Jax would disappear in the middle of the trial, anyway.
An accident would find him, or he’d be mysteriously murdered while in his cell. ”
“But if we had physical evidence, let’s say…the poison that was used to murder Kitajo, it would be enough?”
Reluctantly, Vera nods.
Determined, I say, “Well, what if I say I know how to find that evidence.”
Vera doesn’t look convinced.
“Daegel’s the one who ordered the assassination.
” I force the words out. “He must have something in his house that could point to it. I can access his estates and search them without raising suspicions. If I find the evidence, and Jax gives the testimony, we can get the Talbots into prison before the Trial of Strength even starts.”
Vera stares at me mutely.
I expected a little more reaction from her, to be honest. I understand she’s worn out, but I thought this would give her a new sliver of hope.
Instead, it ignites anger.
“You’re just looking for a reason to go see your boyfriend, isn’t that right? Even if it means risking everything we worked on.”
I blink, startled.
Where the fuck is this coming from?
“Vera,” I say and shake my head. “It’s not why I want to do this. I’m offering to find evidence that would condemn Daegel and his family!”
Vera scoffs. “Condemn? To me it sounds like you’re trying to find a way to get him out of the trials so you don’t have to kill him during the Trial of Strength.”
It’s like a slap across my face. I’m speechless for a moment.
“You see, I couldn’t sleep last night either. The events from our conversation kept repeating in my mind, over and over again. After going through the entire conversation from start to finish for a hundred times, something dawned on me.”
I frown.
“You thought I was talking about you when I came back from my meeting with Noire,” Vera says.
It’s not a question.
Our gazes lock. I don’t answer immediately. The heavy silence stretches between us.
When I don’t say anything, Vera says, “You thought I found out about you lying. Lying about what? I thought to myself all night. There’s only one thing you could be lying about.”
“Vera…”
“You never broke it off with Daegel, did you? All this time, when you would sneak off somewhere by yourself and disappear for hours, you were with him.”
Everything is unraveling. Crumbling to pieces.
Sooner or later, it had to happen, I guess.
The truth always comes out, whether we want it or not.
“I was trying to get him to drop out. To stop being his father’s puppet,” I say, my voice weak.
Vera barks a laugh. It’s humorless. An unpleasant shiver goes down my spine.
“And how did that work out for you?”
I swallow. Lick my dry lips. “We’re not together anymore. I may have not broken up with him when you told me to break up with him, but we’re done now.”
From the fire in her eyes I can tell she doesn’t believe me. Of course she doesn’t. Why would she? After all the lies and deception.
I sigh. “Vera, please. Jax was right about one thing—the Talbots want us distracted. They want us divided so they can come in and conquer with ease.”
Vera ignores me. “I didn’t ask you to break up with your boyfriend because I wanted you to be miserable, Phoenix. You put everything at risk sneaking around with him. And I’m not talking about your life. It was easy as ever for him to spy on us, on me, while taking you to bed.”
Offended, I snap, “He didn’t use me to spy on you! We never spoke of you, nor did he ever ask any questions. And the fact that you think I’d answer those questions even if he were to ask is beyond me. Do you really think so little of me?”
Vera shakes her head. “It’s not you I worry about.
It’s your heart. When minds are clouded by love, even the most cunning of us become reckless.
He didn’t have to ask direct questions. He could find out information from a sentence you would consider harmless.
He’s a Caligos, born and raised. They’re trained in manipulation the moment they leave the mother’s womb. ”
I flinch as if her words had struck me.
I’ve been careful—how can she not understand that? I never once revealed anything. All we did was argue, back and forth, about the same thin—
A memory surges to the front of my mind. I asked him about the assassination of the General and if he knew it was Caligos.
I also asked him if he knows about child trafficking.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
It’s all my fault.
As if Vera can read my mind, she says, “You did tell him something, didn’t you?”
I shake my head. “I didn’t tell him, but I asked him a question.”
“What question?”
“If he knows about his family’s dealing in people trafficking.”
Vera’s face falls. She’s still as a statue, in that unnerving fae way.
“Vera, I’m sor—”
“Get out.” Her voice is as cold as her steely gaze as she cuts me off. “Get the fuck out.”
“Vera, please. I can—”
“You’ve done enough,” she says, unwavering. “You have revealed the secret to the enemy that puts everything I worked on for years at risk. They know who Savage King is.” She shakes her head. “Now it makes sense why the Caligos at the warehouse took me the moment they saw me hiding.”
I want to die.
The guilt, and the pain. Unbearable, tearing me apart.
Vera raises her voice at me. “Get. Out. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
I don’t have another choice.
Slowly, I rise, gather my stuff, and leave Vera’s studio behind.