30. Leah #2
“So we have a big problem,” she says, and the abruptness of her tone is so uncharacteristic that it churns my stomach.
“Yes?” Syrus asks.
“The lords know about our trip to Aradis.”
Viz nearly chokes on his toast, and Syrus goes still.
“You didn’t think to lead with that?” he asks.
“I thought we all needed something to fortify us first,” Aster says and smiles at Evie and Jeremy. “And very fortifying it was too, my dears. Thank you.”
But her smile is strained, and I throw a worried glance at my sister and brother-in-law. “Is this maybe something we should be discussing in private?” I ask.
Aster looks over at Evie and Jeremy. “It depends how much you want to be able to claim ignorance.”
Jeremy clears his throat. “A lot,” he says, relieved.
“When it comes to winger affairs, we’re very invested in being as ignorant as possible.
You’re welcome to our food and beds, but I don’t think Evie and I need to get involved in your personal affairs, yes?
” He looks over at my sister, who meets my eye, seeming conflicted.
“I agree,” I say quickly. “There’s no need for you to get into this with us. The less you know, the better.”
Evie presses her lips together. “If you’re sure.”
“I am. Jeremy?” I look at him, and he gives me a grateful nod. He takes Evie by the shoulders and starts steering her upstairs.
“We’ll give you some space,” he assures me.
Alone with the demons, we quickly refocus our attention on Asterim.
“How much do they know?” Syrus asks.
“They know you made an unsanctioned trip to see the seraphim. I’m not sure if they know why.
The news seems to have come via some loose-lipped ephilium hanging around Pax.
Though they probably don’t know about the coup yet, since the ephilium will want to keep that quiet.
Either way, they’re very unhappy with you, my dear.
” She levels a grim look at Syrus. “I’m not sure it’s safe for you to return.
There’s word that the lords are talking about ways to drag you back to one of their domains for punishment. ”
A chill sweeps over me. A punishment befitting a demon lord must be serious business.
Viz turns to Syrus. “Your advantage right now is that they don’t know where you are. If you’re spotted in Strata, however, they’ll know you’ve broken Ajax’s binding spell.”
“Yes, how did you break Ajax’s leash?” Aster asks.
“I’d like to know that too,” Viz says.
Syrus looks at me with such unvarnished pride I struggle not to blush.
“Leah worked it out. She used her ephilium power.”
“Darling, you’re so clever,” Aster says, leaning over to pat me on the knee. “Although I’m afraid that doesn’t quite solve all our problems.”
“No,” Viz says. He feels across his clothes, visibly relieved when he finds a pencil and scrap of paper in one of his pockets, pulling them out so he can start to take notes.
“The Concords prohibit ephilium and demon conflict within city walls, as well as any supernatural violence against humans, technically.”
I snort. “‘Technically’ being the important word there. Humans get hurt by wingers all the time, but if they’re too poor for the Assembly to give a shit about, it gets swept under the rug for the right price.”
Viz is unfazed by my criticisms. “Either way, the wording is hazy about whether Syrus is protected from the other lords here.”
“You think they’d risk the collateral over this?” Syrus asks quietly.
Viz pulls a face. “Infernum handed the Mantle over a long time ago. I think they still respect its power and what it represents. But mantle or not, if they alienate Strata by blatantly disregarding the Concords, then there’s always the risk the human realm will abandon its neutral position in the war. ”
“And they probably fear the idea of Aradis and Strata joining forces against Infernum almost as much as losing the Mantle,” Syrus finishes.
“Yes, that’s one of the core things holding the Concords together—and that should be enough to keep them from snatching you off the street, with the risk of collateral damage to humans.
The lords could avoid the possibility of that, though, if they approached Pax’s leadership first. They could convince the Assembly to eject you from the city, and then you’d be fair game for the lords to claim you for punishment, without them needing to concern themselves with the Concords. ”
I can’t really imagine anyone forcing Syrus to go anywhere he doesn’t want to.
On the other hand, three demon lords against one is an uneven match no matter how powerful he is.
I scrape my thumbnail against the palm of my hand, agitated.
I’m starting to feel suffocated, like the walls are closing in.
I tried to protect Jeremy and Evie from this by sending them upstairs, but it’s not enough.
The ephilium know who I am—know who my family are.
It’s only a matter of time before they come looking for me in Strata.
The Concords are supposed to protect Evie and Jeremy, but I don’t see that holding the ephilium back much if I’m found hiding out in their own home.
Meanwhile, the demons are closing in on Syrus too.
We have enemies hunting us from all sides, and far too few allies in Strata to keep us safe.
Distantly, I hear Syrus asking after Quill and Malice. Aster says something about both being fine, and then I feel a warm hand on mine, gently prying my nail from where it’s digging into my palm.
“It’s all right, Leah,” Syrus says, his eyes soft as he tries to pull me out of my panic spiral before turning back to resume his conversation with Viz.
“I think there’s a way through. The lords aren’t unreasonable people, particularly now we have Midane instead of Kaliban.
After the Morphos incident, I’m certain that none of them want civil war at least, so Malice and its citizens should be safe from attack.
Their quarrel is with me, not my domain.
What I need is the time and space to negotiate with them so I can assuage some of their anger. That requires neutral ground.”
“You think you should stay in Pax?” Viz asks. He looks tense, and I feel a spike of sympathy for the chamberlain, who’s probably nursing a terrible headache right now.
“That seems like the best option. And since they don’t know I’m in Strata yet, we can head off any agreement the lords might try to make with the Assembly by making a deal with Pax first.”
“Chief Assemblyman Strickland could potentially offer temporary sanctuary,” Viz says, tapping the pencil against his paper thoughtfully.
It’s far from a permanent fix. But it’s something.
A chance at protection while Syrus tries to dig himself out of the mess he’s in because of me.
After all, he wouldn’t have ever needed to step foot in Aradis if it wasn’t to keep me alive.
And maybe it will give me enough time too—a moment to breathe to work out…
whatever it is I need to work out about the two of us.
“There’d have to be something in it for him,” I say. “The politicians here are all the same. You’d need to offer him something in return.”
“Well then, I suppose it’s a good job I’m the Lord of Malice,” says Syrus with a sly smile. “I happen to know a little something about making deals.”