FORTY-ONE
CAZ
Hassha walks to the center of the kitchen, clad in gold armor and ivory, her eyes lit blue, and her face solemn.
“Hassha,” Maeve whispers, eyes widening. She steps away from her chair to bow, which annoys me seeing as The Regals couldn’t give a shit about us.
“Hello, Maeve,” Hassha croons with a smile. “Even with your doubts, you bow. Your heart is good.”
Maeve stands tall and clasps her hands together.
“Why are you here?” I ask, raising a brow.
Hassha’s eyes glide across the room to latch with mine.
“Will everyone but Caspian and Willow clear the room please?”
My clan stands, but I throw up a hand. They pause, looking from me to Hassha.
“My clan stays. Whatever you have to say can be shared with all of us. If there’s a threat from Selah we’re facing, they should be prepared. They should know every single detail. So please, Hassha, spare us none of them.”
Hassha tips her chin. Then her irises spark, and she scans everyone at the table.
“Ow. What the fuck?” Juniper hisses, clutching her forehead.
Rowan groans, and Killian curses. Maeve whimpers, pressing fingers to her temple.
“Hassha, I trust my clan,” I snap. “There’s no need to search their minds.”
“Search our minds?” Rowan shouts, huffing a laugh. “I know you’re a Regal and all, but I’d encourage you not to do that, love. You’ll see things you don’t want to see.” He tosses Hassha a wink, and she puts on an amused smile as she makes her way toward the table.
With a flick of her fingers, she removes Rowan from his chair and hoists him in the air. He yells as she guides him to the other side of the table, pulls a chair out for him, and drops him there instead.
“Shit!” Rowan howls, and of course he’s laughing. “What was that for?”
“That was me encouraging you not to call me love .” Hassha sits in his prior seat.
I try desperately hard not to roll my eyes. These Regals are always showing off. Maybe that’s what this is. A way for them to wave their swords around and measure sizes.
“Where is Selah now?” Willow asks as Hassha crosses her legs.
“We’re not sure, but Korah is on it.”
Willow shifts in her seat. “So, she’s no longer at Council Castle?”
“No.”
I don’t like the thought of that. She could be anywhere.
“Blackwater is protected. She can’t infiltrate here,” Hassha says, eyeing me.
“Do you know she ingested Decius and Arie?” I ask.
She nods. “I do.”
“So she’s stronger now?”
“Just like Korah and me, Selah fuels herself with what she creates and what she controls. I control the sun, moon, and stars. Korah controls water, land, and vegetation. Selah created Decius and Arie, therefore she has control of their energy. Technically, everyone at this table comes from her original creations so you are hers to take.”
“I don’t like the way you said that, Hassha.” Not only does my jaw clench but my fist does as well.
“It is not a threat. It is a fact,” she counters. “Because she created the Tethered and the commoners, you belong to her. You would too, Caspian, if we hadn’t made you who you are.”
“Yes, Seed of Yuri or whatever the fuck that means. You say he was a sacrifice. How?” I demand.
“If I explain it, you’ll still have questions.” She purses her lips.
“So show me.”
She holds my eyes, and I match her unbreakable stare. Then, finally, she looks away and says, “Very well. Everyone join hands.”
My clan hesitates.
Killian and Maeve take Hassha’s hands first and everyone follows suit.
When we’re all linked, Hassha tells us to close our eyes.