Chapter 21 #2
Seth gestures at the empty chair near the fire and Kalos takes it, arranging his clothing about him as he seats himself.
He looks good in rich, sumptuous clothing, and I’m reminded that he’s vain.
That he likes to be pretty because it throws people off when they’re expecting him to look, well, like disease.
He looks more elegant and put together than both Seth and Margo, though of course I’m biased.
Seth is all smiles as Kalos seats himself. “Glad you could join us, Lord Kalos.”
Kalos folds his hands and gives him a bored look. He stretches his legs out in front of him like a petulant teenager. “Are you?”
For some reason, everyone looks over at me. The knife pressed against my spine reminds me that I can’t say a thing, so I simply smile tightly. Notice me, I silently plead with Kalos. Ask about me. Say something.
Seth looks back at Kalos and puts on his winning smile again. “You don’t strike me as the sort that appreciates meaningless flattery, so I’ll cut right to the point. I’m looking for like-minded allies, and I think you and I would work well together.”
Kalos looks away from me and focuses on Seth again. His expression remains inscrutable. “Possibly.”
I want to laugh at how little he’s giving them to work with. After being at his side for weeks on end, I know how obtuse Kalos can be when he wants to be. Good, I think. Give them nothing. Make them pry every drop of information out of you. Make them work for it.
Seth shifts in his chair. I suspect he’s not used to having to negotiate, because his expression becomes a little less patient, a little less welcoming. “You know I want a foothold here in your world. Rather than raise an army and carve my way in, I’m looking for allies.”
“But you have an army,” Kalos points out. “And you’ve stolen my Anchor. If you want an ally, this is a strange way to go about it.”
It takes everything I have to keep the smirk off my face.
“Your Anchor will be released unharmed when you agree to work with me. I want—no, need—you to work with me. Together, we can drive our mutual interests.”
Kalos adjusts the cuff of one of his pillowy sleeves. “Interests? You’ve got the wrong god. I’m not interested in anything.”
Heh.
“Not even vengeance?” Seth continues. “Not against those that want you neutralized? Want you to remain as Apathy because it suits their purposes and not yours?”
I’m suddenly not finding this funny any longer.
Seth leans forward. “You are not even interested in vengeance against Belara?”
Kalos’s bland expression ices over. His eyes narrow. “Do not bring her foul name up unless you want me to leave right now.”
Seth puts his hands up, signaling capitulation. “As you wish.”
Well shit. Now I want to know more. Who is Belara to him, and why is it such an open wound?
He didn’t blink an eye when I was stolen, apparently, but someone brings up Belara’s name and suddenly shit gets real?
I’m both hurt that I’m so unimportant and wildly curious about what Belara was to him. She’s a goddess, I know that.
Now I need to find out what happened between them. Did she break his heart? Or is he in love with her but forced to be my side, and that’s why her name brings pain to him? I clench my hands together tightly, hating this.
Ask him more about Belara, I silently demand as Seth gets to his feet and begins to pace.
His face is vaguely troubled, but I don’t trust it.
I watch Margo and her expression never changes.
If Seth was losing control of the situation, I’d see something flash across her face, like when I was down in the cells. This is what they expected.
“You care about nothing? No one?”
Kalos shrugs.
“You have no goals? Nothing you wish to accomplish?”
“I am not interested in anything you can offer.”
“You do not want riches? A country to rule?”
Kalos seems bored. “Why would I care about any of that?”
“And not revenge…” Seth considers this. He paces across the floor in a wide circle, deliberately heading my way. My skin prickles as he approaches me, his dark gaze meeting mine. “Or is it possible that you’re lying to me and playing games?”
“I am Apathy,” Kalos replies in the same bored tone and doesn’t look my way. “I assure you, the last thing I want is to play games.”
“I’ve met other Apathy aspects and you’re not like them,” Seth continues, circling me like a shark even as he speaks with Kalos. “I think you care more than you let on, but you’re using your Apathy as a shield.”
“Think what you like.” His tone is bored.
Seth turns towards him, standing halfway between myself and Kalos. “Then you won’t mind if I kiss your Anchor? Play with her a little? Since you don’t care about anything.”
I shoot a panicked look at Margo.
She glances down at her hands.
Shit, what does that mean? The silence in the room feels heavy as Seth walks over to me. Three footsteps, and he reaches down and touches my chin, even as the knife jabs me in the back.
I lift my head — and sneeze right in his face. I’m almost as surprised as him.
Anger flashes over Seth’s features… then triumph. He wipes his hand down his face and glances over at Kalos, who glares mutinously at Seth with more hate and feeling than I’ve ever seen on his face.
“I think you feel a great deal,” Seth continues, gloating in his tone.
“Fine. You’ve figured me out,” Kalos says, voice dry. “You leave me no choice but to work with you. But I want my Anchor back in my quarters. No more of this dungeon nonsense. We will discuss things when she’s been fed and properly tended to.”
My jaw drops. He’s going to capitulate, just like that. “Wait—”
“She can be fed later. She might be fragile, but she won’t die if she has to wait a few hours to eat.” Seth returns to his chair in a sweep of his cloak and leans in. “Let us discuss action. If we grab enough power, we can force the Fates to change their plans.”
Kalos just sighs again, as if the entire universe bothers him with its demands. He holds his hand out, palm up, and his voice is weary. “Go on, then. Tell me what you have in mind.”