But I keep my mouth closed.
And I don’t look away.
Eyes wide and unblinking, I watch as Lyklan destroys S’lach’s trophies, unwilling to miss even a second of the destruction. When he’s done, they’re unrecognizable, and more importantly, illegible. Deep gouges mar the wall itself, and nothing remainsof the runes but disconnected lines and dots.
“There,” Lyklan says, his breath coming in heavy pants. “Now you can begin again. Make your judgment mean whatever you’d like.”
Gods alive and dead, I want to believe him.
They’re all looking at me.
Studying me while I eat. Luca’s glances are subtle, but Alistair’s stare is unblinking. The only one not watching my every move is Riven, who’s far more focused on monitoring the entry points of the room.
I put my fork down and raise my head. “I’m not going to fall apart,” I say firmly.
Luca raises one eyebrow. “We don’t think that.”
“Don’t you?”
“No.” Ciprian takes a sip of his drink. “You’re Malach. We know you’ll be fine.” He says it like it’s obvious—like the sky is blue and Vegas is hot.
Celine squeezes my knee under the table. “It’s been weeks, Malach.”
If they don’t think I’m going to break down, I guess they’re curious.
“It’s over and done with,” I say. “I want to put it behind me.” Maybe one day I’ll want to discuss the things that happened in the blood-spattered white room with lights that never turned off, but that day isn’t today. I have to face him again tomorrow. I need to be focused and strong.
Celine squeezes my knee again and nods. “I’m here if you change your mind.”
My mouth is painfully dry. I force myself to take a sip of the wine in front of me. “He’ll hit you with everything he has,” I tell her. “Are you ready for that?”
She leans backin her chair.
I take the opportunity to look at her, really look at her, and my heart swells. On the surface, she’s a beautiful woman sitting in a nice house, but if you go deeper, there’s so much more to discover.
She’s a survivor forced to return to the home she fled, and now she’s surrounded by things that remind her of a past steeped in pain. The strength it took to come back here... She did it for me, and I’m not sure how to feel about that. Flattered? Gutted? She saved my life, and I know she loves me, but I failed her. There’s no denying it when her presence here is physical proof.
“I’ve avoided him long enough,” Celine says. “I’m older now. Stronger. I’m not the kid he abused anymore, and I’m ready to give him a real reason to hate me.”
“If he can’t get past us?—”
“He won’t.” Celine’s fingers clench around the lip of the table. “I won’t allow it.”
I nod. “If he doesn’t get past us, he’ll involve the council.”
“Are they all in his pocket?” Alistair asks.
“Pretty much,” I say. “He uses his word to strangle them.”
“How will you combat that, baby?” Luca furrows his brow.
“Easy.” Celine stands up, tosses her napkin on the table, and lifts her chin. “I’ll tell them the truth.”
Ciprian smiles. “Easy to remember. I like it.”
It sounds simple, but it won’t be. A fight is coming, and my body knows it. The buzzing of my skin is offset by the aching hollow behind my shoulder blades. I’m missing two limbs. I have to accept what that means: no aerial assaults, fewer options for defending against dive attacks, and adjusting to a new center of gravity. My heart is beating too fast, but I can’t panic. I’ve got the training. I’ll adapt. I always do, don’t I?
Stay calm.“We should rest.”