Page 15 of Merciless Is My Crown

“Which could be anywhere,” Zorander pointed out, not unkindly. “And there are plenty of uncharted territories outside the three realms where she could hide such a thing.”

Zor and I traded a glance. He, like me, was thinking of Corvus’s horrid cave.

“A valid point, which brings us to our next sticking point. I’m calling in my first favor, Princess.” My heart sank as Torin’s gaze fixed on me with preternatural intensity.

“What’s she talking about?” Tavion hissed, prowling closer, bottle in hand.

“I owe her two favors. One for rescuing me from Corvus’s cave, and one for taking me back to Tempeste to save you from the Mistress.” Her lip curled slightly, but what shone in her eyes was anything but triumph.

That was hope.

“So you somehow expect me to not only find this pendant, but free Cosimo?” I shook my head. “Sorry, Torin. You haven’t seen the Oracle since the magic returned. She’s stronger than ever. Going up against her would be suicide.”

“Not the pendant. At least, not yet.” Torin’s blooming smile sent shivers down my spine. “I have a different target in mind.”

7

ANARIA

That fast, I was surrounded by a wall of solid, pissed-off muscle.

Tavion to my right, Raziel on my left, Zor behind me, both hands braced on my shoulders. Even Tristan had drifted closer, palm resting on his baldric.

All of them focused on Torin with such intensity, Simon bared his teeth.

“An hour ago, Anaria nearly died,” Zor said calmly. “Now you want her to, what…go up against the Shadow King to settle some grudge of yours? Try again, Torin. Anaria needs to rest and heal, not fight your battles.”

Frustration barked through me. “I have opinions, if any of you even bothered to ask.” Raz, at least, dipped his head contritely, but no one else was even listening.

“She’d be dead if I hadn’t brought Bexley here,” Torin countered as if I’d never said a word. “The only reason she’s healed and alive is because of me. If anything, you owe me for that, too.”

“I’m the one who actually saved her. With my magic, thank you very much,” Bexley grumbled petulantly, tightening his pink and white robe.

“Shut up, Bexley,” everyone said together, while I threw the poor, abused mage a look of apology because everyone was being such ungrateful arseholes.

“And she’s sitting right here, while you all talk about me like I’m not.” I snapped my teeth into the apple with a juicy crunch as everyone swiveled toward me. “I have my own opinions and I make my own choices, which you would do well to remember, Torin.”

But she was right.

For better or worse, we were in this together now.

“However.” I held her gaze. “I promised you a favor and I’ll keep my word. What do you want?”

She and Simon traded another of those meaningful looks. “We haven’t been entirely truthful.”

Tavion snorted. “Well, that’s a huge surprise.”

“We’ve waited three hundred years for this moment, but we must capitalize on it now, while the world is in chaos. The Oracle is distracted.” Torin’s hands twisted into her stained gown. “But she won’t remain so for long. I need your help, Anaria.”

Any other time, I might have been rather smug that the High Seer of Tempeste needed my help.

But the world was on fire, and gods knew what she wanted.

“The same night Cosimo was captured, the Oracle imprisoned someone else. A friend. Zephryn.” She drifted closer, Simon moving with her, as if he trusted us as much as we trusted them. “Zeph’s powerful. Clever. He would help retrieve the pendant. Once he and Cosimo are both free, you’d have two more allies.”

“Let me get this straight.” Tristan, of all people, held up his hand warily. “You expect us to free your two friends, one of whom is being held captive by the Oracle, then traipse across the three realms to Solarys, where we kill the Shadow King, Anaria claims the magic, and then what? We go up against the Old Gods in some epic battle over who rules this new world?”

Torin shifted her feet. “Something like that, yes.”

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