Page 177 of Daughter of No Worlds

“Someone needs to escort them. I speak Thereni.” He slipped his hands into his pockets, breezy and casual. “And, I have Order business to attend to at home.”

He spent almost six months traipsing around Threll, andnowhe needed to rush back to his office?

Anxiety had gnawed at whatever was left of my patience. It took palpable effort to control my tone as I said, “You are very respected. It would be helpful to have your skills and reputation with us today.”

He just smiled that forceful, dazzling grin. “You don’t need me. At least, if what I saw yesterday was any indication, you’re more than capable of doing what needs to be done.”

That was with Reshaye, who might not even help me anymore. Who might be too dangerous to unleash so close to my friends.

“But in our pact—“

“Our pact mentions nothing aboutme.It offers you support. Which, clearly, you have in spades.” The pointed glance that Zeryth shot across the field, to Max, was not lost upon me.

I made my eyes wide, dipped my chin, cocked my head. “But you areimportant.”

Desperation was making me lose my grip on subtlety. I was certain Zeryth would see my behavior for what it was. If he did, he didn’t show it. He just gave me a dismissive pat on the shoulder.

“You do what you need to do here. I do what I need to do there. And then I’ll see you back at the Towers.” The hunger that glinted in his eye almost made me shudder. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun at the estate. In fact, maybe even more than you anticipated.”

I raised my eyebrows in a silent question, and Zeryth’s smile glittered. “I took the liberty of writing to Ahzeen Mikov to tell him of your arrival today. He is always so eager to have important guests, after all.”

Of course. Ahzeen cared about nothing more than status, and hosting high-ranking members of the Orders was certainly an honor — especially if it came at the personal behest of the Arch Commandant.

“In fact,” Zeryth went on, “he wassoglad to be receiving such honored visitors that he wrote back with invitations to an event he’s hosting tonight. A celebration of victory, apparently, over one of his enemy Lords. Receiving the generals home, flaunting his great wealth and vast power, all of that.”

I was very familiar. I had danced at so many of those parties, flirting for silvers at a time. But my mind snagged on one particular phrase:receiving the generals home.

Serel was a guard. Serel was fighting Ahzeen’s wars. And Serel, perhaps, would be among those returning.

“This is your mission. It’s your choice how you want to approach it.” Zeryth shrugged. “But, if you wanted to attend…”

He reached into the inside of his coat and pulled out two folded pieces of paper. One was a Stratagram, presumably the mate to the one Zeryth laid out at the Mikov Estate. And the other was a foiled invitation with words inscribed in flowery Thereni script.

“If I recall correctly, you’re very fond of dramatic statements at fancy parties.”

He offered me nothing more than a shrug and a smirk as he turned and sauntered off, leaving me standing there, looking down at that platinum paper and running my thumb over the raised lily sigil.

Every powerful Lord in Threll would be there. All in one room, ready to bear witness to what one former slave could become. And how poetic it would be, to devour Esmaris’s legacy where it had once devoured me, little by little, night after night.

I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t appealing. But Zeryth underestimated me by implying that the spectacle of it all would be my main draw. The party offered that, yes. But it also offered something much more valuable: the opportunity for the most beautiful of distractions.

The corners of my mouth began to curl as an idea unfolded.

I could do this.

I could free the slaves of the Mikov estate, and I wouldn’t even have to use Reshaye to do it.

Somewhere deep inside of me, beneath the unease and anxiety that had plagued me all day, a wicked flower took root.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Max

Ilooked down at the guard’s outstretched hands, only barely hiding the twist of distaste that tugged at my lip.

“Don’t make such a sour face.” Tisaanah crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow at me. “You know we have no choice in this.”

Fine. Unsuccessfully hiding.

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