Page 81 of Wrath

I tried to pay attention to their words—I honestly did—but my brain was still stuck on the fact that my father was here. What did he want? Obviously, it had something to do with me, butwhat? Was it because I was participating in the Trials of Lilith?

Questions zipped through my mind, one after the other, and I tried to catch one to focus on it, but it proved impossible. Nothing made sense.

“We can talk about this when we return to camp,” Lupe said gravely, sensing my distress.

Atta bit her lower lip and turned to stare at her brother. “We’re not going back with you, big brother.”

“What?”

“We’re needed at the capital,” Atta explained, a frown touching the corners of her lips. “There have been nightmares arriving daily with questions and concerns. We’re not meant to be on the front lines.”

“Actually,” Axel interrupted, “I am most definitely meant to be on the front lines. However, Atta needs protection, and who am I to say no to a damsel in distress?”

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her, ignoring Lupe’s growl of warning.

Atta scoffed. “Who was the one who stopped that rogue mermaid from killing you?”

“I was distracted.”

“You were staring at your reflection in the mirror and commenting on your ‘sexy length.’” She lowered her voice in a poor impersonation of Axel’s.

“I’m talking about the length of my machete, for your information,” Axel told us, reaching up to stroke the wooden handle. “It’s very long. Thick.”

“And then, when you saw the mermaid coming at you with a knife, you screamed like a baby and tried to hide behind the curtain,” Atta continued.

“Nobody would’ve seen me behind the curtain,” Axel reasoned, completely serious.

“We were in a crowded ballroom. Your feet were poking through the bottom.”

Axel chuckled and finally resheathed his knife. “You may have a point.”

Lupe stared at his sister warily. “Are you sure this is safe?”

“Is whatyou’redoing safe?” Atta countered, one of her eyebrows lifting imperiously. When Lupe didn’t answer, at a loss for words, Atta’s expression softened. She reached forward to take one of Lupe’s hands in both of hers. “This is what I was meant to do, Lupe. I know it.” A wobbly smile touched her lips. “And once you’re ready to claim your throne, the capital will be ready for you.” She shifted to address Devlin and me as well. “For all of you.”

Overcome with emotion, I lunged forward and pulled Atta into my arms, inhaling her cherry perfume. “Thank you.”

She squeezed me back just as tightly. “Of course. We’re practically sisters.” She pulled back just enough to meet my gaze. Indecision warred with desperation before she finally blurted, “Mali?”

Of course. I should’ve mentioned Mali sooner. Atta would want to know about her mate.

“Mali is okay. She’s helping with preparations.” I placed my hands on her slender shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “You could always come with us and see her, if you wanted.”

She bit down on her lower lip. Her eyes flicked over my shoulder, landing on her brother, before she focused on me once more. I could see the need in her eyes—she wanted more than anything to see Mali and know she was okay.

But then she sighed, her shoulders shuddering, and said, “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Atta—”

“I’ll see Mali once this war is over.” She cleared her throat, pushed back her shoulders, and tilted her chin up. “I know what my purpose is.”

“As do I,” Axel interrupted. “And that’s to stab as many assholes as I can.”

“Only stab the assholes who follow the old ways, not the assholes who are loyal to us,” I told him firmly.

A pout played on his lips. “But?—”

“Axel,” I warned.

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