Page 292 of Kingdoms of Night

If Enid didn't fulfill Gyges’ wishes, he would terrorize her for the rest of her days. He would keep pushing at the boundaries of Camelot until he got in and took what he wanted. If she gave him what he wanted, she could keep him out, and she could give her husband what he wanted. She could have everything she wanted.

Enid reached for one of the ancient swords. It was a simple-looking affair, with only faded green gems on the hilt. The magic of it hummed at her fingertips like the buzzing of a bee. Enid braced herself for the sting.

"Hey there."

The sword clanked to the ground as Enid whirled around. Leaning against the wall stood a blonde bombshell in tight leather pants and heeled boots that Enid would’ve loved to slide on her feet.

"You're back," said Enid.

Loren kicked off the wall with her boot heel. “G didn't tell you?"

Enid gave a shake of her head, and a petal floated down to her shoulder. She gave a shake to dislodge it, and it floated to the ground between her and the witch.

Loren eyed the petal with a quirked brow. "I suppose he was too busy… planting things."

Enid wasn't one to blush. But something about the informal way Loren spoke made her face heat. This woman knew her husband well, possibly even better than Enid did.

Though over the last week, she’d suspected that any feelings between them had never been of the carnal sort. They were barely of the friendly sort. Geraint never spoke her name. Anytime anyone brought up her name, his face contorted into a scowl of displeasure.

"You wouldn't get far with that," Loren said, eying the sword that was now askew from the arrangement that Arthur had made and Gwin had tweaked.

Enid opened her mouth to feign ignorance, but Loren cut her off.

"It takes a thief to know a thief."

"That's right.” Enid cocked her head to the side, eyeing the blue-eyed witch. “You're a thief."

Loren held up a finger as though ticking an item off a list. “Former thief."

“You stole my father's ring.”

"He snuck it into my hand. I didn't realize I had it until I was back home."

That was entirely plausible. Enid could see her father doing that, especially if he suspected it might wreak havoc on Loren and those she cared about. Which it had.

“My father's a menace."

"True that.”

Loren put a hand on Enid’s arm. Enid glanced down at the manicured hand, surprised she didn’t flinch away from Loren. The woman was her nemesis, after all. Wasn’t she?

“But try telling that to Gerry,” Loren continued.

Gerry? Was that a nickname for her husband? Enid did flinch then. The name didn’t suit Geraint at all.

“He's acting like it's all my fault that I didn't tell him."

“Candor and my father do not get on.”

“Candor?” Loren crossed her arms over her ample chest. “He lets you call him Candor? He doesn’t let me call him Candor, and I’m his best female friend. He’s my best dude bro—after Zane, my bestie’s boyfriend.”

Enid’s head was swimming after trying to follow the trajectory of Loren’s words. The one word she did glean from the conversation was the wordfriend.Loren considered Geraint a friend. Though Enid was certain that whatever lies Loren had told had bumped her from that role in her husband’s life.

That bit of information was something Enid could use. If Loren wanted back in Geraint’s good graces, and if she despised Gyges, then perhaps she would help Enid with this particular little problem at hand.

"I understand completely what you mean,” said Enid.

"What a minute.” Loren quirked that eyebrow again. “Why do I feel like I'm being played here?"

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