Page 12 of The Oracle of Dusk

“Do you really expect me to believe you travelled with Orithyia for what, ten days, and never once asked her? Do you have no interest in your future?”

“My fate is in the hands of the divine Triad.”

“That’s not good enough.” She narrowed her eyes.

He chuckled darkly.

“Do you think I chose this, Your Highness? Do you think I had a say when a goddess named me Her champion? Don’t be such a thrice-damned fool!”

“I couldn’t care less what happens to you. Tell me what you know of Aurora’s fate, and the fate of those who came before her.”

“Only the High Priestess would know that.”

“Don’t insult me by implying you didn’t ask her about it.”

He rubbed a hand over his pretty face.

“I asked her about Aurora, her history, her personality, her martial capabilities or lack thereof. I asked about how to keep her morale up, about how best to protect her from Drakon, about all the ways in which that monster would try to harm her. I didn’t ask about her future because I knew if we failed, thenno onehad a future.”

“Then how do you explain knowing about her needing magic, hmm? The specifics of the past never once came up?”

“All I know is that whatever magic she awakens will be the one that will help us seal Drakon. It has always been thus.”

He was just as bad as all the temple vermin who’d refused to embrace even the merest hint of change. They would all rather stick their heads in the sand than face the reality of their ignorance and inaction. Why must they be allowed such free reign to blunder across the face of her empire when lives were at stake? When Aurora’s life was at stake?

“Which is as good as saying you know less than my fucking loper!” she hissed. He wasn’t taking this seriously. None of the temple idiots ever did. Not unless it had something to do with their rites and rituals. Fae stood, raising her chin. She would make them take her seriously. “I swear on all the gods, tangible and intangible, that if you and the High Priestess plan to sacrifice Aurora to save yourselves, I will not rest until I’ve obliterated your very souls.”

His eyes widened a fraction at her oath. She meant every word of it. Aurora had kept her sane, and given her a reason to laugh and hope and fight for a better Trisia. Without her, Phaedra would have become just another callous, ignorant, spoiled princess. If their incompetence or cowardice took Aurora from her, she would give in to every cruel, violent impulse she possessed—become a thrice-damned heretic if that’s what it would take to destroy them. And she would start with this fucking idiot of an avatar.

The temple rat shook his head and sighed.

“If Drakon prevails, then it won’t matter.”

Phaedra held back the urge to spit at him. Barely. She doubted she’d get more from him this eve. Best to wait to confront him with the intelligence her spies would dig up.

“And another thing—stop fawning all over Aurora. Don’t touch her. Don’t flirt with her. Save your deceitful charms for someone else. Aurora is too good for you, and she always will be.”

He quirked a brow.

“Are we trading in unsolicited advice, Your Highness? Then maybe you should focus on Aurora and howshefeels, rather than forcing her to deal with your tantrums on top of everything else.”

Phaedra gasped in outrage.

“How dare you?!”

“How dare I? You came into my tent to attack me when my divine mission is to save Trisia!”

“In my experience, the worst enemies are born in the guise of allies. And I’m not fool enough to trust some temple rat with a fancy sword to have Aurora’s best interests at heart.”

The bastard snatched his blanket back and settled in once more, ignoring her.

“Good night, Your Highness.”

The gall of this nobody. The moment his divine mission was over, he’d no longer be an avatar. And if Aurora had so much as a scratch on her in the end, he’d pay in blood.

“When this is over, if Drakon hasn’t killed you, thenI will.”

“You’ll be welcome to try.”

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