Page 174 of The Soulbond and Her Beloved

“One of ours roughed her up before the Grand King arrived,” Kady’s voice came, low.

“Now, that’s the kind of news I—”

“But… the Grand King arrived before any lasting harm could be done.”

Something heavy was slammed onto the floor.

“Your men are worthless. Every last one. Now they’re nothing but a bunch of worthless, rotting corpses. Razarr would have succeeded. He wouldn’t have failed me.” Another beat. “Tell me, Kady,how is someone like him dead... and you are still alive?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty,” came the emotionless reply.

Sinai narrowed her eyes at the door. Zaiper was beyond unstable. She couldn’t decide if he was terrifying… or pathetic. Maybe both.

Is this the male I cast my lot with? What the hell was I thinking?

Kady spoke again. “If I may make a suggestion…”

A deep, angry breath—an effort to find calm.

“Considering how empty it is up there, you can try.”

“I say we prepare for the eclipse night,” Kady said. “The quarter moon is too frequent; it’ll be here any night now. We do everything like we did five centuries ago—use the dark mage to glimpse the night of the eclipse, strike fast, steal the Chalice so they can’t defend themselves, and then we killeverythingwe want. Everyone they hold dear. This time, the Grand King dies. So does Grand Lord Vladya. We finish it.”

Zaiper was quiet for a moment.

“There’s a problem with that plan, don’t you think, Kady?” he said finally. “First, I have no army left to go to war with. Second, I’ve already used up my credits with the dark mage. In the past, it was easier to get favors because he owed me his life. We hada blood pact—specific terms and limited favors, all measured carefully against the cost of his magic. That balance is now paid in full.” A hard exhale. “Are you aware of the price of magic for revealing significant information about the future?”

“Blood?”

“Blood,” Zaiper affirmed. “The blood of anoble, to be precise.”

Kady was quiet.

“If it had been in the past, when the kingdom was still oblivious to our movements, it would have been easier to snatch someone of noble birth,” Zaiper continued. “But now? Everywhere is fortified. Every border locked down. We only made it to Ravenshadow last time because of help from our spy—help that’s burned now. They’ll have doubled their defenses. Tell me, Kady,wheredo you suppose I’ll find a noble to bleed?”

Mistress Sinai shook her head, straightening.Without his title, his army, or his gold, he’s nothing.Disorganized. Powerless. And clearly slipping.

She should’ve left the moment she sensed it.Not too late for that.

Sinai turned, taking a single step.

“What about the Mistress?”

Her foot came to an abrupt stop.

The soldier’s voice was calm as he continued. “She’s of noble birth. And frankly… she knows too much. What’s to stop her from turning on you tomorrow?”

“She has her reasons not to,” Zaiper said, dismissive. “Sinai and I go way back. She knows better than to cross me. She knowswhat I’m capable of.”

A pause. “What youwerecapable of, my lord,” Kady said coolly.” No offense, but times have changed. You’re not who you once were… and no one really knows whatshe’scapable of now.”

Sinai’s pulse thundered in her ears.That filthy snake.

“She knows too much,” Kady went on. “This isn’t personal. It’s a matter of means. If we’re to succeed in this fight, we have to use every tool we’ve got. We need that information. And we should be willing to pay whatever it takes.”

Sinai waited for Zaiper to laugh, to dismiss it.

“Mmm.” Zaiper’s voice lingered. Thoughtful.

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