Page 77 of The Court of Secrets
“Then the people who died in the battle, I mean, could their souls still be there? Without the spirit realm to go to?”
“They may have found peace.” She pressed her hands together. “Let us hope.”
“But there could have been some who didn’t.” It was an awful thing to think, but I thought it anyway. “Lost souls of lunas who died there, who wanted to wait to go to the spirit realm, they’d still be wandering, and hundreds died. What if enough remained, enough to bring him back?” I felt sick to my stomach by saying it, but between a hundred already dead versus killing a hundred living, it was no real choice. They were men and women who had fought for me, and some against me, but still. “Edgar found his way to the spirit realm, but I buried him on the border of Magaelor. The others were buried in Niferum.”
“It could work.” Sadness pinched her lips into a frown. “Their poor souls.”
“We can set them free.” I lowered my voice to a whisper, as if the necromancer might somehow hear me even though he had left us both. “The deal was to deliver him Neoma and the souls, but once he’s back here, as a man, he can be killed. He said he’s immortal and can’t be killed by the Sword or Dagger, but I believe it a lie.”
“Why do you think it’s a lie?”
“Why else do you think he’d mention it? He doesn’t even want me to try. If there was an object that could kill me, I’d start a rumor it couldn’t. Why would anyone even try? They’d be too busy looking for alternative ways to kill me. The Objects of Kai were designed—forged—to killanyimmortal.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. “I believe you may be right.”
“We let him come back, then we cut his head off for good measure.”
“You’re spending far too much time with Blaise.”
“Not enough, I think.”
“You forget one thing, Winter.”
“What?”
She blew out a tense breath. “One of us has to get close enough first. This is a creature that is stronger, more cunning than anything we have encountered before, and he has magic.”
“I know.” I felt more determined than ever. I got my friend back and had a plan that could save my kingdom. “This way, we won’t need to kill anyone innocent. Only the guilty.”
“Speaking about Vahaga, you must be careful. His death will be looked into. He is the high priest.”
“I got away with it before.”
“From what you said about the attack and Vahaga knowing, you haven’t.”
Ferocity guided my tone. “I will this time.”
***
Blaise grazed his fingers lightly over my thigh as we lay in bed. Evening approached with the last of the sun’s rays kissing the horizon. I had to go down to the dance soon, where the ladies from the Ruby Circle would be eager to make an impression. I had been happy with just Nissa and Marissa as my ladies-in-waiting, but Marissa was dead and needed replacing.
Blaise pressed his lips against my hand. “You need more than one lady,” he said, as if he could read my thoughts. “I know you don’t want to host the Ruby Circle.”
“I don’t,” I admitted, rolling my head back against the soft pillows. “I know I have to, but with everything else happening, it seems a little silly to host these events.”
“It’s precisely why you should. You need to appear as if nothing bad is happening behind the scenes. Did no one tell you? The role of a royal is to pretend as if everything is perfect, when really the world is descending into chaos.”
“I know.” I blew out slowly. “Will you be by my side?”
He leaned over and brushed his lips against mine. My heart raced. “Do you even need to ask?” he asked against me, his hot breath tingling my skin. The smell of clover smoke and scotch lingered on his lips. He kissed my collar bone, then my neck.
“Oh,” I groaned.
“I don’t have to stop.” He let out a low growl. “I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t.”
“I love you,” he whispered against my skin, as if it were a secret we didn’t want to share yet. It was all ours.
