Page 131 of Brimstone
“Sounds like a good idea.” I surrendered Onyx reluctantly, kissing the fox on his head before handing him off to my mate.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep this one safe,” Carrion said, giving my mate a wink. The comment was probably supposed to rankle Fisher, but the dig only earned him an amused snort.
“Please. Saeris could have half of the Blood Court in their eternal graves before you even drew your blade. Even the foxwould stand a better chance of seeing off a threat.” Something seemed to occur to him out of nowhere. “Wait. Speaking of your blade, whereisSimon, by the way?”
Over the years, I’d seen Carrion successfully hide an array of emotions. He was too slow to hide the color that leaped to his cheeks today. “Don’t you concern yourself with Simon,” he said. “I know exactly where my god sword is, thank you very much.”
Ammontraíeth was a hive of activity as we moved through its halls. High bloods hurried about, carrying stunning bolts of damask, stacks of gold-leafed plates, and all manner of serving tureens. They smelled Carrion before they saw me. A few of them hissed at the scent of fresh, living blood in such close proximity, but the moment they saw Carrion’s auburn hair, they drew back, my edict hobbling their hunger. When they sawme, they sank down in supplication, bowing their heads, only rising after I’d passed and was out of view. Carrion watched them drop to their knees, shaking his head. “You’ve spent your whole life hiding, hoping no one recognizes you, and now whenever anyone sees you, theykneel. You must be fucking hating this.”
My hard-edged laughter echoed around the corridor as we walked. “Oh no. I don’t hate it, Carrion. Iloatheit.”
“Then why make them do it? You didn’t need to make that demand when you passed those edicts.”
I had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question. He wanted to hear me say it out loud, maybe. To remind myself of the necessity. “They have to fear me. Or at least be reminded that I have power over them.”
“I wonder if they have any idea how close they came to being wiped out?” Swift said a littletooloudly, as a female in a purple gossamer gown scowled up at us. “You could have ended their lives with a simple command once that crown was placed on your head.”
Indeed, that avenue had been discussed at length before my coronation. Lorreth had voted for Ammontraíeth to be destroyed. Renfis had too, casting his vote from Irrín. Danya had voted for public dismemberment and the kind of torture that smacked of revenge, not justice. Only I had begged for the opportunity to see if the members of the Blood Court could be redeemed. Fisher had hesitantly agreed to wait and see how things turned out, aaaand yeah. So far, things weren’t looking too great.
“We’re going to see Tal, then?” Carrion said, abruptly changing the subject. He spun around, walking backward to keep pace as he returned the beautiful female high blood’s scowl.
“Yes. We’re going to see Tal,” I confirmed.
“How the hell are we supposed to find him in this hellscape of a palace?”
I cleared my throat, not meeting his gaze. “I know exactly where he is.”
Carrion’s eyes burned into my cheek, but still, I refused to look at him. “Andhowdo you know that exactly?”
“Because he’s my sire. I can sense him, the way he can sense me. Ialwaysknow where he is. Come on, keep up.”
“Wow. That must get confusing when the three of you are all in the same place. Half of you is on alert, sensing Tal, and the other half is being drawn toward Fisher.”
“My connection with Fisher doesn’t work like that.”
“What?”Carrion came to a theatrical dead stop. “You can sense Tal, but you can’t sense Fisher?”
I kept walking.
“Hey! Hey,wait!” He ran to catch up. “Sorry if I’m a little confused, but aren’t you two supposed to share a love that puts all other love to shame?”
I took a left and jogged down a set of stairs. “I do have a connection with Fisher, yes. And yes, I can sense where he is.It . . . just isn’t the same. The connection I share with him feels like a deep well. Calm and peaceful.”
“And what does the connection with Tal feel like?”
I gritted my teeth, reaching the bottom of the stairs. I turned right. “Aleash.”
I’d never been to Tal’s rooms before. There had never been any need for me to go there. As Carrion and I drew up outside the arched doorway with the golden scrolled door handles, I was struck with a wave of déjà vu. I knew the shape of the doorknob in my hand. I knew that the door would squeak a little as I pushed it open. I knew what the air would smell like when I entered the chambers beyond.
Borrowed memories.
Echoes in the blood.
I knew these things because they were so familiar to Tal, and I was a product ofhisline. I raised my hand to knock on the door and hesitated. A strange sensation tickled at the back of my mind. There were people with Tal on the other side of this door. Lots of people. There was a tension in the rooms beyond that made the air bristle with electricity.
An argument, maybe? But who would he be arguing with?
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
