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“Yes. Mom also said that we needed to be sure Cain didn’t kill Tristan’s progeny because then we’d be stuck with Cain for eternity.”
“Did she say ‘progeny’ or did she speak of Maisie by name?”
Valva squinted, trying to remember.
“You told me the Chosen would be capable of powerful magic, remember?” Tristan prompted.
Valva frowned. “Yes, but I never used Maisie’s name.”
“You did,” Tristan said. Then he paused and frowned. “Didn’t you?”
She shook her head. “No. Mom just said I should reveal that you are the father of the Chosen. She didn’t tell me which twin would fulfill the prophecy.”
Rhea turned to Tristan with an incredulous expression. “Wait, are you saying you just assumed it was Maisie?”
Everyone turned to stare at Tristan. His cheeks burned but he crossed his arms and frowned at Rhea. But I could see the guilt, the doubt in his eyes.
“I don’t believe this.” I threw up my hands. “Do you have any idea how much time we’ve wasted because of your f**king assumption?”
“Sabina,” Rhea said in a low, warning tone.
“Now hold on,” Tristan said, his voice rising. “Just because she didn’t use Maisie’s name doesn’t mean she wasn’t the Chosen. I may not have been in Maisie’s and Sabina’s lives, but I am not unaware of their histories.”
I frowned. “What? You spied on us?”
“I prefer to think of it as benevolent observing.” He nodded to his team. “And based on the information my team gathered, I believe that of the two of you, Maisie was more likely to be the Chosen.”
I crossed my arms. “Based on what, exactly?”
“Sabina, your sister was a respected leader of her race. In addition to her skills as an Oracle, she was an expert diplomat and powerful in several magical disciplines. She was trained by my mother, who was one of the most beloved leaders of the mage race for almost two millennia.”
“That’s all true,” Rhea said. “But Sabina is a Chthonic mage. I trained her myself and some of the feats she’s managed far surpassed Maisie’s own powers.”
“Which she’s had only, what, six months to develop? Before that she spent all her time carrying out Lavinia Kane’s death orders,” Tristan said. “I’m sorry but I’m hard-pressed to believe the Chosen is someone who spent her life shedding the blood of those she was destined to rule.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t too far off base.
“Yeah,” Horus chimed in. “Remember what she did to poor Thomas.”
I frowned. “Who?”
“Thirty years ago, I tried to have my team gather intel on you. I sent Thomas, a mage on our team, to follow you and snap some pictures. One night, you caught him spying on you and challenged him.”
“When?”
“It was just after you finished Enforcer school.”
I shook my head. “I don’t remember.”
“I’m fairly certain you didn’t take the time for proper introductions before you shot him.”
My mouth fell open. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
Tristan tilted his chin. “There’s nothing to say. He got careless and you caught him. Given your profession, he should have been more careful. But needless to say, I didn’t want to risk any more of my people trying to find out more about you. I already knew enough.”
Silence descended over the room as we all absorbed this information. I glanced guiltily at the rest of Tristan’s team. Nyx’s expression was solemn but free of judgment. Calyx wouldn’t meet my eyes. Horus looked like he wanted to punch me.
“But don’t you see?” Adam said finally. “It’s precisely because of Sabina’s former profession that it makes more sense that she’d be the one who’ll kill Cain. Gods keep her, but Maisie didn’t have the stomach for murder.”
I jerked my head in time to see Adam’s face flush. While he wasn’t wrong, we were both remembering how easily murder came to my sister under Cain’s influence.
“Killing Cain is only the final test of the Chosen,” Tristan said. “Once that test is passed, the Chosen will become the New Lilith who will unite all the dark races. Which I think we can all agree would be a challenge for Sabina given her history of anger issues and the fact that she’s created enemies in every dark race in existence with her killing.”
I’d had it. I wasn’t going to stand there and try to convince this man of my worth. I had a job to do and I was going to get it done with or without Tristan’s help. Time to throw down an ultimatum.
“Like it or not, Maisie isn’t here. I am.” I thumped my chest with my thumb. “I survived all of Cain’s attacks thus far. I have the Chthonic magic, the weapons skills, and the combat experience.” I paused to let that sink in before I delivered the ace up my sleeve. “And I am the one who bears the twin stars of the Chosen on my back.”
Tristan raised a brow. “Are you willing to bet your life on the chance you’re really her?”
That stopped me. I’d spent so many months denying any suggestion I might be the prophesized New Lilith. I hated the idea that fate could chose my path for me. On the other hand, I wanted Cain dead more than I wanted to be the mistress of my destiny or whatever. In fact, in a way, I decided that pursuing the idea of being the Chosen felt a lot like grabbing fate by the throat and forcing her to meet my needs. “I’m willing to do anything to end Cain,” I said. “If that means proving I am the Chosen to you and to Lilith and to anyone else who demands it, then I’ll do it.”
Tristan laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. “Tough words. One wonders, though, if you have the skills to back them up.”
“Sabina is a total badass,” Giguhl said. “She’s got more skill in her pinkie than anyone in this room.”
Calyx snorted dismissively and Horus cracked his knuckles. I ignored them and held Tristan’s challenging gaze.
“Well, Sabina? Are you willing to put your money where your demon’s mouth is?”
I raised my chin. “You throwing down a gauntlet, old man?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Just kind of watched me for any signs of doubt or weakness.
“That’s an excellent idea, actually,” Rhea said.
My gaze jerked to my mentor. “Huh?”
