Reaver said nothing to that.
Turning, I walked into the bathing chamber on legs that were still stiff and sore, but that, too, would fade. I’d heal. So would they. Mostly. My jaw flexed, and I checked my anger. I picked up a washcloth and used the pitcher to dampen it. When I returned, Kieran remained by Poppy’s side.
“Okay.” He stepped back as I passed him. “What happened when she woke up? Did she immediately try to run?”
I told him what’d happened as I carefully dabbed at the blood on her throat. Told him how confused she’d been and how desperately she’d fought against feeding before finally giving in.
“Her eyes…” Kieran said after a few moments and then cleared his throat. “They were just pure silver when she woke after the Revenant attack.”
I nodded, glancing back at the draken. “They looked like Nyktos’s.”
Reaver dipped his head. “That’s how Primals’ eyes look—well, all except for the Queen and the true Primal of Death.”
“How do—?” Kieran lowered his voice. “How do the Queen’s eyes look?”
“Like Poppy’s, but not,” he said. I was beginning to see why Kieran wanted to punch the draken every time they shared space. “The Queen’s eyes are green and silver. We never knew exactly why but believed it was because she was born mortal.”
We’d all thought Poppy was mortal initially, but that hadn’t been the case. Her father was a god, and the bitch who didn’t deserve to be called her mother had been a demis—a false god.
I wiped away the last of the blood. “Can you reach Seraphena?” I asked. “See if she knows how…” I exhaled roughlyas my fingers curled into the cloth. “How Kolis might be responsible for this.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to see her,” Reaver said. “Seraphena has been asleep for centuries. She may have been conscious enough to help when we were at the Bone Temple, but it takes a while to return to the right…mindset after being asleep for so long.”
I had to take a deep breath.
“But I will go to Iliseeum and see if I can reach her,” Reaver continued. “If not, I’ll see if any of the older gods are awake. Ione or Aios may know something. Either way, it will take me some time.”
“Do it.” I nodded, tucking a strand of hair back from Poppy’s face. “Please.”
“I will leave immediately.”
Then, he took a too long, too loud breath. My gaze lifted to him. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like whatever is about to come out of your mouth,” I said.
“You’re not.” Reaver leaned forward. His wound no longer looked as pink around the charred flesh. “She needs to be somewhere she cannot harm others or herself.” He paused, wetting his lower lip. “I’ve done some exploring. There are places here—”
“No.” I stiffened. “Absolutely not.”
Reaver’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t let me finish.”
“You’re talking about putting her in a cell,” I spat. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Okay. Then what about when she wakes and decides not to hold back?” Reaver challenged. “Then what? She’ll kill you and anyone else in her way, and then, when she is herself again, someone gets to explain that she harmed those she loves because her husband couldn’t bear to see her behind bars.”
Anger flared. “Fuck you.”
Reaver bared his teeth like it was supposed to intimidate me into agreeing. “Real mature.”
He was about to see howmatureI could be. I rose.
“Cas.” Kieran stepped in front of me.
“Don’t.” My head snapped toward him. “You really shouldn’t right now.”
Kieran’s nostrils flared. “And you should really pull your head out of your ass.”
One side of my lip curled up. “You want to try doing that for me?”
He stared at me, refusing to be baited. “You know we have to make her safe.”
