Glancing out to the water, I startle at the small boat skimming through the waves, heading straight toward us.
“Uh-oh, we’ve got company,” I say, wondering how we should proceed. Is it angry fishermen coming after us for our boat theft? Though with their aversion to the island, I find it highly unlikely. “We need to get back to the boat.”
“No shit, Ki, but there’s no way we’re going to make it before they get here,” Alex grunts, sweat beading his brow.
He might be putting on a good front for Sera, but I can tell he’s exhausted after all the hiking we’ve done today. I’d offer to help but know there’s no way he’d accept it.
“Let’s pray to the gods they’re friendly,” I say as we continue to walk toward our stolen vessel.
When the boat gets close enough to see some of the men’s faces, Alex sets Sera onto her feet, but she refuses to look at either one of us. “Well, we’re either incredibly lucky, or shit is about to hit the sand,” he says.
I turn to face the boat, and none other than Lord Astoria is at the helm.
“You left her there alone?”Lord Astoria yells before throwing a punch straight at my face. I easily block the blow and knock him off-balance. We quickly filled him in on the sun god’s betrayal when he landed, and he’s not taking it well.
“Do not forget to whom you speak, Cary,” I growl. “Nor let us forget whose fault this is. Was it not you who trapped Kyros here to begin with?”
Cary straightens the lapels of his coat, chin high, ignoring my accusation. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done, princeling? Any idea what you’ve unleashed on our realm? You think things are bad now, but mark my words, it’s only going to get worse.”
“How in the hells did you even know we were here?” I ask. “And how do we know if we can trust you to help Raelyn?”
“As for your first question, I have my eyes and ears in the palace,” Cary scoffs. “Though it appears I was too late to stop you from making a potentially realm-ending mistake. And secondly, Raelyn ismydaughter. Of course I will help her.”
I grit my teeth, trying to remind myself that he’s our only option right now.
Lord Astoria arrived with two men I didn’t recognize, but just then, the third comes to shore after securing their vessel.
Dylan Fucking Havordshire. I let out an almost hysterical laugh. “What in the realms were you thinking bringinghimwith you? Why would I allow him anywhere near my wife?”
Dylan gives me a wide berth, and I note fresh swelling and bruising around one of his eyes. That wasn’t my doing . . . His jaw, however, is a little crooked despite the healers’ best efforts. He’s lucky he can talk.
Cary looks almost abashed. “Despite his deplorable actions toward my daughter, which he’s assured me he will continue to pay penance for, I need him here.”
I’m feeling quite murderous. “You have some nerve, Cary.”
He glares at me. “She was meant to be with him! Everything was arranged, and you had to muck it all up by courting her seven years ago.”
I shove those memories down—I need to focus on the now. “Can you help us get her out?” I demand, changing the subject. “Can you break whatever spell is holding her there?”
Cary shakes his head, and something in me breaks. “That pit has been here for millennia. It’s meant to contain gods. I only knew about it because Kyros let the information slip. Why do you think he was on this isle to begin with?” Cary spits out. “He’s happy to paint me as the villain, but it washewho came here with the intent to trap a god.”
Sera throws up her hands and grumbles, “You men and gods are all mad.”
“Watch your tongue, servant,” Cary says.
“Do not speak to her in that tone,” Alex cuts in, rage coating his words. “Speak to her again with such disrespect, and I’ll haveyourtongue.”
Cary is spitting mad, turning his attention back to Sera. “Don’t think I’m not aware of what you did. Delaying your message so I wouldn’t get here in time.”
Sera stands her ground, refusing to respond, and I’m filled with a sense of dread . . . betrayal. Alex looks between Sera and Cary, confusion muddling his features.
“What did you do, Sera?” I ask.
“What I had to,” she replies, face hard and unyielding.
Alex looks like he’s about to explode, but we don’t have time for this.
“Cary, you’re the one Kyros wants, and if you care about Rae at all, you will be the bait to catch him.”
