“This is why females are forbidden in Council matters,” Malik seethed, the words ones I’d heard Constantine say almost verbatim. “Too emotional. Get her out of here.”
Lima didn’t argue, carrying his daughter from the room on quick feet.
Tray gathered Ella close, shielding her with his body, his eyes wide with horror as his father resumed his spell, nailing Kolstov with the exsanguination charm.
A jolt hit my chest as I absorbed the spell with Kolstov, my ties to his soul forcing me to endure the pain with him.
My burden, I thought, gritting my teeth.I. Accept. This. Burden.
It burned like a motherfucker, sucking the life from my lungs and weakening my knees. To everyone else, they would see our bond dying and chalk up my reaction to the pain of losing a mate.
I’d planned this moment perfectly.
Previous experience had prepared me with a manipulation plan, one where I informed Constantine of everything as it happened. Including the mate bonds.
Because he already knew everything from Dakota.
She’d been his asset all along, having seduced Zephyrus and Kolstov to teach the future king a valuable lesson. Then she infiltrated the Quandary Bloods under the guise of being ousted from society after the prince ruined her reputation.
So rather than hide, I presented myself as forthcoming and trustworthy. But I only went to Constantine with my information, then he told me what to tell the others.
He thought I was his puppet, that I believed his lies about grooming me as the future king.
I played every game, won every riddle, and volunteered for the tasks he desired, all the while knowing how they would truly benefit me in the end.
Constantine used Aflora’s disappearance as a way to discredit Kolstov, stating he’d failed his trials. Then he’d told meto let Chern sense the other bonds, to have him reveal the truth to the Council.
I’d claimed innocence.“Their bands hid the link from me,”I’d said.“But Chern detected them while searching for Aflora. Her essence leads to Zeph and Kols.”
Several Councilmen wanted to bring Kolstov in for questioning.
Constantine quieted them, said to watch him instead, and suggested I be in charge of monitoring the Midnight Fae Prince.
And that was when I’d recommended the bite.“It’ll provide me with a way to really keep tabs on him, just like Aflora.”
The approval in Constantine’s irises had been unnerving.
Then Malik had disagreed.
And the two had dismissed themselves to engage in a private conversation, one where Constantine weaved a spell that no one seemed to see except for me. Perhaps because I’d witnessed variations of it in other timelines.
Regardless, permission was given.
The link was formed.
And everyone thought I’d done it out of duty.
My knees buckled now as the last of Kolstov’s life began to slip away, his crow appearing from thin air to caw in devastation against his master’s chest.
Ella burst into tears.
Tray sat stunned.
And I focused on that thread… the single speck of life that I needed… to bring Kolstov back.
Don’t you dare let go,I thought at him, aware that he couldn’t hear me, his final breath touching the air.Work with me here, Kolstov. Don’t give up.
But I felt him slipping away, his heart slowing as the final specks of his blood disappeared.
