He doesn’t know Cyrus’s end is already set, and I’ll be the one to wield the blade.
Hands quaking, I pushed the book away. No more. “Is this tidbit about the future assured, written in stone as part of my new destiny? Can it be changed?”
“Your story can always be changed, but what you cannot do is go back and alter the decisions you made in the past. Wheels have been set into motion, and they’ll drag us down a certain path. But you are looking at this wrong. The passage shows youthinkingabout running Cyrus through with your sword, not actually running him through. The right question to ask yourself is this. What will I do ifhedoesn’t change course?”
I stiffened my spine. Cyrus would. And so would I. “I won’t kill him.” I shook my head for emphasis and got slapped by my own hair. “I won’t. Not ever. Not for any reason.”
All gentleness, Domino told me, “Then you won’t. So why worry about it?”
Frustrating man. “I joined this team to save lives, not destroy them.” Especially that of someone I loved.
“You’re worrying,” Domino pointed out.
“But this can’t be right. I didn’t know I would one day stab Cyrus, so I couldn’t have entertained such a thought before this moment. Therefore, this passage isn’t an accurate representation of what happened.”
“Your heart discerns more than you realize, especially when you read a passage of your book, which you had done before this event occurred. Far more was contained in the words than you can possibly fathom in one setting. It always takes a bit of chewing for your mind to digest everything. In that regard, you knew, and know, what’s to come.”
I thought back, recalling the blip of sadness I’d experienced when I’d spotted the royals speaking with Mr. Vyle, Felix among them. As if I had, indeed, known what was to come.
“Why did Soal show me this?” Why?
As proud as he was grim, Domino told me, “You were finally ready.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Foolishness is revealed with a quick temper; it is when you control your emotions that you master the circumstances too.
—The Book of Soal1.20.12.16
The door opened with a whoosh. Cyrus stomped inside, glowering. But he took one look at me and evinced only concern. “What’s wrong?” He stalked over, crouched in front of my chair, and cupped my cheeks, searching my eyes.
“I might stab you,” I admitted, miserable. “And also, Lolli and your grandfather told the truth.” The raggedness of my voice scraped my ears. “Felix shot me. He’s a Soalian whose motives are still unknown.”
Rage iced every inch of Cyrus, and he jerked to his full height. “I’ll kill him.”
“You don’t have permission from the emperor.” Or Soal. “You’ll be disqualified and never become king. And did you miss the part about me possibly stabbing you?”
He ran his tongue over his teeth. “I have permission. And I’m not worried about what you’ll do.”
Okay, I’d definitely be asking more about that permission. But first, I clasped his hand and peered up at him through my thick fan of lashes. “Felix has decided to end your life instead of mine.”
Cyrus worked his jaw. “He won’t succeed. But hewillpay.” The rage deepened as he helped me stand. “We should go back.”
“Yes.” We’d go back and think. Plan. “What did you read in your book? Anything about agreeing to pretend to be stabbed by me?”
“Nothing.” Flat tone, flatter expression. “The text remained coded.”
Because he’d feared what he would read? Seeking confirmation, I darted my gaze to and from Domino, who watched us with obvious pity.
“Tell me Ember is racer ready, at least,” I requested with a tremor.
“She’s better every day and almost operating at full strength.” A muscle beneath his eye jumped. “We discussed what I’d read in my book previously.” Turning his palm into mine, Cyrus moved his grip to my wrist, squeezing tight, as if he suspected I might bolt.
“You mean the part about losing me?” Unease settled between us, an invisible blockade neither of us could breach.
Lids lowered to slits, he offered a clipped incline of his chin.
I wondered ... Did Ember and Soal attempt to protect him from what I might do? Did they fight to save his life? Maybe at some point I was driven to insanity?
