“He is machiavellian,” muttered Andromeda, but all of my attention was on Dio as he carefully considered.
“He is certainly a more appropriate suspect for your father’s abduction, if that is what you mean to ascertain. But I am not sure his ambitions are so… utilitarian. He is a master of secrets but rarely a puppeteer. What I can say is that he has developed an interest in your mate. For what purpose or reasons, I am unsure, but he certainly expends a good deal of resources to keep an eye on her.”
There was a commotion in the hallway before Riordan could reply. I moved defensively next to my king as the door was opened by an unnerved guard.
“Your Majesty! A scout who has been gravely injured is asking for you. He came from the Summer Quadrant. Sounds like he might have a message from the one who attacked him. Someone called Ornella?”
It felt like the ground fell away beneath me as Riordan jolted immediately to his feet. I followed him into the hall where I could now hear screams echoing. Both Dio and Hermes joined us just as two more guards appeared at the end of the hall. They were dragging a third male between them whose shirt had beentorn open to expose his chest, which appeared to have been badly clawed.
“What the fuck?” I muttered when I noted his bloody hands and the way he was desperately fighting the guards who had to keep his hands down.
He did that to himself,I said down the link to Riordan who sent me his agreement in return.
“Get a physician!” screamed Rhea when she came up behind us and caught sight of the scout.
But I knew it was already too late for the poor Ktínos warrior once he got closer. He was so dehydrated that he looked like a skeleton. Even more disturbing were the strange leafy limbs that appeared to be slowly pushing out of his chest between his ribs.
“My king!” he screamed in desperation, but I blocked Riordan from going any closer to him.
“What if he is infected and was sent here to spread this sickness to you?” I shouted at him. Then I turned to glare at the frantic tower guards who had brought a potentially dangerous situation right into their king’s presence.
“He said the king might save him!” one of them tried to explain themselves.
There was a crack before I could reply. I turned just in time to see the scout jerk violently before his chest cavity suddenly burst wide open.
Rhea screamed in horror as blood and guts exploded all over everyone in the hallway. The guards dropped the dead scout and stumbled back as flowers began erupting out of his back. Vines spread along his spasming wings with their delicate leaves speckled in blood.
After a moment, the scout fell completely still beneath a vibrant carpet of fragrant wildflowers.
“I wonder what the message was?” Dio spoke up after a moment of silence.
“Hewasthe message,” growled Riordan.
“You still suspect Castor in some way,” I asked Riordan as we headed to his private gym to meet Amira. After the battle, she had insisted on amping up her training regime again and was learning more hand-to-hand fighting.
You heard Dio. Why is Castor so invested in Amira?Riordan responded through our bond.
She is his queen, Riordan. Perhaps he meant it when he told Amira that he sees potential in her?I suggested, but Riordan did not reply. My ambivalent attitude toward Castor had always frustrated him.
He stopped just before we entered the gym and turned to face me, but he kept our conversation mental.
I want to tell Amira about the scout later when we are alone in our chambers,he advised me, and I nodded my agreement. She would be upset when she heard what her friend had done, and her defense of the dryad was already a sensitive topic between her and Riordan.
We entered the gym where Helena was sparring with Amira while Sofia and Ares stood at the edge of the mat and watched the instruction. Usually the presence of Amira’s handmaid would have brightened Ares’s mood. Especially since she was standing right next to him when she was usually dodging his advances. But he didn’t even acknowledge her presence as he stood there with his arms crossed and called out advice and instructions to Helena and Amira. The longer his twin sister remained missing, the darker his moods would become.
The sound of air wheezing harshly out of the sparring mat brought my attention back to where Amira sat on Helena’s stomach while the other woman gave pointers. She was wearing her armour to break it in and to get used to moving in it like I’d suggested.
Seeing her in that short leather kilt and a formfitting breastplate was just as captivating in the gym as it had been when I first saw her. And I wasn’t even sure why because I’d seen thousands of women in the same outfit. And yet, as soon as I’d set eyes on her, I could not seem to look away from her.
“You are looking good, Amira!” Riordan called out to her after a moment. The hint of amusement in his voice made me finally tear my eyes from her, and I saw he was smirking at me.
Get out of my head,I berated him unseriously.
And miss the pleasure of you admiring our mate? No,Riordan reassured me.
Our mate.
Our mate.
