I’d never been anything close to friendly with him—not merely because he’d been snarky with me on several occasions, but because he viewed women as an inferior gender.Notmy kind of person. But watching him die had nonetheless made my stomach roll.
Only ten minutes ago he’d been laughing so boisterously I’d glanced his way without thought. Soon after that, I’d heard him cry out. I’d looked to see him jump to his feet so abruptly his pewter had clattered to the floor. He’d had everyone’s attention as he’d clasped his head tight, a sound ofsuch painescaping through his gritted teeth.
It had been clear that his power was ready to surface.
Some of his friends had tried crowding him as he’d tripped backwards over his bench. But he hadn’t seemed to register their presence. As if whatever pain that racked his body had left him no room for thought.
He’d somehow gotten to his knees on the floor, still grasping his skull, his knuckles white. He’d stayed like that for long moments, rocking back and forth. What had come afterwards had happened so fast it was dizzying …
His eyes had bulged. His mouth had gone slack. An agonized scream had torn out of him. Then his back had sharply arched like a bow and …snap.
Atticus now stood off to the side, a grim expression on his face that was totally at contrast to the cocky one he’d sported earlier. He’d sauntered into the food hall an hour ago, smugly announcing to his friends—nice and loud for everyone to hear—that he’d come into his power during the night. Seeing his friend die had clearly taken the shine off it all.
Now, as the end of Xalbia drew near, only forty-one of us remained.
Feeling somewhat grim, I twisted back to face Khalida. “I never liked the guy, but I wouldn’t wishthatdeath on anyone.”
She grimaced. “They say it feels like there’s a burning hot pressure building in your head while knives are stabbing and slashing open your brain. I had a feeling that he would struggle to survive coming into his power. He was more edgy and restless than any other candidate.”
I’d never admit it aloud, but I had worried that I might not live through it either. Or even that I might instead be driven insane by it. A weight had slid from my shoulders once my system officially bonded with theichor.
“It’s strange that not all godkin can handle it,” Soule remarked beside me. “I don’t see why it would destroy some—whether physically or mentally—but not others.”
Across from him, Nakoa drained her tankard. “Me neither. The Sovereigns have never explained.”
Khalida suddenly straightened in her seat, an odd glint in her eye. She cut her gaze to the male sitting on my other side. “Jelani, you should hug Anara,” she advised.Strongly.
His brow pinched. “What?”
“Or just drape your arm over her shoulders. Or gently pack her back. Something.” Khalida waved her hand, urging him to do as told.
I silently groaned. The woman was clearly still intent on using him to rouse jealousy in Talon. For her to all but order the Delphiae to touch me, Talon had to be close by.
Jelani hadn’t cottoned onto what she was doing, hence why he right then looked from me to her wearing a lost expression. “Why?”
Khalida’s mouth tightened. “Have some compassion. One of her fellow candidates just died. She needs comfort.”
His frown deepened. “She’s not upset about it.”
I sighed at her. “What will it take to make you stop?”
“For me to get my own way in this,” she shamelessly stated.
Nakoa’s brows drew together. “What am I missing?”
“I’m just trying to help Anara get a bedtime playmate,” Khalida fudged. “Quite a few males here give her the eye. If they think they have competition, they’ll act sooner rather than later once she’s officially part of the Order.”
Nakoa let out a thoughtful hum. “I don’t think you need to use Jelani to spur them into making a move. Not with the way others look at her.”
I flicked up my brow. “What, leery? Dubious? Uneasy?” Several such looks had been sent my way since I arrived at Deimos.
Khalida pulled a face. “Okay, some people give you weird looks,” she conceded. “But that’s only because you’re the first human Sayer and they don’t know what that means.”
A Sayer who had carried dormant power until now. Which the Sovereigns would soon learn. I would likely get called before them sometime this morning, if not later on. I wasn’t looking forward to that.
“It won’t stop officiates from welcoming you into the Order, if that worries you,” Soule went on.
“It does,” I said.
