From the platform of thrones, Minos gave Talon a respectful nod before switching his attention to me. “Anara,” he drawled in a greeting that wasn’t necessarily welcoming. “I had hoped that you would be here sooner.” It was a reprimand, plain and simple.
“As did I,” I told him as Talon and I halted several feet away. “Unfortunately, the lines for the bathhouses were rather long.” I had the feeling that the Sovereigns forgot that not everyone had the luxury of a private bathing area. “I apologize for the delay.”
Minos’ gaze dropped to the healing wound on my cheek. I hadn’t applied salve to it, or to my other injuries.
Talon had done it.
Something he’d silently insisted on, glaring at me when I tried protesting. He had applied it quickly and efficiently,allbusiness. Then he had watched, arms folded, while I dressed … all the while frowning. He could be seriously weird sometimes.
“So,” began Minos, idly tapping his fingers on the armrest of his throne, “your power surfaced.”
“Yes,” I confirmed.
“And you survived it,” Rhad added.
I nodded.
“I must say, it came as a surprise.” Eacus slid his gaze to the raven-haired female. “Ariadne, leave us.”
She gave a graceful nod and elegantly padded out of the chamber.
I switched my attention back to the Sovereigns … and something caught my eye. There was a crack in the platform on which the three thrones were placed. I searched my memories, almost sure that it hadn’t been there on any of the last occasions I’d come here.
Minos left his throne, pulling me out of my contemplations; my pulse hiccupped when he came too close for comfort. “Your power isn’t very intense,” he commented, somewhat haughty. “Quite weak, in fact.”
I wasn’t so sure it was weak at all, but I had no intention of letting him know that. Instead, I let out a sad sigh of agreement. “I think that’s why it didn’t kill me when it surfaced.”
A thoughtful look fell over his face. “I would wager that is the case.”
Rhad absently scratched his cheek, ruffling his beard. “Give us a demonstration,” he demanded, every inch the royal.
I lifted my palm. Flickers of moonlight arced along my fingers moments before I conjured an orb of ashes—one that I ensured was weak and unstable.
“Strange.” Minos hovered a hand over the orb that I held. “The heat is bearable. The ashes are not tightly clustered together.”
“I’m hoping I improve, but that might be wishful thinking.” I half-expected Talon to snort or something. He’d seen me in battle; he’d surely seen the orbs that I’d conjured earlier—they were much hotter and more harmful than this. But nothing in his expression must have given that away, because the Sovereigns would have noticed.
Maybe hehadn’tseen the orbs that I’d tossed around during the battle—after all, he had been rather preoccupied.
“How fast do you heal?” Minos asked me.
“Pretty fast,” I replied, letting my orb disintegrate, “but not so much that I don’t have to use salve.”
“Yes, I smell it on you.” Seeming somewhat appeased by that ‘weakness,’ Minos slid his attention to the Cardinal. “What do you think of all this?”
Talon gave a lazyI don’t see what the big deal isshrug.
Minos twisted his mouth. “Hmm, I suppose it all matters little. It is not as if the gods will use her. They cannot since, as I’d suspected all along, being mortal makes the power she carries weak.” He refocused on me. “And yet, you have not pulled out of Xalbia.”
“As I confessed last time, we mortals always have something to prove to ourselves.” I gave a sheepish shrug.
Minos stared at me, his expression pensive. “I had considered not granting you a place in the Order irrespective of whether you passed Xalbia or not.”
I stilled. He freakingwhat?
“But at the moment, while attacks are forever imminent, every officiate counts,” he continued. “So if you pass, you will become part of the Black Tapestry.”
I subtly let out a relieved breath.
