Tristan lifted his head, jaw tightening. “No. No, of course not. It’s everything I’ve wanted since I was exiled, but… What does it matter if Cassandra dies behind those wards? If I can’t save her?”
Once upon a time, and not that long ago, Cael might have scoffed at his friend’s romantic melodramatics. Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on which day, which hour he was considering it—Cael understood now. All too well.
“She’s strong, Tristan. She’s afighter. It will take a lot more than Tartarus to bring her down.”
“I hope you’re right. Anyway, placing me on the throne isn’t all Ione wants. She also wantsme. Believes we’re fated by Adelphinae. Believes she’s destined to be my Empress.”
“And what do you believe?”
“I…” Tristan hesitated. “I’m not going to forsake Cassandra. And certainly not based on hearsay. Ione and I are heading to Delos tomorrow to retrieve the Compendium. I’m hoping it will offer some clarity. On many things.”
Cael nodded thoughtfully, then jutted his chin toward the door. “What’s with General Douchebag?”
Tristan snorted. “Can’t tell yet. Fae dominance thing, maybe. I think he and Ione might’ve been together before she… Doesn’t fucking matter. He’s the least of my concerns.” Tristan gripped Cael’s forearm. “Will you help me, Cael? I need people I can trust, and they’re in really short supply at the moment.”
Tristan gave Cael that piteous, wide-eyed look that always worked to get what he wanted.
“Frenzied fucking Dienses, the future Emperor of Ethyrios is giving me puppy-dog eyes,” Cael groaned.
Tristan smirked. “Still can’t resist me, can you?” Cael rolled his eyes. “Or maybe it’s not working because you’ve finally moved on and are mooning over someone else.”
Cael crossed his arms and glared. “You have no fucking idea, Saros. Nofuckingidea. Or should I call you Erabis now?”
Tristan grimaced. “Not sure I love either option, but let’s go with Erabis for the time being. I’ll meet you back here after I return from Delos. Bring a tracking device and I’ll give it to Trophonios. You can give me an update on the dragon then, too. Get Xenia to help. She’s much better than you at research, if I recall.”
Tristan handed him the flute, then gathered him into another fierce hug. Something glinted on his wrist. “Actually, here.” He handed Cael a delicate silver cuff embedded with two gems: asmall purple gem of mentrite and a speck of fire opal. “Give this to her. Girls love when you bring them presents. She might be so grateful, she’ll get down on her knees and?—”
Cael snatched the cuff with an annoyed look. “It’s not like that between us.”
“Yet?” Tristan cocked an eyebrow.
Cael ignored him, examining the delicate silver. “What’s it do?”
“It’s like a commstone. She’ll be able to receive your windwhispers. And send them back to you in return.”
“How will that work? She doesn’t have any internal magic.”
“Works even on those without it. The silver increases the stones’ power. Plus, she’ll be able to use the opal to travel anywhere she wants.”
“Anywhere within the estate,” Cael grumbled. “But thank you. This…this actually will be helpful.”
Tristan nodded, then headed for the exit. “Take care of yourself, Cael. And take care of Xenia, too.” His expression was pained as he turned back. “Don’t spend too long waiting for youryet. You have no idea how much time you’ll have with her.”
Cael looked down at the cuff. Fucking Stygios, Tristan always knew how to cut right to the core of Cael’s issues. “See you in a few days, big boy.”
Tristan winked. “Count on it.”
He left the church, and Cael overheard the rumblings of a tense conversation between him and the general. Mutterings about why Tristan had given Cael the cuff. They must have worked it out, because no one came back in to take it from him.
Cael sighed, glancing toward the altar where a statue of Nemosyna, the human Goddess of Memory, stood. The Goddess’s face was eroded—by time, by neglect. By indifference. By all those cosmic forces against which memory ceaselessly battled.
And in the battle between his father and Tristan, choosing a side was no choice at all. Cael would follow his friend to the edge of the universe and back.
As soon as he figured out a way to bring Xenia with him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Xenia fiddled with the pins that had worked their way out of her thick, unruly hair as she’d spent the afternoon tidying in the guest wing.
