I finally look over my shoulder. Sure enough, Sebastian stands at the mouth of the hallway, Grace leaned against him and Beatrice lurking behind his shoulder. She glares at Elliot in a way that warms my chest. She is the terrible big sister I never wanted but begrudgingly appreciate anyway.
“We’re going to my quarters,” I announce. I grab Elliot’s hand, but I only make it a few steps before he stops me.
“Actually, I’d like to speak with them,” he says. He meets my confused gaze with a soft smile. “We need to adjust our plans.”
“I knew you didn’t miss me,” I accuse.
“Believe me, I did,” he says.
He leans forward to kiss me, but Sebastian steps forward, clearing his throat.
“You want to speak?” he growls. “Then speak.”
“I can’t tellif you’re serious,” I say.
We’re back in the courtyard. Sebastian and Grace sit at the head of one side, and Beatrice sits opposite them. Milas and Amelia take the bench nearest the stone wall, and I sit with Elliot on the other side.
“Unfortunately, I am,” he says. He pulls a parchment from his pocket and smooths it over the table. Everyone leans forward, clambering to read it at the same time. “She says she’s found a way to strengthen the sun curse. If she’s right—and I’d be shocked if she misjudged—you’ll burn beneath the sun and moon alike.”
The ritual on Elliot’s parchment is half-formed and scattered. It’s written in his hand, and it’s clear this was done from memory.
“This implies she would die,” Beatrice says, looking up from the parchment. She arches a thin brow. “We’re supposed to believe your mother isthatdetermined to kill us?”
“She’s already dying,” he says. He swallows as he speaks, hands fidgeting, but he holds Beatrice’s unrelenting stare. “A consequence of the curse sealing. She’s got less than a month. This is her way of making it a meaningful death. She was the one to cast the curse; she’s the one who can strengthen it. ”
“What does this mean for us?” Grace asks. She twists to Sebastian, grabbing his shoulder. “Are we going to die too?”
“No, love. Nothing is going to happen to you. We have the sunwalker spell,” Sebastian says. He kisses the crown of her head, but he pointedly avoids my gaze as he looks back to Elliot.
Truthfully, I don’t know if the sunwalker spell will be enough to protect them. I’ll have to test it before any of them venture outside.
“How do we stop it?” he asks.
“I have a plan,” Elliot says. Beneath the table, he grabs my knee, squeezing firmly. “It will require a lot of trust.”
“In you?” Beatrice snarls. She looks between the rest of us. “This is obviously a trap.”
“It’s not,” I say. I ignore her scathing glare and focus only on Elliot. “What’s your plan?”
“They’re meeting tomorrow afternoon,” he says. “We’ll need to reach her before then. Once they’re in the augur house, it will be far more difficult to interfere.”
“And do what?” I ask.
“Change her mind?” Grace suggests.
“Kill her?” Beatrice offers at the same time.
“No,” Elliot says. He closes his eyes and moves both hands to the table, tapping erratically. “We’ll have to take her somewhere. I’m not sure where, but I’ll figure it out. We’ll have to hold her until we can mass produce sunwalker spells. We’ll make sure they can withstand moonlight too, if it comes to it.”
“What you’re describing…” Sebastian trails off. He looks between his inner circle, to me, and finally back to Elliot. “This is an act of war. Do you understand? If we hold your mother hostage, people on both sides will inevitably die.”
“If we don’t,allof your people will,” Elliot says. Then, “I know it’s a lot to process, but time isn’t on our side. I don’t think they’d attempt the ritual right then and there, but we can’t risk them finding out. We need to get to her before she reveals anything.”
It’s honestly repulsive how much I believe the words. It’s been over a decade since Elliot killed Harrison on my behalf. He could be a changed man. He could have spent the past twelve years being manipulated by his mama. Our past several weeks together might be nothing more than careful groundwork, a way to trick me into trusting him.
But I know it’s not. I wouldn’t only bet my life on it—I would bet everyone’s at this table.
As the others whisper amongst themselves, Sebastian turnsto me. His jaw works as he studies me, and even before he speaks, I know what he wants to know.
