Page 13 of Fate of the Sun King

Gabriel lifts his mug to his lips, blowing on the surface as his gaze slides to me. He doesn’t have to finish the rest of his thought—he uses that fact to his advantage whenever possible.

“So you’ll stay quiet then.”

“For now,” he says. “But I can stretch the limits of my leash for only so long. He doesn’t have to give a direct order for me to believe you might be acting against his best interests, which is at the heart of everything I’m compelled to protect.”

I nod, understanding his position. I know he has no choice. “What if I swore to you that nothing we’re doing here is intended to hurt Atlas? This has nothing to do with him. Or Aphelion, for that matter.”

“That helps,” he says. “I might be able to give you more time then.”

I blow out a breath of relief. “Thank you.”

“Consider it a debt repaid. After all this time.” He gives me a significant look, and I nod again. “Besides, I’m not entirely sure whose side I’m on at the present moment.”

Those words slip out like he hadn’t really meant to give them voice as he stares out the window. We both fall into silence, enveloped by the chatter of the afternoon patrons.

A rumble vibrates under my feet as the ground shifts. Gabriel and I cling to the table, protecting our coffee cups from bouncing off the surface as the café falls silent, bracing against the quake. It lasts only a few seconds before it stops, everyone pausing in surprise for several beats before the conversation rushes back.

Reports have been filing in through Aphelion and from the rest of Ouranos of strange happenings just like this. The earth trembling, and stars falling from the sky. Of diminishing resources in the lakes and rivers and forests. Of unusual temperatures. Snow falling in deserts and avalanches roaring through mountains. It’s all become a source of gossip and speculation.

It reminds me a bit of the unrest we experienced after we lost our magic all those years ago and similar things occurred. But our magic seems fine, and I’m sure it’s just the cycle of nature and its quirks, though it also feels like it’s come on rather suddenly.

“Why are you here with Lor?” Gabriel asks after another moment.

“You know I can’t tell you that.”

“Yeah. I figured,” he says, picking up his coffee and taking a sip. “You were a bit weird about her, though. What was that about?”

“Weird?” I ask, attempting to keep my tone innocent, knowing that when it comes to Lor, I’m about as opaque as glass.

Gabriel sits back and eyes me up and down, seeing right through my transparent brick wall. He’s always been an observant asshole. It’s what makes him such a good soldier.

“Oh fuck. Don’t tell me that you two are…” He curls his lip.

“Watch it,” I snarl, and Gabriel’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Don’t you find her a little feral? Abrasive? Mouthy?”

I lean back, crossing my legs, offering him a lazy grin.

She’s feral and difficult and makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes. All the time. It’s what makes me so insane.

“Yes. Very.”

Gabriel snorts. “It’s your funeral, I guess.”

“I guess.”

I look around the café, noting the steady stream of Fae and humans coming in and out.

Gabriel is watching me, his keen eyes missing nothing.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re hiding something. What is she to you? Really.”

He narrows his gaze, once again noticing details anyone else might miss.

“I’m not sure yet.”