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She nods, satisfied, then turns back to him. “What is it you think you have to offer?”
He gives her a grim smile. “To begin with, I know your standing at court has been affected by the falling out you had with my mother.”
And because she won’t face Einar, which he also knows, but wisely doesn’t say.
“I can approach her on your behalf,” he says. “I also understand there are…associates who have recently been taken into custody.”
She looks at him shrewdly. “You will see that they are released.”
It’s not quite a question, but he nods anyway.
“And you understand the things I will ask of you?” she prods.
No, Remy, you don’t. You don’t even begin to.
“I do,” he says.
He’s still under the serum, so I know that at least he believes what he’s saying. He’s wrong, though. So, so wrong.
“Very well,” Madame says. “I’ll give you a single chance to prove your worth to me. It goes without saying that you will not enjoy the consequences should you fail.”
“I understand.”
“No,” her voice is soft, menacing. “But you will.”
Remy’s shoulders sag with a relief that is entirely too premature. This is only the beginning. The fact that she has indulged his contingency plans thus far does not give him a shred of safety in the upcoming days or weeks.
Let alone what kind of havoc she could wreak on his soul.
She orders me to unchain him, and I do. Before she lets us leave, she hands us each a tonic. She doesn’t bother to explain what they do, but mine is familiar enough and I can easily guess at his.
“I am willing to consider that there was a fluke last time,” she tells me. “But there is absolutely no reason this will not be successful. Do you understand?”
Does she actually believe that? Or is this her brand of mercy, a soft spot for those she considers her children, as Remy had said?
Or is it just another example of her ruthlessness? A willingness to use the tools she needs to achieve her end?
There’s no telling, and it doesn’t really matter as long as it gets us out of here alive. So I give her another nod of acquiescence.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Good. Then I expect you to keep him in line. Your brother will be checking in with instructions.”
I hear the threat in her words.Damian will be watching.
Remy gets to his feet with considerably less grace than usual, and I turn to go, resisting the urge to grab him and run full on out of the dungeons, away from her.
“One more thing,” she orders, and I freeze. “The Jokithan King is a problem. See that he leaves.”
I nearly cry with relief. That will be easy enough.
“Consider it done,” Remy answers before I have to.
Then together, we make our way out of the dungeon. Goosebumps form along my skin, though the dungeons aren’t half as cold as they have been.
She expects the tonic to work this time. She expects an heir. Which means that whatever impossible plan we’ve come up with, we now have less than four weeks to see it through.
CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE
