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Kentarch indicated his missing hand.
Sol blinked. “A tie? Like what old people used to wear? Let’s rethink your choices, hunter.”
“C’mere.” Joules knotted me up. “Had to wear one to mass every Sunday.”
“Thanks, podna.” I nodded at him, pleased he was giving this night a chance.
He grumbled something about the Empress’s cooking, then said, “If Calanthe could see me now, ‘styled’ by the Sun Card, and gussied up for a date with Death . . .”
Everybody got quiet. Then we all burst out laughing.
Once our laughter faded, the mood shifted, nerves setting in.
Joules said, “Are we really doin’ this? I mean, how are you goin’ to react to the Empress with Death together—and their kid?”
No sugar-coating from Joules. I shared a glance with Kentarch and said, “I’ll manage, me. We doan have time for anything else.” I’d once believed Dominija would get a chance to stick around with Evie and Tee long enough for his son to know him. I didn’t anymore.
The game would have its due.
Which meant we were all on borrowed time, because—like the Swords—everyone in this hangar would fight to the end.
Would I be reincarnated? Didn’t feel like I would. Still not buying I was an Arcana.
Would I go to heaven or hell? Didn’t know; my Catholic beliefs were all askew.
The only things I knew for certain were that I loved Evie and that these guys were my brothers-in-arms. We’d been through so much together, clawing our way across miles and bowing up to danger.
I broke out my flask and passed it around.
Gabe took a swig, and his wings shuddered. “Whiskey has yet to grow on me. I might be immune to the appeal.”
“Not me, birdbrain!” After Joules took a hearty drink, Kentarch motioned for the flask. “You want a slug, Tarch?”
He’d never had so much as a taste. Succinct as ever: “Why not?” He took a sip, grimaced. “We’ve been hauling around bottles of this for months?”
I grinned. “I can’t say doan knock it till you’ve tried it anymore, huh?”
Sol laughed. “Only about being a demigod!”
I gazed at each of their faces, and words left my lips: “Cheers to you, podnas. The best hand I could have been dealt to ride out an apocalypse.”
37
The Empress
Dear God, it was happening.
No, not now. Not tonight. My sips of wine grew bitter on my tongue.
Lark’s eyes flashed red as she communed with a scout to locate our enemies. “Richter and Zara are coming in hot.”
I gave a humorless laugh. “You’ve been waiting months to say that.”
Her eyes cleared. “Years. Actual years,” she admitted. “They’re a couple hundred miles out.”
As we set aside our glasses, Circe sighed. “They win the timing award. I say we kill them extra just for this.”
Aric gazed out the window. “Even with tailwind, Fortune can’t fly here in under an hour. And I suspect Richter will flank or follow her.” He turned to me. “Are you ready?”
To never see my son again? No. I want everything to be different. I want peace and sunshine and a chance to build this family! Instead, I said tonelessly, “Make the call.”
Forgoing the phone, he closed his eyes and communicated with Kentarch. After a few moments, he opened his eyes. “The Chariot said they will be here in ten minutes. Without Jack. Kentarch will then transport Tee back. We need to ready ourselves and the baby.”
I nodded.
All bravado, Lark said, “Then let’s make like a shepherd and get the flock upstairs. Meet you back here.”
Circe indulged in one last sip of wine, muttering, “Kill them extra.” She and Lark headed to their rooms.
I took a precious moment to gaze back at the table. “It would have been a lovely dinner.” I tried to take consolation from the beauty of the potential.
Aric held my hand under the glittering chandelier. “Yes, love, it would have. We’ll enjoy it as a victory celebration instead.”
“Good idea,” I said, playing along. As I’d thought when I’d been my mom’s caretaker: We were both actors in our roles.
I was convinced I wasn’t coming back from this battle. And Aric believed the same of himself.
The Hunter
“Plan J,” Kentarch suddenly said.
Huh? We’d all been talking, sharing another round of whiskey nips before the big dinner. Then the Chariot’s military posture had grown even stiffer.
“Uh, what does that mean?”
Without warning, the trio of Arcana rushed toward Kentarch—and then they all disappeared.
Three realizations struck me. The battle was tonight, Dominija had double-crossed me, and everybody had been in on it.
38
The Empress
Aric, Tee, and I rendezvoused with Circe and Lark in the foyer just as the hangar crew materialized.
When Aric had escorted me back to our room to change into battle gear—jeans, boots, and a coat for me; armor and swords for him—I’d gotten the sense that this would be the last time we would ever walk together. My hand had shaken in his. He’d noticed, bringing my palm to his lips to kiss. “We’ll be okay, Evie.”
