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“Can we wrap up this episode of ‘Who’s the Daddy?’ and maybe get down to business?” Xavier pleads. I catch his icy gaze registering the cut on my cheek and neck. He shoots a glare at his brother, who nearly stumbles back from the force of that look, before focusing on Ellie.
“What do you want with me if we’re not getting back together?” Ellie asks. Her shoulders droop, her whole posture collapsing in on itself as the realization that Essos doesn’t want her sinks in.
Kai grabs the chair from in front of me and slides it to Ellie, so she doesn’t have to stand the entire time she’s in there. It’s a kindness she doesn’t deserve.
“Nothing. You’re going to sit there, like a good little hostage, and hope that Galen hasn’t overstated your value,” Xavier tells her while circling her cage.
Ellie spits at his face.
He takes a step back, letting it fly past him. Then he turns that cold, vicious glare on her. “Eliana, it is in your best interest to not piss us off. My sister-in-law has raging hormones, and who knows what she’ll do to a rogue nymph? Unlike us, you can die with one bad thought. Or perhaps we can test how vulnerable the child of a Fate is.”
I’m less concerned about what I’ll do and more concerned about Helene and Cat. Both of them look like they’re crafting clever ways to make her disappear and have no one the wiser. Ellie goes pale at the insinuation of her parentage, but I would love to have her confirm it for me.
I clear my throat. “I have to ask: did your mother throw you in Essos’s path because you were just her pawn and she would have put anyone there or did you beg her to let you at my husband the way you begged for him today?”
“I have always loved Essos more than you. It’s because of my love for him that my mother promised to keep him safe when she comes for you. And she will, Daphne. She will and when you’re mortal again, I’m going to enjoy watching you grow older and older, forced to watch while Essos enjoys my body.”
I see Xavier cast a glance in Essos’s direction, a brow quirked, wondering what she means about everyone being mortal again. Does Ellie realize what she’s let slip?
Essos steps toward Ellie and into her circle. “What gives you the impression that mortality is in the cards for Daphne again?” His voice is tender and sweet, as if he didn’t just pull the rug out from under her. It’s a little sad to watch as she sinks into his touch when he strokes her cheek. I might actually feel bad for her and all her delusions.
“The gods don’t deserve their power, except for you, Essos. But your siblings, your traitorous wife, and your friends abuse their power. Mortality for them is the only way to level the playing field.”
Helene looks over at me and scratches at the bandage on her arm. I can’t remember if she was there when we discussed the dagger being used to collect the blood of those cut with it. If not, she’s no doubt been filled in, but I don’t like the way the sight of the bandage causes worry to creep up, making my whole body tense.
“And what is she going to do with the immortality of gods? She’s a Fate. She doesn’t need it.”
Ellie’s eyes are practically hearts even as Essos interrogates her. “She’s going to take them the way she’s been taking souls. If she’s more powerful, then she can better protect Solarem.”
“Why should we trust anything Ellie has to say? If she’s dumb enough to tell us everything, what are the chances she actually knows anything truthful?” Galen prods. “You didn’t even believe me when I said anything.”
“That’s because you were too narrow-minded. You only wanted Daphne. Mother couldn’t trust that you wouldn’t turn on her to get what you wanted. She trusts me. I am her child!” Ellie shouts while stomping her foot.
“I still don’t buy that you’re the child of a Fate.” Xavier leans close to her as Essos steps out of the circle and away from her. “Shouldn’t you have even a whiff of power?”
“You were too busy with your own dalliances to even know. I’m the child of her and a dryad. My father raised me because he supported my mother’s dreams. When I was old enough, she told me everything I needed to know about the royal family. She introduced me to Essos before she got me the job in your office. Before you started to see Daphne. You were on your way to meetmewhen you savedher.”
Essos seems to think about this. After saving me from the chariot, Essos insisted he walk me to wherever I was going. I had a study group I was going to, but Essos charmed me with an easy smile. We wound up taking a long, looping walk through Solarem for hours until the sun started to set. He made me promise him a dinner, and I agreed.
Essos’s eyebrow lifts and he nods, confirming. He looks toward me. “I was going to meet someone for coffee, a blind date set up by my mother. She wanted me to start to think about settling down because every good king needs a queen.”
My husband grabs my hand, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. Ellie makes a choked noise. I doubt there is much more we can get out of her, but I’m happy to leave that up to someone else to handle.
I create a creature similar to Galen’s guards from a tree we placed down here for just this purpose. The tree creature lumbers toward us.
“Please guard Ellie and ensure that she is provided with meals.” The creature doesn’t give any sort of acknowledgement. I want to go upstairs and soak in the bath and wash all these horrible feelings off me. “If you don’t mind, this fat slut has things to attend to, like the kingdom I rule. BecauseI’mthe queen.” I level a pointed glare at Ellie before walking out with Essos hot on my heels.
Once we’re clear of the throne room and back on the main level of our home, a choked sob rips free. There aren’t any words to soothe the pain of that situation, but Essos doesn’t hesitate to scoop me into his arms and carry me to our room.
We clear the doorway and it’s not a moment too soon for me to run to the toilet. Essos plops on the ground beside me in an undignified way. With one hand holding my hair back, he uses the other to rub my back.
“You’re an incredible woman, you know that?” he tells me quietly.
I lift my head from the bowl long enough to glare. “Is it the vomit or the sweat that does it for you?”
Essos snickers. “It’s your strength. I’m so proud of what you did today. Most women wouldn’t have been able to handle it. Hell, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it if I had to watch you kiss Galen.”
I flush, then fall back on my bottom so I can look at Essos. “But youdid. You did it while the Trials were going on. You stood back and did what had to be done. Don’t act like I did some heroic thing today.”
