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Heavy boots clomped up the three steps leading to Raz’s front door and even before the cold washed over me, I knew exactly who I’d see. Tavion stepped inside, his cloak whirling around him.
“We leave this afternoon. Carriages are ready, I’m having the servants packmy wife’sthings as we speak.”He was too much. Too fucking much.
I squeezed Raz’s hand. “I already told you,husband, I am not going to Warrington.”
Raz tensed up beside me and I grit my teeth.
I would not allow Tavion to play his fucking games. Bad enough he’d tortured me for weeks, then done a complete turnaround with his be-kind-to-Anaria act. I refused to allow him to fuck with Raziel.
“Where is Zorander?” I asked softly. “He’ll put an end to this bullshite.”
“He’s heading for Tempeste, as general of the Shadow King’s army.” Tavion’s voice was tight, rage glimmering in his eyes.
“You were late to today’s audience; the king announced his invasion of Caladrius first to stir up the crowd.”
No, that can’t be right, Zor would have said something…
“You didn’t think all the king’s war mongering these past weeks was just posturing, did you?” Tavion asked softly and this time, he didn’t bother keeping his anger under control. “That this was all some kind of fucking game?That the war was a fucking game?”
“No, I just…” For the space of a heartbeat there was nothing but silence. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“We are out of time. But don’t worry,wife.” Tavion’s grin grew wider, I tightened my grip on Raziel’s hand. “You aren’t going to Warrington after all.”
His smile gleamed with malice as he turned his gaze on Raziel and the room faded away, every part of me focused on the tension humming through Raz like a current. “Tell her where we’re going, Raziel, since she trusts her lover more thanher husband.”
I hated him. Hated this male who played such cruel games.
“We didn’t have time to warn you, Anaria. We barely had time to pull a plan together before Zor left.” Raz’s deep voice was so thick with misery, Tavion’s eyes glowed bright, which made me want to throttle him.
“After you left last night, everything happened too fast, and we couldn’t get word to you, the Keep was locked down after the king announced the invasion. Zorander was ordered to move the armies into Caladrius. But before he did…”
“Zor received a message. From Tempeste.From Torin.” Tristan clarified, snapping his fingers.
The fire guttered, then went out, warmth vanishing from the room, nothing but cold ashes in the soot-stained hearth “We’ve been summoned by the Oracle. She knows Solok is dead.”
The air whooshed out of my lungs when Tristan’s hazel eyes met mine. “She knows you killed him. She knowseverything, Anaria.”
He yanked back his sleeve and crossed the floor, holding out his arm. There, on his wrist, was a black mark, and panic bloomed in my heart. “Zor’s is even bigger.” Tristan jerked his head to Tavion. “He’s got one, too.”
“Except I’ll never tell where mine is.” Tavion winked, but there was no humor in his expression, only stone-cold fury.
“Today’s audience was a just smokescreen for the king, an excuse to explain away our disappearance. We’re headed to Tempeste, Anaria.” Raz murmured, my heart splintering at the raw fear on his face.
“And we’ll have to move fast, to beat Zorander and the entire Solarys army there.”
* * *
