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“He’s leading the army,” Tavion reminded me drily. “Unless one of us would be a better general?”
“Don’t be an arse; I know what Zor’s doing. Every move the Oracle makes has been planned, for an eternity.” Even though I knew I shouldn’t, I slid my hand into my pocket and stroked the smooth stone, instantly feeling more settled.
“If we knew what the Oracle wanted from us, we could outmaneuver her.” Raz slid me a look that clearly saidgood luck with that.
“Dane said your family’s been using those tunnels for centuries. What about before?” Raziel went to the fireplace, blew the dust off the stack of firewood, then started stacking. “You’re telling me nothing strange ever happened before yesterday?”
“Legend has it, my great great grandsire uncovered the entrance on our family property, but given the blood of the Old Gods runs in our veins…I’d say that had less to do with luck, and more to do with providence.”
For once, Tavion didn’t give one of his smart-ass answers. “And no. I’ve seen those skulls and bones a hundred times since I was a pup, and never paid them any mind.” I lifted my brow and a ghostly smile danced across his face. “Of course, I was curious, but they were always just…there. I was never drawn to them, like I was yesterday.”
“You’ve been using the tunnels to smuggle goods in and out of Tempeste?” Tristan paced over to the stack of logs and flicked his fingers. The next second, a fire blazed in the hearth, as if it had been burning for hours.
“Dane turned smuggling into an art. Of course, these last twenty years it’s been a matter of survival for the city. As Anaria astutely pointed out, we’ve made our fortunes several times over these past two decades.”
Something about the intense way Tavion looked at me when he uttered those words—two decades—sent gooseflesh rising on my arms, though I wasn’t sure why.
“Caladrian gold spends just as well as Solarys gold,” he pointed out, his tone a touch defensive.
Not a surprise, since the bottle beside him was empty, most of the contents warming his and Tristan’s bellies. From the glazed-over look in Tavion’s eyes, the Menrovian liquor was starting to take effect.
“My gut tells me the Oracle will order us to fight in the war,” Raziel murmured. “But Zor’s bringing the entire army. I don’t see what difference we’d make, given he rides with five thousand armed soldiers.”
“Cut that collar off and you’d make a difference,” Tavion countered brusquely, his green eyes glinting.
I didn’t miss Raz’s quick jolt of surprise before he set two more logs into the fire then pushed to his feet, a golden glow licking his beautiful face. “If undoing the spell didn’t kill me outright, the Shadow King would know the second the spell was broken. There are certain…conditions to my imprisonment. I know better than to break them.”
Tavion leaned forward. “So you’ve often said.” He gestured to the luxurious room around us. “We’re far outside Solarys. Even the king couldn’t enforce his terms here. Julian used to regale us with tales of your…wartime accomplishments.” His smile tightened. “Anaria should know the manner of male she’s sleeping with, don’t you think?”
I bit back thefuck youthat was on my lips.
Every single time Tavion approached being decent, he had to turn around and become a bastard.
“Oh, trust me, I know.” I ran my hand down Raz’s arm, never breaking my stare with Tavion as I smiled sweetly. “And I’m really hoping to get another reminder tonight.”
Tristan snorted then climbed to his feet, swaying as he pulled another bottle from the cabinet. Raz’s musky scent wrapped around me, a dark promise for later. Fuck Tavion and his constant need to undermine us.
“On that note…” Raziel gripped my hand and I let him lead me away, Tristan studiously reading the label on the pilfered bottle, Tavion glaring daggers at the both of us.
“We’ll see you bright and early. If you stay up all night drinking, don’t blame me if the Oracle eats you for breakfast.”
15
ANARIA
The chill mountain wind hit me the second Raz shut the door of the bedroom, and I crossed to the balcony, closing the glass doors I’d left open earlier. “Oh my gods, it’s freezing.”
“Nights are colder up here. Colder than the city because the stone holds in the heat.” Raz’s lips twitched when he surveyed the little stove in the corner of the room. “I could find some wood…”
“No, stay. If you go down there, Tavion will make some snarky comment and you’ll end up beating his arse, and then we won’t get any sleep.”
Raz waggled his eyebrows. “You’re expecting to sleep tonight?”
I laughed and waggled mine right back. “I hope not, but we do have a big day tomorrow.” The smile slid off my face at the thought of what was only a few hours away.
“Not that I want tomorrow to come.”
“Well, wishing won’t keep the Oracle away.” Raz slipped behind me, tucking me against his chest, his finger tracing the iron band on my arm. “And I’ll be right beside you the whole time. I’m not leaving you alone with that spider for even a second.”
