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“You don’t trust me with your daughter,” she surmised, her expression sour. “You…care for her.”
“I love her,” he corrected her, his attention touching on the spot where the director had vanished. “I was given more of a chance to know her than you were to know me, but Father cost us both something precious.” He rested his hand on my shoulder. “I lost her once. I won’t risk her again.”
“You may enjoy safe passage as well,” she said after a long consideration. “However, if you—or your daughter—seek to liberate Albert Nádasdy, say in ten years’ time, your lives are forfeit.”
“I give you my word I have no interest in my father or his fate or his future.”
“Me neither,” I chimed in quick, happy to reassure her he was one gift we didn’t require a receipt for.
As she began sinking into the water, Dad and I stood shoulder-to-shoulder and watched until she and her retinue had returned to the depths.
“Quality family time.” I cocked an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“I don’t like how much she praised your ruthlessness.” He shook his head. “It was too admiring.”
“That’s what worried you? I was more afraid she would attempt to trade for Asa.”
Had she known the extent of his influence, she might have decided ruling Hael would be easier with the former high prince on a smaller and lower throne beside her.
“She will require an heir when Aedan is released from his duties. If she gets you under her sway, she might not look any farther for his replacement. She’s cunning, and neither of us can afford to forget it.”
Because I was curious and had recently undergone my own parental-identity crises, I asked, “No interest in fostering a relationship with your mother?”
“I regret what Father did to her, to us, but no. I’m not opposed to developing a cordial relationship with her, but I’m not interested in inviting her deeper into our lives until she proves herself trustworthy.”
So, sometime next to never then.
“I can respect that.” I let my head fall back on my shoulders. “I can’t believe we actually did it.”
“We secured Aedan’s freedom,” Asa said from behind me, “but we have more work to do if we intend to stop what Luca put into motion.”
“You’re right.” As ready as I was to set down my burdens, it wasn’t time yet. “Everyone, pack for Boston.”
With access to Nan’s files, Colby could track down Luca’s remaining allies and their stashes of king killer. From there, the Kellies could coordinate efforts with agents in the field. But first, we had a stop to make.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Isiforos sat in a cell playing solitaire on his bunk with a deck that looked as beat up as I felt. He heard the door open at the end of the hall and lifted his head with resignation in his eyes. He spotted me, and the cards fell out of his hands.
“Hey.” I waved to him, like an idiot. “Ready to get out of here?”
Jumping to his feet, he gripped the bars. “Are you serious?”
“Luca is dead.” I winced at the scar tissue left from his tattoo removal. “You’re free, in more ways than one.”
His forehead hit the metal, and his fists tightened, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at me again.
“I’m sorry, Rue.” He blew out a long sigh. “I’m so damn sorry. For everything. I know that’s not enough. If you want to demote me, kill me, or revoke your licensing permissions with Dad, I understand.”
That he lumped the loss of his dad’s crafting empire in with his death as potential punishments told me I wasn’t wrong. He was one of the good ones.
“You don’t owe me any apologies. You were under orders. You had no control over yourself or your actions. You neverwould have done the things you did without someone else forcing your hand.”
The clench of his fingers lessened, but he didn’t withdraw. “But?—”
“But nothing.” I was a pro at this, having given the speech to Clay many times. “You’re absolved of any and all wrongdoing. The tattoo is gone. Even if someone from the Lyonne coven tried to use it to control you, they can’t.” I covered his hand with mine. “It’s okay, Isiforos.” I pried each digit off the bars. “Let’s go.”
When he finally hauled his gaze up to mine, his eyes shimmered. “Where to, boss?”
