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“If you do not want us dead, why not walk through the door?” Syrra asked, refusing to lower her blades. I watched her cautiously. I’d never trained with those weapons but knew they were only wielded by the most skilled Elvish warriors. The scars that trailed down her arms were proof of that. Intricate branches that stretched down her limbs flourished with leaves I didn’t recognize. Elvish warriors only received a marking in recognition of a great feat. Syrra had several.
“The truth?” I said, tapping the point of my sword with my finger. I smirked at her as a tiny drop of blood dripped from my skin.
Syrra’s black eyes never left mine, but her broad shoulders tensed. “I have no interest in lies.”
“When I climbed onto the roof, I hadn’t decided yet,” I said. “If I was going to come in, I mean. Then I overheard yourrivetingconversation. You reached a decision. There was no reason to put off introductions. The window smashing was for Nikolai’s benefit.” I feigned a swipe in his direction. He stepped back holding his knife pathetically out in front of him.
“Me?” Nikolai choked.
I shrugged. “I figured you’d appreciate the dramatic entrance,” I said, echoing his words from Feron’s dinner.
The room was silent as they stared at me until Nikolai broke into a fit of hearty laughter. Syrra shot him a look while Riven shook his head.
“I knew I liked you,” Nikolai said between ragged breaths. His previous fear melted away as he patted my shoulder. My skin recoiled under the touch, but he didn’t notice.
“You don’t know me,” I said. I knew he couldn’t feel my scars through the thickness of my cloak, but I hated the heaviness of his palm.
Nikolai removed his hand to pull at his cuff. Something told me it was for added flair rather than comfort. “You were sodelightfulat dinner, Keera. You mean to say that was all just an act?”
I shot him a sideways look. “Only as much as you were acting.”
“That was no act, Keera,” Nikolai replied, his devilish grin returning. “I meant everything I said that night. You looked absolutelydelicious.” His eyes trailed over my soaked clothes. “If you get over this sudden need to prod me with weapons, I’ll gladly show you just how honest I can be.”
“Enough.” Riven held up his hand.
“Come on, Riv,” Nikolai crooned. “I was just getting to know our guest here.”
“She doesn’t want to hear it any more than I do.” Riven’s voice was hard, just like his eyes that had not left my skin since I barged in.
Nikolai shot Syrra a pleading look, but she just shrugged, refusing to look away from me either. “They’ll warm up to you,” Nikolai mumbled beside me.
I didn’t care. We didn’t need to like each other to kill the king.
“How much did you hear?” Riven asked, his jaw tense as he leaned against the mantel.
I sat in an empty chair next to the wooden table. I lifted my leg on top of my knee and pinned my hands against my head. Another flair for Nikolai that I knew would irritate Riven. I needed him on edge. People revealed the most when they felt unsettled.
“I arrived somewhere between her”—I pointed to Syrra with my chin—“wanting to kill me and you telling them that you weren’t strong enough to do it.” I couldn’t hold back my smirk.
Riven’s crossed arms flexed. “I never said that.”
I cocked my head, crossing my arms to match his.
“You didkind ofsay that,” Nikolai said, tilting his head. Riven’s eyes finally cut away from me, glaring at him. Nikolai shrugged, a grin twitching at his lips. I was warming up to him.
“You heard everything?” Syrra asked, lowering her weapons, though she refused to sheathe them.
“Yes.” I nodded. Syrra pulled back her shoulders, the muscles along her neck twitched.
“What are you here for?” Riven snapped. His hands balled into fists.
“I’m here to listen to your plan to end the Crown,” I said. “I assume you have one?”
Riven scoffed. “You needed to hear it right now?”
“Yes, it’s why I followed your scout here,” I said. “You need to train them better, by the way. A novice could have tracked him here.” Syrra’s fists clenched. I got the feeling she had brought this up before.
“So tell me the plan,” I continued, “and I’ll tell you how to fix it.”
