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Casimir has been following our exchange with his usual serene composure, no sign of impatience or jealousy. But the second Ivy turns to him, he steps forward to meet her, beaming so avidly no one could doubt how happy he is to accept her embrace.
It’s a strange sensation, watching the woman I’ve fallen for kiss another man. A wobble runs through the pit of my stomach, a sense of loss that I’m not sharing that moment with her as well. And yet exhilaration floods me to see her beam back at him, even happier now that she’s reconfirmed her affection for both of us.
She’s an extraordinary woman. I’m not sure I really could “take care” of her as thoroughly as she deserves on my own.
And there’s no one I’d trust more than the courtesan to ensure she’s never left wanting—in any of the ways I want her life with us to be better than what she had before.
My gaze slides to the other man at the table.
Stavros has remained in his chair, but his expression has shifted as he watches Ivy with us. Like he can’t tear his eyes from her… and he isn’t sure he’d want to anyway.
I’m not sure what to make of that or the slightly wary smile Ivy shoots him that relaxes when he chuckles in return. Something has changed in their dynamic. The tension that’s shadowed this room so often in the past few weeks has lightened.
I’ll count that as a win, whatever exactly has passed between them.
Then Stavros sits up straighter, the solemn cast returning to his face, and I’m dragged back to the full reality of our situation. This isn’t a joyful reunion—it’s a strategy session to send Ivy off to commit an assassination.
The happy glow that came over Ivy dims too, but she speaks with the same steely resolve I saw when she stepped into the room. “I’m supposed to go on a ‘bug club’ expedition in two nights. Presumably it’s actually an Order of the Wild gathering.”
My breath halts in my chest. “Two nights? You werejustinitiated.”
Ivy shrugs. “Maybe they want to get us initiates fully immersed quickly. It’s probably for the best, since we want to make our move before they have a chance to strike at the royal family.”
Casimir sets his hand on her arm. “Did they say anything about what you’ll be doing on the ‘expedition’?”
She shakes her head. “I doubt they’d want to even hint at their real purpose with the other club members around. But it’ll involve at least all of the members who are part of the conspiracy—and I should have a chance to get close to Ster. Torstem.”
Stavros pushes to his feet as if he can’t bear to stay sitting any longer. “I can alert the king and make an excuse to visit the nearest posted squadron that night, so I’ll be able to direct them to you when you signal me.”
It’s happening too fast. I can’t stop myself from blurting out a protest. “You shouldn’t have to do it.”
Stavros’s dark gaze swings to me. “None of us thinks she should. But if she’s going to insist—”
“I’m not,” Ivy breaks in.
All three of us stare at her. Now I feel as if the breath has been knocked right out of my lungs.
“What?” I manage to say, afraid to hope that she means what I think she does.
Ivy lifts her chin defiantly. “I’ll kill him if I have to. But I want to try another way first. The king doesn’tneedTorstem dead by my hand, does he? All that really matters to him is overturning the conspiracy.”
Stavros is studying her with open bemusement. “I’d say that’s true. He seemed to think Torstem’s death was a necessary component. Do you have some new plan for accomplishing that aim?”
She grimaces. “I’m still working it out. I was hoping the three of you could help. We need all the scourge sorcerers distracted and in disarray for the soldiers to be able to sweep in and apprehend them. If the king would like one of his people to then find a reason to murder Torstem—for resisting arrest, perhaps—it’ll be out of my hands.”
A vicious light sparks in Stavros’s eyes. “I know at least one person who’d be happy to take up that duty. And who can assure King Konram that you fulfilled all the important parts of your mission, as far as I’m concerned.”
My spirits have lifted, but the weight of doubt dampens my initial excitement. “We’d still have to get the squadron to the conspirators before they realize there’s trouble and scatter. From what Ivy’s said, it’ll be awfully difficult to distract them enough that they’d disregard a warning from their sentries. They’re so quick to turn on anyone they feel isn’t standing with them… Anything Ivy does to upset them could make her a target.”
Stavros glances at Ivy with a frown. “Yes, whatever you do would have to keep them too distraught to rally at an impending threat for long enough for us to reach you. The closest squadron is about an hour’s ride from the region Casimir identified.”
I nod miserably. “I hate to say it, but you’d be safer stabbing Torstem and then fleeing. I can’t think of much that would affect them that strongly other than losing their leader. The fervor they’ve shown—they’re so devoted to their cause and so convinced that they have the only true answer to calling back the All-Giver—”
Ivy’s head jerks toward me. “That’s it!”
I blink at her. “What is?”
“They’re sure they’re right,” she says, rapping her hand against the tabletop. “But even with all their power, they’re not. What if I can do something that makes them doubt the entire reason they’ve gathered at all? Turn them against each other thinking they’ve been led astray, that the gods are angry with them rather than approving?”
