Alterant (Belador #2)(24)

More riddles. No wonder she’d grown up hating puzzles.

Kizira just wanted all of this to end. She wanted the power to have a life away from the poison she breathed every day, but she’d never see that life if Flaevynn became immortal. Kizira would never have battled to earn her place as the most elite Medb priestess had she known she’d lose her free will, bound to the ruthless queen for as long as Flaevynn lived.

The queen had tolerated Kizira this long only because Cathbad had convinced Flaevynn that Kizira played a vital role in destroying the Beladors.

She just didn’t know her entire role. Yet. And she couldn’t live with herself if she destroyed Qu—.

She would not think about that. Not here.

Cathbad’s gaze swept over her with a pained expression. “I know you think I only use you as Flaevynn does in all this, but ’tis no’ true. I care about what happens to you, girl. The less you know the safer you will be.”

She ignored the way her heart clutched at his claim of caring when she had no doubt he’d play her like a favorite instrument. And she’d be compelled to dance to the music.

The Medb Coven was no place for the vulnerable or the meek. She asked, “Where’s the logic of keeping me in the dark all the time when I’m the one being sent in to face Alterants, Beladors and every other being out there with a grudge against the Medb? And don’t tell me it’s for my safety.”

“’Tis.”

“Right. Flaevynn just stuck me with me a deadline to find two of the Belador Alterants in forty-eight hours. That’s two days or she’ll lock me up down here! The best shot I had at catching one Alterant this morning slipped through the fingers of bounty hunters I hired. How am I supposed to find two anytime soon?”

He sat quietly, thinking on something, then whispered, “’Tis dangerous to care deeply for someone you fear losin’.”

“I learned that at my mother’s knee when she found my pet rabbit and gave it to the cook.” Anxiety rippled across her neck again, but no one knew who she protected. She repeated silently, I have no one to lose. I only care about serving the Medb. I have nothing that matters to me.

“So you have no one to protect?” he asked in a way that challenged her to lie.

Panic flared, threatening to take hold.

He couldn’t know.

She flooded her mind with everything from happily serving the queen to thanking the day she’d been born Medb. “No, I have nothing to protect except you, and you have more power than me.”

He slapped his knee and grinned. “Alright, now. I know who can help you locate three Alterants.”

Kizira perked up. “Three? Really? Who?”

“The Belador you saved when you were eighteen.”

Her chest muscles constricted and her grip on the desk tightened. He couldn’t know about Quinn. If he did, that meant he knew . . .

Cathbad’s brown eyes narrowed with shrewd understanding. “You know the Cathbads are gifted with sight. I saw you meet him in a vision. Saw how you stopped our warlocks from killing him, then this Belador risked his life to save you from the warlocks. ’Tis why I think your heart is soft.”

Oh, no, no, no. That was exactly what had happened when she’d met Quinn. She’d been sent out on her first task to prove she was worthy of becoming a priestess. Her Medb warlocks had attacked Quinn so quickly that he’d had no chance to defend himself. But when the warlocks had started torturing him instead of taking him captive, she’d intervened to stop them.

And they’d turned on her, accusing her of high treason by protecting an enemy—an immediate death sentence for any Medb.

Badly wounded, Quinn had struggled to his feet. He’d used his powerful mind and the element of surprise to kill the warlocks.

Cathbad knew . . . but he’d obviously not told Flaevynn. Kizira asked, “Why didn’t you tell the queen?”

“Because she would no’ ha’ understood that even a Belador plays a role in fulfillin’ the curse. If you wish to hand the queen at least two Alterants in forty-eight hours, you will need this Belador’s help . . . and mine.”

She’d seen Quinn only in rare situations since that initial brief affair, and every time they’d been adversaries. There was no way he’d help her locate the Alterants, especially Evalle, whom Quinn watched over like a younger sister.

Kizira shook her head. “That Belador will not help me capture the female Alterant Evalle.”

“He will once I tell you how to persuade him.”

“What if I can’t persuade him?” She wouldn’t put Quinn at risk, no matter what. But if she didn’t play this out with Cathbad he’d know he could use Quinn against her.

“Then you risk Flaevynn learnin’ the truth behind this man.”

She stared silently. He could not know everything.

He nodded and answered, “Oh, but I do know everything. I know you care for him, which is why you will do as I compel you if you wish him to live.”

Welcome to life as the lowest pawn in a deadly game.





EIGHT




Evalle stumbled forward, tripping over a bulging root covered in ferns. Her vision cleared from teleporting. But not the urge to upchuck the pizza she’d eaten.

She held her forehead for a few seconds until the nausea passed, then she turned slowly to assess her surroundings.