Deity (Covenant #3)(42)

That he was a giant asshat? Everyone knew that, but I doubted that was what he was getting at. “What truth?”

Telly laughed as he turned around. “I want to chat with you about the night the daimons and furies attacked the Council, about the real reason you fled.”

My heart stuttered, but I kept my face blank. “I thought you knew. The daimons were after me. So were the furies. See, I was terribly popular by the end of the night.”

“That is what you say.” He leaned against the desk and picked up a small statue of Zeus. “However there was a dead pure-blood Guard found. Do you have anything to add to that?”

A bitter taste formed in the back of my mouth. “Well… there were a lot of dead pures and halfs. And a lot of dead servants that no one gave two shits about. They would’ve been saved if someone had helped them.”

He arched a brow. “The loss of a half-blood is hardly a concern of mine.”

Anger was a different taste in my mouth. It tasted like blood. “Dozens and dozens of them died.”

“As I said, how would that be a concern of mine?”

He was goading me. I knew it. And I still wanted to punch him.

“But I am here about the death of one of my Guards,” he continued. “I want to know how he died.”


I feigned boredom. “I’d say it probably had to do with the daimons that were swarming the building. They do tend to kill people. And the furies were ripping through people.”

The smirk on his face faded. “He was killed with a Covenant dagger.”

“Okay.” I sat back in the chair, cocking my head to the side. “Did you know that halfs can be turned now?”

The Head Minister’s eyes narrowed.

I slowed my speech down. “Well, some of those halfs were trained as Sentinels and Guards. They carry daggers. And I think they know how to use those daggers, too.” Eyes wide, I nodded. “It was probably one of them.”

Surprisingly, Telly laughed. It wasn’t a nice laugh—more like a Dr. Evil laugh. “What a mouth you have on you. Tell me, is it because you think you’re so safe? That being the Apollyon makes you untouchable? Or is it just blind stupidity?”

I pretended to think about that. “Sometimes I do some pretty dumb things. This could be one of them.”

He smiled tightly. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

Odd. That was the second time I’d been asked a version of that question within the last twenty-four hours. I gave the same answer. “Is that a trick question?”

“Why do you think I’ve waited until now to question you, Alexandria? See, I know about your little bond with the First. And I know that this kind of distance negates that bond.” His smile became real as my hands clenched the arms of the chair. “So, right now, you’re nothing but a half-blood. Do you understand me?”

“Do you think I need Seth to defend me?”

The hollows of his cheeks started to turn pink. “Tell me what happened that night, Alexandria.”

“There was this giant daimon attack that I tried to warn you guys about, but you ignored me. You said it was a ridiculous notion that daimons could pull off such a stunt.” I paused, letting that jab sink in. “I fought. Killed some daimons and brought down a furie or two.”

“Ah, yes. You fought magnificently from what I hear.” He paused, tapped his chin. “And then a plot was discovered. The daimons were after the Apollyon.”

“Exactly.”

“I find that strange,” he replied. “Considering that they were trying to kill you in plain sight of Guards and Sentinels. Who, by the way, are loyal to the Council.”

I yawned loudly, doing everything to show I wasn’t afraid while I was shaking inside. If he saw that, then he’d know he was onto something. “I have no idea what goes on inside the mind of a daimon. I can’t explain that.”

Telly pushed off the desk, coming to stand in front of me. “I know you killed the pure-blood Guard, Alexandria. And I also know that another pure-blood covered it up for you.”

My brain sort of emptied as I stared up at him. Terror, so potent and so strong, knocked the air out of my lungs. How had he known? Had Aiden’s compulsion worn off? No. Because I’d be in front of the Council, handcuffed, and Aiden… oh gods, Aiden would be dead.

“You have nothing to say to that?” Telly asked, clearly enjoying this moment.

Pull it together. Pull it together. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little shocked.”

“And why would you be shocked?”

“Because that’s probably the stupidest thing I’ve heard in a long time. And have you seen the people I know? That’s saying something.”

His lips thinned. “You’re lying. And you’re not a very good liar.”

My pulse pounded. “Actually, I’m a great liar.”

He was losing his patience quickly. “Tell me the truth, Alexandria.”

“I am telling you the truth.” I forced my fingers to relax around the chair arms. “I know better than to attack a pure, let alone kill one.”

“You attacked a Master at the Council.”

Crap. “I didn’t actually attack him—I stopped him from attacking someone else. And well, I learned my lesson after that.”