Page 278 of Commanding Blood And Bonds
Quickly, I cataloged what I could: tanned skin, strong bone structure—Mediterranean, maybe?—onyx hair, brown eyes ringed with shadows so deep they looked bruised, and a five-o’clock shadow that didn’t seem intentional. This man was exhausted. And livid.
Goody.
“I see you ditched the costume,” I stated flatly.
“I see you’re still empty-handed.”
“Wasn’t expecting you,” I shrugged. “Far as I’m concerned, our deal ended on Valentine’s Day.” His jaw ticked, but I continued. “I went to a helluva lot of trouble to catch your thief. Summoned you. You didn’t show. She escaped. Not my problem.” I halted in front of the dais, my arms crossed, shadows trailing ahead to scan the room.
“Why do you believe I intend to possess such a weapon? She’s a slippery little thing. But I suspect you know that better than most.” His gaze raked over me. A slow smirk curved his lips as if he’d found something worth noting.
“What would you do with her, if I turned her over?”
“That, I fear, is above your pay grade.”
“And that, I fear, ends our working relationship.”
“Are you telling me you’re not a man of your word, Prince Cyrus Stuart?”
“I’m telling you my mother might bend a knee, but I won’t let Calypso do the same. We don’t pay debts we don’t owe. I’m done being a blade with no idea what I’m cutting.”
His smile spread as he crossed one arm under the other and rubbed his jaw. He tilted his head, studying me. “I’m impressed, hatchling. Your shields have improved. All it took was proper motivation. You’ll find I’m…similarly motivated.”
“Not following.”
“Does she know?”
“Mother? I can’t say she’s noticed I’ve been training more.”
“Not your mother, wiseass,” he scoffed. “Freya Lynn Porter. Grayshell’s Wraith. Does she know the two of you share a bond?”
I kept my expression neutral, though magic itched under my skin. “I thought you had all the answers. You tell me.”
“If you’re as clever as I think, she knows what’s necessary. No more.”
“Sounds like a solid plan.”
He nodded, smug. “I’d like a private audience.”
“The Queen isn’t taking—”
“Not with your Queen. With you.”
I raised a brow. “As opposed to this block party?”
“You and I both know the walls have ears.”
“I don’t go anywhere without the Wings. They don’t take kindly to being cut out of conversations they deem important.”
“You’d risk critical information falling into the wrong hands?”
“If I ever found someone threatening my people, they wouldn’t live long enough to regret it.”
“Except for The Wraith. And Nix. He’s still out there, isn’t he?”
My jaw clenched. “Not my call.”
“And yet you speak as though you carry the authority.” He descended the dais, step by step, until we stood eye to eye. “I’ll be honest, little historian—I’m out of time. And patience is in even lower supply.”
