Page 194 of Anathema

The words snaked through his blood with a burning veracity he refused to accept. Shaking his head, Zevander let out a dark and humorless chuckle. “That is a new low for you, old man. That, or you really are as mad as they say.”

“I am entirely serious. Tell me you feel nothing for the girl and see how the lies burn your tongue.”

Zevander gnashed his molars, daring himself to admit such a thing. As much as a small part of him might’ve loathed the truth, everything about her had felt different from the moment he’d first laid eyes on her. “This is why you changed your mind about the bloodstones, isn’t it? This was never about sparing the last daughter of the Corvikae.”

“I wish it were. At least then, I might be redeemable.” He lowered his gaze and sighed. “I saw it before I sent you to kill her. I knew all along she was your mate. What was one mortal, after all, when the lives of millions were at stake?” He exhaled a humorless laugh. “I hadn’t calculated the possibility of you being a much bigger threat as a result. The vision of you joining Cadavros arrived after I’d sent you to retrieve the stone, and it was then I realized killing her gave you nothing to live for. Nothing to fight for. And such a thing would put every one of us in peril. I made a grave error.”

Nostrils flaring, Zevander flexed his hands at his side, desperate to keep from punching something. “You’re a lying cunt that I should’ve left to rot in Corvus Keep.”

“Yes. You should’ve.” The arrogant bastard had the fucking gall to tip his chin up. “I practically begged you. But I am no liar. She is your mate. It’s why you couldn’t kill her, and why the black flame refuses to take her life.”

“What does sablefyre have to do with this?”

“Everything. But there’s no time for that. Go. Find her.”

“I told you before. I’m not leaving Rykaia here with you. I’m not leaving until she’s back at Eidolon.”

Dolion nodded. “I understand. Might you have some vivicantem to help revive her?”

Lips tight, he strode toward her, tugging the powdered vivicantem from his pocket. Yes, it was laced with stimulants, but only a small bit would be needed rouse her from the sleeping spell. He knelt alongside her and poured a few grains onto his finger. In the same manner he’d administered it to Dorjan, he placed his hand over her mouth and Rykaia inhaled sharply.

Her eyes shot open, and she blinked, coming out of her sleep. “Zevander!” Rykaia jolted forward, wrapping her arms around him. Voice trembling with tears, she buried her face in his shoulder. “It’s her, Zevander. It’s her!”

“Who?”

“The flammellian from The Hovel. Melantha is the flammellian who hurt me. I wouldn’t doubt she’s been killing the sexsells,” she prattled in a frantic string of words. “She took Maevyth. You have to find Maevyth. Find her!”

Frowning, Zevander stared off, his mind doing a shit job of absorbing what she’d just said. The flammellian? Melantha?

“You’re certain of this.” It wasn’t a question, and he didn’t doubt Rykaia’s accusation. He simply couldn’t fathom a motive, unless she’d tried to get to him.

“I am. And I don’t know what she wants with Maevyth, but it can’t be good.”

“Staying with me isn’t good for her, either. She isn’t safe with me. Particularly now that General Loyce has taken notice of her.”

“She isn’t safe with you? Or you aren’t safe with her?” Her brows lowered with the unyielding look Rykaia always gave him when she was about to be fucking stubborn about something. The gentle caress of her hand to the ruined half of his face caught him off guard. Even masked, he flinched at the thought of her touching it, but in that moment, she looked like their mother staring back at him. “Some women are fire in your veins and hell between your teeth, Brother. Accept that Maevyth will never be safe. And no one will be safe from you because of it. Now, go find her, or by gods, I will make every day of your life a tribulation.”

Movement in the distance caught his attention, distracting his thoughts. Imperial Guards stood at the ward, running their hands over it. They slammed their fists against it, the barrier shimmering with each strike.

“Go. With Dolion. Return to Eidolon immediately.” Without another word, he unlatched her arms from him.

Dolion stepped forward and gently assisted her to her feet. The moment she was upright, she stumbled back a step and groaned. “Come, dear. We must get you home at once.”

Rykaia clung to Dolion as he helped her toward the stony wall, where he drew a line down its center. On the other side, Zevander could see the Great Hall of Eidolon awaiting them. Once Rykaia stepped through, he let out an easy breath.

“Find her, Zevander,” Dolion said, not yet having followed after Rykaia.

“Where?”

“You know where.” Dolion cleaved a second portal into the wall, this one looking in on the woods. “Melantha promised to return her to her sister.”

Exhaling a forced breath, Zevander rubbed a hand down his face. “You will take Rykaia and flee to Calyxar tonight. Swear to me.”

“I will. I will take her with me tonight. She will be protected by the stones.”

“Torryn will accompany you.”

“Allura will also accompany us. It seems it is not safe for her to return to her studies in this climate. She’s chosen to return to her family.”

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