Page 153 of Of Blood & Stone

It explained what happened back in the Willow Grove when her and Elnok had escaped—she had dulled Distrathrus’ power, the control he had over the Kreenas and Dynameis in the grove, allowing her to get to her willow tree and use her power. She hadn’t stopped his control entirely, but rather, she’d disrupted it with her own demands.

She’d taken them into her own control.

Glancing over at Elnok, she hoped he would catch on to the distraction she was about to pull. Elnok furrowed his brow at her, but she looked away before Distrathrus could take notice.

Straightening her posture, she laced her hands on the table, willing each Kreena to turn their head and stare at her hands as a test.

They did.

“Your Grace, I met your sister, Aretta,” Sylzenya said.

He continued pouring. “And how is she?”

“Dead.”

The wine poured over the glass, spilling onto the table. “Yet another reason to celebrate.”

“You loved her. Deeply.”

He continued pouring, the wine dripping onto the floor.

“She betrayed me, Sylzenya. You know this, as did she. I never harbored any love for her.”

She knew what she needed to say—what she needed to bring to light. And if her plan worked, then she’d command the Dynameis to release Elnok, buying him time to slip out of their grips and grab the sword.

She’d have to keep Distrathrus’ undivided attention on herself for as long as she could.

“And yet, love is why this all started in the first place,” Sylzenya replied, “You were jealous of her humans, how she took one as her lover.”

Her parents and Kharis stared at her warily, but Sylzenya remained poised.

“She was atraitor,” he shouted, yellow eyes flaring.

“Youlovedher. More than just as your sister.” She paused, breaths shaking. “You two were lovers. Intimate.”

The wine poured onto the floor, splashing at his feet.

Perfect.

She continued, “But she loved her creation more than you. She treated you poorly, Your Grace. She treated you like scum of the earth when all you wanted was her love.”

He stopped pouring, mouth trembling. “She told you the truth.”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “How you two were one and then split—brother and sister, lover and lover. And then, one of her humans and one of your monsters killed each other. How she should’ve treated you differently—better. She regretted it. And both of us,” Sylzenya pointed to herself and Kharis, “told her she treated you wrongly.”

Furrowing his brow, Distrathrus set down the pitcher, tapping his fingers on the table. “And what did she say?”

Sylzenya gulped, not daring to glance at Elnok in case Distrathus noticed. By the looks of the Kreenas, their hands hanging limp by their sides and their eyes wandering, her plan was working.

“That she had no other choice,” Sylzenya said, “because she seemed to believe neither of you could fix what was broken through anything but war.”

“It’s the only way.”

“Not always, Your Grace.”

Distrathrus cackled, staring at the ceiling. Sylzenya couldn’t stop herself as she glanced at Elnok.

He’d escaped.

---