Page 6 of House of Embers
“Good,” Fordham said smoothly. “Now, start over with where we are on the army.”
Chapter Three
The Solution
“I wasn’t sure if it was going to get bloody in there,” Wynter said once the council had dissolved some hours later.
“From me or her?” Fordham asked.
Wynter shrugged. “All of the above.”
“Fair,” Kerrigan said as she flopped back into a seat and rubbed her temples.
Prescott shook his head. “Barron is not going to accept any of this.”
“He’s not,” Wynter agreed.
“Before Arbor died,” Prescott said, choking on the word. Arbor was his sister and closest friend, and she’d been killed for treason in the capital. Fordham had recalled Prescott back to the House of Shadows. He seemed to just be coming out of his fugue state. “I…had a relationship with him.”
“With Barron?” Fordham asked, aghast.
“It was purely sexual,” Prescott said. “I stopped it at Arbor’s insistence. He’s a little violent.”
“You think?” Wynter asked with a shake of her head. “What were you thinking?”
“He was a good time,” Prescott said with a shrug.
“Could you rekindle this relationship?” Wynter asked.
“We’d never ask you to do that,” Fordham said quickly. “I wouldn’t risk you.”
Prescott glanced between them. “He’d know it’s a trick. Plus, I’m not who I once was, not without Arbor. Unless…”
“Unless?” Wynter prodded.
Prescott glanced between them. Sometimes it was uncanny how much he looked like Fordham. Before Arbor died, he’d been this vivacious character who could charm the pants off anyone. Apparently that meant Barron Laurent. “Unless you humiliate me and he thinks I’d have reason to defect.”
Fordham pursed his lips. “I don’t like this plan.”
“We should consider it,” Kerrigan said.
Prescott sighed. “If this is how I make up for what happened with Arbor, then I’ll do it.” He came to his feet and ran a hand through his hair. “I should probably go set the stage at least.”
“Pres, you don’t have to,” Fordham argued.
“I know,” Prescott said. “But it’s what Arbor would do.”
Then he left the war chamber behind. Kerrigan’s heart went out to him. He’d been a pawn for so long, and now it looked like he was yearning for redemption.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Wynter promised Fordham. He just nodded.
“Viviana is also going to be a problem,” Kerrigan added.
“She always has been,” Wynter said. “And now, without our father to temper her anger, she’ll be worse than ever.”
“Suggestions?” Fordham asked.
“Kill her,” a smooth-as-honey voice said, filling the room.
