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My lips parted on an inhale. Was this for real? Amais was here because the other had accused him of cheating at a game of cards, and Kolis was actually entertaining it? For gods’ sake, it was all so…mortal. No wonder I was getting a headache.

“He was cheating,” Seir answered with a shrug.

Amais’ hands fisted. “I have been your loyal servant since you Ascended as the Primal of Life.”

I believed he meant since Kolis killed to become the Primal of Life.

“Any insult, no matter how paltry,” Amais continued, “is an insult against you, Your Majesty.”

Well, that was an exaggeration.

“You have been loyal, Amais. Impressively so.” Kolis leaned back, his attention shifting toward the pillars. The unnamed draken I’d seen earlier, and the Revenant I suspected was Dyses, now stood with a veiled Chosen. “I wish I could say the same about you, Seir.”

My attention darted back to the gods before me. Seir had lost his casual stance, and Amais…

That god now smiled broadly enough to show fangs.

“I, too, am a loyal servant.” Seir’s golden skin had lost some of its luster.

“And yet you have not given my title the respect it deserves.”

That wasn’t true. Seir had called him Your Majesty and bowed upon approaching the dais. He just didn’t say it every five seconds like Amais did.

“Therefore, you shall become a reminder to all how unwise it is to have your loyalty called into question.” Kolis’s fingers stopped tapping.

And that was it.

Seir’s legs caved, the strong bones cracking like thunder. His neck followed suit, breaking and silencing his screams of pain before they could even pass his lips. The embers in my chest throbbed as the god hit the floor, still alive but wounded.

“Put him on the wall,” Kolis instructed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Amais bowed. “There is no other like you.”

Disbelief flooded me as two guards came forward to collect Seir, and Amais strode from the Council Hall with a swagger. I didn’t move until then, finally turning to Kolis.

Aware of my stare, he looked down at me. “You appear displeased.”

It took me a moment to find words. “Is that what you wanted to show me? How you wanted us to spend time together?”

Kolis arched a brow. “You said you’d enjoy some time outside your quarters. I have Court, and as much as I would like to spend my day catering to your wants and needs, I have responsibilities.”

I didn’t know what the most sickening part of that was. The fact that he’d completely missed the point of what I was saying? Or that he sounded as if he’d rather spend the day catering to me.

“When I asked to leave my quarters,” I said, making myself say what I did next, “to spend time with you, I didn’t expect this.”

“And what is this exactly?”

“You showing me that the Primal of Life is capable of nothing but death.”

The perfect lines and angles of his face lost all their summery warmth. “How do you figure that is all I’ve done?”

“What happened with Evander—”

“That was your choice.”

That was such bullshit, but if he wanted to play this game…fine. “You allowed me to do it, knowing that he was not causing Jacinta harm. That doesn’t foster endearment or even fondness. All it did was prove a point that could’ve been told to me instead of shown.”

Kolis went completely still.