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“Veses,” Kolis acknowledged. “Come forward.”

Light glinted off the blood-red crown as the Primal goddess straightened. My fingers twitched as the skirt of her gown parted with each step, teasing at long, toned legs. Her gaze didn’t stray to mine as she neared. She was focused entirely on Kolis.

“I have not seen you in a while,” he stated, the fingers resting on the arm of the throne tapping slowly. “Where have you been?”

Oh, that was a loaded question.

I gave no reaction, even though my stomach dipped. I had no idea how she would respond or what Kolis’s response would be if she spoke the truth.

“I was…inconvenienced,” she answered.

“Is that so?”

She nodded. “There was trouble in my Court that required my attention—a group of godlings and gods I learned were plotting a coup.”

Veses was lying straight through her pearly white teeth and fangs.

Surprise flickered through me, then faded in sudden understanding. Veses had sensed the embers of life and had come at me, believing that Kolis would be enraged that Ash had hidden me. As much as it killed me to admit it, she had been trying to protect Ash from Kolis’s wrath.

I’d hated acknowledging it before, but Veses cared for Ash in her own twisted way. The fact that she would lie now was further proof of her desire for him, fueled simply by the fact that she could not have him. And it had actually grown into some sort of fondness.

Yet she supposedly wanted Kolis.

Who didn’t want her.

I smirked.

“Traitors? The realm seems to be filled with them these days,” he remarked. “And what has happened to these traitors?”

“They have been dealt with but were questioned first. That is what occupied my time. I wanted to make sure their plotting did not extend into other Courts,” she lied—so damn smoothly. “Some were reluctant to talk, but in the end, I’m confident no others were involved.”

“Well, it is a relief to hear that a coup has ended before I even became aware of it,” he remarked. “You are such a dutiful servant.”

Veses stiffened, having heard what I did: a hardening in his warm tone.

“Yet you somehow still managed to fail me,” he tacked on.

Veses’ delicate, pale brows furrowed. “Failing you is the last thing I will ever do.”

She actually sounded like she meant that.

Kolis’s fingers kept tapping. “But you did.”

I glanced to where I’d last seen Attes. Another god now occupied the pillar the Primal had been leaning against. I scanned the alcove as my heart kicked against my ribs. I didn’t see him.

Pressing my lips together, I refocused on Veses. I wasn’t sure if the other gods were paying attention. More drinks had arrived. Some of them were the purple radek wine, and there was a lot more…activity in the alcoves. Phanos was paying attention, though. He watched the drama play out with a bemused expression.

“Then I apologize for however I have failed you,” Veses said.

“You apologize before asking how you’ve failed me?” Kolis chuckled, and the sound caused tiny bumps to spread across my skin.

Veses’ throat worked on a swallow as she smoothed her hands across the waist of her gown. I had no clue what Kolis was getting at, but it was clear that she was treading into dangerous waters. Her nervousness bled into the air.

“How have I failed you, Your Majesty?” she asked, her gaze flicking to me.

That didn’t pass Kolis by. “Do you recognize her?”

“I’m not sure,” she said.