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“Right. But that’s not even the good part. Because apparently, Azura Raine, ultimate big bad and number one terrorist on the Dawn’s Court shitlist, after shutting down the Gates, killing millions, and stranding a thousand times more in foreign worlds, escaped to her own little extradimensional paradise where she’s waited on hand and foot by the ghosts of all the missing time mages.”

Aimee laughed, eyes darting around the room. Obviously, he was more inebriated than she’d originally clocked. She waited, but no one corrected him.

He went on, “That’s where Taly’s been. The Queen was holding her prisoner. Made her rip a man’s heart out to earn her freedom.”

It was a lot to take in. Naturally. Because even the trouble she stirred up had to be extraordinary.

Aimee flicked a card down with more force than necessary. “That’s… horrible.”

Kato motioned for her to come closer, leaning across the table to whisper, “Between you and me, I think there’s some trauma there. She doesn’t sleep anymore. Just obsessively cleans in between dry humping my brother.”

Skye’s head snapped toward him, eyes narrowed.

“He’s looking, isn’t he? It feels like love, right here,” Kato said, gesturing with a hand at the back of his head where Skye was, indeed, staring daggers.

“I suppose that answers the question of whether they’re still pretending to bejustfriends,” Sarina murmured.

Ivain crossed his arms and muttered, “I always said friends don’t sit that close together on the couch. Or spend so much time making eyes from across the room.”

“Oh, that’s right. The long, wistful gazes.” Sarina chuckled tiredly. “It’s still a wonder they thought no one noticed.”

Skye sighed—deeply—and stood. Without a word, he disappeared into his room.

Aimee watched him go, taking in the height, the lean build, the way his dark hair fell in that maddeningly careless way. Shards, he really was pretty.

Maybe, if things had been different… if Talya hadn’talwaysbeen in the way…

“Were you tempted?” Kato asked suddenly.

Aimee turned her attention back to him. “Tempted by what?”

They both threw their discards on the pile.

“Make no mistake—the glamour was top-tier,” Kato said. “But it’s not every day someone hands you the perfect opportunity to take out your rival. One tiny slip—whoops, glamour gone wrong.”

Her mouth curled—not a smile, but something smaller and far meaner.No. She hadn’t been tempted. She’d made that glamour with shaking hands and stupid hope. Because if there was even a chance—even a chance—that it was Cori, she wasn’t going to be the reason they lost her again.

She wasn’t a monster. And Kato could choke on the implication.

“That’s mybloodin there,” she said, voice low and full of venom. “How dare you.”

Kato held up his hands, but his smirk didn’t waver. “Pardon. Truly. It’s just…”

“What?”

“Well, it would’ve made a great story, you know? Skylen loses the love of his life, who just so happens to be your long-lost cousin. Your mutual grief brings you together, and therein you discover yourlove. I hear High Lady Caeli loves great stories.” His eyes flicked up, sharp. “But you already know that.”

Correction: Kato was a damn nuisance when he was sober.

Time to shut down this line of questioning. Nobody here needed to know just how close she was to achieving her goals.

She laid her cards on the table. “Curse. Which gives me a triple Curse bonus. You owe me the winning pottimes three,and if you don’t have the coin to pay up are obligated to transfer the equal or greater value of the sum in items immediately off your person, assets, or holdings.”

Kato cursed and slammed his cards onto the table.

Aimee tsked her tongue. “Language, please.”

A delicate ribbon of water wended through her fingers, shaping into a tiny, marching soldier that she sent to collect her prize.