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A few weeks at most. How hard could that be?

‘Would that make you any happier?’ I said to Tared, who was still looking particularly unhappy about every word spoken.

‘None of this is even close to safe,’ he said, and his glower at Creon left no doubt whom he blamed for all this danger. ‘Wouldn’t it be better if someone else went after those gods and bindings, if you insist someone has to look into the matter?’

Someone else wouldn’t prioritise Creon’s voice. Hell, they would prioritise everythingexceptCreon’s voice. ‘I don’t think it makes a lot of sense to send anyone else.’

He raised an eyebrow.

‘I’m the only unbound mage you have,’ I said, a sentence that seemed a tired cliché already. ‘I’m not sure if it’s possible for a bound person to break a binding. It sounds like trying to change colour with colour magic – a very bad idea. Why would you waste a risky journey on someone who may not even be able to help us?’

Agenor’s muffled curse suggested my reasoning was more sound than I’d dared hope when I came up with it in the dead of night two weeks ago.

Tared started, ‘But—’

‘Tared,’ I said, rolling my eyes. ‘Weren’t you of the opinion that no one should be telling a grown woman where she is and isn’t allowed to go?’

He didn’t smile – didn’t even pretend to smile. ‘I’m not allowing or forbidding you anything, butsomeoneneeds to think about your wellbeing here, and—’

Creon’s hand snapped back to his notebook. Perfectly contained motions, every twitch of his muscles calculated, and yet the movements of his pencil over the parchment gave the impression he’d rather be drawing the same shapes in blood.If you don’t trust me to keep her safe, just say so.

‘You know what?’ Lyn said hastily, because it was clear to every single soul present that Tared was about to say just that, and likely worse, too. ‘This is not a decision we need to make right now. Cas, tell the elders that Agenor would like to have a word with them. Nenya, please let us know how we can help with Bakaru. Valeska, keep the nymphs as calm as you can until we know if Em has time and what we’ll do about these bloody bindings. Thank you all for your input, and Em’ – there was a flicker of fire in her voice that wouldn’t brook a negative answer – ‘could we have a word?’

Chapter 3

BeylafadedCas,Nenya,and Valeska out for their respective diplomatic missions. Naxi threw one look at Tared, then jumped from her chair and burst into a rattling monologue on new magic and uncharted lands and how doubtlessly there were books to be read and why didn’t Creon just come with her so they could look at this as demons together?

The demon in question rose from his seat with an amused quirk of his eyebrows –as demons together, that look said,who in hell do you think you’re fooling?

Naxi gave him a sharp-toothed grin. ‘Coming?’

With a quiet chuckle, Creon turned back to me, hesitating so briefly it wouldn’t have been noticeable if not for that impossible fae grace I was used to.

If you need any help burying the bodies,he signed, nodding at Tared and Agenor,let me know.

I huffed a laugh. ‘Will do.’

He sent Lyn a half-smile, ignored the other two entirely, and allowed Naxi to drag him out by his wrist as she chattered loudly and excitedly about a story her father’s demon friends had once told her about the continent. The heavy oakwood door smothered the sound of her voice as soon as it fell shut, leaving the Wanderer’s Wing soaking in a nervous bath of silence.

I turned back to the others. Lyn perched on the edge of her chair. Tared had slouched forward with his elbows on the table and his face in his hands. Agenor was peering at the rune-inscribed door through which Creon had just vanished; he didn’t seem to notice Oleander venturing down into his lap and then onto what had been Beyla’s seat.

‘Forgive me the question,’ he said before I could speak, his frown at the door deepening, ‘but there isn’t anything between those two, is there?’

I choked on my own breath. ‘Between Creon andNaxi?’

Agenor blinked at me. Perhaps my voice had shot up a little too shrilly.

‘I’m quite sure,’ Lyn said, lips trembling in what I suspected was a hysterical giggle about to break through, ‘there is nothing of the sort going on between Creon and Naxi, Agenor. Her interests lie elsewhere.’

‘And even Naxi hassomemoral compass,’ Tared muttered under his breath.

My heart skipped a beat.

‘Tared,’ Lyn hissed, laughter evaporating in the blink of an eye. ‘For fuck’s sake. You’ve voiced that opinion often enough, don’t you think?’

‘Well, it’s hardly inaccurate,’ Agenor said, still looking mildly bemused. ‘But I’m reassured on Naxi’s behalf, in any case.’

I didn’t dare to speak. I barely dared to breathe for fear I’d find flames blazing from my lungs. Only Lyn seemed to notice, her gaze a silent plea for me to hold myself back.