Page 159 of The Chains You Defy

“At least you kept your wits.”

“Then we’re done?”

“No.”

At this moment, I understood why one-word answers drove Nayana mad on a regular basis. “Then what?”

Galrach was in my face once more, too close for comfort, but I wasn’t backing off. “Listen to me and pay attention.”

As much as I wished to formulate a witty response, the red haze of anger had me in its clutches. My jaw had locked a long time ago, and as I attempted to defeat the High King by piercing him with my stare alone, I simply stayed silent.

“First, you will not complete that.”

“Complete what?”

“Are you playing dumb again? I have eyes in my head, Scriosta, and what you have done is unacceptable.”

“Last time I checked with the clergy, accepting a gift granted by the Triad is perfectly valid. Also, this is none of your business.”

“Everything about you is my fucking business.”

“It’s my problem, not yours.”

“You have more problems than you understand. But I am aware of all the weaknesses you amassed during the past few moons.”

“Enlighten me, then?”

“My brother. The general. The medic. Even the gigolo you pretend to despise. And of course, your Amplifier, who is so much more to you, isn’t she?”

“If you just so much as breathe in her direction, I don’t fucking care how, but you’ll be dead. This I swear.” Snarling, I snapped at him, ignoring the fucking pain threatening to incapacitate me.

But Galrach wasn’t impressed. Instead, his face contorted into something resembling a smile, drowned byvast amounts of cruelty. The gesture appeared downright ghastly. “You are exposed because of them. Finally vulnerable. Wide open at last. And I will use your deficiencies until you fall back in line. I invested too much in your legacy to have you throw everything away.” My grandfather went still, cocked his head, and a calculating expression crossed his face. “But if you do exactly what I say from here on and prove your subordination, we may come to an understanding.”

My scoff earned me another angry glare, but how else should I have reacted? He wanted my obedience? Once the Breocharn froze over, maybe.

Galrach was done waiting for my answer and pressed on. “There is a mission I will send you on. Do what I ask of you well, without complaint, and with outstanding success, and everyone who softens your heart will live to see another day. Fail me in any way, shape, or form, and I will make sure that not only will you have to witness the deaths of everyone you hold dear, but also that you yourself will be the one swinging the blade. You remember your traitorous father?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“In a heartbeat. I would spare the Eachtrannach for last and give her to the High Court for a while before I grant you to end her suffering.”

Kill.

Fuck. I was close to doubling over because of the roar only I could hear. My own emotions battled inside of me, making the simple task of grasping just one clear thought almost impossible.

Blackmail. He was blackmailing me. And I’d allow him.

There was no other choice, no matter how much my mind was screaming at me to jump into action.

“This is my offer. And Scriosta, each sassy answer, each hesitation will worsen the conditions for your Amplifier.”

“Tell me what I’m supposed to do for you.”

“You will ride into the Breocharn.”

Oh, fuck. Whenever I believed nothing could get worse, Galrach managed to trump himself.

My head was pounding, more and more pressure built in my chest, and it took me a while to realize that my magic desperately fought to break free.