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There was a wicked gleam in her eye, so I tilted back in my chair, balancing on the back two legs, turning my smile up a few degrees. “They decide who earns the position of Guard through combat. Wanna test me yourself?”

Falizha straightened, and I tracked the slight movement in her throat as she swallowed. That thin layer of skin held no protection from my blade.

She blanched, noticing where my attention was caught.

“I was chosen for my skill,” I reminded her. “Everyone in the Council knows you can’t defeat me. No one could defeat me. The same goes for Kazhi and Bas. You’ll have to show them you’re better to be able to take my place, and we both know you can’t.”

“I suppose you’re right. What else is there for a waste of life like you, anyways? Filthy Sea-leg.”

My knife landed between two of her fingers, where her hand splayed on the table, the blade vibrating from the force.

“Damn, I missed.” I rested my arm on the back of my chair, savouring her scowl. “I have never once in my life called a woman a cunt, but none have ever deserved the title as much as you.”

“This is my home,” Falizha seethed, dropping her voice even lower. “You disrespect me , and you are out.”

“No, no, no.” I waved a finger, turning up the charm.

“It’s the Guardian’s home. Your father just sat his rather wide ass on the head seat of the table.

You, Falizha, have no claims to anything here.

” I let the chair legs fall back to the ground, turning away from her.

“But this conversation is boring me. I feel like I have repeated this to you endlessly. Why are you sitting here?”

She was silent a moment before she said, “I came to tell you the details of the Council’s next mission. But you know what? I’d rather you die, Nuo.”

I smiled, playing with the veggies on my plate. It was difficult not to throw another knife her way, but I had gained control over the past few weeks—my monster was on its leash again.

“Your life is ended once I get the nod, Falizha. That’s all it will take. One nod,” I said in a low voice.

She leaned away from me. “Who?—”

“Your life is no longer your own. You lost the right to be in this world when you left all those Guardians to die on the burning field. We all saw it. We need you only for one more piece of proof. You’ve been sloppy. We know.”

“Know what?” Her face was turning a darker colour, but it wasn’t enough for me anymore to see her squirm.

“What you and your golden assholes have been doing.” It was a half lie.

She fidgeted with her cape, scoffing at me.

“You know nothing. The Guards have been playing games without even knowing the players. My brother is joining your ranks. And you’ll be brought to heel, Nuo.

” Falizha wobbled in her seat, taking another sip of her drink.

“Where is your other team member? Does Kazhi think she is too good for us? Or is she snooping where she doesn’t belong? ”

I ignored her, but Falizha inched closer. “I would have loved to send the body overseas for the Ikhor to witness what we plan to do to all of its followers.”

I didn’t take the bait, but tucked away the information she was letting slip. It sounded like Aeden was being sent to watch us, since Falizha failed. “I look forward to being on the road with your brother.”

Her eyes lit with delight. “But not alone. You heard how the Council is ordering a full team to accompany the Guards. You failed to understand those orders extend to every one of your missions. And I’ll be captaining the ship. ”

Why were they sending teams? That was too many witnesses for their plans.

I raised my glass, took a sip, and noticed she was eyeing me. “You tried to come into my suite once before Falizha, and I knew what you wanted then. I know when you look at me, you hate what you see but still desire to have me.”

“How dare?—”

“It’s the power.” I lifted my hands while I shrugged.

“It’s wanting what you’ve been denied. But I will never give it to you, no matter how much you try to prove yourself.

” I drew closer, backing her away in her seat.

“Your daddy will never see you as a strong warrior like your brother. Others will not respect you no matter how hard you try to gain the favour of the powerful men around you.” I gripped my glass so tightly that I was surprised it didn’t smash.

“You could have been your own woman. You could have been powerful in your own right. But you never will be if you seek to steal it from others.”

She stumbled out of her seat, fuming as she stormed back to her side of the table, and sat herself back down beside her brother, who was smirking over at me. Weird.

She would retaliate for what I had said, and I was looking forward to it.

Things had changed in the canyons when Liv knocked me to the ground, screaming to let her little Aethar friend go.

A part of me had snapped, waking back up.

The Ikhor could have flayed me for touching its follower, but instead, it had taken a fist and tried to beat me off the blue woman.

Not fire, not ice, but a fist that barely made a bruise.

When Brekt had reappeared, I could finally admit the legends were wrong.

But whether or not Liv was still my friend?

Different story. One thing I needed to get straight was how in the Endless Night it all could end.

I needed to search through those texts and read every account of history and see the information in a new light.

If I was going to have to admit I was wrong, which I was nowhere near doing, I had to have solid proof to refill my mind with what was right.

The device I had stolen from the blue Aethar—I had taken it apart and reassembled it to see how it worked. It was genius—meaning the Ikhor wasn’t following crazed worshippers. Meaning Liv left me on that field by choice.

I pushed my hair out of my face and blew out a frustrated breath. I hated her for leaving, for lying, for abandoning Brekt when he was dying in my arms. I was still angry and ready to do what I must if I saw signs of the Ikhor taking over and destroying the world around it.

But it had been nearly four months since the two legends had risen. The Aspis wasn’t saving the people, and the Ikhor wasn’t burning the lands.

Everything I trained my whole life to become meant nothing anymore.

What was I if I wasn’t a Guard?