Page 9 of Third Offense

CHAPTERTHREE

NOVAK

I waited,curious to see how thisgodwould respond.

He appraised Auric with a shrewd look, the guards behind us still bristling.

Waiting, I translated.Waiting for their king to make a choice.

My fingers twitched, my desire to flip a blade in time with my pulse making me almost anxious for whatever came next.

Give me a reason, King. Give me a sign that allows me to kill.

Except his expression told me that wasn’t going to happen.

Because hegrinned.

“Thick-headed and stubborn. Two fascinating qualifications,” he remarked, his tone suggesting Auric had just unexpectedly passed some sort of test. Then the king glanced at Ketos and added, “I’m going to assume that Sefid passed similar traits on to my daughter, as well.”

Seems to me it could easily be your own influence, King,I thought, my eyes narrowing.

But he started walking again before any of us could reply, this timewithoutcompulsion and without bothering to see if we would follow.

Because of course we would.

He was the King.

We were mere minions.

But we’re also your daughter’s mates,I mused.Which makes us heirs to your territory, right?

Auric glanced at the guards behind us, his nostrils flaring with distaste. They were still on high alert, their disgust for us evident in their stances and expressions.

Try it,I thought at them. Then I took a purposeful step in Vasilios’s direction.

All they did was bristle again. Which confirmed whatever signal Vasilios had given was simply one meant to put them on alert.

Hmm, I hummed, my fingers twitching again.When he does give the word, I’ll be taking you down first,I decided, my gaze on the guard closest to me.And I’ll be taking that blade from your pocket, too.

Ketos flashed me an amused look as he walked along the cliff’s edge. But it was the wind playing through his feathers that captured my interest. They almost appeared majestic, like he was pulling energy to him somehow.

Odd.

“Society used to work with the Noir residing in the court,” Vasilios said, distracting me momentarily and drawing my gaze back to him.

“The court?” Auric repeated as my gaze returned to Ketos and those mystical feathers of his.

If I dispel the elixir, I can free my feathers and cut his pretty wings, then shove him off of the cliff.

Except, no. The guards will likely be on me before I finish sawing off a wing.

Maybe I can go for his jugular first, then—

Vasilios cleared his throat, pointedly looking at me as if he could hear my thoughts.

I glanced at him.What?I arched a brow.I didn’t come here for a fucking history lesson.

His eyes narrowed a little. Then he looked at Auric. “Yes. The court. The one that Sefid maintains today, only back then, it was a Court of Noir. Not Nora.”