Total pages in book: 214
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
"We?"
"I gave you that book because I believe in the good you can do. I won't be the only one who thinks having an unbound on our side could be the key."
"The key to what?"
"You've finished the book, which means you know about Lorkan Grace. Something the book doesn’t say for certain has to do with siphons. Lorkan Grace and Milena Grace created the siphons. We don’t know how, precisely, but we know it was them. We don’t believe the siphons could still exist if Lorkan and Milena were dead. And we have strong evidence that several siphons are still active.”
“So they’re still alive?”
“That’s the logical conclusion. We believe he's still alive. Still fueling the siphons somehow. Still using them to keep the war between Empire and Red Kingdom raging."
I shake my head. "What could I possibly do about that?"
"Frankly, I don't know. But I do know what we did in the past didn't work. We hunted down the unbound and tried to exterminate them. We killed the good and the bad, and now we have nobody left to oppose Lorkan and Milena. Maybe there's nothing you'll be able to do. But maybe there is. I intend to keep you alive so we can find out."
His words settle on me like weights until I feel like bending beneath their pressure. "I'm nobody."
"Whether you like it or not, that's not true. Not in the slightest."
"Agreed. You are the angry human. Loyal follower and distinguished side-kick of Typhon, first of his name. You have stopped me from eating several humans, despite my great hunger. You have only allowed me to eat one single arm. This, in itself, is a great feat."
"I didn't allow you to eat that arm. That was all on you."
I sense amusement through the tether, and I feel a wave of appreciation toward him. It may not have always been clear to me, but behind all his bluster and arrogance, Typhon is a little less dense than he comes off. He knows how to cheer me up, even after a disaster like the confrontation back in that empty classroom.
"Bastian?" I say.
"Yes?"
"Raith thinks there might be a siphon at Confluence. Is that possible?"
His elegant features twist. "It's quite likely. Yes. But how would he know?"
I open my mouth to say something, then worry I've already said too much. The last thing I want is to get Raith in trouble with Bastian or the people he's connected to. I may trust Bastian to an extent, but I have no idea if I can trust him to protect Raith. "Raith has helped me. A lot."
Bastian's eyebrows draw together. "I'm aware."
"So you won't... turn him in, or something, right?"
"I want to keep you alive, Nessa. Raith serves as a formidable guard dog, as far as I'm concerned. I should caution you, though... I suspect you may feel some emotional connection to him. I would strongly advise against it. As long as he thinks there's a chance of you sleeping with him, he may remain trustworthy. But giving him what he wants may cause him to grow bored, and—"
"I'm not choosing when and where to spread my legs as a negotiation tactic, Bastian." My voice comes out sharp as glass.
He flinches at my tone, then nods. "I'm only suggesting caution. Raith volunteered to be here. We have no records of where he lived going back more than a year before he volunteered. It's highly likely he has ties to Red Kingdom. A spy for the enemy who wants to sleep with you is at least predictable. If you give him what he wants, it's harder to predict what he'll do. That's all I'm saying."
"And it's none of your godsdamned business," I snap.
Bastian smiles slightly. "Understood. I said my piece. The rest is up to you." He stands. "Speaking of guard dogs. It looks like yours wants a word. Stay safe, Nessa. And remember to use discretion during the Crucible. As I said, Empire will have plenty of eyes watching."
He walks off, quickly disappearing into a corridor.
And then I see Raith lingering at the edge of the courtyard. Once Bastian is gone, he approaches.
"Fuck him," he says simply.
I laugh at the unexpected words, the tension in my chest easing slightly. "He has saved me a few times."
Raith shrugs. "It's the only reason I don't kill him."
"You would kill a legacy? For what, exactly?"
There's a flicker of something in Raith's eyes. Something I'm almost tempted to read as jealousy. "I don't trust him with you."
"That's funny, because one of his favorite topics is how I shouldn't trust you with me."
Raith sits beside me, his body giving off that addictive scent of woodsmoke and something deeper—something that always makes my stomach flutter with warmth and my skin prickle with awareness.
"He wants you in his bed," Raith says bluntly.