Nice diversion.
Clearly Tejus no longer wanted to talk about his injury. I also knew from experience that there would be no way I could force him to.
“Maybe tomorrow I’ll try syphoning.” I swallowed. It was difficult for me to get the words out—to try to restrain myself when all I wanted to do was drain him.
Tejus stood up from the sofa, and I backed up against the bedroom entrance.
“Don’t come closer, Tejus,” I warned.
“Trust me.”
He took the few steps across the room to reach me. He came to a stop about a foot away from me, staring down, his eyes calmer but no less troubled. The desire to syphon off him was starting to grow intolerable. A tingling spread across my body, as if every cell was reacting to my need for Tejus’s energy.
“Trust me,” he repeated.
But you don’t trust me.
“I can’t!” I cried, feeling the flicker of my mind as it snaked toward his—I wouldn’t permit myself to make whatever the ghouls had done to him any worse. I jerked backward, wrapping my arms around myself. “Please just leave. I’m worried I’m going to hurt you – I should be alone.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he retorted.
“I don’t care—it’s what’s happening.” I stepped back into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it.
I might not like what I’d become, but Tejus was right about one thing—I needed to learn to control it. I wasn’t going to lose myself in my newfound sentry powers, and I wasn’t going to let it alienate me from my friends. If that happened, Nevertide would have beaten me—and there was no way in hell that was going to happen.
Tejus
“Are you ready, King Tejus?” A guard appeared at the door to the living room, staring in barely concealed astonishment at the whirlwind of devastation that Benedict had left in his wake.
I nodded. “Wait in the hallway,” I commanded.
I walked back to the bedroom door and knocked. It had been an hour since Hazel had disappeared into it, and I hadn’t heard a thing from her since.
“Hazel?” I called.
I hoped she was sleeping, but after a pause, a wavering voice replied.
“Yes?”
“I need to go with Ash to the pavilion. There will be guards stationed outside your door. Let them know if you need anything.”
“Okay,” came the reply.
“Can I get you anything before I leave?” I asked.
“I’m fine – I’m just…a bit freaked out. Go… I’ll be okay.”
I waited for a few moments, leaning my head on the doorframe. I hoped that she would come out, but she made no further sound as I left. Despite what I wanted to do, giving her some space to process everything was probably the best course of action…and it didn’t look like I had much choice in the matter anyway.
When I reached the courtyard the guard left me, and I stood opposite Lithan and Qentos who were waiting with four vultures.
“Where’s Ash?” I asked curtly.
“On his way,” replied Lithan with a malicious smile. “No doubt finishing up some kitchen duties.”
“Careful, Lithan. In a few short hours, Ash will be your king—and I hope for your sake, you find a more dignified manner with which to address him.”
“We shall see about that,” he retorted.
“Ah. I suppose you hope that Queen Trina will stand in the way of his coronation? You’re a fool, Lithan. Queen Trina wants to rise to power—she’ll see this as a blessing.”
Lithan’s face fell. I would enjoy watching Lithan’s political desires sink into the gutter—it might be one of the very few things I would enjoy after giving up the crown.
“Tejus.”
Ash appeared in the entranceway to the castle.
“Ash,” I replied courteously, noticing the red robe he was wearing, no doubt stolen from my or Jenus’s wardrobe. Jenney was obviously proving to be an effective ally.
Good, I thought. He was going to need all the help he could get.
“Let’s not keep the Impartial Ministers waiting.” Ash addressed Qentos and Lithan. I hid a smirk, and mounted my vulture. I wondered how much time it would take Ash to reorder the Hellswan ministry once the entity was re-imprisoned…I didn’t imagine it would be long.
We flew to the pavilion, chasing the early dawn. When we arrived, the Impartial Ministers and the remaining champions were already there and waiting. Even from this distance, I could sense the glee spewing forth from Queen Trina.
The four of us approached the pavilion. As soon as we were close, Ash started to shake, his eyes fixed on the queen. Glancing up at his face, I saw it was blind rage that was causing his reaction—and if he wasn’t careful, Ash was going to blow his chances.