“What are you talking about? Be plain, for once in your life.”
“Very well.” Gareth stood quickly, causing her to draw back. “Not only am I going to kill Cesare, but I aim to become king. And I want you to help me.”
Flay's breath caught. She covered her obvious misstep with a loud laugh as she slowly leaned against the wall and crossed her ankles casually. “Magnifique! You are still so completely earnest that you seem incapable of falseness. That must be why you are such a credible make-believe human.”
“I understand your doubts. But you know as well as I that Cesare is leading us to our destruction.”
“How odd for you to say that. At least Cesare is fighting on the right side.”
“Flay, I have been quite…mad…for years. I can't explain it. But I tell you, it is over. War forces one to take sides.”
“You've chosen your side, Greyfriar.”
“I thought I had. Recently I have begun to doubt myself. And now, my father's death is a sign I can't ignore. I intend to rule, and I want you as my war chief.”
“Get out, Gareth.”
“This is your only chance to decide. I won't come again.”
Flay pursed her lips and breathed out angrily with a quavering voice, “Even if you were sincere, there is no way for you to win the clan now. Cesare is a hero. He's one step from becoming the new king of kings.”
“Does Cesare have so many allies, then? I know only Munich, Budapest, and New York. And the Lyon clan apparently. Are there more?”
Flay bit her lower lip humorously and batted her eyes. “Oh yes, let me reveal all Cesare's plans so you can race south and tell your Equatorian bloodnurse. It's obvious to me that you told the Equatorians about Draken and Ashkenazy. That's why they split their forces and invaded the Balkans to draw them off the Rhone Valley. If I had their packs, this war would have been over months ago.”
“Yes, I told them.” Gareth directed his eyes shamefully to the floor. “They trust me. I can tell the empress anything, and she believes it.”
“Well, I don't trust you. You can't tell me anything that I will believe.”
“Flay, listen to me for a moment.” Gareth began to pace, forcing her to turn with him, keeping his lanky figure before her. “I can tell you what will happen if Cesare becomes king. He will marry Lady Hallow and make her queen. The new queen will have no use for someone as ambitious and skillful as you. So she will force Cesare to name a new war chief, one more easily controlled. Which means that you must be killed.”
“A chilling tale,” Flay said flatly.
“But true.”
“Perhaps. What do you imagine will be your lifespan under King Cesare?”
“Hours? Minutes?” Gareth laughed bitterly. “Neither of us will survive my brother's reign for long.” He paused in his pacing, glancing hesitantly at her, then turning away. “Cesare would be making a mistake in losing you. You are the greatest war chief alive. However, he is building an alliance and needs political actors like Hallow. And he needs heirs. You are a commoner.”
“Do you ever shut up?” Flay snarled. “Yes, I'm a commoner. I can never be queen. I know that. You have no idea what it's like to fight your way to the pinnacle and still be prey to weak, soft creatures. Like Cesare and Hallow. And you! None of you would be where you are today without me!”
“I agree, Flay.” Gareth now held her with his blue eyes. He held out his hand. “Join me. You and I. Together we can take Britain, and more perhaps.”
Flay stared now at the long supple fingers extended toward her, but refused to take the offer.
Gareth looked disappointed and lowered his hand. “What can I do to convince you? Name it!”
Flay continued to watch his hands even after they dropped to his side. “Kill the princess.”
Gareth expected that demand and had his plausible answer ready. “No. That's impossible. She is too powerful now. I can barely stay in the same room with her. Her touch burns. I wouldn't survive, and I'm in no mood for suicide.”
Flay sneered in doubt, but gave a glimmer of both belief and disdain. “So is that why you've returned? Your princess is toxic to you now? Your new toy is tainted?”
Gareth again studied the floor pointedly. “You've felt her power. In Scotland, it was still young. It has grown to unbelievable levels.”
“Her stench is always with me.” The war chief almost shuddered as if with nausea. She drew a hand across her face in hopes of wiping away the dread. “Fine. If she is too much for you, the princess has a brother. Kill him.”
He tried to look annoyed at her petty demands. “Flay, the imperial family is well protected, especially since the assassination of the emperor at your hands.”