“I don’t think your end result should be to kill the girl,” Gracie said.

“Oh?” He turned to her, wondering about her reasoning. He had some clear ideas on how he would go forward once he met the girl face to face, but he hadn’t discussed his plans with anyone. Not yet.

“Not at all,” Gracie replied. “Times are different than they once were. There is a peace treaty with humans, making today’s risk more about financial rather than physical survival. Children have plenty of options for leadership. You could set her up anywhere. She will have no wish to take your territory if she is established and happy.”

“And yet Valens’s heir ripped him off his throne and assumed control of his territory.”

A little line creased the skin between Gracie’s brows. “Valens tortured the kid’s mother. From what I’ve heard, Kieran didn’t set out to take the territory. His goal was vengeance. He fell into his role. This situation is wholly different. You can present yourself as blameless to the girl. You didn’t know about her. How is that your fault? At least, as far as she is concerned, you didn’t know about her. Her mother kept her word and did everything exactly as the two of you agreed. The girl was hidden, kept away from the magical world at all costs, and hence, she lived. The mother could’ve had no way of knowing what the girl was.”

Magnus held his tongue. Iris wasn’t anywhere near a dumb woman. She very well might’ve known the truth, but the girl had apparently inherited a bit of her magic too. A stroke of luck. Very few magics could evade the magical screenings. Given the girl was still largely clueless about her power, it was clear that if Iris had known, she hadn’t told anyone, not even the girl. Not at all a dumb woman. She’d sacrificed greatly to see her child safe. Too bad all good things had to come to an end.

“You certainly have a point, but I doubt the girl will be all sunshine and roses after I kill her beloved.”

Gracie smiled, this time a chilling sight. “Since when have you been bashful about assassinating a leader and blaming it on someone else? Demigod Aaron has been complacent for too long; this weak effort on the child’s life proves it. Maybe he needs a worthy adversary, like a trained-up Spirit Walker under the protection of one of the most powerful Demigods in the world…”

12

Alexis

I walked into the government building with Bria at my side, both of us stewing about the way we’d been sidelined and thinking about how we were going to work our way back into the main battle. Kieran’s desire to protect me was sweet, but when it came to family, sweet didn’t cut it. Red and Aubri, who’d ridden with Boman, trailed behind us on the sidewalk. I felt a tug on my jacket, Aubri adjusting it so I looked the part. I tried not to feel annoyed.

“I’ll meet you in your office,” Bria said, about to peel away. She stopped short and put her hand on my arm to stop me. “Not your current office. The larger, lighter, nicer office you better pick out while you’re up there. I’m tired of that musty cat smell. I don’t even want to know how many cats that lady had living in her office, but if it still smells like that after two years of industrial cleaners, it must’ve been a good few.”

“Why didn’t you mention something before?” I asked.

“You seemed content thinking you could blend into the background and quietly sponge off your rich boyfriend. What was I going to do, piss on your parade?”

I lifted my eyebrows as she walked away. The answer was yes, since that was her MO, but I didn’t want to shout it across the expansive lobby.

As I got to the stairs, I felt the strangest sensation, as though a spirit were physically touching me. But I didn’t see one. The only person nearby was a living man heading down the wide stairs opposite me. He stared sightlessly in front of him, his mind clearly elsewhere.

I paused and glanced around, seeing a guy at the front desk who drew my eye. From my vantage point, I could only see the back of his head and his ear, but that was plenty. It was his posture that gave him away. His confident lean, one ankle crossed over the other, bespoke power and a nonchalant ego. His clothes were of a good cut and quality, and they fit him perfectly. They were expensive, something I now knew from experience. His styled hair and expensive watch perfected the image.

“Do you know him?” I asked Red, trying to get a feel for his soul. I was too far away. I could probably slash at it, or bang on his soul box, but the power would be minimal. Grabbing his middle would be beyond me at this distance. Not like I needed to do any of those things. For all I knew, he was a high-level official. I only knew a handful of faces in this place. That was it. I needed to get better at creating a list of “friendlies.”

“No. I’ve already made a mental note to identify him. Salesmen and admirers hang around the front desk. He is neither. Nor is he very good at disguising his interest in you. And here I thought the Demigod’s mistress would be a boring detail. I should’ve known better.”

I felt my face sour at the title. “You discourage friendships, then?” I asked as I started climbing again, continuing on past the first landing. I wasn’t going to the musty cat room this time. “Not well liked?”

“Correct,” she said.

“Ah, that can’t be true,” Aubri said. “I’m sure a lot of people like you.”