Thrones of Fire and Darkness

Chapter 4

I returned my attention to the dinner before me, eating small bites and chewing slowly, observing Tamlin and Beron carefully. I would go into his mind later, I told myself. Not now. Not while he and Tamlin are still suspicious.

Mor was tense behind me, and I followed her gaze to Eris, who was staring back at her. The two seemed to be in some sort of battle of dominance, and I wondered if Eris ever really loved her. If he still did, despite everything between them. From the intensity in his gaze, it seemed so. But it wasn't my business. Had decided that it wasn't from the moment she told me that she preferred females, from the moment she had laid herself bare and confided in someone.

As much as I wanted to see my friend happy, content with her life and her love, I wouldn't meddle further than what she wanted. Wouldn't push anyone together like that. Wouldn't be like a priestess from long ago, who considered anybody's business her business. Ianthe. Her name clanged through me, along with memories of my sister's sobbing and Cassian's wings and Azriel's roaring and Tamlin's wrong, wrong scent and Rhysand on the ground, screaming-

Enough. I shook the thoughts away. We survived. We're out. And now we will pay for the peace we worked so hard to gain with even more hard work that it will take to regain a unified Prythian. And the first step to that...

I returned my gaze coolly to Eris, a cold, bored face that drew his attention from Mor. She was shaking, but she squeezed the hand I offered her firmly. In thanks, and relief. I'd known the perky, irreverent blonde long enough to know her tells, and she was shaken. Eris would pay, in the end, regardless of the bargain and deal between us. He would pay, I would make sure of it. Even if he had been trying harder. At the hardness and coldness of my gaze, I think he knew that. He inclined his head at me again, his red hair shifting, and averted his eyes from my cruel features.

That matter had been resolved rather efficiently, and I could feel pride radiating down the bond from how I handled the situation, how Mor had handled the situation. I answered with a quick summary of the occurrences inside my mind. His side of the bond seemed to take a deep breath, and then he said, It's your choice. Go if you wish. I don't like that you can't show me... I tilted my head at him. Me neither. But it's the only way. And I can take care of myself. He sighed. I know.

So I took the plunge.

It was like going into Ianthe's mind all that time ago. I shut out the memories, the shock I had felt at seeing the true thoughts under the pretty face and simpering attitude and bright, sometimes predatory smiles. Like taking a bite into a dessert and finding maggots and worms already there instead.

But I didn't dwell on those initial layers while I dug through, every so carefully, the last shield. The only one I could dig through now, I realized, with no small amount of irritation. Bryaxis had taken care of the rest.

And I'd deal with that later.

I reverted my attention back towards the layer of weak flames that I was steadily tunneling through, and broke into the innermost sanctum of his mind, flying through memories and seeing his worries, his fears. He was a lot more distrustful of Eris than I had initially thought. I made a mental note to remind Eris to keep the act more convincing. And in that innermost sanctum...

Fire and hate and rage and an ancient something that prowled the mind and controlled Beron's actions, his words, his very being.

There was the smallest, glowing orb inside of the flames, thick and oily darkness surrounding it. Suppressing, suffocating it. And then I realized what was happening. That orb, that tiny sphere of light, was all that was left of Beron. Of his true self. The darkness choking that light out...