AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Cethin said he visited with you all last night,” Tybalt said.
“Yeah…” Cyrus said in confusion. They’d all been in the princess’s suite with Sorin. With Scarlett still unconscious, Sorin rarely left the space. They’d gathered in their sitting room to hash out final details for the next phase of their plans. Although that was rather pointless when Cyrus really thought about it. Scarlett would wake up and likely change everything anyway.
“His power has been restoring over these past weeks,” Tybalt went on.
“Doesn’t it take Avonleyans quite a bit of time to do that?” Cyrus asked, glancing at Cass who was giving his father a pointed look.
“Yes, especially when completely drained as Cethin was,” Tybalt answered. “His circumstances are…a little different.”
“Because Kailia isn’t his Source?” Cyrus asked. He’d found it odd that she wasn’t. He couldn’t imagine Cethin having that kind of bond with someone else.
“Kailia is not Fae,” Tybalt said, shaking his head. “Cethin does not have a Source, nor will he ever take one. As I said, his circumstances are different.”
“Different how, exactly?” Cyrus asked, settling back in his chair and crossing his arms. “And what do you mean Kailia is not Fae?”
Tybalt cut off a piece of sausage. “These are questions you should ask Cethin.”
“Cethin hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with information, so I am asking you,” Cyrus said, his tone softening into a dark demand that even had Cassius pausing and turning to look at him. It took a lot to get under Cyrus’s skin, and he knew his personality often made people forget he was the Fire Court Second. Good-natured and easy-going to hide the cunning. It was a skill he’d perfected with Merrik. Rayner might rip out organs, and Eliza might get extra stabby with pointy objects, but Cyrus?
He didn’t need the fancy tricks. He preferred to simply burn things, and smile at the carnage left in his wake while sipping on a glass of liquor and smoking some mugweed.
But they were in the middle of a godsdamn war. There shouldn’t be secrets at this point. All cards should be on the table. Saylah keeping information hostage was enough. They didn’t need to be doing it to each other.
Tybalt cleared his throat, setting his silverware off to the side. “We do not know what Kailia is. Cethin and Razik have been searching for answers for decades, but without knowing where she came from—”
“I thought she was raised in those cliffs like Rayner,” Cyrus interrupted.
“As far as she can remember, yes. But her ancestry? Parents? We have nothing to go on. Only her gifts, which seem to mirror that of Ash Riders but are also different,” Tybalt explained. “And with Cethin being able to detect power levels, he can tell she is not Fae.”
“And even if Fae were more accessible, he would not take a Source?” Cyrus guessed, Cassius still suspiciously quiet while he listened to their conversation.
“Correct. Saylah refills his gifts faster when she can, but her strength is not what it should be, having been trapped here for so long,” Tybalt went on.
“Does he need blood then?” Cyrus asked. He’d been supplying it to Cassius since he’d returned. Neve was the only other available Fae option at this point, and she’d started providing for Auberon. For either of them to supply Cethin? It would take a lot for such a powerful being.
Tybalt shook his head again. “Cethin will not drink. He…” Tybalt paused, clearly searching for the right words. “It would require a large amount for him at this point. But Cethin is not who we should be discussing right now.”
Cyrus propped his elbow on the arm of his chair, his finger steepled along his temple. “You brought Cethin up.”
“Yes, because he spent some time with all of you last night. With his power returning, he can once again sense power levels,” Tybalt said, eyes flicking to Cassius.
Cyrus sat forward, understanding exactly what Tybalt was saying this time. “You haven’t been taking enough,” he snarled at Cass.
Cyrus knew he’d needed more. He’d been giving him blood twice a day, but it had apparently still not been enough.
“It has been enough,” Cassius said, turning to face him, features a mixture of frustration and… Cyrus couldn’t tell what else was there. “Or it was until we returned from the Southern Islands.”
Cyrus placed a palm on the table as he said, “Just to make sure I have this right: instead of saying something and telling me you needed more, Cethin had to tell your daddy who, in turn, had to tell me?”
“Fuck off with that daddy shit,” Cassius snarled, eyes shifting and glowing softly.
“No, you fuck off, Cass,” Cyrus shot back. “Did we not have this exact argument weeks ago?”
“Things have obviously changed since then,” Cass retorted, stabbing a piece of sausage onto his fork.
“Not really. Still found out from someone else that you are not properly refilling your reserves.”
Cassius’s fork clattered to his plate, and he turned to face him fully. “That’s not fair, Cyrus.”
