Page 130 of When Ashes Fall

Oh, gods, and it was going to be in Terra. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and steadied the tremble in my hands. I’d forgotten about that when I plotted my escape.

Shit!

It’s too late to change anything. Stick with the plan; if Devnair can help, then you could be out of Terra before Knox and your mother arrive.

I hoped so. Otherwise, I was jumping from the frying pan and straight into the fires of Hell.

“How long will you be gone?” Dromon asked.

“I don’t know,” Knox replied. “There’s usually a ball afterward, but I might be able to slip away before that starts.”

“A ball?” Lyra inquired, her mouth twisted in distaste at the possibility.

“Yes, each kingdom likes to flaunt their wealth and possessions when they host the tribunal.”

“I’d prefer if they just killed me,” Pierce said, and the shifters laughed.

I was too nervous to laugh at anything and had given up any pretense of eating to squeeze my hands in my lap.

“Are we going with you?” Dromon asked.

“No. You’ll stay here with Briar,” Knox said.

Everyone stopped eating to stare at him. “You can’t go alone,” Pierce said.

“Briar will need as much protection as possible while I’m gone.”

I didn’t like the idea of him going alone either, but it wouldn’t be a problem soon. Lyra yawned before refilling her coffee.

“The shadow dragon will help keep her safe, but at least one of us should go too. You shouldn’t be alone,” Dromon said.

“They won’t do anything to me,” Knox stated.

They continued to discuss the tribunal meeting, but my attention was pulled away by Gizzi’s claws scraping the floor as he darted into the room. He ran over to me, leapt onto my lap, and scrambled up to my shoulder.

“The sprites are all sleeping,” he told me.

My hands shook so badly I was afraid they’d start bouncing off the bottom of the table. If one of the shifters got up to see why the sprites weren’t returning, or to start their day, they could sound the alarm.

Knox set his third cup of coffee down and pushed it away as he stifled a yawn. Dromon yawned and stretched in his chair.

“I don’t think this coffee is working,” Pierce muttered as he stared into his mug with one eye squinted shut.

Unknotting my hands, I slid one into my pocket to reassure myself the capsules were still there. The sleeping potion in the food would be enough to knock everyone else out, but it wouldn’t take out Knox. If he’d managed to break free of the harem and all the caster magic there, that potion alone wouldn’t be enough.

“Me either,” Lyra said as she yawned again and slumped in her chair. A second later, her eyes closed.

Knox stared at his plate, blinking as if he were trying to bring it into focus. Then he lifted his head to stare at me.

When our gazes met, his head swayed a little before his eyes narrowed. Understanding dawned as Dromon’s head thumped off the table. I winced; that would leave a mark.

Knox planted his palms on the table and started to rise as Pierce released a loud snore. He’d fallen asleep with his head tipped back and his mouth open.

“Wha… what did you do?” Knox asked in a slurred voice.

Lifting my napkin, I wiped the corners of my mouth with a calm I didn’t feel. I couldn’t let him know how shaken I was by all of this, but beneath my fear and guilt, anger burned. He’d betrayed my trust… and now I was betraying his.

When his claws raked the table, his jaw cracked, and orange fur broke out on the backs of his hands, I tossed the napkin on the table. If he managed to shift, the potion wouldn’t hold, and I’d be trapped here forever.