Page 94 of Season Warriors & Wolves

“Nothing, darling. What is it that I need to know?”

He was not convinced. At all. Only worried worse, brows creasing full of doubt.

Triad cleared his throat. “We have doubts that there is someone else in our court or near our court reporting to Silas. The Fernfoss incident was a given, but there might have been another soon. The Skye luckily caught another messenger before they had gone too far into Kirkwall. Your soldiers risked much, but potentially saved us from Silas figuring out how we have been holding Mahara’s channel safe.”

“Not surprised considering that my father let me kill Nesrin. He wouldn’t have sacrificed his only spy so easily. Anyone you doubt?”

“None, Your Majesty,” Larg said. “All are younglings I’ve raised and trained myself.”

Triad huffed. “Tenderness and fondness will one day be your death, you old fool.”

To ease the hurt in Larg’s face, I asked, “Was Nesrin close with anyone? Your men perhaps have a lover or family who gets the information without any of them knowing that they are feeding it to a spy.”

“Could be possible,” Triad agreed.

“Have your most trusted spread around different false information, something that my father would profit from knowing,” I added. “Whichever gets to Isjord the fastest, that is our spy. Moregan will send back word in a breath.”

Both men nodded and left.

Kilian’s nose grazed my skin, and he left a trail of pecks up to my cheek. “You bathed. Without me.”

“Not the type of bath water we could have shared.”

He surveyed the red patches of skin I had scrubbed raw and rested his lips on top, leaving barely there kisses. “Got any answers?”

“Plenty. Macaria and Mal will be handling the witches who are working for Melanthe, and I think I might have found a way to get to Urinthia.”

“Hm. I can smell danger.” His finger slid down my jaw. “Perhaps it is just lily soap.”

“I need to ponder on it first.” There was too much to think about. First, would it even be possible to get to Golgotha? Second, would my husband lose his mind at my request to see the God of Demons? Most importantly, would this affect the end I’d seen?

He smiled. “Alright, my love, you ponder on it. But are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is,” I said, holding onto him tightly. Nothing was ever wrong when I was in his arms. “Did Nesrin have any siblings?” Besides Nia. Though I was sure no one was even aware she was her sister.

“No. Stregor was a proud man. When his legitimate first born turned out powerless, he was embarrassed. Some shunned him. Others doubted his sincerity, nobility and belief, so he made sure his wife could not get pregnant again. He chose to not have any more children than be cast out. Why do you ask?”

“I’m sure whoever is spying for my father is close to her. Friend, family. Someone who might be angry at me for what I did.”

He was silent for a moment.

He had thought of someone.

“Will you not tell me?” I asked.

“Will you try killing him without proving it to be true first?”

Oooh, it was a him. “Can I lie?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, lie to me, woman. It’s better for my blood pressure.”

“Such an old man.”

He sighed, a languid smile pulling at his lips when he laid his head back on the chair rest. “I am not that old.” His knuckles gently touched my chin. “My soul was only born that day when you told me you loved me back. But it might die from whatever is tormenting my heart.”

“I’ll kill it, Kil.”

“Not a doubt, my heart.”