“That doesn’t mean he can’t force you to comply as an adult, though. It’s just more effort, which is why you’re still in incredible danger,” he explains, a tightness in his words that gives mesomecomfort; maybe he will try to stop them.
Either way, my throat is suddenly parched, and feels as if sand is stuck in it.
Well, fuck.
I had to hide before, but now a literal god is hunting me. I'm not a damsel in distress, damnit. I don’twantto be. The Council seems so small compared to this.
“So, why now?” I ask, trying to refocus on collecting my understanding. “What changed? Why didn’t you send at least awhispermy way? You said—” I pause, still unable to fully process his identity this entire time “—that you wereErn. As in, we spokecountlesstimes…”
I could say more and even have to fight back words I want to sling around like daggers, but I bite my tongue—metaphorically and physically.
The Scorpion needs to clarifyeverything.
“Circumstances that prevented me from reaching out to you are still in effect, but loosened,” my father carefully says. Dad doesn’t let that settle for long before looking at Soren. “Which means whatever’s going on here is done now that I’ve returned. I’m not letting yousitthere because I think you deserve to. Isimply don’t want to fight that battle right now while speaking with Jane.”
“Need me to be injured this badly to finally face me?” Soren replies without missing a beat, his grating voice bringing texture to my thoughts.
Dad sneers. “Honor doesn’t mean shit around here. I’ll always take advantage of a weakness, especially to cull the bastards ruiningher.”
“You seem to miss the part where she’s alive and well, Ritter. Itishard to notice such things when you’re not around, though.”
My father’s expression grows colder with each breath. “My daughter is alive, aye, but you’ve been keeping her tethered.”
“Because letting her out would not have been safe.”
Dad scoffs, shifting even more in his seat as he sneers. “Safety.”
“Stop it.” I nearly yell at the both of them, but when my rage speaks for me, it has me turning to my father instead of Soren. “I have been through a lot of shit recently, and the last thing I need is you bickering with Soren.”
Dad doesn’t look at me as he says, “You’re surviving right now, Jane. Soren is the best anchor for that.”
There’s something annoying about him acting like myfatherat this moment, especially when he hasn’t even askedhow I am. “Just finish explaining whatever it is you have to tell me. Why did you bring me down here?” I ask, gesturing around before adding, “And while you’re at it, explain the rubies. How isshetied into this? I want this all wrapped up with a pretty bow before I step atoeout of this room. It’s theleastyou owe me.”
With a deep sigh that seems to re-center him, the Scorpion looks down at his hands and remains still for a long moment. “Everything that has commenced has done so for a reason, Jane. Whether we like those reasons, or not. Cypress, for all the shit she’s put us through,didhide you for over a decade, protectingyou in that village from Misery, until for whatever reason, she’s revealed you back to the world. At least, that’s my assumption, or else Soren wouldn’t have found you. Or the Order of Ash.”
Thirst morphs into nausea, my stomach tightening. “Wait,she’sthe one that hid me?”
When our gazes connect, there’s a falter of emotion once more before it’s solid again. “That was the deal. She’d ensure that Ash couldn’t find you, nor could Misery. And somehow, Ashdidon the same night that Soren found you, which, again, is why I’m assuming her protection was removed. She told me I could come to you once the world knew you. Which is why I’m here now…
“Either way, that’s outside of our control and not worth worrying about. Not right now. The issue athandis Blackwell. I believe Misery intends for Blackwell to rule over Skull’s Row and bloody the Council. It’s thetruereason that Blackwell soughtyouout, Jane. Not because of the tattoo. He wanted you captured, as instructed by his puppeteer.
“They’re moving again. Ash is in Skull’s Row at the behest of Misery, while Blackwell is trying to gain control over the Council. They’re connected to Blackwell somehow, too, but that secret has been guarded enough that even I can’t find it. I also don’t know why Ash would come for you when Blackwell sent Soren, and that’s the chaos I don’t like right now.” He cants his head at Soren. “Speaking of all of this, you’re supposed to be able to sense danger. So why in the hells have you been holed up here for weeks instead of fleeing? Even Corvus looks like he’s about to leave. And Jane was nearly taken just now. It would be dangerous to assume I’m not aware of that lack of good judgment.”
Soren’s gaze glints with something vicious. “Blackwell has an odd, neutral aura about him that makes it nearly impossible to read his motives… just like Shade. Andyou,Ritter.”
I—
What?
Clasping my hands together as I place my weight on my hip, I narrow my eyes on my father.
The hells does that mean?
Dad stiffens, something flashing in his eyes that reveals he didn’t expect that. “So you’re useless to bring, then,” he replies. “He doesn’t owe you anything, Jane. I don’t trust him anyway.”
I scoff. “He’s clearly far fromuseless. And what does he mean that you’re hard to read?”
Dad looks at me like a parent who pities their child’s poor decision. “You saw that neck wound. Even the baker could have seen that coming, let alone what followed.”
