Pheolix’s mouth twitched. “Thaan’s also never sent you to seduce an enemy.”
“That you know of,” I mocked.
His brow rose. He pointed at the body again. “Could just as easily be a test for me as your guard. Whoever he is, he was ordered not to hurt you. He only had a dozen opportunities. Why didn’t you water-call to fight back? He’s not a hive heir like you. You could have easily stopped his heart.”
I stewed, readjusting the cross of my arms over my chest. I hadn’t even thought of it. My body had screamed to run, overpowering any sound judgment.
Pheolix chuckled. “Well, at least we know what your fight or flight response is if we’re ever under attack.
Indignation roared to a sharp point in my chest. “My water-call is considered weak for aPrizivac Vode.”
“Is it?” Pheolix stood suddenly, giving his hair a smooth shake from his eyes. “Stop my heart.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Freeze my veins, block my blood, whatever it is you do when you’re training for a fight.”
“I don’t—I’ve never trained for a fight.” My voice lilted, the statement sounding more like a question, and warmth flared into my cheeks.
Pheolix crossed his arms. “Thaan sent you to his enemy without any water-combat training?”
“What good would it have done?” I shot back, a measure of impatience in my voice. “He sent me withyou.”
“Aw, heiress. I’m flattered.”
My flush deepened, and I thanked the stars the solarium was lit only by the thin moon. “That wasn’t a compliment. He sent me with someone who blocks Naiad abilities. And don’t call me heiress.”
“Hm.” He let his gaze soak into me, a deep study that would make anything hanging in the palace’s art gallery jealous. “What should I call you?”
I ignored the sudden impulse to scrub my fingers through the roots of my hair. “Are you flirting with me while we stand over a dead man?”
“Of course not.” He swung his chin toward the distant door behind us. “Would you like to stand over there instead?”
I didn't dignify that with a response. “What are we going to do with him?”
Pheolix’s attention returned to the Naiad, chest down on the stone floor. “Dump him.”
“You can’t be serious.” My words halted as Pheolix pressed a shoulder into the man’s spine, rolling the corpse easily across his back.
He straightened, giving the man a quick bounce to straddle the weight across his shoulders before indicating to the far reaches of the room with the dip of his chin. “The door?”
I hesitated. Then called enough water to the floor to mop the small dribble of blood with a laced handkerchief.
We followed the labyrinth of exotic plants toward the eastern door Cebrinne and Vouri had taken, but a separate wheel turned in my head. Thaan had never bothered to train us to fight. Even Cebrinne, a natural caller, hadonly practiced the art of water manipulation. Neither of us had trained for combat.
Behind me, Pheolix’s steps softly scuffed across the flagstones, slower than mine under the burden of the Naiad. Thaan had obviously trained other sirens for action.
“Does he worry your power might outmatch his own?” Pheolix’s voice floated ahead to meet me.
I glanced back at him, turning sideways between two lavish drifts of foliage. “I don’t see why that would be the case. Thaan can controlrain. The old texts say that’s impossible. There’s not a Naiad alive who can rival him.”
“Then why is his colony on land, and not in the sea?”
“He’s biding his time.”
“Hmm.” Pheolix stopped beside me as we reached the door, hoisting the dead man higher. “If there’s one of these, there will likely be more. And they may be ordered not to harm you, but they’re still reporting your actions to him. You’re playing a dangerous game, you and your sister. Double spy is a tight rope to walk.”
I leaned into a single heel, crossing my arms again. “Thanks for the lesson in espionage.”
