The three of us said nothing, and an awkward silence descended as my attention shifted to Malik. My senses opened, and all I picked up from him was confusion and curiosity. If he’d known about the whole Sotoria thing, he would understand what wasn’t being said. Did that mean Millicent didn’t know?
“Okay, then.” Malik cleared his throat. “So, I will go then.”
“Back to this again?” Casteel snapped. The essence was calmer, but the chamber remained chilly.
“Well, you still haven’t said why,” Malik replied.
Casteel’s lips flattened. “I think you want to go to see if Millicent is there.”
I coughed, spraying a fine mist of wine onto my plate.
“You okay?” Casteel turned, placing his hand on my back.
“Yes,” I wheezed, taking the linen cloth Tawny handed me. “You think Millicent is there?” I asked Casteel.
A muscle tightened in his jaw. “I don’t.”
Thebutwent unsaid.
Dabbing at my chin, I turned to Malik. “Doyouthink she’s there?”
The muscle that ticked on his face was in his temple. “I don’t know where she is. She could be anywhere.”
“But is there a reason she would gothere?” As soon as I asked the question, the answer came to me. It wasn’t thevadentia. It was my common sense Casteel had believed wasn’t present.
Kolis could call upon the Ascended and the Revenants—summon them. It would be like a compulsion. They were his creations. “Have there been any reports of the Ascended attempting to escape? Like trying to do so without the ability to stop?”
“Some have tried, especially those with dwindling stockpiles,” Naill answered with a curl of his lip. “But not like they seemed unable to stop themselves.”
That brought me a little relief, even though it didn’t mean he hadn’t summoned the Revenants. If he had, would it even apply to Millicent since she wasn’t exactly a Revenant? I didn’t know. But I knew Malik worried it would. One look at him, and I felt it coating his skin. If she’d gone there, it had to be because she had no choice. I couldn’t believe the same person who stood by the Ascended as they met the sun would willingly join up with Kolis.
But I now understood Casteel’s refusal to send Malik. He knew Malik would stay if Millicent was there, and it would likely end in his death.
Casteel was trying to protect his brother.
“We need to give Thad and the others until the morning,” Kieran said, eyeing the bottle of wine Emil had a death grip on. “Let’s table the discussion regarding Pensdurth until then.”
There were murmurs of agreement, and then our Shadow Council pretty much scattered from the Solar. Tawny was the last to stand. Casteel had tracked Malik’s movements and still stared at the doors.
“You should talk to him,” Kieran suggested as he stood. “Make sure he doesn’t do anything idiotic.”
Casteel gripped the arm of his chair. “And you think he’ll listen to me?”
Kieran sighed. “Good point.”
“Perhaps you should both speak with him,” I suggested. “To make sure he doesn’t do anything.”
“Good idea.” Tawny plopped back down. “Then Poppy and I can have some alone time.”
Casteel’s gaze swept over us. “Why do I feel like that would be a bad idea?”
“You probably think everything is a bad idea,” she retorted, reaching for the wine with a tilt of her head. “You probably only enjoy bad ideas.”
“Go,” I urged before Casteel could respond to that. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He hesitated.
“She’s not.” Tawny topped off my glass and then hers. “I will attach myself to her like a tree bear.”
