“I had gotten better about being in tight places, but it all happened so fast, and I...”
“You don’t have to explain,” I said. “How’s that kid settling in?”
Her brows rose. “Nora? She’s adjusting all right. We set her up in a spare room in the keep so she isn’t far from us. She’s still unsure of everyone, but I think she’ll warm up. She’s the sweetest child. I can’t wait to see her personality come out.”
“Scotland,” I said. “Do you think she has any surviving family?”
“There’s no telling,” she said with a shrug. “She doesn’t even remember where she came from. No family name... It would be near impossible to find them. So, we’re offering for her to live here with us.” She cleared her throat. “Um... I need to talk to you, if you don’t mind stepping out for a second.”
“Pulling me away from my hard-earned drink?” I said as I arched a brow.
She elbowed me. “Oh, shut it. Come on.”
I set my drink down and turned to Thalia and Micah. “Thalia, be a dear and watch my drink. Make sure Micah doesn’t spike it with something and drag me to his bed.”
Thalia spit out her drink, breaking into laughter, and Micah blinked at me as I slid out of the stool to follow Lucia.
“I may just be tempted to fucking do that!” he yelled across the pub.
As we stepped outside, I found Damien accompanied by a few warriors, and I frowned. “What’s going on?”
“Sorry to pull you away from the celebration,” Lucia explained, taking a roll of parchment from Damien, “but the paperwork was completed while we were gone.”
My brows furrowed. “What paperwork?”
“The charges against Atticus Stratos and Jissena Stratos.” She extended the scroll to me, and I took it, unable to form words, unable to believe what she was saying.
“I’ve been conducting the investigation since I pulled you out of that cell, as was Salwa,” she said, her smile somber. “Zephyr completed everything while we were gone.”
I unrolled the scroll, reading through the charges. The list was extensive.
“It isn’t the justice Calliope or you deserve, but it’s a start,” Lucia added.
“I’m about to conduct the arrest personally,” Damien said.
I hadn’t seen Atticus in decades, wasn’t even sure what to make of what they were saying. “This is really happening?”
She laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s really happening. The question is, do you want to be there when we bring him in?”
I looked down at the order, my pulse pounding in my ears. “Yes. I want to see that bastard’s face when he finds out.” I wanted him to see that I was out, that I was alive, that he had failed in silencing me, that he wouldn’t win.
Damien nodded to the warriors at his back, and they took the lead. I fell into step with Lucia and Damien, unsure what to say. We walked in silence for a while before Damien cleared his throat.
“When you were being held in the cells,” Damien started, and I cocked a brow, “did you make any friends?”
I eyed him wearily. “Depends on what you mean by friends.”
The corner of Damien’s lips kicked up into a half grin. “Did you play nice with any of the nasties with big connections?”
“I may have made some beneficial relationships,” I admitted. “Why?”
“I need someone with your...particularconnections,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Rumors have gotten around of an organization with ties to the Godsrealm; they could be a serious issue.”
“Is this a formal job offer,Your Majesty?” I asked.
“If you’re willing,” he said. “It’ll be dangerous. You’d be building relationships with the members of this organization, gain favor, keep tabs on them and report to me. If your covers is ever blown, they’d kill you.”
I eyed him, but my lips curved into a smile. “Sounds like fun.”
