Ignoring his worry, I acted as if I felt perfectly fine and forced myself to stand taller. “What do you want me to do? My hands are tied at the moment. I’ll talk to Alandra and Aerolus. Let us handle the Church. I have to find Sin Garu and destroy him to end this nonsense before he has time to regroup. If he is more demon than man, then it’s definitely time he met the Next. Demons loose in our world will mean the end for all of us.”
To my surprise, Sava didn’t question the notion of Sin Garu being demonic.
“Why aren’t you asking me about demons?”
“Because I have my own sources of information. I know that Sin Garu is in bed with those Malinta vermin.” Sava tapped his fingernails against his chest, the action slow and hypnotic.
Distracted, I blinked in confusion. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What? Oh, this?” He stopped tapping. “Something my pixies showed me some time ago. The tapping calms me. Helps me to focus.” Sava tapped again, and I felt myself drawn to the motion, the weakness within me making it difficult to gather myself and look away.
“Cut it out,” I whispered, unblinking as I stared at those long, graceful fingers.
“Your problem is that you’re tired. You’re wearing yourself out, Arim. Delegate, my friend.” Sava tsked and produced two goblets out of thin air. “Might I recommend this fine cinarum I’ve borrowed from your sister’s larder?”
The weakness suddenly left me. As I subtly steadied myself, I wondered what had happened in Tanselm to translate to my unexpected lack of strength. The sweet smell of aged rum made my mouth water, and I realized it had been days since I’d last consumed anything.
Still, a lifetime of wariness made me pause before taking the cup in hand.
“Of, for Dark’s sake, here.” Save scowled as he took a sip from both goblets. “No poison, just fine rum. Do you want some or not?”
I accepted the drink. “Sorry. With rumors of traitors everywhere, it’s hard to know who to trust.”
“That’s your problem.” Sava took a long swallow from his goblet. “You should never trust anyone. In my kingdom, we play games, and we excel at it.”
“No one’s shiftier than you Aellein bastards,” I agreed.
Sava preened. “Thank you. We’re good because we practice. I can’t tell you how many poisons I’ve become immune to in my vast lifetime. Or how good I’ve become at reading people. Take, for instance, Jonas Chase, your Djinn friend.”
I waved a hand, and a chair appeared. I sank into it, grateful to finally unwind, and imbibed more of the heated drink, filling my empty belly. By the Light, it felt good to get off my feet and relax with a friend.
“What of Jonas? Don’t tell me I have to worry about him, too?” Jonas had saved not only Marcus and his affai from harm, but he’d also helped Cadmus and was distantly related to Ellie, Cadmus’s bride. His position in the northern kingdom had helped many of the newly arrived Djinn adapt without causing an uprising among the northern Light Bringers.
“You don’t have to worry that Jonas will hurt Tanselm. Your worry with the Darkling concerns someone dearer.” Sava’s eyes twinkled. “Lexa and Jonas are great friends, you know.”
I should have bristled at the innuendo that I cared what Lexa did with the Djinn. But I felt too comfortable to argue. The cinarum warmed me where I hadn’t realized I’d been cold. I had to commend Ravyn for her precious stores. The cinarum I’d last brought her hadn’t tasted this fine.
To Sava, I replied, “Your point?”
“Just that Jonas feels the same ties to this land that you do. Tanselm calls him hers. Though he visits the Djinn homeworld of Foreia now and again, Tanselm will always claim him.” Sava paused, his canny gaze on my face. “Just as his heart belongs to your pretty Dark Lord.”
I froze. “What?”
“Lexa, your precious Dark Lord. Jonas loves her. Even now, he’s with her in the mundane plane, watching over her in bed.”
Rage frothed and boiled over, igniting my desire to kill a potential rival. I rose with lightning speed and stumbled to regain my balance. “I knew Jonas knew where she was. That bastard. I’m going to kill him!”
Sava nodded and drained the rest of his cup. “Right. I’ll take you to him. But don’t let that go to waste.”
I swallowed the rest of my drink, because he was right. Cinarum should never be wasted. Then I clumsily followed Sava into the Between. I felt off, furious that another sought to supplant me in Lexa’s affections, obliterating everything else. Nothing mattered now but eliminating Jonas and taking Lexa back.
I had to show her she’d made mistakes. Had to finally learn why she’d taken my heart and shredded it into nothing. Why no other woman could ever compare to the heartless Dark Lord who’d promised herself so sweetly while killing my affections as cruelly as she’d snuffed out the lives of her family.
Seconds later, I fell into the mundane plane. My knees hit the plush carpeting in someone’s living room. The tendrils of energy in the place felt Dark, like Lexa. My soul buoyed.
“Easy, friend.” Sava helped me to stand upright, his voice echoing around me.
I blinked but could only see shadows blurring. So not right. The magic within me screeched a warning, and, as if a cloud had been lifted, I realized I’d been under an enchantment.
