Chills scatter over my arms, like the goddesses are listening, a shiver of an omen kissed upon my skin.
“Your golden trinkets will dwindle. Your fame will turn to ridicule as your people turn against you. Your betrothed will abandon you, and the laws of this world will force the crown off your head, and still, you won’t find me. No matter how tirelessly you look. No matter how furious your search. And it will make you go mad.”
He can’t even blink, he stares so wildly at me, and I revel in it.
“You thought gold and power was your ascension, but it’ll be your downfall. You thought you could hoard me forever, but I’ll disappear right out from under your nose.” That pounding against my ribs hammers louder, shoots sparks off my soul. “You’ll be a laughingstock. Hated. Destitute.”
Midas flinches at that word. Physically jerks back, body rocking with the shock of my speech, and my beast and I preen beneath the delivered threat, celebrate the discovery of his worst fear.
“You will have no one and nothing to comfort you. You’ll die alone and poor, ruined by your own greed, and it will be exactly what you deserve.”
I land the last blow, watch him ring with it. Feel the reverberations as they tremble the air. As he trembles with it.
His fists unclench and clench again. His head shakes, like he’s trying to argue away my words or rattle them out of his skull.
“No,” he denies, though it comes out like an order. “You think you’ll get away from me? You think your monster commander will help you?”
“The only monster in this castle is you.”
Midas laughs, a cruel sound to poison the air. “I already have him, you know,” he tells me smugly, waiting to see how I take the news. “So if you think Commander Rip is going to come up here and rescue you, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.”
“I don’t need anyone to rescue me.”
My foot lifts as I take another step forward, and I enjoy it immensely when I see Midas take a step back. Satisfaction purrs from my gut.
“I’ll kill him,” Midas threatens. “I’ll kill that spiked bastard, and your guard too.”
Fury catches from the sparks, makes my eyes narrow in a squint. He expects me to falter beneath the threat, but instead, I burn hotter. “Touch them, and I’ll touch you.”
The threat pulls the blood from his face, his tanned skin going pale.
But right then, my skin tingles. A shiver travels down my tormented spine. Dusk hits, setting the sun and stealing my power with it.
Midas must notice, either because I let something show on my face, or his internal clock has become nearly as good as mine, because a cruel smile tips up his lips. “Colorful speech, Auren. Too bad you don’t have what it takes to back up those fiery words,” he mocks, making my eyes flash. “Be careful with that tongue of yours, hmm? We’re safe up here for the time being with the music and crowd, but Queen Kaila has a way of stealing secrets.” He glances over me appraisingly. “Though I have to admit, I’m surprised by this outspoken side of you. You’ve certainly come a long way since being the painted girl from Derfort Harbor.”
I blink. Something sharp scrapes my insides, blade angled just right. “What did you say?”
He tilts his head, like a cat considering whether it wants to pounce on a mouse. “Didn’t I ever tell you I lived in Third Kingdom for a time?” The question is a taunt pulled tight. A rope at my ankles to yank my feet out from under me.
It succeeds.
Something like gratification pulls at the skin around his eyes. “You never came to see me, pet.”
Cold unease scampers up my spine. “What are you talking about, Midas?”
He walks over to the pitcher of wine again, pours himself another glass, indulging in his moment. “You know, it’s easier than people think to get ahead in this world. You just need the drive to do it.” He takes a long gulp before turning around to face me again, a drip of wine staining his lip. “Even a bastard drifter without two coins to rub together can make a name for himself. A name you’ve heard of, actually.”
Now it’s my face that has all the blood draining from it, the gold paling at my cheeks.
“I worked my way up. Was a runner for a thief, but he didn’t realize the potential that was brewing in that port city. It only took two years before his territory became mine. Thieving, pirating, flesh trading. I did it all, controlled dozens of workers. It was a perfected operation,” he brags, pure pride shining through his voice. “People feared the name I made up. Wouldn’t even think of stepping foot on my side of the city without permission, because my name showed that I owned it.”