“She told me,” Casteel answered. “And showed me.”
“You don’t believe him?” Malik asked of me.
“I believe that’s what he was told, but I don’t see how it’s possible,” I said. “Even if she looks like me—”
“She does,” Malik interrupted, and my stomach dipped. A muscle ticked in his temple. “It’s eerie how much you two look alike.”
“Not just looks,” Casteel commented, that hand still moving up and down my back—soothing, grounding. “Personality, too.”
My head swung to him. “Excuse me? We really are talking about the same person, right?” I glanced at Kieran. “The one who flounced—literally flounced—out of the chamber and sat upside down in a chair for no reason at all?”
“There are similar mannerisms. The way both of you…move,” Casteel said, and I felt the frown permanently etching onto my face because I didn’t flounce anywhere. “She also has a tendency to…”
“Ramble?” Malik finished for him, a half-grin appearing.
My eyes narrowed. “I do not ramble.”
Casteel coughed on his drink as Kieran silently hoisted himself onto the counter, his brows lifted.
“I do not,” I insisted.
“Yes, you do,” Reaver said, entering the kitchen. He glanced at Casteel. “Reaver. Nice to meet you. Glad you didn’t bite me, and I didn’t have to burn you alive.”
I had nothing to say to that.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Casteel drawled, eyes glimmering with a hint of bewildered amusement as he stared at the draken. “Thank you for your aid.”
“Whatever.” Reaver strolled past us, heading for the covered plate near the hearth.
“Anyway,” I said, focusing on Malik while Casteel watched Reaver. I realized this was probably the first time he’d gotten to see a draken while here. “If she’s my sister, how is she a Revenant and not a goddess? Is it what Casteel suspects? Did she have problems Ascending?”
Malik said nothing.
Casteel’s hand stilled on my back as Reaver shoved half a biscuit into his mouth. “Brother, if I were you, I would start sharing whatever it is you know.”
“Or what?” Malik inclined his head in an act that was so shockingly similar to Casteel’s, I thought maybe there really was something about sibling mannerisms. “You’re going to make me?”
Casteel’s laugh was dry. “I don’t think you have to worry about me making you do shit.”
“True,” Malik murmured, smirking as his gaze flicked to me. A moment passed. “Cas is right. Millie…she would’ve been a god if she’d survived the Culling. She didn’t.”
“Wait a second,” Reaver said, wiping crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. “That Handmaiden is Poppy’s sister?”
Kieran sighed. “Where have you been?”
“Not in the kitchen,” Reaver snapped. “Obviously.”
The wolven rolled his eyes.
Reaver focused on Malik. “Ires is the father?” When Malik nodded, the draken’s brows flew up. “Oh, shit. She’s going to be…” He shook his head, taking another bite. “If that is true, the Handmaiden would’ve needed blood—”
“She has a name,” Malik interrupted, his tone flat. “It’s Millicent.”
Reaver cocked his head to the side, and for a moment, I feared there might be fire. “Millicent would’ve needed powerful blood to complete the Ascension into godhood. Meaning, she would’ve needed the blood of a god. Or a descendant of the gods.” He gestured at Malik. “An Atlantian, for example. Elemental. The blood is stronger in them, but there’s no guarantee it would’ve been enough. There’s never a guarantee.” He looked at me. “You could’ve even died.”
Casteel stiffened.
“I didn’t,” I reminded him, which felt silly to do because, obviously, I hadn’t.
“It wasn’t enough for Millie,” Malik confirmed. “Your blood wasn’t strong enough.”
My stomach hollowed as I turned to Casteel.
“What the fuck?” he whispered.
“Isbeth took your blood while she held you captive and gave it to Millie, hoping it would be enough. But you were too weak at that point. Isbeth hadn’t taken your captivity and what it would do to you into consideration.”
Casteel stared at Malik, his features sharpening and becoming starker. I stepped in closer to him. He was just as shocked as I was.