“And I also know that my nephew wouldn’t surround himself with idiots,” Kolis added. “What I think is that you allowed yourself to be caught.”
My lips parted as I stared at Rhain.
“And I also think being led to Nyktos wasn’t your only goal or hope.” Golden eather swirled across Kolis’s bare chest. “So, I will only ask you this question once, and unless you wish to end up like your father and brother, I suggest you answer truthfully.”
My gods, my suspicions were correct. Kolis had also killed Rhain’s brother. So many of those close to Ash had suffered because of Kolis. Too many—
Seraphena.
I stiffened, my stare swinging to Rhain. His voice. I’d sworn I heard it in my mind.
“Were you attempting to discover Nyktos’s location?” Kolis pressed.
Seraphena. Rhain’s voice came again. Listen to me.
My throat dried. Either I was hearing him, or I was losing my mind.
“Or hers?” Kolis asked.
My heart stuttered. One brown eye locked onto mine.
“See? I think it’s the latter.” Kolis was less than a foot from the battered god. “And Kyn didn’t just bring me a gift. He gave one to you.”
My gaze darted to the other Primal. He was frowning.
Remember what you did when you learned what Veses had done?
Okay. I had to be hearing him because that was a weird thing to think.
When you saw her with Nyktos?
“Because I know something else that he doesn’t.” Eather whirled faster across Kolis’s flesh.
Use the essence, Rhain’s voice whispered amid my thoughts. And bring this entire palace down—
Kolis shot forward, grabbing Rhain by the throat. I cried out in surprise.
“Silence,” Kolis warned, shooting me a look before refocusing on Rhain. “I know what your father was capable of. I also know what he passed on to both of his sons.”
Rhain gasped for air as Kolis lifted him off the floor.
“Only a few of Veses’ gods are capable of…what did she call it?” Rhain gagged, and Kolis smiled broadly. “Thought projection?”
“What the fuck?” Kyn snarled, his arms unfolding.
Holy shit, I had heard Rhain’s voice. But what he asked of me? When I’d lost control? I didn’t know how I’d made the House of Haides tremble. Though even if I did, it wouldn’t kill Kolis. Rhain had to know that.
“It’s a one-way street, but still effective.” Golden essence throbbed around Kolis. “Especially when it comes to communicating things to others. Those before them.” His grip tightened, causing Rhain to wheeze. “And even long-distance. The question remains. Exactly how talented are you? Like your brother? He could project his thoughts to those if he made eye contact.”
All those times I’d seen Rhain, and he’d been quiet, yet those he was with seemed to know what he needed or thought before he spoke it… Like when he’d been with Ash and me beneath the palace. Do it. Rhain had told Ash as he tore another root free. Do it now. Rhain hadn’t said what could be done to stop me aloud, but Ash had known what Rhain referred to.
“Or are you as skilled as your father was?” Kolis sneered. “Able to project thoughts to those he carried a token of?”
Rhain was starting to turn a chalky, bluish-white. He couldn’t answer, but Kolis wasn’t really giving him a chance. He gripped the front of Rhain’s tunic, where the scrolling brocade came together, and ripped it down the center, revealing a small, black pouch hanging from his neck on a smooth, black rope.
“Just like your father.” Kolis laughed, grabbing the pouch. The rope snapped with one tug. “Hid the tokens the same way.”
Kolis tossed Rhain aside. The god rolled across the floor, stopping a foot from the cage.
Shaking his head, Kolis tugged the laces on the pouch and turned it over. As Rhain rolled onto his side, Kolis dumped the contents onto his palm.
I saw it then. The token.
It was the thin, delicate silver chain I’d seen Aios wearing and always fiddling with.
“Who does that belong to?” Kyn demanded.
Rhain’s leg curled as he shuddered. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Kolis turned to him, his head tilting.
It was like invisible strings had been attached to Rhain’s shoulders. He rose into the air. I stepped back when his back bowed, his mouth open in a silent scream. The veins of his throat started to glow with eather.
“It’s mine!” I shouted.
Kolis looked at me.
“It’s my necklace. It was given to me years ago,” I lied, speaking in a rush. “I don’t know why he has it. I didn’t even know he could do the thought-projecting thing.”
“My dear,” Kolis purred. “Come now.”
“That’s the truth! I didn’t even know that was a thing.”
“How could you not know?” Kyn bit out.
“You didn’t even know,” I snapped, and his eyes filled with a pulse of eather. “And it’s not like Rhain would share such information with me. He doesn’t even like me.”
Kolis frowned as the eather retracted from the veins of Rhain’s mangled throat.
“He doesn’t!” That was another truth.
Rhain managed to turn his head toward me, then Kolis said, “And why is that?”
“Probably because I stabbed Nyktos,” I reminded him.
“You stabbed Nyktos?” Kyn asked.
I ignored him. “I’m also mouthy. I cuss too much. I’m temperamental. I start arguments. I’m pretty sure I threatened him—”
“I get it,” Kolis said, glancing at Rhain. “I would agree with many of those things. Especially the mouthy and cussing-too-much parts.”
I fucking prayed to the fucking Fates that he fucking died a slow, miserable fucking death.
But I sincerely didn’t think Rhain had been attempting to feed information back to Aios regarding me. He’d been hoping to learn Ash’s location.
I took a deep breath. “Maybe he thought to communicate with me, but he hasn’t. And what would be the point of him attempting to talk with anyone else about my location?” I rushed on. “I’m sure everyone already knows I’m at Cor Palace.”
“That’s the thing, my dear,” Kolis drawled. “You’re not at Cor Palace.”
I blinked. “I’m not—？” That didn’t matter. “Rhain didn’t try to communicate with me.”
Kolis eyed me closely. A heartbeat later, Rhain dropped to his feet. He stumbled but kept himself from falling, then bent over, wheezing.
“So why did he have this?” Aios’s silver chain dangled from Kolis’s fingers, and I hated seeing it.
I swallowed. “Maybe he’s not as good as you think.” I forced a shrug. “And Rhain needed the necklace to do it, thinking I could tell him where Nyktos is.”
“As if you wouldn’t have,” Kyn accused.
My head whipped to him. “No one asked you, asshole.”
Kyn stiffened, and eather crackled to life along the flesh of his cheeks.
“My dear.” Kolis laughed. “Didn’t I tell you not to engage those here?”