Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms 3)

CHAPTER 25

CLEO

AURANOS

Cleo’s plan had worked like a charm.

Her future was looking brighter than ever and, if she could manage it, that future would include Lucia. She’d tried not to—had only planned to put on a show—but she liked her. Genuinely liked her and valued her friendship.

Lucia’s veins didn’t flow with the ice water that was Damora blood, so this surprising outcome was perfectly acceptable to Cleo.

A small part of her cringed when she had to lie to Lucia, but it was a necessary evil.

The Temple of Valoria. The home of the water crystal—the fourth and final Kindred.

Lucia had awakened it, and soon it would belong to Cleo.

She would wait until after she’d heard from Jonas to give Nerissa a message about this news. A thought kept nagging at her. Why hadn’t he sent word to her yet about his success at the Temple of Cleiona?

It will take time, she reminded herself. She’d revealed all three locations in her last message to the rebel, and Nic had looked at her with shock when she’d confided to him what she’d done.

“You really trust him,” he’d said.

“I do.” Trusting Jonas with something as important as this was a risk she was willing to take. It was a leap off a high cliff, and she was hoping very much for a soft landing.

“It’s amazing,” Cleo now said to Lucia, shaking her head. “Your elementia . . . it leaves me in awe.”

“Your ring does wonders for my control.” Lucia looked down and studied the amethyst, and Cleo felt a deep pang of envy. It wasn’t only a force of magic with ties to the Kindred. The ring had belonged to her mother, and her father had given it to her in his last living moments.

Her heart ached for it, but she knew it was now just another loss for her to grieve.

“I’m glad,” she said, forcing a smile.

A frown creased Lucia’s brow. “You knew what this ring was before Alexius told you.”

A heavy moment of silence passed between the two princesses as Cleo struggled to understand exactly what Lucia was suggesting. Her words weren’t posed as a question. They were presented as a statement. “Of course I didn’t.”

“Don’t lie, Cleo. It’s too much of a coincidence for me to believe.”

A swift sensation of alarm whipped through her. “I’m not lying.”

“You had this ring for, what? Months? This ring’s secret is why you first approached me with offers of friendship. This is how you knew, before you even saw it for yourself, that your presence would give me peace. And you used that knowledge to manipulate me.”

While Cleo’s stomach tied itself up in knots, her mind worked furiously to find a way out of this, to ease Lucia’s worries. The princess was only being paranoid, which was nothing new.

It wasn’t time to panic yet.

“Lucia.” Cleo offered her a bright smile. “How could I know I possessed a magic ring? It didn’t provide me with any magic. And, in case you aren’t aware, I’m only sixteen. I didn’t know Eva personally like your boyfriend did. And, need I remind you that I gave that ring to you freely the moment I knew it could help you? Now stop being silly.”

“Silly?” Lucia’s expression grew dark. “I assure you, silly is the very last thing I’m being right now.”

Perhaps it was nearing the time to panic.

“I should leave you to your studies. It’s clear you’re in a foul mood today and I don’t want to add to it, especially with the wedding to attend this evening.” She turned and opened the door.

But it slammed shut before she could leave.

Slowly, she turned to face the sorceress, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it.