A Battle of Blood and Stone (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 4)

“How?” he growled, but his thought immediately went to Boral. He was the only one with motive to betray their team. Knowing he would die if he told their secrets, Carrick imagined Boral might have been tortured for the information.

Carrick wondered how Zaid would take the news, but it wasn’t something he could dwell on because Kymaris wasn’t done.

“Save yourself a lot of pain and misery,” she said as she bent, grabbed her glass of liquor, and moved away from Carrick. Looking over her shoulder, she advised in an ominous tone, “And bring me the Blood Stone.”

Kymaris started walking toward the foyer, and he assumed he’d overstayed his welcome and was being shown out.

At the door, she put her hand on the knob, but she didn’t open it. A thought seeming to have struck, she turned to him with a calculated expression. “Bring me the Blood Stone and I’ll spare the little human her life. I’ll even swear it in a binding.”

A guarantee that Finley would survive the prophecy was tempting indeed. If Carrick agreed to it, it meant he’d sacrifice the world to save her. If circumstances were different, he’d have no qualms about every human on Earth burning if it meant she could live.

But she was going to die anyway when Rune decided it was her time. He would gain nothing by this offer from Kymaris, especially since he had the upper hand by having the Blood Stone.

Carrick stepped up to her, tipping his head as he murmured, “What’s to stop me from killing you right now?”

She smiled sweetly, giving him a poke in his chest with her finger. “You would have done it long before now and we both know it, so I’m assuming the gods have ordered you to let this play out. Now, I’m not quite sure what Finley’s role is, but I suspect it might just be to have a human attempt a valiant save of the world because it makes good drama, don’t you think?”

Of all the things Kymaris has said, this was the one he might agree with. The gods did love their drama.

Kymaris opened the door, then nodded her head toward the porch. It was dark and misting rain beyond the glow of the exterior lights. “My offer to rule by my side is still open. Bring me the Blood Stone, leave your little human behind, and I’ll spare her life. I’ll even give her sanctuary and reprieve from the mayhem that’s coming.”

Carrick used the opportunity to throw Kymaris off the scent of their bond. “The human means nothing. As I said, the gods have promised me a reward for my role in guiding her.”

Kymaris inclined her head, as if to say, “Lines have been drawn.”

Carrick stepped over the threshold, and he didn’t look back. After he heard the door close behind, he heaved a sigh.

Envisioning Zaid where he’d left him just before knocking on Kymaris’ door, he bent distance to his side. The woods were thick and the rain didn’t reach where Zaid stood, looking down the sloped terrain at the back of Kymaris’ house. It was where Maddox, Finley, Rainey, and Myles had set up their spy nest the evening Kymaris performed her sex ritual to call forth Dark Fae.

“How did it go?” Zaid asked, turning Carrick’s way. He had a pair of binoculars in his hand, and he would have easily been able to see Carrick and Kymaris talking.

Carrick grimaced, rubbing his hand at the back of his neck. “She knows we have the Blood Stone.”

“Boral.” Zaid’s voice was flat in his accusation.

There was no need to reply, because Carrick was sure Zaid’s mind went to the same place his had. That Boral was most likely dead, and it probably wasn’t a pleasant journey getting there. He’d let the realization settle in, but figured Zaid might have some conflicting feelings despite his adamant refusal to let his father back into his life.

Getting information from Kymaris wasn’t actually the reason they’d come tonight. Carrick had merely wanted in the house so he could check things out, because he had something far more important to do than pick her brain. The information he’d learned would turn out to be just as important as their primary objective.

“No humans in the house,” Carrick said in a low voice. “Just Kymaris and one daemon.”

“One of her rare non-party nights,” Zaid muttered.

Carrick nodded as he stared down at the house. Such a shame because it was a beautiful piece of property.

“Everything set?” he asked.

“Easy as pie,” Zaid replied, handing the small black box with its stubby antennae to him. It had a small green bubble light and one button.

Carrick’s expression was hard as he stared down at the house. In her robe and high heels, Kymaris walked without a care in the world from the living area to the kitchen. She moved to the refrigerator and opened it, staring inside as she pondered what she’d like to eat.