Mask of Poison (Fall of Under Book 1) by Kathryn Kingsley (great novels to read txt) 📕

Why would they? I built it in secret without his notice. It made it so much easier to spring the trap on him when the time was right.” Aon hummed. “I’m quite proud of the accomplishment.”

“Can we stop talking about Qta’s demise?” Ini whined. “Please?”

“Very well.” Aon turned back to the table. “The chamber I require to hold Rxa is, as you have noted, Kamira, several weeks on foot from here. We may fly there faster. But the chamber will be useless without a sample of his blood. Even still, we will need to restrain our dear fallen angel long enough for me to complete the spells.”

Silence.

“You can see why I do not want to trouble myself with a pack of already doomed mortals.” The warlock folded his hands at his back. “I have enough problems to solve without them underfoot.”

The room went quiet.

“If anyone has any suggestions, by all means,” the King of Shadows said dryly, “I am all ears.”

Nothing.

The issue with Aon was never that his points or arguments were not valid, but that his method of delivery left much to be desired. Lyon shut his eyes as he thought over the situation carefully. Then he smiled sadly. He had a potential solution…but it was a costly one.

Everything always was.

“What if they could be of assistance in this coming confrontation?” Lyon opened his eyes to turn his attention back to Aon. He had long since been the warlock’s friend. After the Great War, their relationship had been strained by Aon’s murder of Qta. But since the events of the Rise, he found himself once more in the warlock’s confidence. If anyone stood a chance of convincing Aon to take pity on the pack of frightened, cold, and hungry mortals, it was Lyon.

He didn’t much appreciate the pressure, but he understood why it fell to him.

“Oh? As what, ammunition?” Aon chuckled. “I’m sure I could fashion a trebuchet in no time at all.”

“No.” Lyon fought the urge to roll his eyes. “One of them may be useful to you. She has spent her life hunting the hungry corpses. And she has had two interactions with Rxa and has escaped both times unharmed. She may have insight.”

“Then bring me her, and let the others wander back into the woods.”

“She is a guardian of her people. She will not agree to help us unless her kin are safe.” Lyon couldn’t guarantee that was true. In fact, Ember might be willing to help them regardless of the safety of the other survivors. It wasn’t an outright lie, merely a plausible one.

With every year that went by, he slowly became more accustomed to the art of manipulation. He detested every second of it, but what were kings and queens if not machines of politics?

Aon went quiet for a moment. “No.”

Lyon felt his jaw twitch. He did not want to give away all his chips in the first round, but he did not know what else to do. “Her blood serves as an antivenom to the disease carried by the dead. I have seen it with my own eyes.”

“I knew you were holding something back.” Aon’s smile was audible. “You are learning, but you’re playing the master.”

“Okay, boys.” Lydia crumpled up a blank piece of paper and threw it at Aon. It bounced off his metal mask. “If you two are done measuring your dicks, can we move on?”

Kamira laughed.

“Yes, yes.” Aon gestured his hand idly. The crumpled ball of paper flew into the fire. “I know my library is already in quite a state. Please don’t make it worse by littering.”

“Will you take in the mortals?” Ini asked hopefully. “If Ember will talk to you?”

“I will shelter the mortals in my ballroom and provide them what they require if she speaks with me alone and agrees to allow me to study her.” Aon walked to his chair by the fire and sat, sinking into the cushions. “And only then.”

“When you say ‘study,’ do you mean ‘torture’?” Kamira sneered. “With you, nothing is painless.”

Aon sighed tiredly. “I am not going to kill her.”

“That didn’t answer my question, warlock.” Kamira swished her tail.

“It is of no consequence to you. She will not die. If you are intent on me sheltering the mortals for the time being, then this is the deal. I will be allowed to question and study this girl as I see fit.”

Lyon winced. “I will speak to Ember and see if she agrees. She should have a say in this.”

“As you wish.” Aon waved his hand at them. “You are all dismissed.”

Lydia stayed behind as Lyon, Kamira, and Ini made their way back outside. Lyon stood upon the steps leading into Aon’s estate and looked out at the stretch of grass in front of him. The mortal survivors, Dtu, and his shifters were all still standing by the tree line. Likely just in case they needed to run.

Dtu knew he was not welcome. There was no love lost between the King of Moons and the King of Shadows. With a heavy breath, Lyon began walking toward the group of people. Kamira fell in step beside him. “You are not really going to pawn her off on Aon, are you? He’ll cut her to ribbons.”

“I believe him when he says he will not kill her,” he replied, keeping the dread and uncertainty out of his voice. “He does not lie.”

“He does not need to. He’ll torture her until there isn’t anything left for her to do but die.” Kamira bared her teeth. “I like the little spitfire. She might actually be useful in a fight, unlike the rest of the frightened humans.”

“I am not sure what else to do. We cannot leave them lingering in the woods. It’s only a matter of time before Rxa and his army arrive, and you cannot defend yourselves and them at the same time.” He frowned. “It is up to Ember. I will be blunt and honest with the danger that Aon poses to her. It is