Poison Tree

“Maybe,” Alysia said, “but then there’s the question of where it’s been. The item history on the number said Kral lost it in a bet with Maya, but I spoke to—” She hesitated. “I confirmed that it was in fact in Maya’s possession briefly, six years ago.”

“Kral lost a multimillion-dollar ritual item in a bet with a mercenary?” Christian sco ed.

“Not likely. That painting has been around since we were … what, ve or six?” he asked, turning to Sarik. She nodded. “And I would have noticed if it hadn’t been back in his o ce the next time I saw him after that job, which was … oh, two days later, something like that.”

“Why would you give a valuable, highly recognizable item to a mercenary?” Alysia asked. “Someone please tell me I’m wrong about what I’m thinking.”

“You’d use something like this if you wanted to pay for an important job but the merc was worried about getting nailed for it later,” Christian said. His voice had become heavy, and he was looking at Sarik with something akin to horror. “You’d use something people would recognize as yours so the mercenary could later say ‘I did this with your blessing’ if you tried to blame them.”

“And if that mercenary screwed up royally?” Alysia prompted.

“They would return the item.”

Sarik was listening, but she wasn’t listening, because what Alysia was suggesting was …

“My father didn’t kil Cori.”

But how many times had Kral told her that Cori was her weakness?

Cori, poor human Cori. Cori, who was the only living proof that Kral himself had human blood, because a pureblood shapeshifter couldn’t have a human child even with a human mother.

She looked at Quean, who was sitting on the oor and staring up at her with awe and trust. He didn’t understand a word they were saying. Didn’t understand that his new king had hired mercenaries to torture an eleven-year-old girl to death in an attempt to bring his other daughter back in line. Had Kral planned to “rescue” Cori at the last minute, to prove he was stronger than Sahara, but then Maya’s boys had gotten carried away? Or had he just planned to let Sahara nd Cori’s mangled body so she would know how completely she had failed?

Knowing he had hired Maya even explained why Kral had assumed that Alysia was responsible for Sahara’s disappearance. He knew Sahara had been there, because Maya had told him. He also knew that because Maya was on his payroll, she wouldn’t have hurt

Sahara. Alysia was the only other person he could blame. And he did.

“Christian,” Sarik said softly, “I know you are not here entirely of your own will, and it may not be entirely in your own interest, but …” The expression he gave her at that preamble almost made her stop, but she gulped and nished. “Will you stand beside me a’maenke?”

Christian frowned, probably trying to remember what the term meant, and then he looked at Alysia. He nodded and answered, “Once. Then I’m gone.”

“What’s the plan?” Alysia asked.

“Christian can explain,” Sahara answered. “I’m going to tell Jeht, and then … and then I need to find my father.”

CHAPTER 23

CHRISTIAN COULD EXPLAIN, but now that he had Alysia alone, he had another, more pressing question he wanted answered first.

“What’s your plan, Alysia?”

She looked at him like he was crazy, which he certainly deserved, and said, “I’m not the one with a plan right now.”

She has dreams. Did you know she’s in col ege?

“You left SingleEarth because of the attacks,” Christian said. “The attacks were the result of Sahara being there. She isn’t there anymore.”

It was the most direct way he could express the thoughts going through his head, because every ber of his being was shouting, You idiot! If Alysia wanted to live in SingleEarth, she would be there. It isn’t like she needs your permission.

“Are you saying I should go back?” Alysia asked.

“I’m saying …” What was he saying? “It’s not a life I would choose for myself, but if it’s what you want … What I’m asking is, do you want to stay in Bruja?”

She hesitated, her gaze going distant. “Yes,” she answered, even though her tone said,I don’t know. Instead of explaining, she asked, “Do you know who runs the Frost board?”

The question was so out of left eld that Christian thought at rst he had misheard. “The

Frost board?”

“The operator,” Alysia clarified. “The person who actually writes the posts. It’s not you.”

He shook his head. “I don’t have a clue. But I know he doesn’t like me.”

For weeks after Christian had won leadership in Frost, posts had randomly appeared on the board accusing him of killing Alysia so she wouldn’t compete against him.

Alysia smiled, but it was a distant expression. “You know that if I stay, once I’m back in shape, I’ll challenge you for Frost.”

“Why?” He tried to keep his voice utterly neutral as he asked what seemed like one of the most important questions he had ever uttered. Did Alysia really want the guild, or did she just want to get back at him?

“Because …” Was it just for the challenge? Because she was pissed at him for staying with Sahara, something he hadn’t yet had a chance to explain? Because she didn’t know what else to do? Any of those reasons would tell him she didn’t really want to be there. She looked up and met his gaze squarely as she said, “Because you’re wrong for Frost. You’re ashy and she’s subtle. You’re arrogant and she’s whatever she needs to be at any moment.

You’re a bear; she’s a bear trap hidden in the woods.”

“And apparently ‘she’ is a girl,” Christian quipped, relaxing.

“You joke, but you know I’m right,” Alysia asserted. “I don’t know if Frost will have me back, but damn it, I know we need someone who doesn’t take three hours to gure out a giant tablet.”

There it was again—“we.” And this time it meant Frost.

“Let’s see what happens at Onyx, and then we’ll see about getting you in shape for

Frost,” he replied.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on? I gather Sarik is going after Kral.”

“Normally,” Christian admitted, “when Sahara stands up to Kral, she backs down fast.

This time? I don’t know.” He had seen the expression on her face. He knew better than anyone what Cori had meant to her. Beyond that, he knew she had noticed the way Kral had looked at Jeht. He explained, “She asked me to stand with her, which means she intends to challenge him within Mistari law, which she has on her side.”

Bruja rules were a little hazy, but generally, attacking guild leaders was frowned upon and not a way to earn guild leadership. On the other hand, Onyx wasn’t like the other guilds. Few people competed at Challenge. If Kral fell under Mistari law, Christian suspected that Sarta and Ravyn—the rest of the leadership—would accept it, if only because it was the result of Kral’s own arrogance.

“What does a’maenke mean?” Alysia asked as Christian quickly checked his weapons and then, reluctantly, started putting them aside.

“As her mate,” he answered with a wry smile. The term was technically applicable even if it was worlds away from describing their current relationship.

Alysia prompted, “Which means what, in this case?”

“A queen’s mate is the only one who can share a leadership challenge with her,”

Christian answered. “Sahara can’t take Kral alone and she knows it. Until she declares satisfaction or