Page 31 of Infernal Bonds

Rae pulled away from Ash and sat down next to me; Cyn sat on my other side.

“Before my seer powers manifested, Cornaith wasn’t the nicest man to me—but he wasn’t any different from how he was to everyone else because he didn’t know I was a Vithrelas. When he found out I’d hidden my Vithrelas powers from him because I’d heard how he treated a former assistant who had the same powers, he locked me in a small room no bigger than a supply closet without light for a week with enough water to keep me alive.”

“How old were you?”

Cyn’s jaw tightened.

“Five.”

Rae recoiled. “What the hell? You were a baby!”

Ash paced to the other side of the room and leaned on a pillar next to Ezra, crossing his arms.

They all knew my story. They knew it had happened and were powerless to stop it. Even now they couldn’t stand against Cornaith, but they did everything they could to keep me out of his line of fire.

“It’s why I don’t like enclosed spaces. Over the years, Cornaith would use the closet to punish me or to keep me in line. I think he thinks I’ll stop using my powers like he wants if he keeps punishing me.”

“He knows you will do it, regardless.” Cyn pushed up to his feet. “He just gets off on the control.”

“As crassly as Cyn expresses it, he’s not wrong,” Ezra said. “I also suspect Father believes Zeke will turn his powers against the council if he’s not on a leash.”

“Why don’t your parents stop him?”

I laughed. My parents only cared that I secured their favor with Cornaith through my powers.

Ezra tucked his hands into his pockets. “Father’s word is law. No one defies him.”

“Well, I’m not about to let him—”

“You can’t stop him either,” Cyn said, cutting her off. When she glared up at him, he added, “Just avoid him if you can help it. You’ll be safer that way.”

Her expression fell.

Cyn wasn’t trying to be mean. He wanted her kept from Cornaith just as much as we did. We needed to protect her from him as much as the guys protected me. Ezra’s father wouldn’t hesitate to use her to make us comply, and I worried about what lengths he would go to.

Until she knew the truth about Cornaith, she wouldn’t understand just how bound we all were and why we couldn’t defy him.

9

SECRETS

RAE

After learning about Zeke’s past with Cornaith last night, I wasn’t sure about meeting with Ezra’s mother again at the palace today. Would I run into Cornaith? What expectations did the council have for me in these little educational sessions?

It didn’t matter in the end; I wanted to learn about my new home. So when Ash woke me up and said he’d escort me to the palace before leaving for training, I rushed to get ready, hoping like hell I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of anyone there.

I reached the end of the long corridor Ash had directed me down, stopping in front of a heavy door with golden filigree. Pulling out the new phone Ezra had given me that morning—since my old one wouldn’t work in Elyrdin—I checked the time. Nine-forty-seven. Ezra said his mother wanted to meet at ten, so I had a few minutes to spare.

The door opened before I could decide what to do next, and Rinlora, the softer-spoken triplet, looked at me with wide crimson eyes. “You’re early.”

I shrugged. “Better than being late.”

“I suppose.” She stepped aside to let me pass.

She looked way younger than she had in the creepy robe and tight bun she’d worn the times I’d seen her before. Today she wore a fitted ivory blouse and navy slacks, with her wheat-blonde hair cascading down her back in big, bouncy curls. She didn’t look much older than me—maybe a few years younger.

She led me through the large room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on every wall to where Amra sat in a plush armchair in front of a large window overlooking the palace gardens.