Silence ruled the room. Rank 7s and 8s stared in mutual disbelief at the shimmering message that Jalen had left all of them. None of them could tear their eyes away from him. Such was the extent of their shock that it was several seconds before Kyyle even remembered to breathe.
“Well,” Rake drawled. Out of everyone in the room, he seemed to be the only one that wasn’t distraught in some manner or another. His typical reluctance to speak miraculously evaporated in the presence of the stunned look on Vivian’s face. “That was interesting. It seems your analysis of Spider was indeed correct, Vivian. He is a Rank 8. Though I am less certain if he is your ally. Unfortunate. It happens to the best of us.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Vivian growled, her eyes going narrow. “That little shit.”
Kyyle blinked. His heart started to beat faster as his eyes flicked from Vivan to Rake. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He could hear his blood pumping in his ears. When he swallowed, his throat was dry. A chill raced down his spine as cold realization set in.
Finally, it all made sense.
Spider hadn’t been the fake persona.
The fake was Noah.
And it always had been.
Spider had been playing a long game since before the rest of them had even realized what he was up to. He’d infiltrated the Apostles through Garina. He’d played them all for fools, pretending to be leagues weaker than he actually was along with his masterful deception of being a tasteless, crass moron.
It should have been so obvious. Nobody with as little taste as Noah ever could have dressed as nicely as Spider. The man Spider had pretended to be never would have even considered seeking out such a talented tailor to create his robes. There was no doubt about it.
Spider had been toying with them all along. That was why he’d let himself die during the fight with Alice and the other Apostles’ disciples. The real Spider was just puppeting around bodies, playing with toys. All of it had been a game to him. And with Vivian and Rake’s confirmation that he was indeed a Rank 8, the final pieces clicked into place within Kyyle’s mind with horrified certainty.
“Gods,” Kyyle breathed, his awe completely overwhelming his distaste of Noah. “I can’t believe it. We were dancing like puppets. Spider was doing this whole thing just so he could rob his ex-wife.”
“What?” Baress asked, her eyes snapping to Kyyle. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing,” Vivian said sharply. “He’s a delusional—”
“It was just to spite her,” Kyyle said. He shook his head, a sinking feeling building in his stomach. It had been so long since someone had defeated him so thoroughly. But, somehow, that almost made it sting less. He and Spider had never been playing the same game. Not for one second. Kyyle swallowed. “Such a long, convoluted strategy. And all of it just to spite his ex-wife. Why else would he only take a single key?”
Vivian’s face remained still. She didn’t even react to the question. Her features were a perfectly crafted mask. Too perfect. The only reason someone would ever have so little reaction to Rake’s observation…
Kyyle felt the last of the blood rush out of his face.
Fuck. She wasn’t lying about displaying this entire confrontation to the whole of Aqua Terra. And that means she’s planning on making an example out of us. How in the Damned Plains did she get past the Prophet so quickly? She shouldn’t be here yet!
“Rake,” Vivian said flatly, her eyes cold. “I believe you have a duty to uphold. We have another Faction Head attempting to steal from me in clear violation of the Rules. You are bound to assist me in removing them from Aqua Terra.”
“I am quite aware,” Rake said. He shook his head. “I never knew you had a husband, Vivian.”
There was a near imperceptible tightening in Vivian’s jaw.
“Why are you listening to the drivel these idiots are spouting?” Vivian asked thinly. Her cold gaze bore into Baress. “We have Rules to enforce. And, in accord with them, Obsidian Gate is no longer welcome at my tournament. You have two options, Baress. I’ll spell them out for you, just in case you forgot how this works. You can leave and pay me the appropriate restitutions for what you’ve attempted, or you can fight and break even more of the Rules.”
Baress’ gaze flicked to Kyyle. Then her eyes narrowed. She raised her staff slightly. “I didn’t actually steal anything, Vivian. All I did was a little property damage and some inspection. Don’t force yourself into a corner you can’t leave from. A fight here would be disastrous for all of us.”
“Why would that be?” Vivian asked, her lips curling into a sneer. “Are you hoping that the Apostles’ Prophet will be interfering to help you? Because that won’t be happening. He’s… distracted. All you’ve got is one Rank 8 and a few Rank 7s. But, please. Attack me. Try your hand. I wouldn’t mind expanding my land. Obsidian Gate isn’t a bad direction to grow.”
A cold smile crossed Baress’ lips at Vivian’s words. Then she drove her staff into the ground.
Greenish-gray energy exploded out from her in a hissing wave. It tore across the entire room with enough force to make Kyyle’s ears pop. A dull buzz followed after it. And then there was silence.
“That’s enough of your little show,” Baress said. “We’ll continue the rest of this conversation in private. And I think you’ll appreciate me doing so. I doubt you’ll want the world to see what comes next. You should be more careful before you threaten me.”
“Is that so?” Vivian asked, her features still inscrutable. “And why is that?”
“Because you miscounted,” Baress said with a cruel laugh. “Only one Rank 8? I’m afraid not. We have two.”
Shadows bubbled in corners of the room. They slithered across the ground and wove together, twisting into the rippling form of a woman several steps away from Baress. The red-haired Faction Head’s smile grew wider. “You should pick your allies closer, Vivian. How do you think we got here in the first place? There’s a reason no Rank 8 ever harbors the presence of an equal in their closest sanctum. Too much room for things to get messy.”
“Fascinating,” Rake said, sounding entirely nonplussed about the entire situation. “Having allies so powerful so close… I may have to agree with Baress, Vivian.”
Kyyle supposed it didn’t really matter to Rake in the end. He was only here because he had to enforce the Rules the Faction Heads had agreed on. Rake didn’t actually care about enforcing anything. If he thought he could get away with a better deal, he’d take it.
A spark of hope lit in Kyyle’s chest. Maybe this whole plot wasn’t completely ruined yet.
“One chance,” Baress drawled. “We can just call this off. No harm was done. Not by us, at least. Vivian’s ex-husband seems to have done all of that before we could even think about it. So no harm was done. Can’t blame me for trying. Or, Vivian, we can take the other route.”
“And what route is that?” Vivian asked, still composed and unreadable.
“Rake can join up with us,” Baress said. “We both know he’s not here to actually support you. He’ll take the easier route. And that will make it three Rank 8s against one. And while I agree that none of us want a two-versus-two face off, one against three is a fully different story. There isn’t a single Rank 8 who can stand against three of our peers.”
“I’m afraid she’s right,” Maria said, inclining her shadowy head in agreement. “A single Rank 8 has no chance against three others, Baress.”
Baress started to nod.
Then she froze.
“What?”
Vivian’s lips curled upward.
The shadows making up Maria curled apart, squirming across the floor like snakes to gather and reform into a body at Vivian’s side.
Kyyle’s jaw clenched.
Shit.
“I’m honestly a little embarrassed for you,” Maria said, her laughter whispering through the room from a dozen different directions all at once. The torches sputtered, darkness strangling out their light. “You actually believed that I would burn down a good deal so easily? You arrogant old bat. I’ve controlled the shadows of Aqua Terra for hundreds of years. You think I’d give it up for some honey-tongued old bat’s empty promises?”
“But… you hate Vivian,” Baress exclaimed, anger cracking through her composure as rage flashed through er features. “You — you can’t stand her! Why would you ever be willing to provide her information?”
“This is sad,” Vivian said with a sigh, but it was all too clear how much she was enjoying this. “Just tell her, Maria. I’m getting second-hand embarrassment.”
“Very well,” Maria said. A smile rippled across her shadowy features. “You should have figured out who you were getting into bed with before you pinned your hopes on them, Baress… but perhaps that was too much to ask for someone as greedy as you. Perhaps I should formally introduce myself. I am Maria, Mistress of the Blackest Ocean, and Prophet to the Great Goddess Renewal.”
“No,” Baress muttered, taking a step back. Her grip on her staff slacked as she stared at them in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”
“Sharing isn’t easy,” Vivian said. Her lips curled into a satisfied smirk. “I’ve never been one for it. Neither has Maria. I’m her senior by a number of years. But given that we both happen to have the same master, no matter what differences we have, we find each other’s company vastly preferable to yours.”
Kyyle slowly reached into his back pocket. This was bad. The whole plan was shot. It was time to get out of here.
“Now,” Vivian said. “I believe that makes three Rank 8 Mages on my side… and one on yours.”
“Which means it is time to discuss the terms of your surrender,” Maria finished. A gap spread across her shadowy features, curling upward in a grotesque smile. “Don’t worry. I only bite a little.”