A stronger gust of wind buffeted the castle. The snow was so thick on the roof, the structure groaned from strain. I crossed to the window and peered out. The lights from the grounds twinkled feverishly from the extreme cold.
Aric’s gaze followed me. “I had multiple engineers certify this castle against all threats. It will hold.”
This mothership was immune to electrical storms, sealed against drafts (and Empress spores), and strong enough to withstand a quake—if we avoided a direct hit. Under normal circumstances, we had fifty years’ worth of fuel, but not when never-ending night had teamed up with Snowmageddon.
The plan for Circe to win the game, giving me and Aric some time with Tee, was a distant dream. But I still clung to it. “I wish I knew Circe and Matthew were safe out there.”
I talked to water in the sink, to no avail, and I always called to Matthew right before I drifted off to sleep: Does Tee have a greater purpose? What sacrifice were you talking about? Where are you?
He never answered me. Though I had reason to be angry with him (he’d murdered me after all), when I pictured his big brown eyes, I felt only worry for my friend.
Aric said, “The Fool is the best equipped of all Arcana to survive our new conditions.” Matthew couldn’t read his own future, but he could travel with others, reading them to protect himself. “And Circe will surface sooner or later. It’s inevitable.” Aric rose and joined me by the window. “Please don’t be unsettled. All will be well in time.” He laid his warm hand over my belly, and my anxiety lessened.
At seven months along, I felt as big as a house, but kind of glorious too. Especially with the way Aric continued to worship my changing body. After we made love each night, I would lie with my head on his chest while he stroked my hair and I traced his rune tattoos. For hours, we would talk about memories from our childhoods, our parents, and our hopes for Tee.
Aric gently massaged my bump and was rewarded with a solid kick, delighting him.
Which reminded me . . . “I have something I want you to see. A surprise.” Despite my fritzing powers, I’d managed to complete a project.
He blinked to attention. “For me?” Aric wasn’t a fan of surprises, since I’d given him more poisonous ones than good ones in the past.
“Well, really it’s for Tee.”
Taking Aric’s hand, I led him to our bedroom. At the door, I made him close his eyes as I guided him to the rocking crib I’d created. “Okay, you can look.”
He opened his eyes, and his lips parted.
Granted, it was unique.
I’d fashioned it out of lignum vitae, carving vines all around it that I could call to life in an emergency. Defensive thorns jutted from the rockers.
Engravings decorated the sides—roses and symbols associated with our alliance. Death’s scythe. Jack’s crossbow. Circe’s trident. One of Lark’s wolves. Finn’s ouroboros. Lightning bolts, a chariot, wings, and sunlight. The little dog from Matthew’s card.
At least, I hoped Matthew was still allied with us.
The crib looked like it couldn’t decide if it was Goth or a horror film prop, and I couldn’t stop grinning at it.
When I dragged my gaze away, I noticed Aric’s neutral expression. He ran his finger along one of the vines that dropped down into a thorn mobile. “It demonstrates a . . . consummate mastery over wood.”
“Thanks?”
He returned to my side. “It’s a work of unnerving art,” he said, but pride lit his starry eyes. “I assume the red witch had a hand in this.”
“A little.” Our thoughts had actually been in sync as I’d worked on it.
“How does she feel about the baby?”
“Very protective. She’s even started feeling that way about you. She doesn’t want to kill you anymore.” But other cards were still fair game in her bloodthirsty mind.
“Good to know. Send her my warmest regards.”
“Will do. In past games, did I ever talk about an alter ego?”
“You never spoke of her.” He reached a hand toward me, collecting the red strands of hair between his thumb and forefinger. Another lock had changed last week. “Because you were her.”
My grandmother had said my hair would permanently turn red, once I became the vicious Empress I was meant to be. “Is that the woman you want to shape the world after an apocalypse?”
“I know that you will return to Evie. Always.” Arm looped around my nonexistent waist, he turned back to the crib. “In all seriousness, I think this is perfect. And it makes things sink in, no? This is a crib. For our child.”
“Tell me about it.” When I’d been making the mattress out of sweet-smelling grasses and wool from some of Lark’s sheep, I’d been stunned to realize our baby would sleep on it soon.
“The idea seems surreal. I feel him kick against my palm and I sense our connection, but after two millennia, I can scarcely believe he’s coming in a couple of months.”
Yet I read unease in Aric’s eyes. “Still concerned you can’t touch him?” I took one of his beautiful hands and pressed my lips across his knuckles. So much lethality in these hands, yet they brought me only pleasure and comfort.
“The alternative is much worse. What if I can touch him—because he’s like me? I wouldn’t wish my fate on an enemy I hated, much less my own son.”
“Then he’ll just have to find someone as wonderful as I am,” I said with a smile, teasing him from his worry. “And he’ll treasure her all the more.”
“Evie . . .”—Aric laid his palms on my shoulders and pinned my gaze with his own—“you are going to make an incredible mother.”
My voice softened to a whisper as I said, “Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Memory-talk me.”
His brows drew together. “I’m sorry, I don’t know that phrase.”
“You’re trying to make this moment into a memory for me to recall after you’re gone. Maybe I’ll be having a bad day, but I’ll look back and remember when you told me that I would make a great mom, and I’ll feel better.”
His smile was gentle. “Is that such an unwelcome scenario?”
“Yes. I want you to be with me. Not a memory.” The more I thought about what both Aric and Jack were planning, the madder I got. The two had no problem risking themselves, uncaring about how I felt. “You want me to survive the game, but you don’t want me to affect it. After this baby is born, that will change. Sol will empower me, and I will take out Richter—as I vowed I would do,” I said, and the icons on my hand seemed to vibrate with power.
Aric’s gaze flicked from my hand upward, and I realized he was watching another strand of my hair turn red.
16
The Hunter
Day 701 A.F.
“Punch it!” I yelled over the blustery winds that funneled through this valley pass.
Gabe, Kentarch, Sol, and I were at the bumper of the Beast, pushing as the Tower tried to drive us out of a heap of snow.
How many of these had we dealt with today? Beaucoup. Over ten hours, we’d managed a mile—which was about our running average over these last few weeks on the road.