And then Kates threw her arms in the air. "Are you kidding me? You're my best friend. I betrayed the man I loved for you. What do you think? That I'd double cross you this time?"
"Yes."
She drew back. "You think I would betray you?"
"Knowing that I can't die? Yes. Knowing that whatever he has planned probably won't work. Yes. I think you would promise him the moon to get him to take you back."
"I can't believe you." She shook her head. "You think that I'd hand you over?"
"Is that why he sent you back?" My eyes narrowed and I felt how calm her heart was. The beat was steady, on rhythm. There was no erratic pulse. It didn't speed up or panic. And I wasn't sure what that told me, but I knew Kates. I knew what she was capable of. "O
r why he allowed you to come back?"
She froze and I had my answer. The guilt was there. It felt like my question had been a key and it slid into the lock. A perfect fit.
Kates knew it too. The fight left her the next moment. "I never had any intentions of actually going against you. If I had to choose between you two, I would choose you. I always have."
"You didn't before."
She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her forehead. "You were never, it was never you or him. I thought you were on the sidelines. But then I realized who you were and that it was you Lucan wanted. I made my choice. I made the same choice when I walked back into here."
"But Lucan thinks—"
"Yes." The admission ripped out of her. "He thinks that you trust me and I can convince you to go back with me."
"Were you intending to tell Roane this?"
Kates shuddered and shook her head. "Do you know what he would do to me? If he thought that there was a chance I'd turn on you? You and I both know he'd slaughter me. And he'd do it with a grin on his smug face."
"You love that same smug face."
"As do you!" She surged to her feet.
I gritted my teeth. "Lucas doesn't want to kill me. He's not some psycho who tried to start a civil war to overthrow some decree."
She laughed and threw her arms wide in the air. "Are you listening to yourself? Have you looked around? I've been here five minutes and it already feels like old times."
"What do you mean?"
"Another war's been declared. It's just not from the smug face I like to kiss." Then she quieted. "Lucas might have different intentions, but he's doing the same thing Lucan did. They're brothers, Davy. They're not that different."
My eyes bulged out and my heart started to race. I felt the anger rise in me. "Lucas is nothing like Lucan."
Kates laughed to herself. "Look at us. 'My boyfriend's better than yours.' Really? That's what we've been reduced to?"
I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down. No matter what she did, I always knew Kates wouldn't want me hurt. She'd push the limits and betray me, but not if it meant that I'd get hurt. That was the final straw with her and I knew it. I still didn't trust her when it came to Lucan. If she could find a way to do what he wanted and be with him where I wouldn't get hurt then she'd do that first. My saving grace was that Lucan did want to kill me, or at least take the thread from me and that would kill me.
Would it? Sireenia had the thread forced out of her. It had killed her, but I was the Immortal. What would happen if someone tried that with me?
"Who are you?"
I pulled away from my thoughts and saw Gavin in the doorway. A mask of contempt was on his face, mixed with hostility. My heart sank. He had heard every word we said.
Gavin narrowed his eyes. I felt the disgust in his voice. "Roane called. He wanted you to know that he won't be back till morning." He raked his eyes over Kates with a sneer on his face. "Something came up."
My best friend smirked and stretched. Her arms stretched wide and lifted her chest up. The entire movement was provocative. "You're new. Whose bed are you staying in tonight?"
"Kates!"