Fedra looked over the card’s in a line on the table in the center of the throne room and up at Erador. “You think I killed them?”

  Eonidas looked up curiously from a book at the bench he was sitting at. Erador glared at him in warning and he slowly covered his face with the book. The other Paradins were closer to the throne out of earshot.

  “That would explain why it skipped over you,” Erador said, pointing at the cards.

  Fedra crossed her arms. “Where did you come up with this order?”

  “Judgment’s figurines.”

  “I know he has favorites, but an order?” Fedra looked at her spot and up the cards, unbothered by her low placement. “Where’s Haven?”

  Erador pulled out the fox and held it a moment before setting it at the front and he tensed for Fedra’s response.

  She crossed her arms. “Look at that. Haven should’ve died first. I’m sure you pointed the finger at her.”

  “Haven isn’t killing us,” Erador said.

  Fedra touched her chest and leaned closer. “But you’re sure it’s me? Do I have any reason to hurt anyone?”

  “You have some,” Erador said. “You’re wanted by New Akthelia and have nowhere else to go but here. Maybe you negotiated with the king to exonerate you.”

  Fedra’s mouth gaped open as she looked to Eonidas, but he moved his eyes faster across the page. “I would never make a deal with that arrogant asshole.”

  “You hate him that much? Then why did you work for him?”

  “I didn’t have much choice at the time.”

  Erador looked her over. “But you stayed.”

  “I made a promise to her ladyship that isn’t any of your business.” Fedra lifted her chin, nostrils flared.

  Erador stared her down. “So, you want revenge on Lucrethia for her death?”

  Fedra narrowed her gaze. “No.”

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  Erador let out a slow breath from his nose. “Out of the Paradins, you’re the most likely one to betray us. No one else has qualms with us.”

  Fedra leaned closer. “If I wanted you and everyone else dead for my freedom, why would I have waited twenty years to do it?”

  “She makes a point,” Eonidas said.

  Erador wanted to glare at Eonidas but he hid behind his book before he could. “People change. They get desperate.”

  Fedra's shoulders fell, her eyes softening as she searched his gaze. “The people here have become like family to me.” She looked him over. “But you won’t believe that.”

  “People turn on their family all the time,” Erador whispered.

  “What about Haven? She lost her family and found her place here.”

  “Her anger lies with Odinaty.”

  “And Taurin?” Fedra said, leaning closer. “She misses him.”

  “That was my father’s fault, not ours.”

  “I’m not trying to blame Haven, I’m pointing out your mistake.” Fedra sighed and turned toward the cards, rubbing her forehead. “If you think there’s some pattern, then maybe this order is wrong or means nothing. What if the others are involved?” She looked over the cards. “In some way or another most of us are upset over something Judgment did. As for the dead…” She picked up the dove card and frowned. “No one hated her.”

  Erador swallowed. “They don’t have to hate us. They could be trying to extinguish the Paradins.”

  Fedra lowered the card. “What about the followers? They want a fresh beginning. Judgment said it was in Lucrethia’s history. Previous members of Maltibor’s cult wanted that too.”

  “So, what? You think a follower is behind this? Name some?” Erador didn’t know many followers as he kept in the manor.

  She didn’t answer. Everything Fedra said felt like a distraction, a way to lead him in another direction when she was here. What if he was being led away on purpose?

  “You expect me to trust you now?” he said.

  “You think that doesn’t apply to you?” Fedra looked him over. “I can tell the followers you’re the killer trying to swindle us onto your side, before you end your father. If we don’t comply…” She touched the cards of those who were murdered, “We’re dead. So, let’s not point fingers too soon.”

  She had a point. What made anyone trust that he wasn’t the killer, when he hardly trusted anyone?

  Distressed voices, from behind a pillar, caught his attention. He gathered the cards and moved to the sound with Fedra, finding Jerus and Mikra.

  “What’s going on?” Erador said.

  Jerus looked to Mikra for confirmation. “He heard that Gillian let the Raven out.”

  “How?” Erador said.

  “He followed her,” Jerus said. “Said she’s been leaving a lot.”

  “Explains why we haven’t seen her,” Fedra said.

  It's not as if they had seen her much before all this. She hardly spent time in Lucrethia since Judgment's pendant had been destroyed. It sounded like Mikra was lying, pointing the blame as a possible distraction.

  “Wait a minute,” Erador said. “All of a sudden Mikra seems to know who let the Raven out. Isn’t that suspicious?”

  Jerus glared. “Do you think he did it?”

  Erador leaned closer. “Maybe it’s a distraction to draw attention away from what’s actually going on."

  “It’s not,” Mikra said, signing his hands.

  Fedra crosed her arms. “If you’re hinting at these cards again...”

  Erador put his hand up to quiet her. “Tell me Gillian's motive?”

  “She probably switched sides," Jerus said. "Doesn’t think Judgment will get better and she can’t keep her status so who does she run off to… his worst enemy."

  “Do you really think she's some mastermind?” Erador said. "She probably ran because she's scared."

  Jerus cocked his head. “When did you get soft toward Gillian?”

  Erador shifted his gaze away. “I’m not ruling her out, but it doesn’t seem likely.” He showed the cards and looked at Eonidas at the bench, reading. “We know whose next.”

  “That doesn’t tell us who’s killing us.” Jerus punched his palm. “You have to force it out of them. We can’t be waiting for the next one to die.”

  “I won’t do that.” Erador looked at Aminria across the room. “We could be blaming the wrong person.”

  Jerus mumbled complaints as he left and Mikra followed.

  Erador was hesitant to think that Fedra wasn’t a part of the murders when she seemed the most likely. None of them had enemies, but maybe some of the followers were tired of where they stood after Lucrethia’s fall. Maybe some of them were willing to give anything to change their life like Emera and maybe Gillian did too.

  He looked to Fedra. “I guess it’s time to find Gillian.”