The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

fingers folded around his glass. “My father even believes
that the ones involved with the attack may have spoken
openly with those who weren’t, basically infecting others
with their nonsense.”
Alastir’s and the other’s beliefs and words truly were like
an infection, but was it one that could be cured? As we ate, I
thought of those who had first attacked me. “The people
who were at the Chambers?” I said, and Casteel stilled for a
moment before picking up a napkin and wiping his fingers
clean. “Once they realized what I was, one of them asked
the gods to forgive them.”
A cruel, tight smile formed over the rim of his glass as
he took a drink. “They won’t.”
“I…I hope they do.”
His brows lifted. “That is too kind of you, Poppy.”
“They didn’t kill me—”
“They wanted to.”
“Thanks for the unnecessary reminder.”
“It sounds like a very necessary reminder,” he replied
flatly.
I resisted the urge to throw the piece of cheese I held.
“Just because I hope they’re not wasting away in the Abyss
for all eternity doesn’t mean I’m okay with what they tried
to do to me.”
“Well, I do.”
I ignored that. “They were obviously very misinformed.”
“So?”
“What I’m trying to say is they weren’t like Alastir or
Jansen or those who wore the Descenter masks. Their minds
were made up. Nothing was going to change that.” I tossed
the piece of cheese onto the platter. “But the ones at the
Chambers? The others who may have known something was
going on, or have concerns? Whatever opinions they’ve
formed can be changed. It’s not a…fatal infection. They’re
not the mindless Gyrms or the Craven.””
“Sounds pretty fatal to me,” he commented.