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“I don’t know.” Pri breathed, pulling her golden locks over her shoulder as she glanced at Nox.

Dukovich was kneeling over him and I watched as his hands twisted in the air above his wound, his fingers drawing symbols with each flick of his wrist. He had the power to remove Svech from the bloodstream because of the Marzog blood that ran through his veins—to pull it out without pain.

Dark matter began flowing from the hole in Nox’s side as if it was being sucked into the air. The onyx in his veins began to fade with each passing second. Dukovich pulled a vial from his sack and guided the dark matter inside before shoving a cork tightly into its opening and throwing the vial into the fire.

A small explosion sounded from the hearth as the vial cracked open under the flames, sparks flying from their cavern and black smoke drifting through the room in its wake.

“It is done,” Dukovich stated, his deep voice harsh against the quiet that had settled into the room. “The residue has been removed but I cannot heal the actual wound; I do not have that power.”

Pri nodded, pushing slowly from the table. “Can you get him up into one of the bedrooms? I have a tonic that can heal him.”

“Pri, you should use that on yourself,” I said, my voice stern as I grabbed an elbow to help steady her.

“My wounds are not as bad, and I already used a salve. I’ll be healed by morning. And besides, I still need information from him.”

Dukovich pulled Nox from the ground, not caring to be gentle, and dragged him up the steps. I guided Pri behind them, my fingers still grasping her elbow tight as she limped up the stairs. When we finally stepped onto the second floor landing, Pri stopped, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.

“I do not think we can stay here past tomorrow. I should be healed enough by the afternoon to tether with Nox.” My brows furrowed, confusion plastering my features.

“Pri, we can’t take him to Locdragoon with us,” I said, my tone implying that she should already know this.

“We can’t let him go now that he’s seen this house, Ata. And I can’t kill him—Iwon’tkill him. He saved my life today and almost died because of it,” Pri snapped, pushing from the wall and starting the remaining walk to her room.

Releasing a weighted sigh, I watched as she struggled to take the final few steps toward her door and wrapped her fingers around the handle before looking back at me.

“Learn everything you can about Malik from Dukovich, we might need his services after all.” It wasn’t a request but a demand that left her lips and she gave me no time to argue before shutting the door at her back.

Chapter fourteen

ATALIIA

Ashiverskiddedacrossmy skin at the salacious energy that seeped through the seams of this house. Even miles from the heart of the city, a prurient current still flowed through the air. I dipped my head underwater, letting it cleanse me one last time before stepping out of the bath and wrapping myself in a towel. I leaned my head against the cold stone wall of the bathing room, dreading what the rest of the night had in store for me.

This was supposed to be an easy assignment.

Get in, listen for any whisperings of information in taverns and brothels, then get out. It had all gone to shit so quickly. I groaned, pushing my head from the wall and trudged into the other room. The familiar jumped onto the bed as I dropped the towel from around my body and I studied it, watching as the cat curled itself into a ball. I smiled softly as I watched its tail gently tap the black silk sheets.

“You did so well today,” I cooed, walking toward the bed and burying my nails into the deep grey fur behind its ears. It purred gently, rolling onto its back at my touch as I scratched under its chin. “I suppose . . . I should give you a name at some point,” I said, sighing and shooing it from the bed as I laid back. Its paws landed on the floor with a quiet thud and I watched as it transformed into a tiny mouse then slipped underneath the door.

The sheets slid against my naked body, and I shuddered at the feeling.

This fucking place.

I wasn’t sure if it affected me differently because my magic hailed from these lands, but the need I felt within the borders of Ammord was overwhelming—demanding. A constant itch in the back of my head that I could never quite scratch. I spent so much time training and learning how to shift, how to control my body, that I had neglected to learn to control how this carnal energy affected my mind.

On my first assignment here, I came to the conclusion that fighting a random man was better than bedding him. And tonight, I didn’t get the fight I craved to quell these urges.

Like most things, I would just have to take care of these feelings myself.

Sliding a hand over my bare breasts, I gave in to the arousal that was growing in my center and breathed in the lust-filled air. My nipples peaked against my touch as my fingers kneaded into them. The room began to heat as I let my right hand slowly slip down my body. My fingers lingered at every curve, every dip, feeling every inch of my scarred skin—praising it, honoring it as I bent my knees and spread my legs apart.

My hand slipped between my thighs to find warmth already emanating there, need pooling and begging to be satiated. I let my middle finger dip into the pleasure that had already begunto flow from me and trailed it back toward my clit. My finger connected and a gasp shuddered from my lips. My left hand flew from my breast to grab onto the sheets, balling them in my fist.

Slowly, I began to move my finger in small circles, adding more and more pressure with every pass. A low moan rolled from my throat, vibrating through my bones and releasing the pressure that was building inside me.

My left hand uncoiled around the sheets and began to trail down the expanse of my body. I pushed two fingers inside myself and a groan slipped from my lips, my head tilting back as I continued to circle my clit in slow, deliberate movements.

I was going to make this feeling last.