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Kiva gagged at the sight of her scorched, blistering flesh.

“That looks uncomfortable,” said Navok, and Kiva pivoted back to face him, tears trailing down her cheeks. “Heal yourself, and you’ll be all better.”

The agony was enough that Kiva struggled tothink, let alone respond. Through clenched teeth, she bit out, “Ican’t, you bast —”

“Do you want to feel that again?” the king interrupted. “Because Xuru can keep going all day.”

The fire-wielding anomaly grinned and summoned another flame to dance between his fingers. Kiva flinched, the motion tugging at both her burned skin and her still-throbbing cheekbone, though the pain in her face was nothing compared to the ache spreading across her shoulder and upper back.

“If you would justlisten—”

“What’s it going to take for you to obey me?” Navok interrupted her again, leaning forward on his throne. He jerked his chin at Xuru and said, “Again.”

The anomaly’s grin widened, and he wound back his arm, preparing to launch the flames toward Kiva once more.

“NO!” she cried, her voice cracking as she raised both of her hands protectively.

“What in the everworld is going on in here?”

At the soft, feminine voice, Xuru peered beyond Kiva and swiftly extinguished his magic. She followed his gaze to find a young woman striding into the throne room accompanied by a young man, both dressed in elegant travel clothes.

“Nav?” the girl pressed, her auburn hair darker than the king’s and glimmering with sun-kissed streaks, her eyes a calming shade of pale green. Everything about her was delicate, from her porcelain skin to her pixie-like features.

Her companion was the opposite, though no less striking. His skin was a rich dark brown, his body lean but with clear muscle definition, his black hair cropped short with a gold circlet at his brow. He painted such an alluring picture that, even in her pained state, Kiva had trouble taking her eyes from him.

“This doesn’t concern you, Sera,” Navok replied, proving what Kiva had assumed: the newcomers were his sister and her betrothed.

“Is that the greeting you offer her after months apart?” Voshell asked, his faintly accented voice deep and honeyed — and simmering with anger.

Kiva was surprised; the look on the prince’s face didn’t indicate any of the weakness Navok had implied. Rather, Voshell’s features were hard as he eyed the Mirraven king.

“Don’t bother, Vosh,” Serafine said wearily, laying her hand on his arm. “I’d rather know what we walked in on when we —” She broke off in a gasp when Kiva turned slightly, unintentionally revealing her burn.

Serafine had been walking casually toward the throne, but the moment she caught sight of Kiva’s wound, she quickened enough that her travel cloak fanned out behind her. She only slowed when she noted the look of fear that Kiva failed to hide.

“It’s all right,” Serafine said soothingly. Once she was close enough, she tried to get a better look at the damage, but Kiva edged away from her, wary and uncertain.

“Did you do that?”

Kiva thought Voshell’s enraged words were aimed at her, but then she realized he was still glaring at Navok, even fiercer than before.

The king’s eyes flared in warning, but his tone was light, even bored, when he said, “My clumsy bride tripped and fell into a luminium lantern. It looks worse than it is.”

Serafine’s eyes locked on to Kiva’s hot, throbbing cheek and narrowed into slits.

“And what of her face, brother?” the princess asked, her tone still soft, but there was a lethal edge to it that Kiva hadn’t expected. “Did the luminium lantern do that, too?” She indicated the handprint bruise on Kiva’s forearm. “And that?”

Navok’s jaw tightened. “As I said, she’s clumsy.”

Xuru was nodding at his side. Kiva hated them both.

Serafine raised her chin. “Clumsy or not, my sister-to-be is hurt. I’ll see her to her room and make sure her wounds are treated.”

An odd thing happened then: Navok laughed. It wasn’t a humor-filled sound, but something mean and spiteful. It had Serafine visibly tensing, as if she regretted her choice of words.

“Still looking to fill that space, after all these years?” Navok asked in a taunting voice. “I should have knownmywedding would bringyoumore joy than me.” He sent a lascivious look toward Kiva, and added, “Though the wedding night shouldn’t disappoint. At least that’s one thing I can look forward to tomorrow.” A pointed pause. “If I can wait that long.”

It wasn’t just Kiva’s shoulder that was burning now as dread and loathing seared through her veins.