Page 32 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury (House of Embers #1)

“He shouldn’t have put you in the room,” Nimue said as she let herself in.

It’d been about an hour since I had my realization.

Time hadn’t changed my mind. If anything, it brought back an inner strength I hadn’t realized was missing.

In that time, I’d dressed myself in a tunic and comfortable tights.

Though that didn’t stop me from packing a set of my flight leathers in a knapsack. They’d be useful later.

Nimue wrung her hands together as she took a seat on my bed beside me.

“We were all wound up. No one likes doing what we did, even if we try to shrug it off so we don’t feel so shitty.

” She swallowed. “And you were rightfully upset. I just—it scares me. Luther still has you on a leash, a tight one unlike ours, and I worry. I’m confident the assassins are no longer from any of the Noble Houses and are now solely from Andova, because of course, they want you gone so Umara’s no longer a threat.

“If you keep pushing, Luther might agree with the assassins, and I can’t bear the thought of losing you. You’ve wormed your way into my heart, Selena. So take some responsibility. I don’t want to be left with Aurelia. Don’t make me go through that.”

Her teasing smile was weak, but I appreciated her words. I reached forward and squeezed her hand. “I don’t like what you did.” But I wouldn’t reject Nimue for it. My own sins had ruined livelihoods. “Out of everyone you picked, that man…” My throat closed.

She grimaced. “I’m sorry. Sometimes we have to do awful things to stabilize the kingdom. Because of today, Andova will think they’re in the clear. It’ll give us more opportunity to catch them. It’s not… it sounds awful, but it’s not in vain, okay?”

I huffed a laugh. “Just—don’t. I know why you did it, but I can’t. Rationalizing it does nothing for me.”

Nimue lowered her gaze. “We’ve been in the dragonsguard for over ten years. It’s easy for us to… to forget… to get used to what we have to do. Maybe we shouldn’t.” She shook her head. “Do you want me to bring you some food? Never mind, I'll bring you some food anyways.”

“I'm not hungry.” I didn’t have an appetite at all. Not when I could still smell the stench of burning flesh. Not when every time I closed my eyes, I saw William’s haunted eyes.

“Still, I'll bring you some snacks. You might get hungry later.”

I closed my eyes. “Fine. Just drop them off. I want to take a nap.”

Nimue exhaled and nodded, taking the hint and getting off the bed.

She paused at the door. “I know it’s hard to understand right now, but it really is for the public's best interest. If they think we don't have control, things will spiral. That’s how we lose lives. I know it’s awful and shitty, but it’s the world we live in, Selena. We can’t afford to think otherwise.”

“Just go, please.”

Somehow, her leaving made me feel even shittier.

Time crawled by. By the time midnight made its appearance, I was practically pacing the room.

I had forced myself to eat and changed into my flight leathers.

As much as I hated donning the leathers, practicality won out.

If I got caught in the passageways, I needed an excuse.

I couldn’t pretend to be lost if I had a getaway bag with me.

So instead, I tugged on some bracelets and necklaces and stuffed a coin purse in my breastband.

I stepped out of my room, my heart pounding.

At least it was empty. Still, I kept my movements silent as I walked out of the common space and toward the portrait where the hidden passageway was.

It led to the dragon caves, yes, but I knew it reached beyond that.

I had studied the castle since I arrived and made a mental map.

I had a pretty good idea where Luther’s room was—the fourth floor and connected to the dragon caves for easy access.

At least this part of the castle was empty, so I didn’t have any eyes on me as I stepped into the passageway.

No one had snuffed out the torches, but they were close to dying out, leaving harsh shadows along the walls.

I shuddered at the cool air pressing against my body.

“I’m doing this,” I said aloud. I wasn’t quite sure why, but at least any ghosts lurking nearby knew my resolve.

I counted my steps—another habit I’d taken to doing. I avoided the light the best I could, letting my eyes adjust to the dimness. When I approached a spiral staircase, I smiled. Right on track. Two more floors up and then I’d be on Luther’s floor. It ends today.

I’d find my sister on my own. It might be difficult, but I could do it.

And if I had time, I’d search Luther’s room for clues before I took off.

I gripped the wall, taking two steps at a time on the uneven steps.

If I stay here, I’ll die. It wasn’t going to be easy to find Clara, but if they tried anything, Umara and I would torch them.

Umara purred, sending a pulse of warmth down my body.

I was heavily aware of the knife sheathed inside my boot. It’ll be coated in blood by the end of the hour. I stopped at the end of the staircase. This is it. The fourth floor. I wiped my sweaty palms against my thighs and strode forward. He caused this. He forced my hand.

I took another deep breath and closed my eyes.

I’m not making a mistake. This has to happen.

So what if things would be chaotic at first?

It’d be worth it in the end. After another exhale, I kept walking until I stood in front of the opening.

If my count was right and I knew it was, I was right outside the king’s room.

No doubt he had guards posted, but with the element of surprise, I could take them out.

I could trick them into following me into a room and then gut them.

But I didn’t move. Not yet. If I failed… if I failed, Clara would die.

Even if I succeeded, Clara might be lost to me.

But if I stayed, I might lose myself.

I pressed my hand against the door and —

Shadowy tendrils wrapped around my body and yanked me backward. My back met the wall with a harsh thud. The shadows pinned my hands above my head. Another cool wisp of darkness covered my mouth. Every inch of my body was restrained, the cool touch jolting my system.

No.

Of all fucking people to catch me.

“How utterly predictable,” Kieran drawled.

I glowered when the shadows shifted around the passageway and Kieran materialized in front of me.

He bent down, and my pulse skyrocketed. I was aware of every inch of my body.

When he grazed my thigh, I tensed. Our eyes locked, and the corner of Kieran’s lips twitched.

“What are you expecting me to do, little thief?” He was eye level to my core.

Fuck. His fingertips danced down my thigh, and his touch left a fire raging behind.

I couldn’t look away. What was he going to do? Was he really going to—

He grabbed the knife tucked into my right boot.

Gods, I hated him. And I hated my body for reacting like this.

Kieran’s eyes darkened as he stood and pressed the blade against my throat.

“Was this a ploy to get my attention? Because I have to tell you, it’s not working.

I’m not attracted to idiots, even pretty ones. ”

I scowled and tried to kick him, but his shadows only squeezed me tighter, the pressure and flash of pain making me yelp.

Kieran shifted the blade, so it pressed right against my pulse point. Could he feel how badly it raced? Did he know he made every inch of my body alert? “Come on now, behave. Why is it so hard for you to do something so simple?”

I thrashed against the binds, but the more I did, the more his shadows pressed me further against the wall.

Kieran tsked. “If you keep lashing out, I’ll have to punish you.

Is that what you want?” He leaned closer, and I could count his eyelashes.

The knife clattered to the ground as he tossed it aside carelessly.

“I’ve been patient, but perhaps too lenient.

You’ve been testing my limits, and I’ve let you down by not enforcing them. ”

Shadows covered my eyes, leaving me in darkness. I screamed, but his shadows muffled the sound. I couldn’t move, couldn’t talk, couldn’t see. I was entirely at his mercy. My heart thudded. I tried to move my hands, but the shadows pinned them even higher up, stretching out my body.

“I don’t need a knife to hurt you, Selena, darling,” he murmured in my ear.

I stiffened, my heartbeat skyrocketing. When did he get so close? But I didn’t have time to think on that. Cool shadowy tendrils moved to my throat and squeezed. And for one terrible moment, I couldn’t breathe. No. No. No.

But then the shadows around my throat dissipated, and I gasped for breath around the gag.

In that moment, I knew I was fucked. I’d underestimated Kieran.

I knew his shadows were powerful and yet…

ye t I didn’t see this, see the real threat in front of me.

He could be everywhere, and I wouldn’t know.

Somehow, I thought I’d always know if he were nearby.

Kieran’s hand moved to my throat, stroking it delicately.

“Bad girl, behaving like this.” The tone made my blood boil.

There was no anger, no heat. He talked like I was an unruly pet.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. I’ll release you, and we’ll go somewhere private to talk.

And you’ll listen because, well”—he chuckled, low and full of heat—“killing the king isn’t something you can sweep under the rug.

Show me you can be a good girl, Selena.”

One by one, the shadows dissipated. As soon as I was off the wall and had my vision back, I lunged. But a shadow gripped my leg and squeezed, digging in until I yelped in pain. Even then, it tugged me down until I bent a knee. “Asshole,” I spat.