Page 133 of Brimstone

I faced the female again. “A letter like that would be relatively easy to deliver here, in the palace, no?”

“Obviously. Ofcourse.” She considered this line of questioning not worthy of her time, it seemed.

“So, explain something to me, then. My mate and my friends have written a number of letters to someone here at the Blood Court over the years. Did those letters not reach Ammontraíeth?”

Zovena bared her fangs, brow creasing with unnaturally deep furrows. “That male isnota member of this court. He is shunned. The shunned do not receive missives. And the enemies of my home do not get to address their allies here!”

“So theydidarrive.”

Zovena said nothing.

“I couldmakeyou tell me.”

“Yes, they arrived. But—”

“Do you still have them in yourlair, wherever that might be?” It wasn’t wise to provoke her. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe that this dynamic would exist between us for long. The high bloods of Sanasroth would find a way to oust me sooner or later, and then I wouldn’t be able to bend Zovena to my will with words alone. It would take violence, but I was okay with that. If it was violence these monsters understood, then I would give it to them. I could be violent if I had to be. I could be cruel.

I let Zovena see the promise of that when she met my steady gaze. “Yes,” she said tartly. “I do still have them.”

“Then you’ll give them to their intended recipient. Today.”

The female set her jaw. “He can come down to my chambers and fetch them like the dog that he—”

“You will deliver them to the library. Personally.” I spoke slowly, enunciating every single word. “Or I will come and find you. And when I’m done with you, there will be nothing left of you but your fuckingteeth. Are we clear?”

She looked like she wanted to spit in my face; it was killing her not to. “As a winter’s morn,” she said.

My desires back in the Third had never been grand or grasping. Clean water. A decent meal. Clothes that wouldn’t fall apart on me. I hadn’t dreamed of much. I certainly hadn’t dreamed of power. I wasn’t enjoying any of this, but it had to be done. It was as I’d told Carrion just now: Zovena needed to know that, no matter how badly she wished otherwise, Iwasher better and I wasnotto be fucked with. I was about to dismiss her from my presence like a scolded child when the door to Tal’s chambers swung open, and my maker appeared in the open doorway.

He was naked and spattered with blood . . . and his cock juttedoutrageouslyhard from between his thighs. “If you’re not coming in to join the fun, thenpleasemove this along. You’re making me look like a bad host.”

31

VAPOR AND SMOKE

KINGFISHER

THE FOX SMELLEDlike wild winter and frost-bitten mornings. I held him tightly under one arm, humming a lullaby that my mother had sung to me as an infant quietly under my breath.

Not to the fox.

I wasn’t hummingtothe fox.

That would have been weird.

I just liked the song, and I had a feeling he did, too. There was nothing wrong withthat.

Ana drowan, doyath drowan, teyra drowan cal su marn. Massurith, massurith, kalminan tu dan shay . . .

One fish, two fish, three fish in the tub. Around they go, around they go, swimming off to sea . . .

Onyx didn’t so much as wriggle as I transported him through the palace. He didn’t growl at the high bloods we passed. He didn’t study the cold, unwelcoming surroundings he found himself in. He fixed his eyes on me, nose twitching, and he listened to me sing.

My magic was useless here—a source of unending frustration.Ishould have been able to ward Saeris’s chambers against unwelcome visitors, but even that was beyond me here.Tal had been the one to take care of that task. He’d made sure I would have access to her rooms whenever I wanted, but the knowledge that it washismagic that provided an extra layer of security to her rooms and not mine chafed horribly as I made my way through the double doors to her bedroom.

The fox sat patiently in my arms as I carried him over to her bed.

Hris drowan mayth tair, hris drowan brin gilterrith, ayen hris drowan farh miniethh loss . . .