Page 28

“What are you talking about?” North moved to step past Kaiser and I got to my feet, my dagger raised as I crept closer.

“Put on some clothes,” Kaiser commanded me quietly, not even looking my way.

His possession ripped through me and I turned for Vesper’s armoire, but the dark power I owned suddenly flickered to life in offering.

My heart rate elevated in hope and I managed to dig my heels, slowing my pace.

But when I tried to urge more of that power into my veins, it stuttered out and Kaiser’s possession claimed me again, forcing me to walk up to the armoire.

Growling under my breath, I opened the doors and put on a white silk top and some fitted training trousers that were made for tiny little Succubus legs, not the curves of mine, but I managed to get them on.

My focus remained on that dark power as I willed it up from the depths of my being, demanding it answer to me.

I exhaled heavily when it gave me nothing and my gaze settled on a glint of white bone stashed in the folds of a tunic I’d disturbed on a shelf in the armoire.

I unfolded it and a twisted smile drew my mouth wide at the sight of the skull I found staring back at me, the word ‘traitor’ carved into the bone across its brow.

I really hoped that had happened post-death but when it came to blood magic and Skyforgers I had to doubt it.

Gross reality aside, I’d found what I was looking for . Thank you, Delphinus.

I pulled on a black jacket that was roomy enough to stow the skull in an inside pocket then I turned and found the two of them in a tense discussion, paying me no attention.

“You shouldn’t have done this,” North spoke to Kaiser in a mutter. “She’s the enemy. She shouldn’t be tied to you or any of our people.”

“Aw, didn’t he tell you about all that Fearsire magic shit? Guess you’re not that important to him after all,” I commented and North shot me a scowl.

“She’s useful to me,” Kaiser said, his dark eyes drifting my way and I noticed Calcifiend was on his shoulder, nuzzling his chin and showing his traitorous little heart.

“So she’ll do anything you say?” North asked, running his tongue across his teeth as darkness flickered in his eyes.

“I guess I could see the appeal of that. You could make her dance on hot coals.” He grinned cruelly.

“She’s like your very own little torture doll.

You really are fucked in the head, aren’t you Kai?

” He laughed, that sound dripping through me like molten wax as North looked to his brother. “Show me how you play with her.”

Kaiser’s possession crawled through my skin, forcing me to take Vesper’s dagger and raise it to my own throat. My breath caught, but my eyes hardened as I glared at my enemy, daring him to do it.

“You won’t,” I sneered.

“Oh he would,” North said eagerly. “He once made a man slit open his own stomach and watch his innards fall out. He’s a sick fuck, my brother is.”

“It’s clear how obsessed with him you are, but he doesn’t seem all that interested in you in return,” I goaded and North’s smile fell.

“I bet he hasn’t even told you what he thinks I am, has he?

Just like he didn’t tell you that he chose me as his Fearsire, and there are so many more secrets he’s keeping from you. ”

North shot a glance at Kaiser, his brows lowering. “What’s she talking about?”

“Nothing you need a part in,” Kaiser answered and North’s face reddened at his dismissal in front of me.

“But some nobody Raincarver has a part in it?” North sniped, a growl rolling up his throat.

“We’ll discuss this later,” Kaiser said blandly.

“No, we’ll discuss it now ,” North gritted out.

“Sorry, but what the actual fuck are you two doing here anyway?” I interjected.

They both looked at me again and I was surprised when Kaiser actually gave me an answer.

“We have been meaning to raid the Sky Witch’s room for some time,” he said blandly.

“And it just so happens that you chose the exact same moment that I did to come here?” I scoffed.

North eyed Kaiser like he was suddenly suspicious of the timing too, but Kaiser only nodded.

I wanted to question that bullshit response, but voices carried to us from lower down in the tower and my pulse quickened.

“There’s someone coming, assholes,” I hissed.

“Let me go or slit my throat. I’m not staying here to be found and executed.

” My fingers tightened around the hilt of the blade, the sharp edge just kissing my throat.

I tried to summon my power to cut through Kaiser’s possession, but at the sound of footsteps beyond the door, he sent me behind a wooden screen that concealed a copper bathtub, stowing the dagger in my jacket as I went.

A beat later, I was jammed between two muscular bodies as North and Kaiser squeezed in too, ducking low to remain hidden behind the screen.

There were small gaps in the wood, allowing me to peek out into Vesper’s room as an imposing man entered.

He had ice-blue eyes that looked colder than the frozen tundra that encased Never Keep, and hair as white as that very snow.

His features were angular, hardened by battle and the too-clean white battle leathers he wore made him stand out starkly in the gloom of Never Keep.

I knew him from all I’d heard about him; a prince of Air. Dragor Aquila.

A sneer lifted my lips and it was only Kaiser’s possession that stopped me from reaching for Vesper’s blade in my pocket and taking a shot at this kill.

But two Reapers, Pavros and Andol, swept into Vesper’s quarters after him, stalling any hopes of that.

They were followed by a couple of Skyforgers in equally fine clothes, and as Dragor pointed at items in the room, they hurried to gather them into leather bags.

“Look at the state of this place,” Dragor muttered under his breath, his upper lip curling a little. “That slovenly creature.” He shook his head. “Please fetch the Cardinal Reaper,” Dragor instructed the two gold-cloaked Reapers. “I request an audience with him.”

“We cannot do that, Prince Dragor, the Cardinal Reaper is holding an audience with the stars in the Astral Sanctuary. He asked not to be disturbed,” Reaper Pavros said.

Dragor clucked his tongue, pointing sharply to Vesper’s windrider, and one of his men ran to grab it.

I could feel North tensing beside me like a coiled spring, his gaze fixed on Dragor through a gap in the wood, his breathing growing heavier.

One glance up at Kaiser’s face told me he was assessing the threat, calculating the risk of striking at a prince of Stormfell.

But both of them knew as well as I did that the Reapers would put us to death for it.

My lips parted as my gaze caught on Calcifiend’s small form crawling up Dragor’s leg and slipping into his pocket, his back legs kicking as he disappeared inside.

I glanced at Kaiser to check his reaction to that, but as usual, he had none. The proximity of two Flamebringers in this small space was oppressive to say the least. I tried to put a measure of space between us, but Kaiser’s possession rippled through me and drew me even closer to him.

My teeth ground together at the feel of his hand curling against my hip, his fingers digging into the bone. A vibration ran through my skin from the contact, the power emanating from him like a toxin entering my bloodstream.

Dragor looked through Vesper’s nightstand, thumbing through her things possessively as if they were his instead of hers.

The sight made my disgust with him increase and I could almost picture the Sky Witch rebuking him for it.

But I supposed, as a royal of Stormfell, these items were his now, and I wondered how much of it would end up sold or thrown away.

Her life so easily discarded, reduced to nothing but the things she’d once loved.

Did she have anyone to treasure them in her wake?

Dragor’s servants made quick work of packing up any items he deemed worth taking then the Reapers led Dragor and his cohort back into the tower stairwell, pushing the door shut as they went. I let out a breath the same moment North did and we shared a scowl.

“What’s the plan, Kai? How are we going to catch ourselves a prince for our next meal?” North looked to his brother, his eyes sparkling with the hunt.

Werewolves were notorious for their love of the chase, their packs able to take down Fae in ferocious attacks during battle, and it looked like that desire was awake in him now.

“We need to be ready. If he goes anywhere alone, Calcifiend will lead me to him,” Kaiser said.

“What? How?” I demanded, but Kaiser didn’t answer.

North released a low chuckle. “Kaiser and his pet Sayer Dragon have imprinted. Their bond gives him an advantage over turtle-brained cunts like you, Raincarver, or is your mind too full of seaweed to notice how powerful he is?”

“I’m sorry, did you say something?” I asked lightly. “I couldn’t hear you over the sound of you suckering your lips onto Kaiser’s asshole to blow smoke up there. Again.”

North lunged for me, but Kaiser shoved the closet door open and pushed me ahead of him before his brother could get hold of me.

“We need to move,” Kaiser growled. “North, go back to the Vault of Flames, I’ll handle this.”

“No fucking way,” North balked. “I’m a part of this. You’re not taking all the glory for carving up a prince of Air. Send your pet sea urchin back to her Vault and we’ll go.”

“I’m coming,” I announced, and they both looked at me in surprise. Well, surprise was stretching it when it came to Kaiser, but he was giving me a calculating look again.

“Go home, bathwater bitch.” North pointed to the window.

“Get fucked, scorch mark,” I bit back.

North bared his teeth at me. “You bottom-feeding, krill-fucking, dolphin-fiddling-”

“She’s coming,” Kaiser decided. “She’ll be useful if I need a magical recharge during the fight.”

“Hell no,” North hissed, rounding on his brother.