Page 24

24

Reyla

A s soon as the sun slipped below the horizon, I rushed out of my room. I didn’t pause to speak with Surren or anyone else who might’ve tried to stop me. Down the hall, I knocked on Merrick’s door.

“My queen!” Calista bustled behind, coming to a skidding stop beside me, the skirt of her gown swaying around her like a treetop in a storm. She thrust herself between me and Merrick’s door, her arms outstretched and her lungs heaving. “You cannot be here. I insist you return to your room this instant.”

“You insist.” I lifted one eyebrow. “Truly?”

“Well.” She gulped down a swallow. “I?—”

“Out of my way,” I barked, reaching around her to knock again.

“What do you want?” Lorant snarled from behind the panel. “I have business to attend to.”

“See?” Calista said. “The king does not wish to be disturbed.”

“That was Lord Lorant.”

“I distinctly heard the voice of our king.” She latched onto my arm. “He’s busy. You must return to your rooms. Come now. I’ll help you dress for dinner with the queen.”

“ I’m the queen.”

She stilled, her face going florid. “I’m terribly sorry. You are. My mistake, my queen. But still, you must return to your rooms and leave King Merrick to rest. He remains inside his room from dusk until dawn and he’s quite specific. No one is allowed to enter.”

“Because he’s cursed,” I shouted, wrenching away from her. “Split into two people and this is why you never see Merrick between dusk and dawn or Lorant from dawn until dusk. I’m going to break this curse, and if you try to get in my way, I’ll…”

She blinked, her gaze unfocused. “Please.” Her tone came out more pleasant. “Allow the king to rest. I’m sure the queen mother will be thrilled to see you at dinner.”

She would not.

“I’m not dining with Erisandra tonight.” I slammed my fist on the door. “Merrick?” I knew very well he was gone, locked up inside Lorant for now. “I need to speak with you.”

Lorant swung the door open only wide enough to poke his nose through the gap. “I’ll see you shortly in the tower.”

“You’ll see me now.” I shoved the door wider and latched onto the front of his tunic, dragging him out of the room and down the hall. Inside my own suite, I shut the outer door in Calista’s face while she sputtered, Moira and Faelith hovering behind her.

“I may need a new lady-in-waiting,” I snapped as I hauled Lorant into my bedroom and closed that door as well. “Calista’s impertinent. I’m going to replace her as soon as possible.”

“Now this is the queen I knew you could be, Wildfire.” Lorant swept his arm out and dipped forward in an elegant bow. “Would you like me to snap her neck? Stab her in the back one night when she’s sneaking from her room?”

“She sneaks from her room? Where’s she going?”

“She and one of the high lords keep meeting up in the parlor to…” He grimaced. “I don’t remain nearby long enough to find out.”

“Good for her.” A stunning revelation, but why not? That was the least of my concerns. “I’ll give her one more chance. Don’t kill her.”

“As you wish.” He strolled to the bed and peeled back the top blanket, stroking his fingertips across my pillow. When he looked over his shoulder, his sneering drawl teased its way down my spine. “If you wanted me in your bedroom, you only had to ask.”

“We don’t have time for that.”

His sultry gaze swept across my frame. “There’s always time for that.”

With a growl, I nudged him to the side. After yanking the covers back up over my pillow, I snatched the ball off the bed, spinning to face Lorant with it held aloft. “Look, look!”

Farris flopped his tail where he lounged on the foot of the bed with only one eye half-open. He’d ignored the ball since I took it back from Erisandra, reinforcing my belief she’d glamoured the book to make it appear like a toy. No wonder Farris kept dropping it by my feet. Silly me thought he wanted me to throw it for him when he must be able to see through her spell. My nyxin was smart.

Very smart.

“Your pet appears too tired to play.” Lorant’s gaze flicked to the closet. “I suggest you dress in your leathers and climb the steps to the tower. Practice calling the nullification power. I’ll join you as soon as I take care of a…delicate matter. ”

“What delicate matter?”

“Something you don’t need to worry your mind about now. You need to practice commanding shadows tonight as well. We haven’t even started with your lightning, but I believe we’ll have time for some practice with that as well. Perhaps you wish to use it to carve that L into the floor?”

“Where are you going?” I shouldn’t be focusing on this now, but, assassin . Wait. “You’re going to kill someone?” I cried out loud enough to make Farris lift both eyelids to look my way.

“I said no such thing.”

“Take me with you.”

“Never.”

I advanced on him. “Who is it? Watching won’t offend me. I’m not a prissy thing. I’ve seen death. Dealt it out more times than I can count.”

“To dregs, not people.”

“They actually were people deep inside. They were under their own version of a curse. We broke it.”

“The high lady of Lydel broke it.”

“I played a role. The point is, you’re not going to scare me if you kill someone in front of me. If anything, I might be able to help.”

“I told you I am not going to kill someone. I merely plan to have a conversation.”

“I can add input to that. Merrick asks for my opinion in the throne room all the time.”

He paused, and I swore he actually flinched, but that was a Merrick thing, not Lorant’s. “Alright. Dress in your leathers. Wear your weapons. Once we leave the castle, you’ll remain hidden within shadows. At least you’ll get some practice with that.”

“No problem.” I snaked my hands across my nape, squirming, trying to undo the top buttons on the back of my dress .

He whirled me around and undid them himself, pausing only once to deliver a kiss to my exposed spine. “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to go to bed? I thought I could use my tongue to grovel.”

I would not allow my knees to go melty. “I’m going with you while you play assassin.”

He turned me back to face him, his grip tight on my upper arms and his ever-present, snarly gaze meeting mine. “I never play.”

I backed out of his reach. “Maybe you should. It might make you more fun.”

“I’m fun,” he purred, his gaze shooting to the bed.

“That point has not been proven.” With my dress sliding forward, though I remained decently covered, I hurried to the closet and wrenched open the door, dragging out a clean set of leathers.

“Yet,” Lorant stated. “Yet.”

“Leave while I change,” I said.

“As you command.” He bowed again. “My queen.”

I rolled my eyes as he strolled toward the door. “Hold on. You distracted me.”

“I knew you’d be eager to climb into bed with me.”

“ Lorant . I need something else. Before we go, I want you to teach me the nullification spell.”

“That’s more important than my conversation with someone?”

“As stimulating as your conversation will be, I’m sure we have a few moments. Teach me the spell. I need it.”

His frown took in the ball lying on the bed before flickering to the intent look on my face. “What spell do you want to nullify?”

I grabbed the ball and thrust it close to his face. “This is a diary.”

“It appears to be a ball. A silver ball. ”

“That Farris kept bringing me.”

“To throw it for him, perchance?”

“You’re being obtuse. Keep up with me here, Lorant,” I grumbled. “I found a diary in the library and brought it here.”

“ Found .”

“Borrowed. Whatever. Alright.” I puffed out a breath, shooting stands of my hair toward the ceiling. “I stole it. But it was left for me, so I was supposed to take it.” I tugged the ring and key from beneath the top of my dress that kept trying to slide off my breasts since he’d unbuttoned it. Despite his paltry attempts to seduce me into climbing into bed with him, he hadn’t even stolen one peek. If I wasn’t focused on other things, I might be insulted.

Actually, I was insulted.

“This key opens the diary.” I dangled it in his face. “Valera’s mother told her to give me the key.”

He took the ring and key from me and studied them lying on his palm before turning the ring over with the tip of his finger. “Ravens.”

“What?”

“There are ravens carved into the side.”

“Like the Evergorne Crest?”

He shrugged. “Ravens aren’t exclusive to Evergorne.”

I lifted the ring and squinted at the tiny pattern engraved on each side. “Those aren’t ravens. They’re dragons.”

“Ravens.”

“If anyone knows dragons, it’s me. They’re dragons.”

“If anyone knows ravens , it’s me. They’re ravens.” I wanted to smack him for smirking. His head tilted, his smirk sliding away. “You said you got them from Valera Windhaven, the head librarian?”

“Yes. Her mother… I think she and King Theon were lovers. She died in childbirth delivering a son who perished along with he r. When Valera told me her mother’s story, I wondered if the child had lived, if the child was you.”

“Obviously not.”

“Proven quite conclusively, I might add. Shortly after I brought the book here, it disappeared, ironically right after Erisandra paid me a visit.”

“And you believe she glamoured the book to look like the ball.”

“I’m convinced of it. In fact, she was here a short time ago, and she tried to steal it, so that proves it.”

“Perhaps.”

“If I can nullify her spell, I can unlock the diary and see what she wrote. I suspect there’s something inside there that I need to know.”

“Why would Erisandra try to hide it from you?”

“That’s a good question. I don’t have an answer other than the fact that she’s mean. She may have thought it was mine. Her motives don’t really matter.”

“Or they do. She tried to steal it. Why not if and when she found it?”

“You go right ahead and ask her that. Let me know what she says.”

His lips thinned, and his gaze did glide down my front. My skin warmed. My cheeks flamed. And my core… Oh, the things this man could do to me with one simple look.

Focus, Reyla! “Valera told me her mother had the gift for foretelling. I think she knew I’d marry Merrick?—”

“Me. You married me .”

“Same thing.” I frowned but let it go. “We’re wasting time. Leave or turn around.”

He lifted one eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Once I’ve dressed, you can teach me the spell. I’m not changing in front of you or learning with my dress gaping across my chest.”

“A pity.” He pivoted on his heel and strolled over to the window, staring out at the darkness beyond.

I dressed quickly. “All set.”

He turned and watched while I strapped on my short blades, tightening the belts around my thighs to keep them from making even a whisper when I moved. I reached for my sword.

He grunted. “You won’t need that tonight, Wildfire.”

“ Perchance , I will.”

A vein throbbed in his temple. “You should remain here where you’re safer.”

“I’m going with you. If you try to lock me in, I’ll flit to the hall or the foyer and follow.”

“And I’ll promptly bring you back and make you remain here.”

“You can’t make me do anything.”

“In that, Wildfire, you’re very wrong.”

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze squarely. “I will never let you pin me down.”

His low growl rang out. “Alright. You will remain behind me, cloaked in your shadows. Don’t make a sound. Don’t get in the way. And if I— Keep your mouth closed. Your eyes too.”

“How sweet that you want to protect na?ve little me.” I sauntered toward him, savoring the heat exploding in his eyes with each step I took. Pulling a blade, I poked the tip against the bottom of his chin, though not hard enough to break the skin. “I refuse to stand behind you while you fight battles, Lorant .”

He snorted. “I suspected you’d say something like that.” A snap of his hand, and he held my blade. His slick smile rose. “Who is underestimating whom, my pretty little bride?”

“You.” I gouged forward with my other blade I held against his belly. “Your liver may not enjoy my tender touch. ”

His laugh rang out, stunning me all over again with its beauty. “This is why I like you so much, Wildfire. You’re as untamed as me.”

“Don’t forget my sweet side.” I took back my blade from him, sliding them both into their sheaths at my waist.

“This is why you’re so aptly suited for both the day and the night.” He strode around me but stopped by the door, pivoting to lean against it. “Nullification spell, then we’ll leave. I don’t want to waste the entire night.”

Nibbling on my fingernail, I nodded.

“This is how we’re going to do it.” His voice dropped into that no-nonsense, hard-edged cadence he used when his patience was thinner than parchment. “Get out of your head. No second-guessing, no overthinking, no doubts. You’ve already felt the nullification power up in the tower. I’ve learned a little bit more about how to call this kind of magic, to hold them, and make them perform the spell before they slide from your grasp.”

I crossed my arms on my chest. “Easy, right,” I said dryly. “Toss aside my doubts, trust my instincts, then nullify the very nature of someone else’s magic.”

“Exactly.” Not a touch of humor came through in his voice. Rejoining me by the bed, he took the silver ball and held it up between us, rolling it across his leveled palm as his gaze stayed locked on mine. “Let’s assume for the moment this was truly changed by Erisandra’s glamour, her power. That means her magic is locked to the ball’s outer layer, masking its original form. That binding is what you’re going after.”

I stepped closer. “How do I rip it apart?”

“You’re not ripping the spell apart. Let’s get that straight. You’re severing its connection to the diary. Different concept, Wildfire. Pay attention.” He tossed the ball onto the bed and faced me again. “If you attack it head-on, Erisandra’s spell will remain. It will see your power as an attack and entrench itself deeper into the book. What you’re going to do is slip beneath the area where her spell clings. That’s the weak point, the place where her spell is thinner than thread.”

“Alright.”

“There are no guideposts for this. No step-by-step instructions. You've got nothing to work with but instinct and the small amount of knowledge I discovered in a few random books.”

I drew in a breath and pushed it back out, thinking. Calling power for shadows felt easier now, but it had come to me slowly at first. Experience and a lot of luck had refined my ability to call it, though I still had a long way to go. Nullification, on the other hand, was a “figure it out now or you die” sort of thing.

Lorant’s hands settled on my shoulders. I fought the warmth rolling off him, the sense of safety he projected, and focused on his words. “Close your eyes.”

I complied, letting the darkness sweep over me, a stillness I knew well.

“Forget everything else. The room. Me. My plans for this evening.”

How could he call possibly killing someone plans ?

“Forget about Erisandra. Find that sly power and control it. Then, if you can do that, you need to reach out with yourself. Not your hand, but your will. Feel for where her spell is clinging to the book, where it’s weakest. Recognize the thing that doesn’t belong, and you can peel it back and expose what’s beneath.”

I frowned, focusing on the individual pulses of power swirling around us. It took time, but I felt more than saw it, a faint, jagged wrongness threading along the outskirts of the room, like the insistent prickling of static after a lightning storm.

“Do you feel it?”

“Yes. ”

“Good. That imbalance? Keep track of it out of the corner of your mind's eye, but don’t grab it yet and don’t look directly at it. Let yourself get used to the texture of it, the way it doesn’t fit with the rest of the power around it.”

“It feels sharp,” I said. “Not fluid like what I use to control shadows or fire. It’s spiked, jagged.”

“Yes.” Satisfaction rang in his tone. “The power that commands nullification isn’t soft or subtle. It’s rough. Uneven. It belongs nowhere. Even the air resists it. Do you see how it moves? Skipping, restless?”

I nodded. The tendrils of wrongness shimmered, darting here and there like frayed threads.

“Yell at it to come to you. Don't try to coax it, not this nasty stuff. You need to make it obey. Claim it.”

In my mind, I snarled at it, told it to listen to me, to come to me.

It gouged toward me like a bolt of lightning, hitting me squarely in the chest.