Page 110 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Eliza

T hey stood on the same ledge they’d been on a few weeks ago overlooking Solembra. She wasn’t trying to figure out a stealthy way in this time. No, this time they would walk right through the front gate.

Niara had finally cleared both of them, and they’d ventured down from his cave.

She’d never admit it to Razik, but the cave was growing on her.

She was a particular fan of the hot springs, although when he had taken her down to the treasure room, she’d become a fan of that room too.

Probably something to do with the promised fucking atop the gold.

He hadn’t been exaggerating about the gold and treasure, and all she’d been able to do was laugh as she stared at it.

He’d had shelves carved into one wall, and she’d run her fingers along the spines of the books lining them.

She hadn’t needed to ask if they were from other worlds. She already knew they were.

But she had asked, “Do you wish to go back someday? To Nordrir, I mean?”

“I was so young, I do not remember it,” he’d answered, leaning against the wall and watching her. “Besides, it is no longer what it once was. I told you, it is not even called Nordrir anymore. It is known as The Requiem.”

“Why?”

“I do not know the history, and Tybalt does not speak of it.”

“Does Saylah know?”

“Saylah and I are not on the best of terms, but even if that were not the case, I don’t think she knows either. She is young for a god.”

That had been odd to think about. The idea of a god being considered young.

Razik shifted beside her, his arm brushing against hers. “I still think we should fly in.”

“Not all of us have wings, Razik,” she muttered.

“We already discussed this. I can—”

“No.”

“It will be easier to evade any wards if—”

“No.”

“Eliza,” he rumbled. “Do you think I would ever drop you or let you fall?”

“Of course not. Because I will never be in the godsdamn air. Travel us like a normal Avonleyan,” she retorted.

“As you wish, Milady,” he said, extending his hand with an exaggerated flourish.

She resisted the urge to flip him off as she placed her fingers in his palm, but then he yanked her forward, his arm curling around her waist. “I will convince you to fly with me someday,” he murmured into her ear.

“Absolutely not.”

He made a low humming sound of contemplation, his lips brushing her temple. Then he asked, “Are you ready, mai dragocen ?”

Eliza took in a deep breath, counting down from five before she exhaled. She met his gaze when she said, “I don’t need you defending my honor or any of that shit in there.”

His brows knitted together. “Why would I do that? You are more than capable of defending your own honor.”

Gods. She could kiss him for that one statement.

Could, but she wouldn’t. Not when they were about to unleash themselves in her own home.

“I simply want to remind you to check your possessive-dragon nature.”

“Eliza, you threatened to cut off body parts, set them on fire, and shove them down a male’s throat at the mere thought that he would touch me. I do not think I am the only possessive one here.”

“Whatever,” she grumbled. “Let’s go.”

They appeared right outside the Fiera Palace gates, and she immediately dropped Razik’s hand. Palming a dagger, she threw it directly at one of the Fae on guard duty before he’d had a moment to comprehend they were here.

“What the fuck?” the guard cried when it grazed his cheek before embedding in the wall behind him. He whipped around, sword half-drawn when he saw her. His face visibly paled, and he took a step back.

“What the hell is going on?” asked the guard on the opposite side of the gate. “Who the fuck are you?”

Razik’s large stature hid her smaller frame from the guard, and when Eliza glanced up at him, he was giving the guard the same bored once-over he gave everyone else.

“General— Eliza. What are—” At the fiery glare she sent the guard, he audibly swallowed. “Is the, uh …prince expecting you?” He winced as he said ‘prince.’ Likely at the flames that burst to life at her fingertips.

“This is more of a surprise visit,” Eliza said with a razor-sharp smile. “And it is going to stay that way.”

“We, uh—” She turned slowly to the other guard, who was still eyeing Razik.

“Spit it out, Anton,” she snapped.

His eyes widened. Anton had been one of the newest members of their forces before everything had gone to shit.

He’d been good in the sparring rings—exceptionally skilled—which is likely how he’d already earned a position at the front gates.

But even if that hadn’t been the case, she would have remembered his name.

She knew all of her warriors. Anton just hadn’t been around long enough to know that.

He also wasn’t seasoned enough to have earned a position at the front gates yet.

The soldier scratched at the back of his neck, eyes dropping to the ground. “We aren’t—”

“No. Try again,” she interrupted.

His light brown eyes snapped back to hers. “What?”

This was why he shouldn’t be a guard at the main gate yet.

“You do not let the people at the front gate know you are intimidated by them. You are the first line of defense for your prince. No one gets past these gates by intimidation tactics. Try again,” she demanded.

Anton’s perplexed gaze flicked to the other guard. The other guard, Conrade, had been with the Fire Court forces for a few decades, and he clearly recalled that interfering with her training resulted in unwanted consequences, as he kept quiet.

Eliza snapped her still flaming fingers at Anton, sparks flying as she did so. “Let’s go. I have a throne to take. If you plan to keep your position once I do, you damn well better show me I can trust you as my first line of defense.”

Razik audibly sighed beside her. “If she sits on that throne, and you let someone in who hurts her, she will be the least of your worries. Shoulders back, chin up. Draw a weapon. Look her in the eye when you demand—not ask—what her business is here.”

Anton looked back and forth between them before he did exactly what Razik had said.

His back straightened, a hard look filling his face as he stared back at Eliza.

“You aren’t entering these gates until you state your business.

” It was a harsh tone, and she saw the flash of flame in his irises, a nice subtle touch.

“Better,” she said. “Now get me the stand-in commander. He can escort me himself.”

At that, the uncertainty flashed in Anton’s eyes once more. “He is a seraph, General.”

“Even better.”

“He does not like to be—”

“Do not mistake my moment of teaching as negotiation. Summon him, Anton. Now.”

“Yes, General.” He reached up, drawing a fire message that immediately disappeared. He looked like he was about to fidget, then caught himself, straightening his posture once more. She nodded in approval before turning to Conrade.

“Why the fuck are you all blindly following Bastien?”

“It was that or death, General,” Conrade answered, his gaze fixed on the ground.

“And where do your loyalties lie?”

“With Prince Aditya. With you, if you take the throne,” he answered.

“Tell me, Conrade. Who should I spare when I enter these gates?”

“That is not my call to make, General.”

“No, it is not,” she agreed. “But I am asking you to tell me if there are any, aside from Bastien and the seraphs, that have turned against the Fire Prince of their own choosing.”

“You will know them,” he answered. “Bastien gave them new positions with special uniforms.”

She didn’t get a chance to ask another question because the front gates were opening and a seraph was walking towards them. He had pristine white wings, and his blonde hair brushed his brow. He paused when he saw her standing there, then his lip curled back when his gaze flicked to Razik.

“Keres and Varlis obviously failed,” he said, fire winding down his arms.

“He’s observant,” Razik said dryly.

She almost let a laugh slip out. “You are the one leading my forces?” Eliza demanded.

“I am the one leading the Fire Court armies,” the seraph replied, his fire flaring brighter.

It didn’t matter.

Eliza released a wave of flame that rose up before crashing down on the seraph.

“Let’s go,” she said, walking past the still burning male.

So excessively violent, mai dragocen , Razik purred down the bond.

Her lips did twitch then.

As they stalked along the path to the main doors, guards rushed to meet them, and she saw what Conrade had been talking about.

Most of the guards were in the usual Fire Court guard attire, but some had gold tunics with fine embroidery on it rather than the standard deep red and black.

One of the guards in red skidded to a halt when he realized who she was.

“General? They told us Prince Sorin was dead, and that everyone else had abandoned the Court,” he said, a mixture of shock and relief in his eyes.

Two of the three guards in gold appeared to be trying to slink into the back of the group, but the third had straightened and puffed out his chest. She knew him too. Bronn.

“Eliza,” he said tightly.

“General,” she corrected with a sharp glare. “Or, if you’d rather, your Highness, as I will occupy the throne of this Court very soon.”

“You will never make it to him. We have seraphs with fire nearly as powerful as yours,” he mocked, his companions in gold getting a little braver.

“And you?” she asked, flames beginning to creep up her legs, over her knees, up to her torso. “Will those same seraphs protect you?”

Bronn glanced up, but Eliza didn’t need to. She’d already heard their rustling wings and shouted commands. Bronn looked back at her, a taunting smirk on his lips. Until Eliza smirked back, her arms encompassed in flames now too.

She looked at Razik. “You take the sky, I’ll take the ground?”

“Do I actually get to do something now?” Razik asked, arching a brow.

“Do you not want to join me in excessive violence?”

A wicked grin of his own appeared. “Always, mai dragocen .”