Page 61

Clarissa

“ N ox Duma,” I said with a chuckle. “Are you here to kill me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting way to say ‘hello, Nox, it’s good to see you,’ after five months.”

“Hello, Nox. It’s good to see you.”

He grinned and stood from the seat, a lock of dark blond hair falling over his eyes. “It’s good to see you too, Rissa.”

I smiled as he pulled me in for a hug. I hadn’t seen the cheeky, silver-tongued dragon Shifter in months after sending him to Mysthelm as an ambassador last fall.

He’d been the first Veridian to meet with the Mysthelm council on my behalf, under the condition that he stay confined to the palace.

It was how we’d sent messages back and forth between Mysthelm and Veridia in those first few months.

But then he fell silent. The last I’d heard from him, he had some personal business he needed to take care of in his home province of Drakorum.

His eyes landed on Rose and Leo. “Ah, the love birds. How long has it been?”

“Too long,” Rose said, stepping forward to embrace him. Mia was still going crazy, making me stumble as she followed Rose and barked her cute head off at Nox.

“Not long enough,” Leo answered under his breath. I held back a laugh. My brother had always been a little short with Nox, but I knew the dragon Shifter had grown on him.

“We’ll leave you all to catch up,” Daelan said. He and his brother exited our hut, making their way back to the courtyard.

Nox knelt to hold his hand out to Mia. She instantly began sniffing every inch of him. He laughed when she let him pet her, her tail wagging so fast, it was almost a blur. “I have that effect on women.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Same old Nox, then.”

“Rissa, darling, why have I never met this beautiful woman?” Nox asked as he stood and faced my mother.

Mother’s lips tilted up. “You seem far too clever to know that will never work, but charming enough for me to like it anyway.” She held out her hand. “Evadine Aris.”

“Nox Duma, Your Grace. It’s an honor to meet you.” He took her hand between his and kissed her knuckles. “Your children have told me so much about you. And while I’m not old enough to remember much of yours and your husband’s rule, my parents always spoke highly of you.”

Mother’s brow wrinkled. “Duma…as in, Caius Duma? The former governor of Drakorum?”

A small flinch passed over Nox’s face before he smoothed his features once more. “My father, yes.”

Her face fell. “Oh. I—I heard about what happened to him. I’m very sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man.”

“It was a long time ago, Your Grace.”

“Some pains do not age,” she murmured back.

Nox’s father was the governor of their province until Kane Scarven challenged him for the position when Nox was merely a teenager. And when Shifters issued challenges, it was to the death.

I didn’t know much about Nox’s life. He was captivating smiles and pretty words and loyal to the end, but he kept his past locked down deep.

I suspected it was more in an effort to hide it from himself than others.

All I knew was that he was taken from his family at a young age because of his rarity as a dragon Shifter and used as Scarven’s secret weapon.

He had a much younger sister, but they kept her locked away as collateral for him to do their bidding.

She was still in captivity, as far as I knew.

Having a dragon Shifter on their hands after our entire empire thought his kind to be extinct for centuries was nothing short of a miracle. One that Scarven would do anything to keep for himself.

Those of us in this room were some of the only people to know Nox’s true Shifter form…the most dangerous, most powerful beast known to man.

My order for him to be my ambassador in Mysthelm was issued in part because I knew it would be the only way to get him out from under Scarven’s thumb.

Nox wouldn’t be able to disobey a direct command from the empress-elect.

But it turned out my attempts to save the dragon Shifter landed him right back in the lion’s den anyway.

“What are you doing here, Nox?” I asked.

“Am I not your faithful ambassador?” he replied, lazily swirling his half-empty glass in the air. “I’m…ambassador-ing.”

I crossed my arms. “You haven’t written me an update in months. You’re not here on my orders.”

“Leo and I heard rumors of Scarven sending a group of Shifters over here from Drakorum,” Rose added. “We never thought it would be you .”

“Which brings me back to my initial question,” I said.

Nox let out a disbelieving laugh. “No, I can confidently say that I am not, in fact, here to kill you.”

I shrugged and gave him a smirk. “Had to check. What about the others?”

“What others?”

My brow pinched. “Are there not more Shifters with you?”

“No. I’m the only one. Why? ”

I licked my lips. “We just…I thought Scarven was having me followed. That he’d sent more assassins after me all the way from Veridia.”

“I’m afraid it’s just me. And I don’t know about any plans to have you killed.” Nox cocked his head. “Why does it seem like that disappoints you?”

“Because someone has been trying to kill her,” Leo interjected.

“And it would’ve made things a lot easier if it was Scarven,” I said with a sigh. “Now I’m back to having no clue who’s behind everything.”

Nox blinked. “You’ve lost me. What, exactly, has been happening?”

I quickly recounted both assassination attempts back in Veridia City, plus the various incidents in Mysthelm over the last two weeks. How Rose and Leo had come all the way to the kingdom because they thought Scarven was sending more Shifters, and they feared for my safety.

“You never answered the question though, Nox,” I said when I’d finished. “Why are you here? Is it for Scarven?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he replied, taking a sip of his drink. “Just some small project he has me working on.”

Leo scoffed. “Rather secretive.”

“Darling, the number of secrets I have would make even your pretty tail curl,” Nox drawled.

The nonchalance in his eyes faded as his gaze fell to his fingers, which were clenched around his glass.

He lowered his voice and looked at me. “You know there are things I can’t tell you, Rissa. I’m doing the best I can.”

His sister. The reason he had to toe such a fine line with his loyalty, and the reason Scarven could keep the only dragon Shifter in centuries on a leash.

They still had his sister under their control, and Nox would do anything to keep her alive.

I knew his priorities when I recruited him to join my Sentinels last year, and again when asking him to work for me.

The truth was, I didn’t blame him for his secrets. I snuck a glance at Leo. If anyone took my twin, there wasn’t much I wouldn’t be willing to do for him.

“I know, Nox,” I said. “Just…tell me you’re safe.”

Those navy-blue eyes met mine with a sad smile, but he didn’t respond.

The muffled sound of laughter filtered through the closed door at my back, along with a distant drum roll and steady footsteps. In the window facing the mountains and the dimming sunlight, small bursts of fire appeared in the darkness, like torches being lit.

Nox’s gaze flicked behind me, and his smile widened. “I think we all deserve a little break to taste the island life, yes?”

After I fed Mia, our small group—minus Mother, who wanted to rest—made our way out of the hut to find the massive courtyard already full of laughter and music.

People were gathered around small campfires smoking meats over the open flames, passing bottles of drinks while some played music on small drums and flutes.

It was as if the entire island came alive with the setting sun—animals shuffled in the nearby brushes, birds flitted from tree to tree, and insects joined in with their melodies.

I gazed around in awe at the broad leaves covering the land like a canopy, smoke curling through the sky and into the deep blue starry expanse. A large path lit by standing torches led from the courtyard of the Base out to the rest of the island beyond, and Nox nodded for us to follow him.

Daelan, Hector, Galen, and Thorne were already sitting on some logs around a campfire a ways from the Base, and several other islanders with them were cooking what looked like rabbit legs and pineapple on a spit.

I was surprised to see Marigold up so late, but there she was, playing with two other little girls by her father.

When she saw Mia and me, a grin split across her face, that dimple making my heart swell .

“Rissa! Rissa!” she called with an excited wave. “Can I play with Mia?”

“Of course.” I handed her the leash, making sure she had a tight grip on it. Mia smothered her and her two new friends with kisses, the four of them dancing around the sandy dirt and leaves.

A small pang shot through me. Fates, I was going to miss her.

Leo and Rose were drawn into another fireside with the promise of a strong chocolate drink I hadn’t heard of but that smelled fantastic.

Nox and I took a corner log facing the others, with Marigold and Mia nearby.

My eyes kept straying to them and, inevitably, to Thorne right behind.

I tugged my cloak tighter around my shoulders as I stole another glance.

He’d always been casual compared to the men of nobility back home, but tonight…

tonight he was an entirely different Thorne.

Barefoot with his sleeves rolled up, beads like Daelan and Hector’s strung around his neck—along with that same marigold necklace he always wore.

I didn’t think he’d stopped smiling since we got here.

A real smile, not that smirk he often had when he knew others were watching.

Those blue eyes sparkled in the firelight, little creases appearing at the corner of them when Hector said something that made him laugh.

I imagined sitting next to him, his arm flung around my shoulders with Marigold and Mia playing between us, the drum roll and lively music and chatter of the island wrapping us in its cocoon.

“Can’t stop watching your king?” Nox crooned to my right. Shooting him a bland look, I leaned back on my hands and stared up at the moon, taking in the night.

“Or perhaps not the king ,” he added.

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ah, so I’m just imagining the ruggedly charming blue-eyed man who’s been staring at you since we walked up.”

I jerked forward. “What?”

Nox chuckled. “You’re too easy, darling. I knew it had to be one of the two. ”

“I don’t know why you assume there has to be anyone at all.”

“You’re right, there doesn’t. And you don’t owe me any explanations.” He leaned back to match my earlier position. “But if I turn up dead because Handsome over there skewers me through the heart for sitting too close to you, I’ll start asking questions.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re just as ridiculous as I remembered.”

“Probably more so.”

Propping my chin in my hand, I turned to face him. “How long have you been here, Nox?”

“About a week.” He shrugged. “You tend to lose sense of time here.”

“I can see why you like it. The island suits you,” I admitted.

He twisted one of his rings on his pointer finger.

A moment of silence passed between us before he said, “Truthfully, the first time I came to this kingdom months ago under your orders, the loss of my magic shocked me. But then…it was freeing, in a way. Knowing nobody could use me for what I could do because I simply couldn’t do it here.

In Mysthelm, I’m just a man. No secrets or ulterior motives. ”

“Nobody to control you,” I said softly. It reminded me of what Devora said on the ship.

“I am so close to getting Vera out, Rissa.” His voice was low and strained, at odds with his usual composure. “So close I can taste it. I just have to hold on for a little longer. Do what he wants a little longer.”

I rolled my lips together. “Will you tell me if there’s something I can do? Some way to help you?”

“Yes,” he said with a quick nod. “I’m still trying to figure things out, piece together exactly what’s going on and what Scarven is up to. You just have to trust me. I’m on your side, Rissa. But I have to get her out.”

“I understand,” I whispered. “Just please, take care of yourself. Be careful.”

He nudged my shoulder. “Always knew you had a soft spot for me. But you , my dear future Empress and Queen of Mysthelm, have other things to worry about. Have you heard about the Hunt?”

I shook my head. “No. What’s that?”

“Oh, boy,” he said, letting out a whistle. “Are you in for an adventure. These islanders are very keen on their traditions. And also very superstitious.” His eyes flashed with humor. “You know, maybe I’ll let you find out for yourself.”

I smacked him on the arm. “You can’t set me up like that. Now I have to know.”

He ignored me and scanned the passersby. “Ah, here we are,” he said, reaching behind me and tapping someone’s elbow as they walked by with a tray full of drinks in tall glasses. “We’ll take two.”

To my surprise, Devora spun around, her red hair sweeping over her shoulder at the motion. She raised an eyebrow as Nox gave her his charming smile.

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“The drinks. We’ll take two, if you don’t mind,” he said, motioning to the tray.

“And what makes you think I’m serving?”

Nox blinked. “Oh, well, I—I suppose I just assumed?—”

“Yes, you did, didn’t you?” Her blue-green gaze gave him a once-over, and I had to hide a grin behind my hands. Devora glanced at me and said, “Your Majesty, would you like a drink?”

“I’d love one, Devora. Thanks.” I reached out to take a glass, my hand brushing right past Nox’s bewildered expression.

“Anytime.” With that, she turned on her heel and headed toward a campfire several yards away, where Katrine and a few other women were chatting.

I watched as all of them took one of the drinks.

Katrine said something that sent the group into laughter.

A smile tugged on my lips at the sight of them getting the chance to relax. This island had that effect on people.

“And who is that ?” Nox asked, his eyes still fixed on Devora as she pulled her long hair into a strap of leather, the firelight glinting off her glasses.

“If I tell you, will you tell me what this Hunt thing is? ”

“Can’t. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” He pinched his lips shut with his finger.

I rolled my eyes. “She’s my lady’s maid. And a friend.”

“Well, then, here’s to friends,” he said, holding his cup in the air.

I tapped mine to it. “To friends.”