Page 2

Thebes

Present day

Shiri

W e landed in Malvolia’s throne room, much to the surprise of two of her firemage guards, who gaped at us, then at each other, looking like they didn’t know if they should attack or run.

“Go get your queen,” I said, infusing a touch of siren in my voice.

I probably didn’t need to use my siren, though, for they flew out of there like bats escaping an inferno.

“Should I go get the dragons?” Aurora asked, one of her sharp shifter canines sticking out as she chewed her bottom lip.

I smiled down at my four-year-old niece, patting her head. My precocious niece’s teleporting abilities only extended to places she’s been before, so I wanted to make sure she got a good layout of the outside before she brought the dragons here. “Not yet. We need to find a place for you to bring them.”

She shrugged. “Okay.”

Aurora had transported her twin, Ember, plus Tari, Helian, Ash, Drae, Blaze, and me to Malvolia’s castle. The dragons knew it would take a few hours for us to get them, as well as Enso, Bea, and Lady Arabella. We would need to ensure Malvolia had a secure place for our prisoners after Tari healed Derrick.

Back and wings stiff, Blaze walked the perimeter of the room, peering out one of the tall windows.

“Firemages are practicing in the courtyard,” he called to us, his wings relaxing slightly.

“Thank the goddess,” Tari said.

“That’s a good thing, right?” I asked Drae, who stood protectively beside me, his wings tucked tightly behind him.

Tension radiated off him in waves as he worked a tic in his jaw. “If they were at war, they wouldn’t be practicing. They’d be manning the battlements.”

I’d read the letter our mother had sent Tari. Ventus and Thebes had been attacked by demon spiders and a zombie king and wyvern, but she didn’t mention the outcome of the battle, other than our father had been gravely injured.

I swallowed back bile. “So the conflict is over?”

Drae grimaced. “The battle. Not the war.”

Blaze returned to us, his expression grim. My mates were dreading this meeting with their monarch as much as I was, for we’d all seen what Malvolia did to those who angered her, and the last time I’d been with my aunt, I had disobeyed her by refusing to kill my twin and then deserting her army.

Helian walked a slow circle around the throne room, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his long silvery hair tied back in a queue, emphasizing his pointy Fae ears. He stopped to frown at Malvolia’s throne, my great-grandmother’s floral parlor chair that had survived the Dark Tide.

He let out a nervous-sounding burst of laughter. “Kind of an underwhelming throne, isn’t it?”

Tari pulled the children to her sides. “Come back to us, Helian,” she said through frozen features. “We may need to make a hasty retreat.”

Helian returned to her, standing on her other side, one hand still clutching the hilt of his sword.

I gave Drae a look, not reassured by the tension lines around his eyes while he ruffled his feathers.

Do you think it’s a trap? I asked him through thought.

He cut me a dark look while curling his hands into claws. Anything is possible when it involves Malvolia.

Footsteps echoed outside the room and the doors were thrown open. Malvolia made her entrance with only the two previous guards, her black cape billowing behind her, exposing shapely legs in black tights beneath a short skirt. She wore an inky crown of thorns upon her head, secured by tightly weaved, dark braids. Her pale face powder and black eye paint did little to conceal the heavy circles beneath her eyes. She stopped, staring at us for a long moment, appearing as if she was deciding whether to welcome or kill us.

Drae and Blaze pressed closer to me. The wolf flashed in Ash’s eyes as he hovered protectively beside Tari while my twin pushed the children behind her skirts. Ash let out a low growl, rumbling the floor beneath us.

Aurora bravely tried to imitate her father’s growl, though since she hadn’t had her first shift yet, she sounded far too human.

Ember nudged her sister’s side. “Quiet, Rora, before Aunt Malvolia kills us.”

I winced at that, hoping Malvolia didn’t hear.

“Ah, there you are, nieces—and grandnieces.” She paused, glaring at Tari’s ruffling skirts as the girls squirmed behind her. “I was wondering when you’d join us.” Malvolia clasped her hands together, schooling her face into a mask of stone.

My chest tightened when I looked into my aunt’s eyes and saw the flash of pain. A maelstrom of emotions threatened to overwhelm me as she walked past me, refusing to spare me another glance. During the short time we’d stayed with my aunt, we’d formed a tenuous bond. Yeah, she was a bitch, and yeah, I hated her, but I couldn’t explain why I had also wanted to impress her. Why I still craved her approval. Was I seeking the love and acceptance I’d never gotten from my mother?

My aunt seemed different, as if the air around her was a choking black fog, and she was slowly being strangled by the darkness within her. What had happened to bring about this change? Worry over the demons? Or perhaps guilt from knowing that Thorin had tricked her into killing thousands of people? Whatever the cause of her depression, I felt her sorrow so keenly, my heart nearly broke from it.

She gave me a pointed look. “You’re missing a mate.”

Wow. I didn’t think she cared about my mates. “Nikkos is with Tari’s other mate, Finn,” I said. “We’ll retrieve him soon.”

Drae cleared his throat, bowing before the queen. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. What happened to the demons who attacked?”

Smoke curled out of Malvolia’s fingertips, her smile wickedness personified. “The spiders are ash. The corpse king and his demon wyvern are licking their wounds.” She steepled her blackened fingers. “But I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before they crawl back out from under their rocks.”

“Where are our parents?” Tari blurted, her tone harsh.

Malvolia paused and gave Tari a long, cool look. “Flora and Marius are keeping vigil over Derrick.”

Tari turned up her chin, refusing to be intimidated. “Does Derrick live?”

Malvolia plopped onto her throne, draping one leg over the armrest while giving Helian an appreciative once-over. “For now.”

Blushing, Helian averted his gaze, and I wondered what had happened between them while he was her prisoner. Anything was possible when it came to our horny aunt.

I jutted a foot toward Malvolia while struggling to find my voice. “And you’ve reconciled?”

She refused to make eye contact with me as she stared at something beyond my shoulder. “If that’s what you call it.”

I worked hard to unclench my teeth. She was punishing me for abandoning her army, for refusing to kill my own sister. “What do you call it?”

She finally looked at me, her eyes cold and dark. “A tentative truce until we destroy the demon mistress.”

Crossing my arms, I impatiently tapped my foot. “And then?”

She leaned back in her throne, inky smoke leaching from her fingertips. “And then I’m sure Flora will enlist you to kill me next.”

“Thorin tricked you, Aunt,” I blurted. “My mother never wanted to steal your throne.” Maybe they had formed a truce, but Malvolia was still paranoid, which made her dangerous—very dangerous.

“I know, though it doesn’t matter now.” She heaved a sigh. “The seeds of hate have already been sown.”

Seeds that she helped plant, I wanted to add. “I’m tired of strife, Aunt,” I said on a sigh. “We won’t try to kill you, so long as you don’t try to harm us.”

She leaned forward, back stiff. “And what of my throne?”

“What of it?” I laughed. “I’ve never wanted it. My mates and I just want to live in peace at Abyssus.” I motioned toward Blaze and Drae, who grumbled their agreement. “Tari and her mates have Caldaria. Our mother just wants you to return our fathers’ ancestral home to them.”

She pouted like a child forced to put away her toys. “I’m giving it back to them.”

“Wonderful.” I threw my hands in the air. “Your throne is safe. Now you’ll just need to worry about finding an heir, because, trust me, none of us wants to rule Delfi.”

Malvolia flinched as if I’d slapped her. Surely, she didn’t expect me to want her throne after the buckets of blood she’d spilled to guard it.

“Is the city prepared for another demon invasion?” I asked, choosing to switch the subject. I wasn’t interested in talking about my aunt’s throne, and doubted I ever would be, but I had to know if my family was safe here.

Malvolia tossed back her head, letting out a boisterous laugh. “I think the mistress knows better than to send more spiders.”

“The demon mistress is preparing an army to invade the Fae lands,” Tari said. “They could be on their way here even now.”

“Not yet.” Malvolia gave Tari a dismissive look, almost as if my sister wasn’t fit to mop the slick throne room floors, before facing me. “From what my spymaster and the seers have gleaned, the demon mistress won’t launch her attack until after she kills Thorin and takes his power for herself.”

“How will we know when she kills him?” I asked.

“When I can remember,” Malvolia answered. “I still don’t have my memories back from the time he changed them.”

“The spell dies when the mage dies,” Drae said. “Makes sense.”

Blaze mumbled his agreement.

“Exactly.” Malvolia leaned back in her throne. “After my memories return, the demons will come.”

My gut roiling at the thought, I clenched my fists until my nails broke skin. “Until then, we should prepare.” Starting with unearthing the spellbook that holds the key to sending every demon back to hell , I thought to myself.

Malvolia let out an unladylike snort. “What do you think we’ve been doing while you’ve been flying all over Faedom?”

I could feel Tari tense behind me as her mates swore and growled.

I gritted my teeth to keep from lashing out. “We were rescuing the children.” I motioned toward the girls. “The demon mistress figured out a way to teleport them to her lair.”

Malvolia jumped to her feet, her eyes widening. “You went to her lair and didn’t kill her?”

Drae cleared his throat. “We barely escaped with our lives.”

I fixed my aunt with a stony glare. “And saving the children was our priority.” I held my breath, waiting for her to say something that would prompt Tari to turn her to dust.

Malvolia paced in front of her throne. “So this mistress figured out how to teleport the children?”

I nodded. “She did, but Ember’s ghost friends say they can’t be teleported again, as long as they wear Tau stones.”

Malvolia stopped pacing and fell onto her throne. “And do you believe them?”

“They haven’t lied yet.”

“Interesting.” Clutching the armrests, Malvolia leaned forward with a snarl. “I dare that demon bitch to capture me. I will turn her to ash.” Then she gave me a curious look. “Do you know the spell she used to teleport them?”

I shook my head. “I don’t, but I suspect it wasn’t easy and probably drained much of her magic.”

Malvolia nodded while chewing her lip. “I will direct my best seers to find out.”

“We’re wasting time,” Tari blurted. “I need to heal our father.”

Malvolia stared at Tari like a dragon preparing to pounce before she slouched in her chair, plastering on a bored expression. A ruse, no doubt. “I’ve given your parents Felicity’s old living quarters,” the queen drawled, her eyes drifting toward Helian once more while he wilted under her gaze. “My guards can escort you, unless you remember the way.”

“We remember,” Drae said, tugging on my hand.

“Very well.” Black ink leached into the whites of Malvolia’s eyes. “After you heal your father, we will plan this demon mistress’s demise.”

* * *

Tari

M Y HEART BEAT A THUNDEROUS rhythm in my chest. I’d survived an encounter with the wicked witch who’d haunted my childhood nightmares, though I wasn’t sure if our next meeting would go as smoothly. I saw the way Helian’s pale face reddened when she’d given him coy looks. I made a mental note to ask him what had happened between them when he’d been her prisoner, though I had a sickening feeling I wouldn’t like his answer.

I squeezed Helian’s hand and smiled while we walked. His tight smile in return wasn’t reassuring. Ash walked alongside us, carrying Ember and Aurora against his broad chest, his long, dark hair falling around his shoulders and his swirling tattoos standing out against his bulging, tanned muscles. My alpha was so good with the girls, and they knew exactly how to melt their big, snarling wolf daddy’s heart. I was a lucky witch.

We followed my sister and her two mates through one opulent hallway into another. My sister’s mates walked like roosters guarding their hen, glaring at any other males who glanced our way, their dark feathers standing on end.

I couldn’t get over the extravagance of Malvolia’s castle. Just one of the plush rugs lining the hall could’ve fed a starving family for a year. To think, I could’ve grown up in this castle, safe and well-fed, if not for Thorin. If I ever came across that monster, I’d burn his eyes out before he could harm my family again.

Shiri stood at the double doors leading to our mother and fathers’ bedchamber and released a long breath. She placed a palm on the door before grumbling. “You ready for this?”

I shrugged. Shiri and our mother had never had the best relationship, and I feared tensions would only be higher now that we were in Malvolia’s castle.

Drae pushed open the doors for her, and I was immediately struck by the stench of sickness.

“Eww,” Ember said, her nose wrinkling before she pressed her face against Ash’s chest.

Aurora made a face. “What’s that smell?”

“Sickness, darlings,” I said, patting my daughters’ backs. “Cover your noses.”

The wolf flashed in Ash’s eyes. “It’s bad,” he whispered. “Our shifter noses are more sensitive.”

“I understand.” I motioned toward a balcony visible behind open double doors. The smell of brine and fresh air beckoned through the billowing curtains. “Take them outside.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, as he quickly carried them outside.

We were greeted by two footmen dressed in ridiculous tights, their limp wings draped behind them. My mother had told me half-breed Ravini were commonly servants in wealthy Ravini households. Those Ravini mixed with either human or Sidhe Fae blood usually had limp, thin wings that looked like capes.

The footmen led us through a beautiful sitting room that was bigger than our cabin in the woods and into an even bigger bedchamber, where the smell of sickness intensified. Four winged Ravini guards stood on the perimeters of the room, still as statues while quietly blending in with the drapes and floral wallpaper. If my parents had made up with Malvolia, why were the guards here?

Our mother shot up from her chair beside the bed, staring at us as if we were apparitions. A man who looked too much like our father Derrick stood alongside her. Marius. My heart and gut twisted at the longing in his eyes.

“Oh, thank the Elements!” Our mother ran straight for me. I grimaced when she took me in a tight hug, sobbing into my hair. “You’re safe!” she cried while stroking my back.

“Of course, we’re safe.” I pulled out of her grip with a scowl, very mindful of Shiri standing stiffly beside me. Would it have hurt my mother to hug Shiri too?

“Father!” Shiri quickly crossed over to Marius, and he picked her up, twirling her in his arms.

Marius. How badly I wanted to go to him too. I swiped hot tears as my mother rubbed my back while Helian stood protectively behind me. Shiri locked arms with Marius and led him toward me.

“This is Tari,” Shiri said, beaming. “Tari, this is our father, Marius.”

Marius looked too much like our other father, Derrick, a typical Ravini male, with a warm complexion, dark eyes, and black, feathered wings. Though Marius and Derrick were twins, Marius appeared at least a decade older, his chestnut hair peppered with more gray and several more lines framing his eyes, not to mention he weighed about two stone less. Considering he’d survived almost twenty-four years in Malvolia’s dungeons, I wasn’t surprised.

He took my hands in his, smiling down at me with glossy eyes. “Forgive me. I’m at a loss for words. I have so longed for this day.”

I didn’t wait for an invitation before throwing my arms around him, letting the tears fall while I held tightly to his neck. A sob escaped me, and he wrapped his wings around my back and stroked my hair, murmuring kind words while the tears continued to fall. I hadn’t expected to react this way to seeing him, but I’d had a rough few days. He kissed my temple, holding me as if he had no intention of ever letting go. By the time I pulled back, tears burned my eyes and streaked my face.

“I’m sorry we didn’t know about you.” I resisted the urge to cut my mother an accusatory look. I didn’t know why she and Derrick had kept it from us that we had another father. He’d deserved to have his memories kept alive, even if they’d thought he’d perished in the Crimson Tide.

“It was best that way.” Marius squeezed my shoulders, giving me a pitying look. “Your childhood was trying enough.”

And his time in Malvolia’s prison wasn’t trying? What a selfless father. I loved him already. I motioned toward the bed, where the stench originated, floating through the air like steam from a cauldron. “I need to heal Derrick.”

I ignored our mother as she let out a sob and let Marius lead me to the bed.

What I saw robbed the breath from my lungs. My big, strong father appeared so vulnerable and weak, his skin an unnatural, sickly gray as he lay as still as a stone upon the bed. Something wasn’t right. He looked and smelled like a corpse. Was I too late?

I pulled back the thick blanket covering him, shocked to see the infected wound on his chest. The putrid smell was so bad, it made my eyes water. Even more shocking than the smell—his wrists were bound in chains. I reached underneath a cuff and pressed my fingers to his wrist, relieved to detect a slight pulse.

Marius cleared his throat behind me. “He was sliced open by a zombie wyvern.”

My stomach roiled and pitched. “I know.” Beau. My loyal wyvern that had died during the blast made from a bomb of my magic, a blast that had almost killed my children. Somehow, the demons had found a way to resurrect his body and turn my sweet Beau into a killing machine. For that alone, I wouldn’t rest until I turned every last demon to dust.

“C-can you save him?” Mother asked as she managed to squeeze onto the bed beside me.

I scowled at her. “Why does he already look dead?”

Mother visibly swallowed, averting her gaze.

Marius cleared his throat. “The priestesses say he’s demon touched.”

“Demon touched?” That explained the guards and chains.

I gave Shiri a hopeless look. Heal him, sister , she said through thought. We’ll figure out how to get the demon out of him.

I swallowed my apprehension and turned back toward our father, grateful for Helian, who stood behind me, a hand on my shoulder. I needed his touch. Just the contact of his skin on mine sent a powerful surge of magic pouring through my veins. I sat on the edge of the bed, fighting the urge to vomit when I placed my hands on the fresh bandages covering Derrick’s wound. His chest squished like mud.

Closing my eyes, I did my best to block out the smell, the chains, my mother’s gentle sobs, and the grotesque feel of the wound, and focused on pouring my healing magic into my father. It took several interminable moments for my magic to manifest. Though I felt the heat of it pressing on my fingertips, my magic felt stuck, swelling my fingers until they ached.

I frowned down at my hands.

“What’s wrong?” Helian asked.

I shook my hands like I was trying to air them out. It wasn’t until Helian sat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, that my magic finally manifested. By this time, my fingertips were throbbing as the magic flowed slowly, only picking up speed after I blocked out everyone else.

I was vaguely aware of Helian’s weight lifting off the bed while I placed my hands on my father’s chest. I wasn’t sure how long I sat there. A few minutes? An hour? My head was swimming after I drained every ounce of my magic into him.

My eyes fluttered open as I leaned back against Helian. He took me in his arms and laid me across a sofa, my sister fussing while cleaning my hands in a basin, even though I’d been careful not to touch his blood. I didn’t think I’d ever forget the feel of Derrick’s insides, no matter how much she washed me. I thought I heard my daughters’ squeals carried on the wind while they called to Ash to chase them.

“Did I heal him?” A small voice echoed around me. It took me a moment to realize that voice was mine.

Helian brushed the hair from my eyes. “You did. His color has returned, and his breathing is better.”

“Good,” I murmured before surrendering to the darkness.

* * *

Helian

I SAT BESIDE MY MATE on the sofa, tucking a blanket around her shoulders while she slept. She’d used too much magic in the past few days and needed rest, though I feared she wouldn’t get much with the looming demon war.

Derrick still slept while servants bathed him and changed his sheets. His chains didn’t come off, though, and nobody suggested it. Good thing, because after experiencing a demonic possession, I’d insist they remain on. Nox had given me the illusion that I had some control over my own body, but I knew now that the demon could’ve easily used me to harm my loved ones.

Drae and Blaze had gone to speak to Malvolia’s spymaster. The children played outside with Marius, while Ash went in search of our mother after Flora and Marius had told us she was here. Relief and dread tightened my chest. Though I was happy our mother was safe, I worried our encounter would be tense after the way I’d treated her. I saw now that she’d never deserved my scorn. That she’d been more a victim of my father’s cruelty than I had been, a lonely queen simply wanting to carve a little piece of happiness for herself in a harsh world.

Marius carried the giggling girls inside the sitting room, kissing their cheeks and plopping them down on chairs in front of a small dining table. Shiri served the girls tea and savory tarts, promising them sweet tarts after they finished their lunch. When they pouted, she silenced them with one look. Shiri was a wonderful aunt, and I envied her patience.

Marius knelt beside the sofa, caressing Tari’s brow. “How is she?” he whispered.

“Tired,” I answered. “She’s used a lot of magic.”

“She came just in time.” His words sounded thick, strained as he nodded toward his motionless brother still asleep on the nearby bed. “I don’t think Derrick could’ve held on much longer.”

Flora fussed around Derrick, pulling back his blankets and making enough of a stir that I suspected she wanted him to wake.

Marius fluttered to his feet and quickly crossed over to his mate, pulling her away from Derrick. “Darling, he needs rest.”

She frowned down at her sleeping mate. “But the line is still there.”

I went to the bed, sucking in a sharp breath at the black line that stretched from Derrick’s navel to his heart, as if a dark worm was embedded in his skin. “Tari didn’t expel the demon,” I whispered.

When Flora gave me an accusatory look, I added, “She doesn’t know how.”

“What do you mean, she doesn’t know how?” Flora spat, her words laced with venom. “She’s a white witch.”

Shiri crossed to the other side of the bed, frowning down at her father. “We need to find the spell that expels demons.”

“Do you know where to find it?” Flora asked.

Shiri nodded. “In the rubble that was once Kyan’s Temple.”

Flora pressed a palm to her forehead, as if she was nursing a headache. “What happened to the temple?”

“Malvolia made me destroy it.”

Flora’s jaw dropped. “What? Why?”

“Practice.” Shiri grimaced.

Flora threw up her hands with a curse. “Just when I didn’t think I could hate her more.”

“What did I do this time?”

I sucked in a hiss, my gaze darting to the door to find none other than the queen bitch hovering in the doorway, wearing a short black skirt and tight stockings, as her black cape pooled around her ankles. I glanced away when her expression, aimed on me, turned sultry. How could I forget that, a few weeks ago, she had stripped off my clothes and chained me to a table, forcing me to endure her unwelcome touch? She obviously didn’t care that I was mated to her niece. Horny old whore.

Marius blanched, pressing against the wall, as if he could disappear behind the floral wallpaper.

Flora’s top lip pulled back in a snarl. “What are you doing here?”

Malvolia examined the grime beneath her fingernails, giving off the impression she didn’t have a care in the world. “I’ve come to check on Derrick.”

Flora jutted her hands on her hips, impatiently tapping her foot. “You’re not welcome here.”

Malvolia waved away her twin with a laugh as she marched toward Derrick’s bed. “Last I checked, I was queen of this castle.”

I quickly backed away from the bitch, giving her a wide berth, lest her hands started roving again.

Flora crossed her arms, huffing and spluttering while her sister leaned over Derrick. “You made Shirina destroy Kyan’s Temple!”

Malvolia turned toward her twin, one brow raised. “I did.”

Flora’s face turned as red as a dragon’s pecker. “That temple was sacred!”

Malvolia laughed. “It was a relic.”

When Flora balled up her fists, Shiri stepped between her aunt and mother, pushing Flora back while scowling at Malvolia. “It contained the spellbook we need to expel demons.”

Malvolia clucked her tongue. “Ancient tomes written in the old tongue. There’s not a living scribe who could interpret it.”

“I can.”

My heart dropped to my stomach when my mother came into the room, looking as beautiful as ever with plaited dark hair, regal cheekbones, and eyes like mine, blue rimmed with silver. Her lavender robes swirled around her ankles, complementing the crown of amethysts in her hair. She might have been dethroned by my father, but she would always be a queen to me. When I saw her elbow locked with Ash’s, I felt a keen sense of guilt. I should’ve treated her better. She’d once been queen of one of the mightiest Fae countries, Queen Cassandra Avias, a queen for the people, as she’d once been called. And then her world turned on its head when my father discovered my shifter brothers weren’t his spawns. She, Ash, and Finn had fled for their lives, and my father had relentlessly hunted them until the day Ash and Finn had finally gotten their revenge, shredding my cruel father to bits.

She stopped when she saw me, flashing a hesitant smile. I wanted to run to her and beg her forgiveness. Instead, I stood rooted to the spot like a coward, my legs refusing to move.

“Helian.” She released Ash’s arm, handing him a satchel before bridging the distance between us.

I had hoped to use my brother as a buffer, but he went to the children. He set our mother’s satchel on the floor and piled a plate with tarts before sitting next to the girls.

My mother reached out, as if she wanted to touch me, then pulled her hand back. “You are well, son?”

No doubt, she thought I was nothing more than my father’s spawn. Not that I’d blame her after the horrible way I’d treated her.

“I am.” I smiled, a blade of longing piercing my heart. “Thank you. And you?”

She gave me a curt nod. “Fine.”

I swallowed, wishing I had a nice cool ale to quench my throat. I’d picked a hell of a time to give up drinking. “And Gadea?”

Her eyes widened at the mention of her lover. “She is fine too. Thank you for asking.” She motioned toward Derrick’s supine body. “I take it Tarianya healed him.”

“He’s still possessed,” Flora blurted.

My mother gave Flora a cursory glance before hovering over Derrick again. “His pallor is much better.”

“His wound is healed,” Flora said, scowling, “though he still has a black line on his chest.”

My mother nodded. “It’s from the demon living inside him.”

“Tari and I will figure out how to get it out of him,” Shiri said, her voice breaking. “Give us time.”

I flinched on Shiri’s behalf when her mother turned to her with condemnation in her turned mouth.

“A demon army is coming. We don’t have time!”

“I have no doubt that, if there’s a way, Shirina will find it.” Malvolia sat in a chair beside the bed, crossing one shapely leg over the other while smiling at me. “She’s a very gifted witch.”

I averted my gaze, heat from embarrassment creeping into my cheeks. The bitch was having fun toying with me.

“I know that,” Flora snapped. “She’s my daughter.”

Malvolia only laughed in response.

My mother cleared her throat. “Will anyone go get Finn?”

“Yes. Why?” I asked, my throat cracking, as though I was a prepubescent boy. “Have you seen Finn in Gadea’s mists?”

“No. Gadea is in the process of rebuilding her mists in the temple here after the spiders invaded our temple.” Her eyes misted. “I felt Finn cry out in my mind when the girls were taken. I felt your cries too. I saw you surrounded by demonlings and flattened trees, and I saw Finn and a Ravini male flying on wyverns across the Fallax Islands.”

I loosened the collar of the restrictive shirt one of Drae’s manservants had given me this morning, feeling as if the walls were closing in on me. I purposely avoided looking in Malvolia’s direction, though I could still sense her gaze boring into me. “Blaze will intercept Ash and Finn along the Caldarian Coast and fly with them back here.”

“Good.” My mother squeezed my hand, smiling. “I won’t be able to rest until all my sons are safe.”

My knees weakened at the longing and love in her eyes. I didn’t deserve such a kind mother.

“There are too many people in here,” Flora grumbled. “Derrick needs his privacy.”

Malvolia jumped to her feet with a dramatic sigh before giving Shiri a dark look. “You will be at court tonight, niece.” Her gaze swept over the room, her eyes flaring while fixing on me. “I expect all of you at court tonight. No more wasting time. We have a war to plan.”

I thought I was in the clear, making sure to avoid eye contact as she brushed past me, her shoulder lightly jarring mine. But then she stopped, leering at me out of the corner of her eye. “Where’s your menace of a dragon, prince?”

I gaped at her like a lamb caught in a giant’s fist, taking too long to find my words. “He’ll be here soon.” I flinched when she touched me, recoiling when she dug her claws into my collar.

Her breath was a serpent’s kiss in my ear. “I’m available if you need something to ride.”

It took all my willpower not to retch when she released me, leaving in a flurry of robes and smoke. I dared not look at the others and see my shame reflecting in their eyes. Goddess help me, I feared the bitch wouldn’t stop pursuing me. My gaze drifted to my mate sleeping on the sofa. What would Tari do when she found out?