Page 8 of The Uncrowned King (The Bastard Duology #2)

CHAPTER EIGHT

It had to work. Kora swallowed. It felt as if she had failed at every turn. She had to get this right. For Derek and the safety of all on Zora.

“You look like you’re about to be sick,” Villette said.

Kora ignored the words and walked to her archenemy. She began to chant, it’ll work, in her head. As if by thinking the words she could put her plan into action.

Villette’s lips quirked haughtily. “Maybe because you’re conspiring against me when I’m aligning myself with you?”

“Only to save your own skin,” Merrill said.

Villette cut her blue eyes to him. “The enemy of my enemy and all that.”

Kora stopped before her, staring across the flames into the face she equated with evil. Old burn scars on the right side of Villette’s face and neck mixed with healed pink skin, presumably from dragon fire wounds. There was only one thing that could scar Villette in such a way—hellhound fire. It’s why she didn’t try to budge once Kora encircled her with it.

Villette’s gaze returned to her. The smug expression vanished. There was no smile, no superiority. Villette projected honesty as she said, “I mean it. You need me, but I also need you. I can’t fight Miena on my own.”

Kora wanted to believe her for the simple reason that it would make her decisions easier. But she had learned through heartache and pain that nothing in life was easy. She had come to Stonemore to face Villette on her own, knowing it would likely mean her death. It had been worth it to attempt to take her down.

She had wobbled when Derek became involved. Now, many, many others were entangled in this fiasco, including children who escaped death within the city. Kora had foolishly believed that this had been about her at the beginning. She had been wrong, but she didn’t see the error until it was too late. Now, she needed to consider others with every decision and action.

Kora put her right arm through the fire. It devoured the sleeve of her tunic, but nothing more. Her gaze held Villette’s, waiting to see if the Star Person would proceed. Kora realized she wasn’t the only one looking five or even ten steps ahead.

Villette clasped her forearm, wincing when her fingers got too close to the flames. Kora didn’t budge. While there was no pain for her, it still cost her greatly to make any kind of deal with a mortal enemy. But it was for Derek. Which meant Kora would do whatever she had to do. Even join forces with Villette.

When the Star Person spoke, her voice rang out clearly in the cavern. “I hereby vow that I will join with the hellhound, Kora, and anyone who enlists with her to locate Derek and get him out of my sister’s clutches. I also pledge to assist in the battle to bring Miena down.”

Magic sizzled over Kora’s arm. It shimmered and turned iridescent as it slowly wound around Villette’s hand and then over Kora’s until it met the fire. Villette eyed Kora, waiting.

A thin stream of fire broke from the flames to begin its winding journey from Kora to Villette as she said, “I hereby promise to unite with Villette to locate and rescue Derek from Miena. I also swear to fight alongside Villette to kill Miena. This will all be done as quickly as possible.”

Villette’s eyes narrowed, but she nodded her blond head once. “As quickly as possible.”

Their magic merged before sinking into their skin in an unbreakable, binding contract. Both released the other instantly.

“Lower the flames,” Villette demanded.

Kora hesitated. Even with the vow, she was still wary. But they couldn’t take the first step toward locating Derek until Villette gave them a direction to move in. Kora extinguished the flames. It hit her then that she might have very well allowed her one and only chance to kill Villette slip through her fingers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Merrill begin walking around everyone.

Villette took a hasty step back to put distance between them.

“Where is Derek?” Rhi asked.

Villette shrugged. “I might be powerful, but I’m not omniscient. I can’t pluck that out of thin air.”

“Then you lied,” Alasdair declared.

Villette’s nostrils flared as she cut him a withering look. “How dare you?”

“You made a binding vow,” Con told her. “You are held to it.”

“I know,” Villette snapped.

“If you had no intentions of directing us toward Derek, then you lied in your vow,” Lotti said.

Kora nodded as she took a step forward. She held out her right hand, palm up, as flames flared from it. “I knew I shouldn’t trust you.”

“Hold on,” Villette said hurriedly as she took another step back, putting her even closer to Merrill. “I intend to help. I just wanted you to realize that I can’t give you what you want this very instant. Besides, the binding would’ve known if I’d lied and wouldn’t have worked. This proves I’m telling the truth.”

Kora glanced at the fireball in her hand.

Villette gave her a pointed look. “The entire reason we’re working together is because you need the power I bring.”

“She’s right,” Lotti agreed.

Alasdair crossed his arms over his chest. “Nothing will stop you from leaving now.”

Villette’s gaze jerked from him to Kora. “I can’t break our vow. Neither can you.” She looked around in distaste. “One of you can remain with me at all times, if it makes you feel better. Merrill will do nicely. Especially since he’s used to my bed.”

The implication was clear. Merrill clenched his hands into fists, squeezing so hard his knuckles turned white.

“I won’t subject Merrill to more of your company,” Lotti said. “I’ll shadow you.”

Villette shrugged. “As you wish.”

“Derek.” Kora brought things back around to where they needed to be. “Do whatever you need to do to locate him but start doing something .”

“As I said, I’m not all-knowing. If I was, I wouldn’t need to go to the lengths I have to spy on the dragons,” Villette said.

Kora frowned, wondering what Villette was talking about. Alasdair’s nostrils flared, and fury sparked in his gaze. Lotti whispered something to him that calmed him down. Kora was grateful because she didn’t want to take the focus off Derek.

Villette moved her blond strands to cover most of the burns on her right side, probably out of habit. “If I can locate anyone, it’ll be Miena. And she won’t be far from Derek.”

“Then do it,” Con ordered.

She sighed loudly. “Again, it isn’t like snapping my fingers.”

“I thought you were the most powerful being there is?” Merrill mocked. “Sounds like you’re lacking.”

Villette stiffened at the jab as if physically struck. She walked past them. Kora turned with her, watching to see what the Star Person would do. Villette halted next to the table and pressed her open palm to the edge where Derek’s head had been, the same place Miena had rested her hands, then bowed her head.

Alasdair opened his mouth to say something, but Lotti shook her head to quiet him. The six of them silently watched Villette. There was no way to know if she was doing anything. It could all be a ploy.

“Miena is still on Zora,” Villette said as she lifted her head and turned to them. She didn’t release the table. “Pinpointing exactly where will take more.”

Rhi eyed her. “More what?”

“Power.” Villette looked at Lotti.

Everyone turned their heads to the other Star Person. She didn’t hesitate to go to the table, simply walked around it until she stood facing Villette. There was no denying the animosity between them. This was how it would be going forward. But if they could get Derek back, it would be worth it. Everything would be worth it.

“What do you need from me?” Lotti asked.

Villette motioned to the table with her head. “Put your hand near mine. Search for magic. Miena was the last to use it here, so hers will be prevalent.”

Lotti sucked in a quick breath.

“I see you found it,” Villette said with a grin. “I did warn you that Miena was formidable.”

Lotti exchanged a look with Alasdair. “Now what?” she asked Villette.

“Focus on Miena’s magic. Put all your attention on it. I’ll do the same. You’ll have to stay fixated.”

“As you said.”

Villette’s look was pointed. “The longer we sit here talking, the more her magic fades, and with it, any link we have to Derek. I say stay focused because we’ll only get one shot at this.” She paused. “It will take both of us to hold and follow the magic. You’ll feel me, just as I’ll feel you. We’ll have to guide each other.”

“You mean trust,” Lotti said.

Alasdair made a noise that sounded like a growl. Kora understood his thoughts. She wasn’t happy about any of this either.

Lotti said nothing as she closed her eyes. No one uttered a word or moved as Villette and Lotti fixated on Miena’s magic. The seconds stretched to minutes. Each tick was a vise around Kora’s heart, gripping tighter and tighter. It had to work.

It will work.

She closed her eyes, silently willing the universe or fate or whatever gods might be watching to let them find Miena. The fact that she was still on Zora was good news. But she could leave at any moment. Taking Derek with her.

If Derek left, Kora knew he would be lost to her forever.

“Lotti!”

The sound of Alasdair’s shout snapped Kora’s eyes open. Alasdair caught his mate before she hit the ground. Villette had dropped to one knee while a hand remained on the table to keep her upright.

“Lotti. Open your eyes, love,” Alasdair called in a soft but insistent voice.

Villette laboriously pulled herself to her feet. “Give her a moment. She’ll be fine.”

A growl rumbled through Alasdair as he scowled at Villette. “If you’ve harmed her, I?—”

“I’m all right,” Lotti said, cutting off his words.

Kora looked away. It seemed wrong to observe the shared love between the couple. Her gaze collided with Merrill’s. He came up beside her wearing a frown that hadn’t smoothed from his brow since he’d returned to the cavern.

Alasdair got his mate on her feet. Lotti’s hand trembled as she brushed blond hair from her face. Even Villette appeared shaken. Whatever they had done had cost them both.

Villette looked at Lotti, who nodded. Villette then cleared her throat and faced the rest of them. “Miena was in the north for some time. She’s in the south now.”

“Any particular location?” Con asked.

Lotti blew out a breath. “Not really. She paused at a few places but never stayed for long.”

“Could either of you tell where they were headed?” Kora asked.

Villette’s throat bobbed when she swallowed. “We need to head south. Lotti and I saw a general location. From there, it’ll be easier to locate her.”

“How?” Merrill asked.

Villette leaned heavily on the table as if it took everything she had to stay on her feet. Kora imagined it was hard, given the burns and magic it had taken to heal them. Not that Kora felt sorry for her. Whatever Villette suffered was of her own making.

“She didn’t lie,” Lotti said. “It took both of us to follow Miena’s magic where we did. Even then, there were times I didn’t think I could hold on. Villette guided me.”

Alasdair whispered something in Lotti’s ear that earned him a raised brow.

“South?” Merrill asked Kora.

She nodded as she squared her shoulders. “South.”