Page 40 of Wild Flame (Wild Bond #2)

Chapter Forty

H aving acquired all the evidence he needed against Salim and Nilfren, Malik decided to confront them together. Since Salim had returned to his home territory of Sohan some time ago, Malik decided to call a formal meeting of the Rajid. Salim may still feel insulted that Malik had chosen me rather than Priya to be his queen, but he couldn’t ignore a direct order from his king, nor could he afford to miss a meeting of all the territory leaders.

The meeting was set for two days before our Halmarish ceremony was to take place. Traditionally, along with the seven Rajid leaders, including Malik, the queen was also in attendance as well as Prince Amir as the king’s current heir, though Malik had expressed doubts over whether Amir would actually bother to show. The Fangdar was also expected to attend, namely those members who were in the capital, including Harun and Taj. Ramin would remain imprisoned in the tower until his name was cleared, but Sura had been more than willing to participate once we explained to her that we intended to confront those truly responsible for the attack on Unari.

Helene had been given minimum details as well but would be in attendance along with Nilfren. The detestable man had bowed and simpered when I personally invited him. Though I had seen the triumphant gleam in his eye that he couldn’t hide. No doubt he now believed Malik and I thought him important enough to be included in such a meeting. I didn’t disabuse him of the notion.

Formal meetings of the Rajid were always held inside The Sphere, which was perfect for our purposes. It was still located inside the palace but slightly removed. It was not a place that was easy to escape from, especially since we planned on having all the exits guarded. It was also convenient that dragons weren’t permitted so Salim’s dragon wouldn’t be present to cause any trouble. And once the other Rajar learned what Nilfren and Salim had done . . . it would be a good thing their dragons were a safe distance away as well.

When the evening of our planned dinner arrived, a nervous kind of anticipation mixed with dread filled my chest. I was sick at the thought of confronting the men but was eager for it all to be over. Once this was dealt with, things could finally be normal, and we wouldn’t have this constant fear hanging over us that another attack might happen. I couldn’t help thinking about Leif as well and wondering where he was now. Had he really gone to Halstaff? The thought of him waiting in that small border town made me sad. The thought of not having him in my life any longer made me sadder still, even after what he’d done.

Astrid had already helped me into my gown, a more formal gold and cream piece that was cut in modest lines save for baring one shoulder and arm completely. I couldn’t help thinking of how scandalized I would have been mere months ago at the thought of baring so much skin. How things had changed.

Malik had left not long ago to prepare everything, and I would meet him there shortly. I was sitting at my vanity drinking some tea, watching as Astrid finished partially braiding my hair back on one side. My new maid, Tika—one of the Zehvitian servants Astrid had befriended—added a jeweled barrette to the curls. I had hired her not long after I let Hilde go. So far, I had no complaints and Astrid was thrilled.

I knew both my maids could sense my tense mood and had guessed something was happening tonight. Malik and I had told no one but those who needed to know about our plan for fear of who else might be involved, especially if we were wrong about Salim being the third conspirator. Though I didn’t think we were.

“Thank you,” I murmured when they were finished and stood. I couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time.

As I entered The Sphere, the first thing I noticed was the silence. There was no one else about, just as we had planned, but it was somewhat eerie to be alone—save for my guards—in such a large space. The sun had nearly set and so hardly any light filtered through the glass dome overhead. Thankfully, what seemed like hundreds of torches had been lit along the many paths to combat the growing shadows. But I barely took in the breathtaking beauty of the sky above or the fountains and plants around me like I had at our ceremony. This time I was too focused on the building I was heading toward.

The Conclave Hall was a simple, one-story structure about a hundred feet behind the central stone dais where Malik and I had been marked. It was a beautiful building made of ancient white stone that gleamed in the light of several braziers lit on either side of the entrance. As I approached, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it the first time I was here. Though I had good reason to be a little distracted at the time.

Yesh and Selasi stationed themselves outside as I entered. The rest of the Talonar would be manning the outer entrances to The Sphere, just in case.

Inside The Conclave Hall was a single large chamber. It was surprisingly simple, with no decorations on the stone walls or ceiling. More lit braziers lined the space since there were no windows, and a rectangular stone table dominated its center. Inlaid in the stone was one of the most intricately carved depictions of a dragon I had ever seen, the serpentine body curling and twisting up nearly the entire length of the table. It was stunning and made even more so by the lack of decoration around it.

Finally, my eyes fell on the people standing around the long table. All of them with drinks in hand, as if they had been waiting a while.

Oops. It appeared I was later than I had intended.

Harun, Taj, and Sura were talking to Malik, who stood at the head of the table. Salim and the other Rajar stood at the six chairs obviously intended for them on either side, while Nilfren and Helene waited at the opposite end. My sister shot me a look filled with questions. I gave her a nod in return that we both knew meant we would talk later. It wasn’t until I drew closer that I saw Prince Amir standing to the left of what I assumed was Malik’s chair, looking very bored. Though for once he was clear-eyed and aware. I was amazed he had even shown. He tipped his glass to me when he saw me.

Malik turned to me when I finally reached them. He looked handsome, as always, in a red and black tunic. A sword was belted at his waist, and many others in the room were sporting the same. His face broke into a broad smile. “My queen, we were about to send out a search party.”

“My apologies,” I stammered, my cheeks going pink as the rest of those in the hall noticed me and bowed. “Time got away from me.”

“No matter,” Malik said aloud, while his eyes asked me if I was all right and offered me his glass.

I accepted and took a small bracing sip before I gave him a reassuring nod. He studied me for only a moment longer before helping me to the seat at his right before taking his own. Once he was seated everyone else followed suit, except for The Fangdar. Taj, Sura, and Harun had set down their drinks and now stood like soldiers behind Malik, myself, and Amir.

Then Malik and the six territory leaders each took a small glass jar from somewhere on their person and placed them in tiny grooves built into the design of the table. Each of the jars contained different colors of what appeared to be sand.

Malik must have known I would be curious because he leaned over and explained, “The jars contain sand from each of our territories. It is meant as a reminder of who we represent at these meetings.”

An intriguing practice, I thought as Malik leaned away.

“This conclave is now in session,” Malik stated to the room at large.

Salim wasted no time before he spoke. “Your Majesty, may I ask why you have called us all here on such short notice?” He gestured to Helene and Nilfren. “And why you have seen fit to invite outsiders to a gathering that has traditionally only ever been private?”

Malik didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared Salim down for several long moments before his gaze did the same to each of the other Rajar at the table. Only when he had reminded them all—without a single word—who he was to them, did he stand.

“I’ve asked you all here because an important matter has come to my attention that I wish to discuss with you,” Malik began. Everyone who hadn’t been tipped off about tonight stared at Malik with a mixture of intrigue and bemusement. “I have discovered wh—” Malik’s words suddenly halted, and I looked over at him in confusion. Malik had gone completely still. Unnaturally so.

“Malik, what’s wrong?”

I stood and stepped toward him. His broad chest still moved up and down with breath, but otherwise, he was motionless. “Malik,” I said, cupping his face, but there was no response. “Malik,” I repeated, shaking him slightly, but his normally brilliant amber eyes were blank and unseeing and . . . red.

Dread pooled in the pit of my gut. Confusion assailed me. What— It was only then that I noticed the entire hall had gone silent. I spun and saw most of those sitting around the table were frozen as well. What was going on?

I ran to Helene at the other end of the table. Her face was blank as she stared, unmoving. It was as terrifying as it was unnerving. No. No, no, no—

Panic rose in me, but I forced myself to take a deep breath, allowing my mind to settle enough to think logically. It appeared Salim and Nilfren had finally made their move.

When I turned to glare at Nilfren, he wasn’t smirking at me as I suspected he would be. Instead, he looked just as confused as I was, like he didn’t understand what was going on either. My eyes shot to Salim, thinking maybe it had just been him who was behind this, and to my shock found he was just as motionless and blank-eyed as the others. Unease ate away at me at the sight. Salim had to be behind this, surely.

This time, I examined each person more closely as I moved back down the table. They were all immobile. They all had red eyes.

Fleshfire. My gaze fell to the drinks on the table. Had someone drugged the drinks with Fleshfire?

Then movement caught my eye.

Sura. Sura was awake.

Was she involved in this? Surely not. But then why wasn’t it affecting her—but wait, no, it was affecting Sura, just not like everyone else. Even as I watched, she slumped to her knees, bleary-eyed, with a vacant smile on her face.

Why was it affecting her differently, and me and Nilfren not at all?

“What did you do?”

I whirled at the shouted accusation, expecting to see Nilfren glaring at me, but he wasn’t. He was staring at the person sitting nonchalantly at the opposite end of the table from him—the only other person who appeared unaffected by what was going on.

Amir.

The prince was awake. And he was grinning.

“It was you?” I breathed in shock. I looked at Salim, then back to Amir. “But I thought . . . Salim—"

Amir laughed. “Salim isn’t involved. Though I know why you might assume so. I’ve been careful to implicate him at every turn.” He stood, straightening the cuffs of his tunic as he contemplated me. There was a sharp, calculating light I had never seen in his expression before.

“What did you do to them?” I asked, voice calm, trying not to show how unnerved I was.

Amir! Amir was the third conspirator.

“They’re fine, I assure you,” he said. “The only reason you and Nilfren are not affected by this version of the drug is because you are not dragon riders. I learned that through trial and error.” Amir grinned, and it was a decidedly unpleasant thing.

“This wasn’t the plan,” Nilfren protested, staring around at everyone with wide eyes. “What have you done? Your brother will have our heads for this.” He rose to his feet and raked a hand through his thinning, gray hair. “No one was supposed to find out.”

Amir just stared back at the man with a bland, saccharine smile and strolled slowly over to Nilfren. He put his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Oh, Alistair,” he said conversationally, “that’s where you are wrong. It was always my plan.”

I saw the gleam of the knife an instant before Amir stabbed him in the chest. Nilfren’s whole body jerked, and his eyes went wide.

I didn’t move as the prince yanked the knife out and Nilfren sank to the floor. Blood began pooling around him, and I didn’t look away as he died. Even though I had never liked the man, and even with my history, watching him murdered in cold blood like that still made me ill.

I swallowed. “Why kill him now?”

Amir sighed while wiping the blood off his weapon using Nilfren’s clothing. “I hate when people question me, and his usefulness has come to an end. Initially, I needed his access to the Halmarish forges in order to make our beautiful Fleshfire, but no longer. He was only ever interested in making money. He had no idea what I was truly doing.”

“And what was that?” I demanded, trying to remain calm as I gestured around. “What did you do to them? What is the point of all this?” I had to keep him talking and distracted while I came up with a way to get us all out of this.

Amir gestured with the knife. “Oh, this is just a little potion Princess Mercedes and I cooked up before she died. Though admittedly, I have been refining it since then into what you see now.” He gestured nonchalantly around the table of living statues.

It all clicked into place.

“You were the dragon rider Mercedes was working with!” He was the partner she had mentioned to Rin—the dragon rider who had snuck her into the trials and told the princess how to find Three Points.

His eyes lit with surprise. “I see my brother has been sharing his theories with you.” He shrugged, as if revealing the information was unimportant now. But I got the sense that he was enjoying revealing all to me. He wanted someone to know what he had done. “Several years ago, just after the war had ended, my father put me in charge of the obsidian trade. Mercedes approached me requesting a regular order of obsidian, but she wanted it kept quiet. Only wanted it shipped privately to her. Against my will, I found myself intrigued, and after only a little prodding, she told me all about her potions and the experiments she was conducting with that alchemist. Mercedes was trying to come up with a way to force the bond and create more riders. But a side effect of the elixir was that people who took it became suggestable. That was what truly intrigued me. So I offered to help her, and she accepted.

“At first, I thought it only partially worked to control its recipients because the bond they had formed with their dragons wasn’t a true bond. I wanted to know if I could make it control true dragon riders. But it didn’t work on them. So, I began experimenting with different ingredients. Manticore venom proved very effective, just not in the way I had planned. It didn’t allow me to control riders, but it did make for a very powerful high.”

“Fleshfire,” I murmured.

Amir grinned and nodded. “And though producing Fleshfire in Halmar and shipping it to Zehvi has been profitable, that was not my true goal. I continued my search for the right combination until I discovered the missing ingredient— Moonstone. It was the key to controlling riders. When crushed into a fine power and added to the Fleshfire compound . . .”

All the seemingly random events of the past several months began to make sense, the pieces starting to fit together in my mind. Moonstone. The key had been Moonstone all along.

Moonstone affected dragons by making them unable to access the innate magic in their blood. So anyone with a connection to that magic—like their riders—would be affected as well.

“. . . tested it on a nobody to make sure, an older rider that lived on the outskirts, someone no one would believe or take seriously if he started blabbing, and it worked like a charm. But I had to be sure, so I decided to use it on—”

“Ramin,” I said.

“Yes, Ramin,” Amir admitted with not a hint of remorse for the destruction he had caused, the lives he had taken, or the torment he had caused Ramin by using him and his dragon as a vessel. “Yes, I used him and his useless wife.” He gestured to where Sura was currently staring up at the stone ceiling with a dreamy look on her face. “But for some reason, it did not work on her, just as it hasn’t worked tonight. No doubt some natural immunity. After the attack, I discretely tested it on a few more riders until I was sure it worked, but I was out of Moonstone,” Amir continued to explain. “And it is notoriously rare and hard to find.” He grinned then. “But I knew where I could get more.”

“The mines,” I said with dawning realization. “It was you who broke in.”

“Correct.”

“But how did you know—”

“My brother is so arrogant. It never crossed his simple mind that our father had also entrusted me with the secret of what he planned to do with the Moonstone—to defeat Baldor for good and end the war. But then it was stolen. I had always suspected that it was Malik who had taken it, but I didn’t know for sure until I drugged Ramin and asked him about it. After that, it was easy enough to fly to the mines and take what I needed.”

So he had used his dragon’s blood to get past the wards.

My mind was racing. I had to do something to counteract this potion they had all been given. I had to snap them out of it. But how? I doubted I could keep Amir talking much longer.

Then suddenly, something Amir had said sparked in my mind. Why wasn’t the potion working on Sura? Did taking the drug multiple times cause some kind of imperviousness? No, that couldn’t be right. Addicts took it all the time and always felt its effects. Natural immunity , he had said. Or some other kind . . . I glanced over at Sura. Then inadvertently, or maybe it was fate, my eyes drifted to her ear and focused in on the earring there. The obsidian earring. The one she had shown me that day in the pools, so long ago now. Her binding gift.

I stared down at the obsidian ring on my own hand. Could it be that simple? Why Sura wasn’t in a trance like all the other dragon riders, and why it hadn’t worked on her in that alley . . . because she was wearing obsidian.

Everything has its opposite. The line the fortune teller had spoken during my reading all those months ago popped into my mind. At the time, I thought the fortune teller was hinting at Malik and me, but she had also been discussing balance and how the Nine always offer checks. Maybe she had also meant this.

Obsidian was Moonstone’s opposite.

It counteracted the effects of the Moonstone. Amir had admitted it himself. The potion didn’t work fully with obsidian as an ingredient. So it followed that maybe if I could slip my ring onto Malik’s finger, it could possibly free him from the effects. It was worth trying, at least. I knew—even with my training—I couldn’t bet on beating Amir. He was a rider. My best hope was to put the ring on Malik. Of course, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t be just as out of it as Sura once I did get the ring on his finger, but I would worry about that later.

The talisman in my dress pocket warmed against my skin as if in encouragement, and I took that as confirmation enough.

Eyeing Malik where he stood several feet away at the end of the table, I subtly shifted my feet in his direction. Please let this work. I tried not to let my worry for Helene and the others paralyze me as I took a small step closer to Malik. As I did so, I asked Amir, “But why? Why do all this?”

“I thought that would be obvious,” he said. When I just stared at him, he replied, “Because I should be king.”

It was a battle not to snort in derision at the cliché answer. I took another sidestep. “Is that why you tried to have Zara killed?” I demanded. “Because you saw her as a threat?” I was acting on a hunch, but knew I was right when he didn’t even bother denying it.

“That was premature on my part,” he admitted. “Excessive. I am next in the line of succession. It was not necessary to kill her.” The sheer indifference with which he made the statement was chilling.

“You intend to kill Malik, then? You won’t get away with it,” I spat, mostly to distract him from the fact that I was now mere feet from the man in question.

He laughed, pricking the edge of the dagger he held into the center of his palm. “I will. No one will suspect me. When they wake, none of them will remember what happened here. They will only know that they were drugged. Salim and Nilfren will be blamed for everything. All the documentation leads back to them.” He flicked the dagger to Nilfren. “I will say he murdered Malik and tried to murder me. But I came to and killed him before he could hurt anyone else. Then I will be king, as I always should have been. And I will have my own personal secret weapon that I can use to manipulate my enemies and anyone else I feel like.”

Up until now, I had always seen Amir as Malik’s misguided, jealous younger brother. A womanizer and a drug addict, but certainly not someone to be feared. He was still all those things, but as he talked about his plans, I saw that maniacal gleam in his eye. That hint of someone not altogether sane. Someone driven by a fanatical purpose, no matter the cost. I had seen that same look in Silvanus’ eyes many times over the years, and each time it had given me a chill.

“Why are you telling me all this?” I asked. But I already knew.

He chuckled. “Because I can. You won’t be telling anyone. Since you have seen all this, I’m afraid there is no other choice but to have you join my brother in death.” He shrugged and sighed. “So unfortunate, really.” His heated gaze looked me up and down. “Such a waste.”

I was right next to Malik now and had just begun to slide the obsidian ring from my finger when Amir shifted. I barely had time to register the movement before he hurled the dagger at me. I dropped behind the table. My ear stung, and I knew the blade had nicked it.

I dove for Malik’s sword, forgetting all about the ring as I pulled the weapon free—just as Amir leapt up onto the table, his own sword drawn. Malik’s sword felt heavy in my hands, but I didn’t let that stop me as Amir leapt off the table and brought his blade downward. I blocked his strike, but only just. The blow sent shockwaves down my arm. He looked surprised, and I used that to my advantage, rolling away and scrambling to my feet. I backed up, trying to move away from those frozen around the table and edge toward the entrance door behind me. If I could just alert my guards. His next blow was just as ferocious. His sword came down like a crashing wave, but I slipped to the side, feeling the air stir as his strike missed by inches. I countered immediately, my blade flicking out as fast and precise as I could make it with the heavy weapon.

His eyes flashed with fury, and with a growl, he blocked and came at me again, faster this time. Strike after strike, each one stronger than the last, the sound of steel against steel reverberating through the hall. My arm burned and my hand stung. I was outmatched, and I knew it. He was stronger. Every time I parried, I was a heartbeat away from being overwhelmed, but I was quick and light on my feet, constantly moving and making him come after me. Still, it took every ounce of my training and concentration to stay one step ahead.

His strikes became a flurry of power and rage. I couldn’t keep dodging forever. I had to end this. Wound him. Distract him.

My breath came in quick, controlled gasps as suddenly, the opening I’d been waiting for appeared. His sword came down, a mighty arc aimed directly at my head. I saw it, felt it, and I knew I had to move now or die. I lunged forward.

Amir twisted just in time and my blade merely sliced down his arm. He cursed and reared back, tripping over Sura where she still sat on the ground.

I knew it was my only chance.

I turned and bolted towards the entrance, flinging the large door open to the shocked gazes of my two guards and stumbling out into the open. Selasi and Yesh drew their weapons as they took me in—Malik’s sword and my disheveled appearance, the trickle of blood I could feel dripping down the side of my face from my ear.

“My lady, what—” Selasi began.

“Amir!” I panted. “He’s the one—"

An almighty crash sounded above us, and we stared, watching in disbelief as a dragon shattered through part of the dome. Glass rained down, though luckily not over where we stood. Seconds later, a large dragon landed before us, blocking any escape. I nearly lost my footing as the ground shook.

It wasn’t until I looked up again that I saw which dragon it was.

Virath.