Throat dry and tightening, I met his gaze, and despite my near two decades of practice, nothing could stop the expression of disdain I knew was spreading all over my face. This was the man who’d kept my cousin enslaved for years. Who’d allowed her to be raped—if he hadn’t been the one to do it himself. This was the man who’d ordered an entire Ka to be murdered. Who hosted games where people would die just to keep us from questioning his authority.And because, standing on the dais beside him, were two more of the men I hated most in this world.
Imperator Kormac. And the Bastardmaker.
Their eyes, black, beady and wolf-like, sent a shiver running down my spine. I’d forgotten the layers of cruelty inside of them. The endlessly predatory, violent hunger. All at once, I was reminded of Brockton and Geoffrey, Brett, and Trey. They all had the same eyes. The same promise of barbarousness. Exactly like their father.
And standing on the floor, right in front of them, was Tristan.
I hadn’t seen him since our break up, since he’d gotten engaged to Naria. He had the strangest look in his brown eyes as we approached the dais. There was a coldness to them I’d never seen before. And in a way I couldn’t explain, at that moment, he looked like he was my enemy. He wasn’t just standing close to the wolves, but he looked like he belonged with them. Like he was one of them now.
Tristan cocked his head to the side, his neck filling with red as expressions of anger became more apparent in his aura. His energy wafted toward me in a way that was all at once foreign, and yet, all too familiar. Strangely familiar.
My heart pounded harder as the guards flanking me forced me to step forward again and again, moving ever closer to the shield. My chest grew warmer. And at last, when the pull became too strong to ignore, I let my eyes trail up, just as they had in the vision.
The bronzed-shield hung above the throne, the orange crystal glowing in the center illuminated by sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows. A thousand colors glowed against the walls, and shimmered across the marble floor.
There was a breeze against my heated skin, cool, and filled with salt—wind from another life, another time.Spots filled my vision, and I saw gold sand stretching on for miles under a bright sun. I held up my hand—Asherah’s hand—darker, larger than my own to block the view. In the distance, I saw a blinding light, and the shadow of Auriel running toward me.
The vision vanished as quickly as it had appeared, the breeze gone. I was dizzy as I returned to this body, this life, the fire now burning inside my chest, the flames rising and growing hotter and hotter.
A small golden light began to glow from within, streams of it escaping the top of my bodice. “Dario,” I hissed, gripping his arm. “Alert His Highness. I’m unwell.”
“What?”
“Tell him. Help me. I’m–” I didn’t have the words. We’d never explained to Dario what had happened in the Seating Room that day. Despite him being privy to so many of our secrets he didn’t know this one. But he had seen my heart glow when Kane touched me. I stared pointedly down, and Dario’s eyes followed.
“Shit.” He didn’t hesitate. He removed his soturion cloak, and wrapped it around my shoulders while the other guards frowned.
The Emperor was speaking, using that voice of his which was somehow too loud and too quiet at the same time.
I couldn’t listen. Couldn’t focus. All I knew was I was in the presence of a shard of the Valalumir and my own piece of the light had very much recognized its counterpart.
I could vaguely hear my name on the Emperor’s lips, as well as Meera’s name, and then the proclamation of everyone’s joy that we’d been found safely, and Meera rescued from the akadim.
But as I looked up again at the orange light shining in the sun, I bit down on my lip to keep from crying, to keep from screaming that my heart was on fire. What Mercurial haddone to me that morning had been more excruciating than anything I’d ever felt. But it was nothing next to this.
Everyone was ordered to bow. But my knees were already giving out. I desperately clutched at Dario’s cloak, trying to hide the light coming from me.
“Your Highness,” Dario yelled. “The lady! She’s faint.”
Imperator Hart at last turned to look at me, just as Rhyan had, his face filling with concern. He was already moving, racing back toward me, pushing past Kane and Amalthea, and the guards standing between us. The floor was rising up to meet me. Someone was shouting my name. And then I saw no more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
LYRIANA
“Thought you could get out of attending the ball tonight, did you?” Imperator Hart clicked his tongue. “It’s the eve of Asherah’s Feast Day. And I thought that you of all people might delight in such a celebration.”
My breath came short as I sat up in bed, taking in my surroundings, the golden Valalumir on the ceiling, the ostentatious furniture. Sunset cast a reddish light through the curtains of my window, filling the room with dark shadows. My apartment in the Emperor’s Palace.
I reached for my chest, my heart pounding. I was still wearing my gown, and the fire inside me was gone. The Valalumir was no longer glowing. At the edge of my blankets, spread wide, like it had been used to cover me, was Dario’s cloak.
“Your Highness, I’m sorry,” I said, not sure of how much he saw. “I …” I coughed, my throat raw. “I felt faint.”
“Did you now?” he asked, his voice dangerously low. “You do realize that was your one opportunity to take in the object you are meant to steal for me tomorrow? The one chance you had to look around and ensure that you save your cousin’s life?”
My fingers clenched at my side. “Believe me, I took it in,” I said. “I’m as prepared as I can be to do my part. Our deal still stands.” Our eyes met. “Are you ready?”
“Am I?” He got up from his chair, and began pacing back and forth.
