Lucenna had the sudden feeling she was oblivious to much more than she realized. The cool orb sat still in her hand, catching the last of the evening light. Well, she was never one for obedience.
Crouching down, she placed the orb on the ground and drew runes in the mud with a stick.
“Lucenna?” She ignored Klyde’s approach as she drew a circle around them. “What are you doing, lass?”
“I am breaking Lucien’s warding spell on the orb,” she muttered.
“Why?”
“So I can contact others.” She waved her hand over it, and the runes blazed purple.
Klyde paused. “Others, or your prince?”
“I need to speak to Everest. My brother is hiding something from me, and I will find out what it is.” Pressing her fingers together, Lucenna paused, questioning if she should do this.
She couldn’t imagine Everest would ever hurt anyone. Not when she had so many sweet moments with him. Her first memory of him was when she was a little girl.
While chasing butterflies, Lucenna had tripped in the courtyard in Castle Ophyr and skinned her knee. Blood stained her dress, and she cried, but then Everest appeared like a god against the sun. It was the first time he had spoken to her, but she knew who he was. The prince she was meant to marry. He was older, seventeen at the time. Everest smiled at her with his golden amber eyes, as if she were the most precious thing inthe world. Laying his hand over her knee, his gentle magic healed her.“I cannot allow anything to harm my future.”
That was the mage she knew.
Lucien was wrong.
She snapped her fingers, and the warding spell broke. Closing her eyes, Lucenna reached out with her Essence and called on Everest.
When she found him, his awareness instantly flooded her mind with familiarity. She opened her eyes as the crystal orb glowed with light. The sphere filled her vision until the world had disappeared, until all she could see was spiraling white smoke. Her heart pounded with anticipation.
She was finally going to see him after four years.
Klyde’s boot rammed into the orb.
She gaped at it in horror as it flew over the cliff and vanished from her sight. Lucenna sprinted to the edge, only to see it drop into the river below.
She whipped around to Klyde in disbelief. “What do you do?”
He stepped back, holding up his hands. “Ah, pardon me. I … slipped.”
“Slipped? Youslipped?” Lucenna shrieked. “That was clearly deliberate!” She stormed at him and swung her fist. “Have you lost your mind?”
Klyde dodged the punch with a chuckle. “No, but I lost my footing. It’s quite muddy around here. Come away from the cliff’s edge before you slip, too.”
Rain came pouring down, and she shook with anger. “That orb was the only means I have to communicate with my brother!”
“Oi, calm down, love.”
“I am not your love! And don’t tell me to calm down!” Lucenna beat her fists on his chest, though she may as well strike a wall. In their struggle, she slipped, and he caught her against him, which only enraged her more. “Honestly, you are the most infuriating, preposterously arrogant, inept man I’ve ever met!”
Klyde caught her wrists in his solid grasp. “Having encountered the caliber of men from the Magos Empire, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Lucenna had the urge to strangle him, but he still hadn’t released her. Purple electricity crackled across her skin. “I should kill you.”
They both watched her magic merely fizzle out when it met his enchanted mercenary coat. Klyde cracked a smile. “I would find that more threatening if it were possible.”
“Would you like to wager that?” She grabbed the blade strapped to his belt, but it vanished from her hold before she could do anything with it.
The blade twirled in Klyde’s hand as he stepped back. “Lass, you know I have scruples against harming women. But I do admit I am at fault here. Allow me to replace your orb.”
“That orb can never be replaced. I have put up with your exasperating candor, but this…” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she quickly turned away from him. “That orb belonged to my mother.”
