Fire raced from the circle surrounding them, eating at the closest to the wall that held them captive. The stench of burning flesh attacked my nose, and I choked on it. Their cries for help brought tears to my eyes. Red flames burned so high into the night that surely all five kingdoms witnessed the fury that is my king.
The circle closed in even further as the shifters who remained tried to escape. How I heard my father’s next words over their terrible bellows for mercy, I will never understand.
King Traevon said patiently, “Now is the time to exact justice with me, if you wish, Trixie.”
“I…I…” I blinked repeatedly.
I ducked behind my father and placed my back to his, my lungs pumping hard, sucking in death-filled oxygen. I trembled where I stood, pressing harder against him, and covered my ears with my hands, trying to keep the sounds of anguish away.
But they only grew louder as the fire burned brighter.
They were murderers…
They were murderers.
Murderers.
And I was hiding from our justice.
They killed my grandmother.
Bile slicked the back of my throat as heavy as my shame.
I dropped my hands from my ears and opened my eyes.
I would do this. I must.
My chin lifted. I turned and stepped beside my father.
I kept my eyes on the few shifters remaining and lifted my arms—because I needed to. Bright and furious fire shot from my hands, joining the king’s fire, the combined flames now touching the stars.
I ordered, “We get this done. Quit playing with them.”
King Traevon grunted, his emerald eyes now on me and not those he was killing. “As you wish, my heir.”
The king watched my face, never peering away, as we killed the last four shifters. I knew what he was doing. He was watching to see if I cracked, ready to protect me—even my mind—if need be. Father did this every time he introduced something new, a form of training I had never experienced. This time was no exception.
The four shifters dropped to the ground, dead.
“Keep going,” King Traevon said, his power abruptly cutting off. He crossed his arms and tilted his head; those eyes penetrated my soul. “I want all of them down to their bones. No more, no less.”
I gritted my teeth and used my shoulder to wipe away an errant tear that fell. “They fucking stink.”
“Everyone does when they burn. You must become accustomed to it, as appalling as it is.” King Traevon turned to face me fully, arms still over his chest. “You’re slowing down. It takes much to burn down to the bones. Put more power into it.”
I fueled my fire hotter. “Are you really going to put their bones on the castle’s gates?”
“Of course. Then I’m going to have King Athon over for tea to tell him once more I will not approve that fucking trade embargo. He must have had a new, untrained assistant create it before he put it to the rulers. It’s absolute shit.” His head teetered back and forth, lost in his own thoughts now. “I may leave the bones up too, just as a reminder, and I’ll need to have a caster spell them together so they hold their shape as a person.”
“Very creative,” I grumbled under my breath.
“And you will be staying on the coast in Sugar Cove at our summer home until I feel it is safe for you to return.”
“What?” My attention jerked to his face. “You can’t be serious!”
“I am. You have shown tonight that you need space from me, years to become your own person. That you are an adult now. Once your majority hits, you won’t have this freedom. I want to gift it to you before it’s too late.”
“I’mtwelve yearsaway from my majority.”
