“Where did you go, my pretty little bride?” His voice dropped to a deadly register that made my heart flip over. “Flitting somewhere, were you?”
“I'm fine?—”
“That wasn't what I asked.” His fingertip stroked along the pulse point in my throat. “Tell me where you went, love. Now.”
Turning, I met his stare, refusing to be intimidated even as heat pooled low in my belly. “I went to speak with Queen Davalon's portrait.”
“Without me.”
“It was just for a short time.”
“A short time where anything could have happened to you.” He shifted close enough that I could feel his breath against my mouth. “A short time when I couldn't protect you.”
“I can protect myself.”
“Not from everything.” His hands slid up to frame my face, his touch possessive. “Promise me you won't vanish like that again.” His voice roughened. “I can't protect what I can't reach.”
The command in his tone should have annoyed me. Instead, it sent a thrill straight through my core. But I wasn't about to let him know that.
“Or what?” I tilted my chin up, letting defiance sharpen my tone. “You'll tie me to the bed?”
His eyes darkened. “Don't tempt me.”
“Maybe I want to tempt you.”
For a heartbeat, the air between us crackled with tension.
Then Lore exhaled, his fingertips tracing mycheekbones. “Tell me what she said first. Then we can discuss your punishment for scaring me.”
I suppressed a shiver at the promise in his words. “First, she knew who I was.”
He frowned. “Will she tell?”
“I don’t think so.” But we couldn’t trust anyone here. “She explained about the chant. Naveer feeds off willing deaths, people who choose to die for honor or glory release more life energy than murder victims. The trials aren't just games. They're harvesting opportunities.”
The thought of what she was doing made me sick. My father… I shut off the thought. This wasn’t the same.
Or what is?
“And Laphira?” he asked.
“She's been forced to witness it all. Years of watching people die.” I leaned into his touch. “Davalon said there are other reasons for her condition, but she wouldn't elaborate.”
“Cryptic spirits.” Lore's jaw tightened. “What else?”
“She said Naveer's power has a source, and that I should look for what sustains rather than what controls. She also mentioned that some magic becomes part of foundations.”
“Foundation magic.” Lore considered this. “Built into the structure itself, maybe? Harder to break because it's woven into the very stones.”
“We encountered something similar in the labyrinth.”
“And we left that entity well-contained in the structure.”
“Maybe this one is well-contained as well.” Though I doubted devotion played any role here at Irridain. Except… “Dominion.”
His eyebrows lifted, begging me to explain.
“Irridain. Dominion. What if true dominion can only be achieved through willing submission? That might be keeping whatever it is bound.”
