A queen delighted upon her throne.
A good omen.
Chapter 36
Dumortierite
ESTELA
Every part of my body is still sore when I drag myself to the royal library, away from my mate and the obscene way he plays my body like I play my magic.
I can’t believe he made love to me on our throne.
My mind swims as I walk through the palace.
When I looked at myself in the mirror this morning, there was something unrecognizable looking back at me. I feel different, much like I did when they first put the gem in my chest. But now, a faint glow glitters across my skin. It doesn’t fade with time or washing.
I am stronger. Lighter. The darkness that once lurked in my soul feels more like a bubble swelling in my mid-section waiting to be popped. For the power to spill out of my fingertips and into the world.
I find I crave such things.
Teo went off to check on the new Enduares, and I’ve come to the royal library. Something Teo said about reading has me thinking—letters have been so important toour love. He has spent so much time pouring over these words. What could I learn from them?
Voices filter out from the library as I draw near, and I hang back, listening as Thorne’s voice comes into full volume.
“Mrath and I have known each other our whole lives. She is… trustworthy. When she wants to be,” he says.
“And does she want to be?”
“Yes, my sweet little bleeding heart.”
It surprises me to hear Ulla scoff. “You already spoke to her, yes?”
Silence, that I take to mean a nod.
“In fact, she has been quite curious about every second I’ve spent with you all. She will come to retrieve the artifact within the week.”
I inch closer to the open door, grateful for all the time I’ve spent slinking in the shadows. However, I do wonder how the glow hasn’t alerted them.
I should interrupt them and break this off, but Thorne has been kind to me. Not quite a friend. A part of me is confused that I didn’t see his fascination with Ulla before.
Ulla is seated in an intricately carved stone seat, while he is sitting on the table, a glass of wine in his hand. He swirls the crystal as he talks and looks at a severed leather band in his other hand.
Theatrical, calculating. And yet… utterly absorbed by Ulla.
“I was on my way to tell your king when I saw your pretty little head bent over a few scrolls. I couldn’t help but pop in.”
Ulla leans back, and it’s only then that I see her long hair flowing off her shoulders.
He cut off her hair tie.
I blink, even more enthralled by this pairing.
“Well then, if you are finished taunting me, you should find King Teo,” she says, grabbing atthe tie.
He jerks his hand away. A true smile spreads across his face as his teasing smirk fades. “What will you give me?”
She pauses. “For a ruined strip of leather?”
