“The empress must never leave the palace or its immediate vicinity, like Naharu,” Lady Starling said in a tone that suggested it was offensive for me to say otherwise.
“I’m afraid that’s a rule I won’t be able to follow. For one thing, my entire family lives on the plains.”
“This is why you’ll make a disgraceful empress,” Lady Starling said with a sneer. “You have no regard for the rules and customs of our people.”
“Not when they’re completely isolating and barbaric.”
Lady Corvina let out a barking laugh that got her a nasty look from Lady Starling. “This from someone who lives in primitive tents and barely clothes herself.”
“We shouldn’t have even bothered to help you learn about the Zephyrian ways. You’re obviously incapable of it,” Lady Starling said, still in that ridiculous half whisper.
I wasn’t sure how they thought they were helping me learn the Zephyrian ways after such a short conversation, but I alsoknew they were just a couple of mean, petty women who would never like and accept me. I thought of Lord Heron’s warnings about the dangers of the nobility, and I almost snorted out loud. These women were pitiable, not dangerous.
“Then leave,” I said with a shrug of indifference that I knew by Lady Starling’s narrowed eyes got to her more than if I had reacted badly, like she expected. “I never wanted the two of you here with me anyway.”
“Do you know who we are?” Lady Corvina hissed at me. “We are from the noble houses of—”
“Do you know whoIam?” I interrupted. “I am the First Daughter Zara of the Children of Earth and the future empress of the Zephyrians.Yourfuture empress. You’d do well to remember that when you speak to me.”
Lady Corvina opened and closed her mouth several times, which was satisfying until I caught the dark look on Lady Starling’s face. She looked like she wished she had a dagger to stab me with. If I hadn’t glanced at her, I wouldn’t have noticed the growing shadows behind her.
The shadows coalesced into a dark, writhing mass. I felt the color drain from my face as it moved like smoke toward us. The shadows reached Lady Starling first and poured into her until her eyes were black.
I flung myself to the water’s edge just as the shadow streamed into Lady Corvina in the same way.
Before I could make it out of the water, each woman latched onto my arm and pulled me under. I didn’t even have time to scream for Baz. I fought wildly, but they held me down with inhuman strength. I could see their distorted faces through the green water. They were eerily calm as they tried to drown me.
I was young and strong, but I couldn’t hold my breath forever.A renewed surge of panicky adrenaline flooded my veins. I kicked out while trying to wrench my body away from them. They held tight, having the advantage of height since they were both standing on the outcropping and using their combined body weight to hold me under. My lungs burned, desperate for air.
I have to haveair,I thought. Would the wind respond underwater? I imagined the way a strong wind could toss waves and churn the deep waters of the ocean.
I sank deep inside myself to where that power rested, and pulled it to the surface of my mind. All I could think about was how I needed to get out of the water. And then suddenly, a million effervescent bubbles surrounded me. They swirled around my body faster and faster until finally, I felt an incredible force beneath me. It lifted me so powerfully that both Lady Corvina and Lady Starling were blown back. I landed hard on the edge of the water, coughing violently and gagging.
Baz finally heard the struggle and came to my rescue, but Lady Corvina and Lady Starling threw themselves upon him. They clawed him like wild animals, screaming and fighting. He struggled to subdue them.
Before I could get to my feet, a warm robe was thrown over my body, and I was pulled against a rock-hard chest.
“Haul them before the emperor,” Talon shouted to Baz as he and the other guards finally managed to subdue Lady Corvina and Lady Starling. “I will take care of the First Daughter since obviously you cannot.”
“I’m sorry, Commander,” Baz said, his expression twisted with regret. “It happened so fast. I never would have thought—”
“Enough!” Talon cut him off.
Talon’s face was twisted with a mixture of fury and concern as he helped me turn to my side and then pounded my back. “Getit all out,” he told me gently. I coughed some more until finally all the water had come up. I fell back against him, breathing hard.
“I’ve got you, just breathe,” he said near my ear, his arms warm around me.
I had never wanted Ama or Mariyah or any of my family so much in my life. I thought of Shazeera, not even at my side. Had this brief blast of wind power damaged our connection again? Another blow to our bond that I hadn’t even meant to do.
After a moment, I leaned away, partially covered with the robe. I turned to look at Talon, and he gazed down at me, eyes wide with concern. I didn’t even think about it first; I threw my arms around him and held on tight. He froze for a moment, but then he returned the embrace.
“You’re safe now,” he said into my neck.
His own distinctive smell—leather and mountain air—surrounded me.
I thought of the shadows that entered the two women before they tried to drown me. I was definitely not safe here, and I wasn’t sure I ever would be.
I got shakily to my feet, and the robe he had thrown over me pooled on the ground. Talon’s eyes darkened for a moment before he averted them.
