“She won’t,” she snapped, her eyes flaring at the accusation. “I’m her right fucking hand, and he will be mine. We’re going to rule the skies together.” Milani smiled sweetly as she strolled back to Samkiel, putting a little more sway in her walk. She stood on her toes and kissed him, her hands pressing against his cheeks hard enough to squish his face. His lips moved against hers, and I had to turn away. Every time she touched him, I had to control the sudden, violent urge to maim her. I needed more information, but right now, all I wanted to do was peel the skin from her bones.
“That’s great,” I mocked, forcing boredom into my tone. “But Sovereigns? Never heard of them. Are you sure she didn’t make it up? You know she likes to lie, right?”
Milani pulled away from Samkiel, tossing me an annoyed look over her shoulder. “I forgot how dumb you are. You were raised among mortals, so I guess it is to be expected that your perceptions are so narrow. You think we are the only realm? Past this one, Sovereigns rule. Each is beyond formidable, ruling over their domain. Think of the universe, that is what a Sovereign rules. Nismera will own this one, and then she will go and conquer beyond the stars. They will bow when she rips it open, or they will die.”
I blinked. I had been so wrong. We had been so, so wrong. This had been her plan from the beginning. Not just to rule here, but apparently far beyond as well. Was her hunger for power that strong? Would she eat the stars from the skies to feed her craving? “Another set of rulers above us?” My breath quickened. As if the ones here weren’t fucking enough. “And exactly how does she plan to do that? I doubt your warships have the firepower or magic needed to rip open realms.”
She laughed, twirling a single finger in tiny circles over Samkiel’s chest. “Oh, my warships are not meant for splitting realms. They’re for bringing her entire army over and decimating worlds. The energy beams I’ve made could rival even the Oblivion my beautiful World Ender wields.” She leaned up, placing a kiss on Samkiel’s cheek before settling. Milani turned back to me, her head resting against his chest. “The medallion opens the door, obviously,” she said, waving a hand as if I were the dumb one. Yet all I’d had to do to get her to tell me everything was to mock her until I pissed her off.
Checkmate.
A small snort left me as I nodded. “Oh, so that’s what she needed the medallion for,” I said, my eyes connecting with Samkiel’s.
“It appears so,” he said, lifting his hand to wipe his mouth.
Milani gaped at us both, realization slow to sink in. “What is this?”
My silk bonds sizzled, and I stood up, brushing the ash from my skin. Ennis pointed the remote at me, repeatedly pressing the button. “Oh, this?” I asked, ripping the collar from around my neck. “It’s called deception, or a smaller word for you, lying.”
Milani’s eyes bulged, filling with horror, anger, and sadness as Samkiel stepped away from her. His eyes no longer held adoration when he looked at her. Instead, they blazed with blinding hatred.
“Kiely!” Milani snapped, pointing her finger to the ground as if to summon a hound. “Come back to me this instance. I command you.”
“That’s not his name,” I said smugly and lifted my hand, flashing my wedding ring just to piss her off more. “And he is not yours to command. He answers to one queen, and you are not it.”
Samkiel strode to my side and placed a kiss on my temple, openly claiming his rightful queen before the one who tried to take him. Pieces of metal pinged off the shiny stone floor as he gripped his collar and yanked. Matching armor slid over our bodies, and I imagined we probably looked like two avenging gods. Milani’s eyes bulged as she realized just how much she had lost. She stomped her foot like a petulant child, her face turning red and her gold-tipped wings flaring in rage.
“Guards!” she screams, her voice filled with fury, yet no one rushed in.
“I assumed you would call them, so I put a little something in their water supply this morning. I can’t remember the dosage Miska told me. One makes them sleepy, the other makes them sleep forever.” I mimicked her earlier, dismissive wave. “Variable variables.”
Ennis charged me, but I held up my hand. “I would probably go to your sister before you try to fight me.”
With a snarl, he crashed to a halt, looking at Milani in confusion.
“Don’t you smell that?” I asked. “That rancid odor? I created a system of leaks yesterday. Small nicks in your gas lines. Not enough to alert immediately, but enough to fill every chamber here. It was a trick I used when I killed Tobias in Yejedin.”
Milani’s eyes widened as Samkiel stood behind me and rested his hand on my hip. Ennis was already rushing toward her, but it was too late.
“Tell me, Milani. Are you or your brother fireproof?” She swallowed, sweat forming on her forehead. “Because I am.” I lifted my hand, and with a snap of my fingers, a flame erupted on the tip.
And the room exploded.
66
SAMKIEL
Dianna had not just sabotaged Milani’s warship, but several of the others in her armada, targeting the largest of her ships. Explosions rocked the sky, clouds bubbling with bright orange flames and ashy smoke. She had not just come to my rescue, but to make a statement. The rightful queen had returned to these realms and, with her reign, they would either kneel or they would burn. Gods above and below, I fucking loved that woman.
Cameron, Isaiah, and Kaden took to the skies, ripping and shredding every warship that turned to help their fallen queen and comrades. They were dark-winged death in the sky, jumping from ship to ship, dismantling what they could with talons, teeth, and flames. Dianna and I knew we could not finish them all, but we wanted to hit the largest and the ones carrying the worst of her weapons, which was why she and I were currently in one that carried about a hundred guards and machinery.
Another punch and the adrueth female fell from the open port, spinning into the waiting jaws of a passing Ig’Morruthen. A battle cry preceded a soldier, and I lifted my blade, blocking his strike.
“Are you mad at me?” I called above the sounds of battle.
Dianna snapped the neck of another soldier before turning toward me, her hands half raised. “What?”
I disposed of my opponent with a grunt, impatiently slicing my blade across his throat before stepping over the dismembered bodies of the adrueths she’d faced.
