“Forgive me, my king, but Queen Milani has returned seeking counsel.”
Nismera sighed and pushed to her feet. Her hand snapped out, grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking me to my feet. I hissed and wrapped my hand around her wrist as she used her hold on me like a leash and pulled me close.
“Very well, send her in.”
Nismera’s grip loosened, but she kept me at her side. The guard bowed again before leaving. A few seconds later, a female entered the room. Her wings were tucked neatly along her back, the white, gold-tipped feathers the same that made up her crown. It sat atop her head, long brunette strands piled around it. The dress she wore shimmered in the sunlight. It was sleeveless but gathered at her shoulders and flowed down her slender body, hinting at the feminine curves beneath. The doors closed, but this time, I was locked in with two beautiful predators.
“Milani,” Nismera said sweetly, “welcome.”
Milani’s hazel eyes raked over me. “Is that a Jade City healer?” she asked, and I did not like the interest I heard in her voice.
Nismera nodded, and my heart thudded. “Gods, I thought they were extinct.” Milani clapped her hands and all but ran to me. She leaned down to look at my face, and I jerked back, pulling against Nismera’s hold. Her brows scrunched, her nose following. “What happened to her face? It looks swollen and bruised.”
Nismera tightened her grip on my hair again and pulled me close like I was some pet she was afraid would escape.
“Silly girl is so clumsy. Kaden and Isaiah said she tripped on the way here.”
I wanted to speak, but her fingers tightened painfully in my hair, warning me not to.
Milani frowned but then shrugged. “Well, then.” She stood up, dismissing me completely. She bounced and clapped again. “I come bearing good news.”
“Do tell,” Nismera said with a sigh, seemingly already done with her.
“My men may have found your traitorous second and the witch.”
Whoever they were, this news meant something to Nismera because not only did she let go of my hair, she lunged forward to hug Milani. They were suddenly exclaiming and muttering to themselves.
I blinked, so taken aback that the woman who had just abused me was now acting like a giddy girl. I glanced toward the door as they continued to speak, their voices animated and excited. There was no way I’d make it there before she caught me, and the balcony was too high up. Without wings, there was no way I could survive that fall.
“This is truly wonderful news,” Nismera said. “Send more of your armada out to the surrounding area, and I’ll add some of my legion to your ranks as well. Something tells me that if the witch is threatened, she will be a bit of an issue, and I need her back alive. I plan to tie her up and hang her in front of him in the dungeon. After I am done with her, he can watch her corpse rot. I can’t do that if she’s already dead.”
They laughed, and I felt bad for whoever this witch was.
“Have you heard anything else regarding Samkiel’s whereabouts?” Milani asked.
Maybe Milani was a fool or just obtuse, but she didn’t seem to notice Nismera’s eyes flicker and harden. Nismera’s smile dropped, but she quickly corrected it. She may pretend to be Milani’s friend or whatever they were, but I’d caught the look, and I knew if Milani messed up or annoyed Nismera enough, she would join the witch in the dungeon.
Nismera lifted a hand, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “No, not much, at least. Wherever he is, he is not making himself known in this part of the realm, but I have high hopes we will find him.” Her predatory gaze turned toward me, and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat.
Milani cocked her head at me, a slow smile forming. “Is that why the last of the healers lives? Because of him?”
“No,” I said far too quickly, and they both stared at me. “Yes, and no. Dianna saved me.”
Nismera’s jaw clenched at the mere mention of her name. However, Milani looked confused.
“Who is Dianna?” she asked.
Nismera waved a bored hand and opened her mouth to speak, but I stomped my foot in defiance, cutting her off. “She’s Samkiel’s mate, and she’s going to kill both of you for what you did to me.”
I waited once more for Nismera to lash out. Instead, they stared at me and then burst out laughing. Nismera tipped her head back and pressed her hand over her stomach. Milani braced her hand against the knee of one of the statues and tried to catch her breath. I seethed until they finally regained control of themselves. Nismera wiped under her eye as if what I’d said was so funny it made her cry.
“Oh, children. They are so funny, aren’t they? Believing in good and evil. Right and wrong.” She pulled out a chair and sat, crossing her legs. Her gaze turned lethal and pinned me to the spot. “None of that exists here, kiddo. Stories of dashing princes and sweeping tales of heroism are nothing more than fairy tales. Only one thing rules these realms, and that’s power. All that matters is who has it and who doesn’t. I’ll let you in on another secret. No one in this realm or the next has the power to stop me.”
Milani smirked, her eyes filled with cruelty as she watched Nismera tear into me. There was no doubt that these two were equally sadistic. “So, she has seen this Dianna of his?”
Nismera shot a look at the queen. “Let it go, Milani.”
Milani’s face soured. “Fine. How is Samkiel?” She stepped forward, directing the question at me. “What does he look like? Does he look the same? Is he well? Does he talk about me?”
