Jess patted Piers on the head. “You feed him, make sure he has water, and get him a litter box if he’s staying. After all, you brought him home. Kitty is going to be so jealous.” Wriggling her fingers, Jess disappeared into her room.
Piers stared at the cat.
The cat stared back. Piers knew what he’d heard. The damn cat spoke.
No, no, no! He squeezed his temples in his hand. “I’m going crazy. I’m talking to cats now.”
“Count yourself fortunate. I don’t deign to speak to humans often.” The words came out crystal clear now, not just in Piers’ head. “They require too many small words.”
What. The. Fuck.
“Do close your mouth. The imbecile look doesn’t work for you.” The cat grinned, dropping the lid over one eye. “See you later… sweet cheeks.”
The cat pranced toward the far wall.
And disappeared.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Magical Realm
“Eeeek!” Saris clutched her chest. “Wycke! You could warn me!” She sat at her desk, surrounded by stacked papers and the occasional scroll.
“Doesn’t one of your ladies handle your correspondence?” Wycke asked. Why sacrifice privacy to an entourage if you didn’t intend to use them?
“Sometimes, I read my missives personally.” She held out a sheet of parchment. “Especially, ones like this.”
“I’ve got something to tell you—” Saris may or may not want Wycke’s news.
Her mouth grew tight. “Read.”
Wycke scanned the sheet. “What is this?”
Saris took the page back, brandishing the cryptic message. “This came from a mage in Adulas. Three bodies were found. Not a mark on them.”
“Travelers are killed all the time.”
“More mages drained of their magic. Someone is stealing power from others.” Saris balled the message, turning the mutilated parchment around and around in her hand. “A powerful sorcerer. I fear we may soon face another like Lady Nyanda.”
What about Nyanda’s son? No, Piers had not been to this realm that Wycke could tell, and seemed oblivious to his magic.
“Many revered Lady Nyanda. I’m told she had followers in every kingdom. They believed magic wielders should be in power. She thought to overthrow kings, set herself on the throne. One kingdom to rule every land.” Saris fixed Wycke with a steely gaze. “This message is from someone loyal tothiskingdom.”
“Then why do they write to you instead of the king?”
“Because this mage trusts me, and Broen didn’t know Lady Nyanda as well as I do, nor her full capabilities. Also, there’s something else.”
“What?”
Saris worried her bottom lip with her teeth, eyes trained on her hands. “Our brother paid me another visit. He… wasn’t himself.”
“How so?” Anything different from Radre’s usual self had to be an improvement.
“You know how he is. He never says what he means. It’s always charm and coaxing or screaming and demanding, never a direct answer.” Saris flapped a dismissive hand, but her downcast eyes showed her discomfort. Yeah, Radre sucked all the life out of any room he entered.
Saris turned her face. A bruise stained one cheek.
Gods and ancestors! “Saris? Who did this?” Wycke dropped to his knees, cupping her face gently. He’d kill the asshole who dared strike his sister.
