I turned to Tassarion. His mating mark burned, perfectly mirroring mine. I watched his mark burn hotter with the swell of my growing anger. How had he gotten access to my mind? How did he get past the veiled door? I looked within and found that the thread of our bond had been obliterated. Tassarion had unfettered access to my mind. For life. Which also meant...
“You look like you want to burn down our home.”Tassarion squeezed my knee.“Why?”
“That’s just my face. I can’t help it looking like that.”
Tassarion chuckled down the bond. Then the Cherubim sang out a soft note that wrenched Tassarion’s gaze from mine, pulling him back to the performance below. And when his eyes found the pretty little Cherubim again, he was fully hypnotized by her beauty and song.
“Mine.”
A snarl in the depths of my mind hissed. Neither Tassarion nor I had spoken down the bond. But the voice was there. Feminine. Demanding. Possessive.
“Phantimèssa.”
“Monstaru.”
“What’s going on? You were enjoying the performance moments ago.”
Tassarion seemed genuinely confused by my sudden change in mood. I couldn’t make sense of this possessive nature either. Like something malicious had infiltrated my body and was now stoking my rage unprovoked.
“Who is she?”
That got his attention.
The king turned and looked at me.
“Na’Kayla? Papi first brought her here when I was a youngling. Saundeiah is most fond of her after me. She lives in the chambers of the Opèr. She’s been my favorite singer for over a millennium?—”
“Na’Kayla, is it?”I cut him off.
Blackfire filled my palms. The thought of her name made me see crimson.
“Where’d you go?”
Tassarion’s question confused me. He sat up in his seat, actively searching for me. I blinked, looking down. Without realizing it, I hadfyusedand moved away from the loveseat. My Seraphim skin had vanished. I’d become the embodiment of my element, but because of my anger, the lavender didn’t show. I looked completely invisible.
“No, seriously, my phantom. Where are you? What’s wrong?”
The Cherubim hit a high note that arrested Tassarion’s attention again.
I’d had enough.
I slipped out of the chamber, flying through the glass. I hovered over the theater like a wraith cloaked in twilight. No one could see me. All eyes were glued to the Cherubim and the stage below.
I scowled.
She had to go.
Twirling in the air, windmilling my arms, I unleashed a flood of blackfire. Na’Kayla’s spell on the audience broke. Every head looked up. Gasps and screams broke out as Nanmiess and Esprit began shooting out of their seats.
“Mi Phantimèssa,”Tassarion purred.“What are you doing?”
I didn’t answer. I locked my gaze onto the Cherubim. Jerking my arms upward, I whirled and yanked them back down. With the thrust of the motion, seven massive serpents, made entirely of blackfire, surfaced. I pointed directly at the Cherubim. She saw my directive and began screaming.
“Phantimèssa, no! Don’t! The Manor?—”
I blocked out Tassarion’s voice. Chaos broke out in the theatre. My serpents lunged across the Opèr racing for the stage. Na’Kayla, the rotting fool, floated in place, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Nahomie!”
