Page 132 of Burn of the Everflame

“She would,” Zalaric said.

“She absolutely would,” Luther agreed. “I left something at the table. I’ll meet you two in the hall.”

The doors snapped shut, returning the room to shadows. Footsteps approached, and Luther’s calloused hand found mine. A small metal object pressed into my palm. “This will open the cuffs whenever you’re ready. I’ll keep the others busy until then.”

I swallowed thickly. “Thank you.”

“Turns out you were right,” he rumbled into the darkness, walking away. “Bad girls get rewarded, too.”

32

DIEM

Ipaced the streets of Fortos City, gaze fixed on the sky. Storm clouds had rolled in with the dawn, painting the town in a dreary shade of grey. Though the air was menacingly humid, not a drop had fallen. It seemed to be waiting.

Just like me.

“You’re sure they plan to attack today?” I asked.

“I trust my source,” my mother said calmly.

“You also trusted Vance,” I muttered under my breath. “Look where that got us.”

Instantly, I regretted my harsh words. If today went the way I feared, they could be the last ones I ever spoke to her. I glanced at where she stood with Luther, Alixe, and Nidara. “I’m sorry.”

She offered a strained but gracious smile. “This source is different. If he says they’re coming, they are.”

My eyes swept across the lightless, soundless buildings. We’d arrived in Fortos City late last night to a contentious welcome. The Fortosians were reluctant to accept their first-ever Queen, especially one who led a jailbreak of the rebels a few months prior, but we were at war, and squabbling over hierarchy was a distraction. I gave the Emarion Army the same choice I’d given the soldiers in Lumnos: fight or flee.

Though a fair share of mortals took my offer to retire with a full Descended pension, my chest filled with pride at the many who raised their swords to fight. The Descended from the other realms were less enthusiastic. The details of Ophiucae’s attacks had left them shaken, and I watched their numbers dwindle as most left to return home and guard their families.

For the Fortosians, there was nowhere else to go. A lifetime of army service was the only thing they’d been taught to want. I insisted they take the night to consider their choice. Come dawn, every last one gave me their grudging salute.

We searched the rubble of the prior attack and found the vault of godstone weapons the Fortos King had hidden. After arming as many as we could, we herded those who could not fight into the newly repaired Fortos prison, and we settled in to await the enemy’s arrival.

I glanced at Luther. “I don’t feel Ophiucae’s aura. Do you?”

He shook his head. “Unless he’s found a way to mask it, he’s nowhere near Fortos.”

Growling passed overhead as Tybold swooped across the city. I’d brought him along in hopes this might be a useful outlet for his angry energy, but he was even more restless here. I silently wondered if it had something to do with my choice to leave Sorae behind to protect Lumnos. From the way I heard her howls all the way to the border, I guessed she wasn’t happy about it, either.

I beckoned for Alixe to join me as I strolled away from the others. “There’s something at least one person should know,” I began when we were out of earshot. “Something I’d prefer to keep between us. When I was on the island, the Kindred appeared to me at the Temple.”

Her face went slack. There was little that impressed Alixe Corbois, but at the core of her warrior heart, she was a devout servant of her patron goddess. “The Blessed Mother,” she breathed. “You saw her?”

Saw her, spoke to her, nearly cussed her out.

“She asked me to stop Ophiucae. I agreed on one condition: no Crown will succeed me. I am the last monarch the nine realms will ever have—or at least the last one the Kindred will choose.”

Her eyes drifted up to my Crown as my words sank in. “That’s why you agreed to the governing council.”

“It was long overdue, but now it’s urgent. Once I die, the people of Emarion will have to find their own way.”

“You’ll have plenty of time, Your Majesty. Our soldiers know the plan. We’ll handle Vance and his men.”

“And I’ll handle Ophiucae. Once the fighting begins, I’ll lure him away so I can . . .”

Talk to him. See if there’s any compassion left in his black, angry heart. And if not . . .