Page 81 of King of Fire and Flames

“I’ll try,” he said, gazing at me with regret, as if disappointed that I had no desire to study his mashed-up food.

Mirroring his pitying smile, I squeezed his velvet-covered forearm. “Why don’t you have any brothers or sisters, Bakhur?”

“I do. Stepsiblings. After my birth, Mother claimed to be unable to conceive further children, so the king fathered three more sons off his concubines.”

“Really?” I studied the faces of the fae below the dais, searching for Azarn’s sharp nose and bright green eyes, set in youthful faces. “And they’re at court?”

Bakhur scoffed. “Of course not. They’re illegitimate and work in the kitchen.”

My mouth hung open for so long the prince grew impatient and barked out, “We can’t have them trying to usurp the rightful heir, can we?”

“I suppose not,” I replied, thinking I’d very much like to help his stepsiblings start an uprising.

“Oh, look,” said Bakhur, interrupting my careful inspection of the servants that were collecting dishes from the nearest tables.

It was difficult to make out features in the dimly lit hall, but from what I could tell, Azarn’s children weren’t among them.

“Zali,” said the prince, elbowing my ribs, “look who has arrived.”

My head shot up, and I scanned the hall again. Near the entrance to the kitchen, a bright form shone in the shadows, slowly moving closer, like a golden beacon. Then under the light of a large candelabra, the solemn, dear face of the Sayeeda emerged. I leaped to my feet before quickly sitting back down, confused how to react in front of the Fire Court.

“Ari,” I breathed, unable to contain a grin.

Azarn laughed as he rose from his chair and strutted along the front of the dais, his calculating green gaze fixed on me. “Well, Zali, are you happy to see the Sayeeda?”

Not looking away from her, I said, “Yes. It’s quite lovely to see a familiar face.”

“Then you should greet her accordingly,” said the king, sweeping his hand toward the three fae who had stopped below the dais on the black marble floor—Ari flanked by Arrow and Raiden.

I bolted down the stairs and sprang into her arms, sending her stumbling backward. Arrow reached out to steady us as Ari’s low laugh tickled my ear.

“Little Leaf,” she whispered. “It warms my heart to see you looking so well.”

I thought of the rune marks burned into my back but knew it wasn’t the time or place to mention them. She would discover them soon enough.

“I’m so happy to see you,” I whispered back. “Are you all right? How are Ildri and Stormur?”

“I’m excellent now that I’ve seen you, and your friends in Coridon are all fine and looking forward to reuniting with you. Now, please, get us out of this dreadful hall as quickly as possible.”

Linking my arm through Ari’s, I turned toward the dais. “King Azarn, do I have permission to return to my chambers with the Sayeeda?”

“Yes, you may,” he said, resuming his seat next to Estella. The queen stared blankly into the middle distance as though unaware an esteemed reaver elf, the Zareen’s sister, had arrived in her hall.

Arrow and Raiden sat on the dais stairs, stretching their long legs in front of them as they watched servants use fire magic to remove tables from the hall, clearing space for the after-dinner dancing. They appeared uninterested in what Ari and I were doing, but I knew the opposite was true. Both males valued our safety beyond measure.

Before I turned away, my gaze met Arrow’s. He winked at me, then resumed chatting with Raiden, settling in to watch the fire courtiers caper about below them.

“I can’t believe Azarn allowed you to come to Taln,” I told Ari as we left the hall by a side exit. “Why did you arrive through the kitchen?”

“I take pride in my role as Mistress of Spices, and in each new city, the kitchen is the first place I visit. The way a kingdom stores and prepares food, treats their staff, reveals much, and Taln has shown itself to be a city in decline.”

I didn’t doubt it for a moment.

We hurried along the palace’s shifting hallways until we found a familiar small landing, and then mounted the stairs to my chamber.

“Azarn is a fool,” Ari said as she stood in my bay window looking out over black cliffs and the silver sea. “Because we reavers maintain the Gold Accord with the Light Realm, the fire fae believe we are a passive, harmless species. They do not fear us. Not even the Zareen. But they should.”

“Tyrants don’t have enough sense to be afraid of anything,” I said, joining her at the window. “Where are your sleeping quarters?”

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