Page 16 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s kinda funny,” I quipped, following him out.

SIX

DIANNA

Samkiel kissed me once more before leaving to meet the queen. My smile dropped from my face the second the door closed behind him.

“What?”

The air stirred as Reggie formed. “You made a mess in Tarr.” I fell from the sky amidst a rush of flames, my wings fanning the fire. Soldiers yelled and brandished their weapons. The townspeople, not hiding, watched from their windows, gaping at the brutality. My form shifted, the dark mist swirling around me before dissipating. I walked forward, yanking a sword from the gut of a fallen soldier as I stepped over him. I stopped in front of the lot of them and raised the bloody weapon. My fangs scraped across the metal as I licked the blood dripping from the blade. This would be a nice way to release some steam.

Eyes narrowed behind the gold and black plated armor, and they shuffled, stepping back as if they had anywhere left to run. These were Nismera’s, and they weren’t leaving. I raised the sword between us, pointing to the largest brute.

“Who wants to die first?”

No one moved, and as a group, they held their breath.

I sneered at them in disgust and stepped onto the body of the downed soldier, using his head as a step. I spun to face the watchful city. Spreading my arms wide, I yelled, “Let it be known that I do not fear your wretched king. Know and tell all, I will hunt every being who wears her colors or screams her name in praise. I will feast on you and your loved ones, making you watch as I do it. Nismera will be a footnote in history, and all who follow her will die screaming.”

A soldier charged forward, and I twisted my sword, piercing him through the middle.

“Like that.” I yanked the sword from his body and tossed him to the ground, not bothering to see who closed and locked their doors and windows first. It was time to send a message.

“I might have been a little dramatic.” A small smile lifted my lips as I turned toward him. “You said to cause a distraction in the East. I did. They think I’m there. They will never look toward the west of the realms.”

“A distraction, yes, not a taunt.” Reggie’s gaze didn’t falter. “You made a bloody mess. You burned and tore her soldiers to pieces. That’s an act of war for Nismera. Did you not think I’d see the colorful note you left her? She knows.”

I snickered. “Does she? What was that like?”

“Dianna,” Reggie said, exasperated.

“I thought I did a good job.”

“It is not a game,” Reggie said. “Her power is unparalleled. There is a reason she has so many allies that bend so freely to her. Powerful, terrible allies.”

“Like you once were?” My head tilted toward him.

Reggie did not falter. “And I betrayed her for you.”

He did. He had when he helped me get to Samkiel and then in the tunnels.

“I know. That’s why you’re still breathing,” I said and moved to the balcony, stepping over the scattered food and broken plates.

“Did you see anything from their memories? A location, perhaps?”

My body froze. “No.”

“No?” he asked.

I hadn’t told him that my blooddreams seemed to stop after I woke up on the slab in those tunnels. I assumed it was due to being drained, but I was still unsure.

“My head is just scattered,” I lied. “Maybe I just can’t see anything right now? Maybe I overate, and all the noise just canceled out. I don’t know.”

Reggie glanced at me in disbelief, but I knew he wouldn’t push it. One thing I could rely on with fate is that he already knew it and was testing me, waiting for me to figure it out since, technically, he was not supposed to intervene. I wouldn’t tell him how thoroughly he had already failed at that. His eyes flicked toward the room.

“He needs to know.”

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