Page 101 of Vicious Is My Throne

“Fuck. I forgot about you, poor beastie.” I only hesitated for a moment, then swung his stall door wide, giving the beast a choice.

“Be smart. You have shelter and a full water trough outside. Free range of the hay, and there’s grass if you know where to look. But if the blight gets close, head into those mountains.” I pointed like the beast could actually understand me.

He bumped his nose into my stomach, and a gentle nicker had me scratching his bony head.

“You don’t want to come where I’m going, trust me. Stay here where it’s safe.”

42

ANARIA

Iknew how we must appear to this poor, frightened girl.

Remembered how petrified I’d been when Solok stepped from the forest, dark magic twining around him, the air tightening with that strange, otherworldly power. I’d wanted to vomit.

“We only came for Lord Eirik and the other Descendants,” I told the poor girl kindly. “We are not here to harm you.”

“You are Fae, from across the wall.” She bowed her head, but her eyes scanned my face, wary curiosity sparking in them. “You’re not like the refugees, though.”

“No, we’re not refugees. I lived in Ravenshade Castle until the Scything a few months ago when everyone there was killed.”

Her eyes widened. “We heard the rumors of what happened at Lady Evangeline’s betrothal party, and that castle…it’s forbidden for anyone to trespass there. They say the estate is haunted.”

“The truth is, Ravenshade Castle is no more haunted than this place, packed full of dead bodies. The Fae King and the Shadow King are both dead, and the magic has been freed in both Caladrius and Solarys.” I tried to sound encouraging.

“We are here to drop the wall between our two realms and release the magic in Varitus as well. But a blight is coming. Before the ward falls, you should take your family and head to the Western Wall.”

Her eyes lifted over my shoulder, and I turned to find Lord Rivière crawling away across the grass before Raz dragged him back, Tristan crouching down beside him, his face hard.

I told her quietly, “Like I said, we’re not here for you.”

The girl smiled—a slash of vicious glee—looking down at her former master. “You are truly here to drop the ward?” She looked me up and down again. “You?”

“Me.” I grinned at her confusion. “A slave to the Ravenshades, a female nobody, I’ve claimed the Fae King’s magic and freed two realms. And if I can do these things, you can get your family to safety.”

“If you were one of us, you know I can’t,” she whispered, her shoulders sagging. “Even if we left, we wouldn’t make it off Descendant lands before we were dragged back here and executed.”

“You’re not a slave anymore,” I told her fiercely, glancing at the guards scrambling around at the foot of the stairs, attempting to organize themselves into some semblance of resistance. “I take it Lady Rivière is upstairs? In her chambers, I am assuming?”

“Most likely cowering under the bed.” She smirked before her expression went flat. “But she has fire magic, milady, and she is not afraid to use it.” She tugged her sleeves down over her hands, but not before I saw the burns, shiny and white, marking her arms.

I shoved to my feet, anger burning a hole in my belly.

I’d met Lady Rivière on many occasions, and if she’d passed down anything to her son, it was her cruelty.

“Don’t worry. I have magic too, and I’m not afraid to use mine either.”

Sometimes all it took for people to discover they were powerful was to watch their oppressors fall.

“I remember you well, Lady Gloriana.”

I eyed the soles of the gold slippers sticking out beneath the satin bed cover.

“I often served you and Eirik during the balls the duke gave at Ravenshade.” I crouched down. “You are a petty, shallow woman, and your days of hurting others are over. Now come out or I will drag you out. Make up your mind quickly; my patience is wearing thin, and frankly, I’m tired of playing games.”

“You’re going to want to listen to her, madame.” Tavion’s chuckle filled the bedchamber, the four-poster shaking as Lady Rivière attempted to worm deeper beneath the bed.

“Big mistake,” I warned, not one bit sorry as my darkling spun across the floor like liquid night.

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