Page 97 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

"I care about my dear friend Tanad, and helping him protect his kingdom." Eudora clasped her hands in her lap, looking at Lea as if waiting for a challenge.

"Respectfully," Lea met the witch’s gaze without flinching, "if you don’t care about what the Black King is doing in Bearswillow, then why would you care about what he’s doing here?"

"Because it saddens my black heart to see my lover in pain." Eudora’s lips twisted into a disingenuous smile, the profession of love not quite meeting her eyes.

Lea’s jaw dropped. "Your—"

"Lover, yes." Eudora placed her teacup down on top of the matching blue saucer. "He doesn’t tell many people. Something about not wanting his rule to be questioned. It would destroy him to think that his subjects might believe him to be corruptible. But do not be mistaken. He secured his throne all on his own. The man is far too honorable for even an ounce of my corruption, despite my best efforts." Eudora winked, but Lea’s shadows pushed against her skin, a warning to not believe the witch’s attempt at camaraderie.

"He’s been preoccupied lately," Eudora continued. "Staying up all hours of the night and worrying constantly about his kingdom and the safety of those who reside in it. I do not care about many people, but I do care about him." The witch’s eyes softened, just enough to make Lea believe she was witnessing a moment of sincerity. "That’s where you come in."

"You’re asking formyhelp?" Lea leaned back in her chair, her hands coming to rest on the arms as her eyebrows raised. In no way, shape, or form was this how she had expected this conversation to go. "What? You want me to put you and your friends in grave danger? Or maybe grow you some cucumbers?"

"Humor doesn’t become you, girl," Eudora snapped, her lips tipping into a frown for a split second before clearing her throat and schooling her face into a bored mask. "I think that our relationship can be mutually beneficial." The witch crinkled her nose and sat up straighter, as if personally affronted by the way Lea slouched in her chair. "Is it not your wish to kill the Black King?"

Lea nodded her head, unable to stop herself from correcting her posture, pushing her shoulders back and raising her chin. "Of course I do."

"Well,Iwant the cure to the Lonely Death. And based on what I saw this evening in the garden, that is something we have in common. And yet, only you have the tools required to grow the moonflowers."

"That’s all you want from me? For me to give you the cure to the Lonely Death once I learn how to grow the flowers?"

"That, and one small favor." Eudora picked at her nails as if disinterested. "The Black King has stolen something from the witches. In return for my help, I would ask that you retrieve it."

"Ask?" Lea raised an eyebrow, and Eudora looked her up and down before tilting her head.

"Ask. Demand. It is the same thing, mydear," she said, the word coming out like a poisoned dart.

"And where is this object that has been stolen?" Lea’s stomach sank at the witch’s tone. She was hiding something.

"Hidden in the depths of the Black King’s castle. Don’t worry. You’ll be prepared for what you have to do. I’ve been waiting for that large, silly man to take you to the room of horrors."

Lea’s eyebrows furrowed.Silly man? Does she mean Erik?"Is that what you call the training room Erik took me to? The one where you can make anything appear?" Was Eudora confused? That room had been scary, sure, but horrors?

"You haven’t heard the wails of grown men, their cries for their mothers as they see before them the atrocities that riddle this world so they may learn how to defeat them. It appears your insatiably hungry trainer took it easy on you." Eudora cackled at her own joke.

A chill slithered down Lea’s spine. Had he really taken it so easy on her? "What does the room have to do with what you want from the Black King’s castle?" Surely Gray would know what it was if it was something of such significant value to both his father and the witch who had granted his curse.

Eudora’s eyes snapped up as if she’d heard her thoughts. "It is of no use to your mate. Nor would he know why I seek it."

Lea placed a shield of shadows around her mind like Erik had been teaching her during training, seriously uncomfortable with the idea of Eudora poking around in her mind.

"In the depths of the dungeons, there is a cage. I assume you noticed one in the room?" Eudora asked, going back to picking her nails.

Lea nodded. "The one with all the locks."

"It is a replica. One that I requested Tanad create for me, and for his soldiers to train on. It is the one task that has escaped the abilities of my magic. I, unfortunately, am not able to break through the locks to retrieve what is inside."

"And you think I can?" Azalea shook her head slightly, her eyebrows scrunching. If a powerful witch couldn’t do it, why did she think Lea would be able to? They were here to getherhelp, after all.

"You forget, I know what lies inside you." Eudora stared directly at Lea’s breastbone as if she could see the magic swirling in her chest. "I know about the dark power threatening to consume you.That poweris the only thing capable of opening the cage. Agree to help me, and I will give you the information you need to successfully grow the moonflowers."

"What about killing the king? And Prince Alaric? Gray still can’t kill him without breaking the spell." Lea’s head spun. What was she promising by agreeing to Eudora’s bargain? It clearly wasn’t an easy task if the dark magic beneath the crumbling floor inside her was the only way to obtain it.

"But you can, my dear. You have the power, if you act quickly," Eudora said cryptically.

Lea’s fingers trailed the skin around her throat absentmindedly where the oozing black welts had marred her skin. "I’m part of their family now. I can’t kill them anymore than Gray can."

"You are mates, not blood. There is nothing stopping you." Eudora patted her hair, rolling her eyes dramatically as if ensuring Lea knew she was agitated.

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