Page 14 of Spark of the Everflame

“By the Flames,” Teller hissed, his head whipping around to look for eavesdroppers. “Do you have a death wish? You can’t walk around threatening to murder members of the royal family.”

“I didn’t say I’d kill her.” I shrugged irreverently. “In the right dose, rosebane just makes you a very teeny tiny bit temporarily insane.”

“That’s not any better, Diem!”

“What? They used to call itgods’ hornbecause those who survived it claimed they could talk directly to the gods.” I couldn’t help my grin at my brother’s exasperated groan. “Just imagine, pretty Lily could have a nice chat with great grandmother Lumnos herself.”

“I need to leave before you two get me executed.” Teller broke off and headed for the ornate wrought-iron gate of the Descended academy. “Try not to plot any more royal assassinations in public, please.”

“We’ll take it under consideration,” I said cheerfully, waving goodbye.

Henri grinned. “No promises.”

ChapterThree

My insides twisted as I watched my brother chat with the guards, then disappear behind the ivy-laden walls.

His admission to the Descended academy had been bittersweet. His mind was far too exceptional to wither away on the hard life of manual labor that most mortal men in Lumnos were forced to endure. But his spending so much time around the Descended, forming so many relationships with them, seemed doomed to end badly.

Although our homeland of Lumnos, Realm of Light and Shadow, was one of the more mortal-friendly of the nine realms of Emarion, even here Teller’s options would always be limited. The Descended school had told my brother as much, cautioning him that a superior education would be unlikely to change his fate in any meaningful way.

And gods forbid he fall in love. Though such dalliances weren’t strictly outlawed, mortals and Lumnos Descended were forbidden from intermarrying, and any pregnancies between the two races were forcibly terminated and the mortal parent banned permanently from the realm. The harsh policy was put into place centuries ago to stem the dilution of Lumnos magic caused by breeding into new mortal bloodlines. Several of the realms enacted similar progeny laws after the deadly Blood War left the Descended acutely aware of the consequences of allowing their magic to weaken into embers.

Even if a Descended agreed to such a relationship, their prolonged lifespan often stretched for centuries, some for a millennium or more, while their mortal partner aged and died in the blink of an eye. If the object of Teller’s affection was a member of the royal family, even a brief, childless fling would be out of the question.

Henri’s thoughts must have mirrored my own, because his eyes were stormy as they lingered on the academy gates.

“If he gets caught up with a princess...”

“I know,” I said, sighing. “But Teller’s smart. He knows the consequences.”

Henri’s arm slid from my shoulders to my waist and dragged me up against him. “When it comes to matters of the heart, even smart men can make reckless decisions. Dangerous decisions.” His words were serious, but his caramel eyes glittered with something else as they dropped to my lips.

His warmth seeped through his lightweight clothing, heating my blood and quickening my pulse. “I thought you knew by now,” I purred as I leaned in closer, our noses grazing. “Reckless and dangerous is the Bellator family motto.”

His grip tightened around me. “Speaking of dangerous decisions...” He paused, the tip of his thumb tracing my jaw and burning a line down my flesh. “I have to make a delivery to Fortos tomorrow. Maybe you could join me?”

I stilled and looked down. “You know I can’t be away for that long. Maura needs me. Father needs me.”

He nudged my chin up until my eyes again met his. “Your father is an army commander who hunts wild beasts in his spare time. He does not need his adult daughter to play nursemaid. And Maura...” He shrugged, his smile going adorably crooked. “Fine, she probably does need you.”

I huffed a laugh, moving to pull away, but his arms held me tight.

“But so do I,” he continued, both hands moving to cup my face. “You’ve been working yourself to the bone for months, you deserve a break. We’ll only be gone two nights—surely Maura can spare you for that long.”

My better judgment warned me to say no. Maura already had more work than she could handle, and I knew exactly what would happen if Henri and I found ourselves alone on the road, free from the prying eyes of family and town gossips. As much as my body desired Henri’s touch, I wasn’t sure my grieving heart was ready to open itself back up again.

Although... going to Fortos could be a chance to look deeper into my mother’s disappearance. She had spent most of her life serving as a healer in the Emarion Army, and she was still close with some of her former colleagues there. If anyone outside of Lumnos had information on my mother’s plans, it would be them.

“Just talk to Maura,” Henri insisted. His mouth lightly brushed mine, our breaths mingling on each other’s lips. “Can’t hurt to ask, right?”

I drew a deep inhale, willing my blood to cool. My palms slid up his chest and slowly pushed him away until the brisk morning air washed away the feel of his warmth. “I’ll try.”

He beamed at me, and the carnal promise in his eyes had my core burning in response.

We continued walking together, Henri chattering away about the latest news from his work as a deliveryman. He, too, had followed in his parent’s footsteps, as his father handled mail for both the capital and Mortal City.

Henri’s father even had the honor of serving as the palace courier. Rarely were mortals given access to the inner workings of the royal family, but the Descended so deeply feared the temporary loss of magic they experienced when venturing outside of their home realm that they relied on mortals to deliver all but the most sensitive inter-realm messages.

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