Page 27 of Glow of the Everflame

“Why didn’t it?”

She looked down, chewing on her lip. “Uncle Garath has...issuesmanaging his anger.” She shot me a look. “Besides, you met him. Did he come off as particularly diplomatic to you?”

“Good point. Why does he care so much about the title? What does being Regent even mean?”

“The Regent acts as the Crown when the Crown cannot. For example, when Ulther fell unconscious, Remis effectively took his place as King.”

I arched an eyebrow. “And no one wondered if Remis had something to do with the King’s illness?”

“Oh, they did. Especially the other Houses. Everyone suspected Uncle Remis was trying to get his brother out of the way so he and his son could take over.”

“Was everyone truly so certain that Luther would be the next Crown? I thought the magic could choose anyone.”

Eleanor nodded as she sipped her wine. “It can, but with Luther, it was never really a question. No one else’s magic even came close. He tries not to use it often—I’ve only seen him let loose a couple of times, andwow.” She blew out a breath, then looked at me with a sense of wonder in her eyes. “If your magic is stronger than his, it’s incredible you were able to stay hidden for so long. When we were teenagers, if Luther got angry, he could accidentally take out an entire building. They even pulled him out of school because they were so afraid he would hurt someone. He had to have a tutor alone.”

I started to correct her and mention that I didn’t have any magic, but the memory of Luther’s warning stilled my tongue.

“Doesn’t it bother you that your family members might be killing each other?” I asked instead.

“It would, if I believed it. I doubt Remis was in a hurry to see Luther on the throne. Those two aren’t as close as they seem.” She popped a raspberry into her mouth. “They put on a united front for the family’s sake, but I’ve heard them fight when they think no one is around. They haveverydifferent plans for Lumnos.”

I tried not to look too curious. “And what are those plans?”

“Whatever they were, they blew away once you walked in the door.” She grinned and refilled my wine, nudging the glass closer to me. “Your plans are the only ones that matter now.”

Indeed.

I slumped back and closed my eyes, tilting my face up to the sunny warmth. I had to grip the arms of my chair to steady myself as the world kept tilting—and tilting, and tilting. It seemed I’d had more wine than I thought.

“Is there any more pleasing sight than two beautiful women basking under the Lumnos sun?” a man drawled in a voice as smooth as satin on bare skin.

“Already trying to charm our new Queen, Aemonn?”

“Looks like you beat me to it, Ellie.”

I sat up, blinking a few times to steady Eleanor’s face in my woozy vision. She was glaring at Aemonn with her nose scrunched.

“I hate that nickname.”

Aemonn smirked at her. “Why do you think I use it?”

She tossed a strawberry at him, which he deftly dodged. “Don’t you have someone else to bother?”

“Actually, Her Majesty and I have plans.” He turned his attention to me, his smirk softening into something more alluring. He offered the crook of his arm. “Shall we?”

I pushed to my feet and gripped the edge of the table as I swayed. Aemonn raised a brow and looked as if he was biting back a laugh.

“Good wine,” I explained sheepishly.

The sound of a door closing drew my attention. On the other end of the terrace, Luther stood by the palace, his focus heavy on me as his eyes drank me in. His body was stone still—he didn’t even seem to be breathing.

My face heated. Though he’d seen me unclothed a mortifying number of times, in this dress, I felt more laid bare before him than ever.

The effort not to storm over and demand the answers he’d promised was palpable, but I was in no condition to have that conversation until I’d sobered up, and I couldn’t be sure that I wouldn’t sloppily attempt revenge for how he had so effortlessly subdued me last night.

And I had even less trust in the flutter in my stomach at the way he gazed at me, hands flexing at his sides.

Sorae pulled to her feet and arched her neck toward Luther as her tail whipped angrily. She gave an indignant huff through her scaled snout, curls of smoke billowing from her nostrils.

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