Page 71 of Glow of the Everflame

“I’m pleased we’re on the same page, Your Majesty. I desire only to serve you.”

I almost laughed out loud.

I was beginning to understand Remis and his motives. If he had any real convictions about mortals or half-mortals, or even the rebels, he would have pushed harder on the subject. Instead, he’d changed course at the first offer of a prestigious title.

I had a strong suspicion the only thing Remis Corbois truly cared about protecting was Remis Corbois. If I could use him as a shield against the other Houses by dangling power as a lure—that was a tool I could work with.

“I’ve asked Eleanor to be my advisor,” I added. “She will be joining us at the House Receptions.”

Remis balked. “Eleanor Corbois?”

“The one and only.”

He considered it for a moment, then slowly dipped his chin. “I suppose it does play into the image we are creating of a vapid Queen who cares nothing of important matters.”

The comment irked me on Eleanor’s behalf, but I held my tongue. Let him underestimate her—and me. After the Challenging, he would learn what we both were capable of.

I rose to my feet, suddenly anxious to leave. “This has been most enlightening.”

He mirrored the movement slowly. “There’s just one last thing, Your Majesty. Given the loyalty House Corbois is offering in support of your reign, it seems appropriate that we should formalize our arrangement.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

The shrewd gleam in his eye had my blood chilling in warning. “A bonded bargain, of course.” He flashed a broad smile. “We can keep the terms simple enough. You agree to claim House Corbois for the length of your reign, and in exchange, House Corbois will not raise a Challenge against you.”

My brows pinched into a deep crease. “And you won’t support or encourage any other House to raise a Challenge against me, either?”

He nodded and spread his hands wide. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

I twisted and stretched the words to their limits, searching for trapdoors in the language. If I agreed to this, I would be bound to House Corbois for life—but nothing in the bargain stopped me from taking down the House from within. And if I refused, I might not live long enough to get the chance.

“Agreed,” I said finally.

“Splendid,” he announced, his smile spreading wider. He unfastened the clasps at his cuffs, then folded the fabric up to reveal his forearm. “The bargain requires two exchanges. First, an offering of blood to seal our oath.”

His fingers twitched, and a blade of pale blue light shimmered to life and sliced a shallow cut into his wrist. His eyes rose expectantly to me.

I flashed him a menacing smile and reached into my cleavage, where I’d stashed a small, thin knife. I might have been dressed like a songbird, but inside I was still a hawk.

“I prefer shedding blood the old fashioned way,” I muttered, wedging the sharp tip into my flesh.

“Then let us hope your enemies do, too. Magic can strike a killing blowsomuch faster than a blade.”

My eyes narrowed at the implicit threat. “What’s the second offering?”

“A symbol of what’s at stake.” He held out his arm with a haughty smile. “A drop of your magic for a drop of mine.”

I froze. I had never summoned adropof my magic before—it had only ever come in a tidal wave of lethal destruction or nothing at all. I wasn’t entirely opposed to wiping Remis off the map, but doing so accidentally, and before the Challenging, wasn’t quite ideal.

“Is there a problem?” Remis asked, stretching his arm out further.

I gave a stiff shake of my head and clasped his forearm so our wounds aligned, the trickles of blood pressing to an angry smear. The godhood inside me stirred, agitated at Remis’s touch.

“I, Remis Corbois, bond my magic to this bargain of my own free will.” His eyes raised to me.

I pulled the words forward with effort, my throat thick with nerves. “I, Diem Bellator, bond my magic to this bargain of my own free will.”

A burst of warmth flared against my wrist, and my magic responded unbidden. An answering pulse of energy shot down my arm and flowed through the wound, drawn from my blood like a magnet. A cold tingling sensation circled my wrist and pulled tight.

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