Page 145 of Heat of the Everflame

Symond laughed again and pulled Luther’s bag off his shoulders. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her when you’re not around.” He clapped a palm hard against Luther’s hip. “Verygood care.”

Luther’s eyes closed. His face went bloodless, his body shuddering as if it might collapse.

Hard as it was, I held my tongue. If Symond thought he could drive a wedge between me and my Prince, perhaps I could use that to convince him to let Luther go.

The remaining Centenaries took the bags off Taran and Alixe, who were similarly frozen in place, and descended the staircase with Symond following behind.

“You’re just going to leave us here alone?” I called out.

Symond paused and glanced at Luther. “Hear that, Prince? She misses me already.” His laughter echoed as he walked out.

The moment the door shut, the Centenaries’ hold on the others dissolved. Alixe wasted no time checking whether the door had been locked—it had—then scouring the room for makeshift weapons or an exit.

Luther staggered forward and leaned his hands on the throne’s dais, his head hanging low.

I started toward him, then froze as Taran stormed past me—with Zalaric in his warpath.

Zalaric summoned shadows at his palms, but he didn’t attack. Even when Taran shoved him, sending him stumblingbackward, and grabbed him by his robes to pin him against a column, still, Zalaric’s magic held back.

“Youtraitor,” Taran shouted in his face.

“I owed you nothing. I’m a subject of Umbros.”

“Look in a mirror, Zal. Your eyes are blue, not black.”

My eyebrows flew. ...Zal?

“Taran, stop,” I said.

“You’re aLumnosDescended,” he spat. “Your loyalty is to your terremère.”

“My loyalty is to myself,” Zalaric shot back.

Taran made a disgusted noise. “That’s all you care about, isn’t it? Yourself and your money.”

“Taran,” I warned. “Leave it be.”

“Tell me, how much did you sell Diem’s life for? What about mine? Did you haggle for a better price, or were we not even worth that effort?”

Zalaric’s hand fell limp at his side, his magic vanishing into wisps.

I looked to the others for help. Alixe was on the balcony staring over the side, and Luther was still doubled over near the throne.

“You don’t get to judge me.” Zalaric’s voice was soft but harsh. “You, who have never thought twice about where your next meal will come from.”

“At least I’d never sell a person’s life for a little gold. Especially someone I had just...” Taran’s throat bobbed, his anger faltering.

I rushed over and grabbed his arm. “I saidleave it. Zalaric’s right. He owed us nothing.”

His glare shot to me. “How can you defend him?”

“I’m not. Or... I guess maybe I am, but—”

“And why are you flirting with that asshole Centenary?” He jerked his chin toward Luther. “Where’s your loyalty tohim?”

My cheeks burned hot.

Zalaric let out a short, surprised laugh. “Do you not see what she’s doing?”

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