Page 153 of Heat of the Everflame

Zalaric leaned forward, steepling his hands. “Normally, if someone’s magic is strong enough to sense, I can feel them when they enter the room. I could feel your magic when you entered thecity.” He rubbed his chin. “I wasn’t sure what it was until I met you at the inn. I guarantee you the Queen felt it, too. She is very strong, but you...” He shook his head. “You’re something else.”

I slouched back in my chair as I fought an urgent reflex to insist they were wrong.

My upbringing had made me an expert at living in denial. In order to pose as a mortal without getting caught, I’d had to genuinely believe I was one. Every sign was ignored, every inconsistency dutifully explained away. I mastered the art of looking the other way and putting all my doubts in a dark, locked room.

I’d done the same with so many other aspects of my life: My career as a healer. My relationship with Henri. My feelings for Luther.

How many more hard, scary truths were staring me right in the face that I was still too in denial to acknowledge?

I didn’t want to live that way anymore. I wanted to be brave enough, strong enough, to face the path ahead.

But what if I wasn’t?

“If she’s scared of me, why not let me leave?” I asked.

“She may want an alliance,” Zalaric offered. “The other Crowns don’t trust her. She may see you as a chance to build a strong faction against them.”

Alixe nodded. “Voting to save your mother could be her way of showing you she’s willing to take them on, if you are.”

I drummed my fingers on the table. I didn’t trust the Umbros Queen any more than the other Crowns did. But I didn’t trustthem, either. And Yrselle alone seemed interested in helping me.

And, even if it had been motivated by money, she had opened her realm to refugees of all kinds. Perhaps I could win, or at least buy, her assistance in the coming war.

I thumped my head back against my chair. “I’ll keep working on Symond. If I get him comfortable, maybe he’ll slip up and let me know Yrselle’s plans.”

“Luther’s going tolovethat,” Taran said.

I briefly closed my eyes, but Luther’s face followed me into the darkness, his hurt, betrayed expression stamped on my thoughts. “He’s already angry with me. Might as well make it immeasurably worse.”

“Diem, whatever happened between you two...” Alixe hesitated and shared a look with Taran. “Not that it’s any of our business, but...”

I wasn’t sure my face could get any redder. They’d surely heard the Centenaries’ comments. Gods only knew what they thought of it.

“It doesn’t matter,” I rushed out. “Right now, I need all three of you to focus on getting friendly with the Centenaries.”

Taran’s lips curved up. “Howfriendly?”

Zalaric frowned.

“Whatever it takes,” I said. “Get them to let their guard down, and find out everything you can. If they’re going to lock the wolves in the henhouse, then we’re going to have a feast.”

“Areyou sure you don’t want me to wake him up?” Zalaric asked.

I gently wedged a pillow beneath Taran’s snoring head and covered him in a blanket. “He must have had two barrels’ worth of wine. I’m not sureanythingis waking him up.”

After a long dinner discussing theories and strategy, I’d wheedled Alixe into another magic training session. To my surprise—and Taran’s irritation—Zalaric had offered to stay and help. For the next few hours, I watched in rapture as Zalaric put on a display of innovative magic that even Alixe could not reproduce, while Taran brooded in a corner, stealing gulps of wine every time Alixe looked away.

When the candles burned to their bases, Alixe excused herself to sleep, but Taran was passed out cold on a settee in my parlor.

Zalaric peered beneath a corner of the blanket. “I could brand a ‘Z’ on his ass. I bet that would do the trick.”

I laughed, though my heart squeezed at the subtle sadness that had persisted on Zalaric’s face all night. “I’m sorry he’s giving you such a hard time. Taran is incredibly loyal. It makes him the best friend you could ever hope to have, but I know how bad it feels to be on the wrong side of it.”

Zalaric shrugged, trying valiantly to look unmoved. “I cannot blame him. I only wish I had friends so loyal at my back. In Umbros, friendships and fortunes tend to go hand in hand. When one disappears, so does the other.” He smiled tightly. “Good thing I am very rich.”

“I heard Symond threaten you earlier. Will you be safe here once we leave?”

“I’ll be fine. As long as I still have the Queen’s favor, Symond won’t risk angering her.” He hooked his arm in mine as we walked toward the door. “You know, your mother was a dear friend of Miss Margie. She came to treat Margie when she fellill, but by the time she could get here, it was already too late.” A deep crease dug into his forehead. “Auralie was the only person who was really there for me after Margie died. If I had known you were her daughter...”

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