Page 101 of Heat of the Everflame

“Of course, Zal.” She plucked a key from beneath the table and gestured for us to follow. “Right this way.”

The man gave a tight smile and turned back to the door from which he’d entered.

Luther hesitated. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“My staff will take care of anything you need,” he called out over his shoulder. “Have a lovely stay.”

The door slammed shut.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

As we walked through the long hallways of the inn, a number of workers scurried past, most of them young, all bearing eyes in shades of Lumnos blue. There were so many of them—far more than an inn of this size warranted.

Luther watched them with rapt interest. He seemed to be studying each of their faces in search of something. He was so distracted, he nearly collided into the woman when she stopped.

“Suite 10,” she announced, unlocking a door and pushing it open. “You’re very lucky. It’s our nicest room.”

I frowned. The other rooms we’d passed were clearly numbered, with brightly lit orbs floating over the entry. This door was blank, nondescript, and cloaked in darkness. Though I tried to peer inside, there was nothing illuminating the ominous space.

“The room is rather... dark,” I said carefully. “Perhaps another room would be more—”

Before I could finish, the woman snapped her fingers at two older children nearby, a boy and a girl. As they dashed past me to enter, the feeling of another strong aura breezed over my skin. I could feel that it was young, but deep in its potential.

I raised an eyebrow at Luther in silent inquiry:Did you feel that?His lips pressed tight as he gave a subtle nod.

Within seconds, the children had adorned the suite with bouquets of luminescent flowers that bathed each room in a soft glow. Once lit, the space looked normal enough—a large sitting area, lined with bookshelves and packed with cozy settees, flanked on each side by twin bedrooms.

Luther nudged past me and stepped inside. His eyes swept over the room as he paced in an arc along the walls. He paused at the dining table and ran his fingers over a few of the light-made flowers, causing flecks of light and shadow to bob along the ceiling.

“These are lovely.” He turned to the two children, his demeanor warming. “The details are impressive. I hardly know any Descended your age in Lumnos who could craft something so intricate.”

The children looked at each other, proud grins bursting across their faces.

He walked over and kneeled to bring himself to their eye level, then pulled several gold coins from his pouch. “May I buy two more of them from you?”

Their blue eyes bulged at the extravagant sum. They nodded excitedly and set to work fashioning a pair of long-stemmed dahlias. Rather than each making one, their magic wove in harmony to craft the blooms together. Each row of tiny petals was edged with glimmering blue light and faded to a shadowy center.

When they were done, they handed the flowers to Luther with bashful smiles. He hummed his approval. “Using your magic in tandem like that is a very rare skill. Are you family?”

The girl wrinkled her nose, and the boy smirked. “Nah, just friends. I’ve only got light, but she can do both, so she helps me sometimes. She can mix her magic with anyone.”

“Interesting.” Luther studied the girl more carefully. “You must have a very good tutor.”

She perked up. “We do. The best in Umbros. We practice every day.”

The boy nodded. “Zalaric says we have to keep our magic strong just in case we—”

“That’s enough,” the woman at my side blurted out. She beckoned for them to join her. “Come along, let’s leave our guests to their room.”

Luther frowned at her, though he didn’t argue. He placed a gold coin in each of the children’s hands, then leaned forward to whisper in the girl’s ear. Her mouth sprung open, her eyebrows shooting up.

She pulled back and gaped at him. “Really? TheQueen of Lumnos?”

“Of course. I know Her Majesty very well.” He tucked one of the flowers behind the girl’s ear, then waved the other one. “I’ll take this back to Lumnos to show her. Bring one just like it to the palace, and my Queen will know I sent you.”

“Could I...” She bit her lip and glanced at the boy at her side. “Could I bring a friend with me?”

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