Page 139 of Heat of the Everflame

“I will be praying for your return to Lumnos,” he said. “I hope you make it there safely.”

Words unspoken hung in the air.

His mantle of calm, self-assured strength faltered, and for a moment I saw a flash of the little boy who crossed a sea, wounded and alone, exiled for the crime of being born.

“I only wish you and I could have met under better circumstances,” he added softly.

I laid a hand on his cheek. “I’m glad I met you too, Zalaric Hanoverre. Whatever else fate has in store.”

He closed his eyes and lowered his chin. I leaned in to kiss his cheek, then paused, my mouth hovering near his ear.

“If the others leave without me, will they be safe?” I whispered.

Zalaric stilled. Slowly, he shook his head. “I’m sorry. It’s too late.”

I pulled back with a sigh. At my sides, two balls of whirling magic—one of light, the other of shadow—formed at my palms.

“Is there a problem?” Luther called out.

“Hurry up, lady,” the Cardinal barked. “The longer we stay here, the riskier it gets.”

I didn’t move. “Zalaric, if any of them are killed, I swear on the gods—”

“Well, well, well,” a new voice purred from the back of the cave. “I knew we would see each other again, Your Majesty. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.”

Chapter

Thirty-One

The metallic scrape of unsheathing blades hissed from the boat behind me as a fair-skinned man sauntered from the shadows—a face that had haunted my nightmares since the night we’d met at my Ascension Ball.

Symond.

The Umbros Queen’s Chief Centenary.

“You’re looking as beautiful as ever, Diem Corbois,” he crooned, striding toward me, stroking his dark goatee. “Or should I call you by your real name... Diem Bellator?”

“Bellator?” Zalaric said, his eyes going round. “You’re Auralie’s daughter?” At my nod, his expression turned to horror.

“Hello, Symond,” I said wryly. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to see you again, but why bother lying to someone who can read minds?”

He stopped a few feet away and chuckled. “You’re a long way from Lumnos, Your Majesty.”

“You hired me to smugglea fuckingCrown?” the Cardinal snapped at Zalaric.

Symond cocked his head at me. “Do you know what happens to foreign Crowns who make visits without permission?”

“Your Queen has experience with that,” I answered. “Perhaps she can tell me.”

I threw on a cocky smirk to conceal my own fear while I calculated my odds. Though my magic was recovering from the flameroot, I was still a Crown. Even weakened,oneDescended should be no problem.

Then, from the shadows, another emerged. Then another. Five, then ten, then fifteen. All clad in black leathered armor and fluttering crimson capes.

“Cooperate,” Zalaric warned quietly. “Fighting back will only make it worse.”

Symond gave a cruel smile. “Her Majesty the Queen would like a word with you.”

The claws of Umbros magic scraped at the edges of my mind. Like a swarm of tiny insects, the Centenaries scratched and burrowed their way into my thoughts.

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