Page 261 of Heat of the Everflame

“No. For Descended soldiers, allegiance to their terremère is second to their army oath. For the mortals, it’s even worse. They’re deemed subjects of whatever realm they’re currently in. Even your own brother couldn’t show fealty to you outside of Lumnos.”

My smile vanished. “So we’re on our own?”

He answered with a somber stare.

I drew in a deep breath and stepped forward, raising my voice. “I saidI’m here to see the Fortos King. Which of you can bring me to h—”

“They heard you. They just don’t obey you.”

The crowd parted.

The Fortos King was a boulder of a man. His massive frame made even Taran look small in comparison, his body so over-swollen with muscle his shoulders bunched at his ears. As he strode toward me, I swore the ground rumbled with each flat-footed stomp.

He wore only leather breeches and his Crown, which appeared as a throbbing ring of veins. His bare chest gleamed with sweat and speckled blood, and thick trails of red dripped from the ivory-handled broadsword dangling in his hand.

“You dare come to my realm without an invitation?” he growled.

“The soldiers you sent to my realm said you wanted to chat.” I spread my arms and smiled. “Here I am. I do soloveto talk.”

He glowered at Sorae, an old bitterness in the sneer of his lip. Though the Fortos gryvern’s death during the Blood War was a true tragedy, after my time in Umbros and Ignios, I was grateful for an advantage he couldn’t match.

His focus stopped on the Lumnos Descended still on their knees. “Don’t kneel to her,” he barked at them. “She’s not Queen yet.”

I shrugged. “I’ve got a Crown and a gryvern. The Kindred seem to think I am.” I let my voice carry further. “Surely you wouldneverblaspheme the Kindred by questioning their decision.”

“What happened at the ritual suggests the Blessed Kindred are questioning it themselves.” His crimson eyes narrowed on me. “I should arrest you right now.”

I held his glare. “You’re free to try.”

I didn’t bother showing off my magic. The King’s formidable aura had hit me the second we landed, which meant he felt mine, too—and Luther’s.

There were other auras powerful enough to sense scattered among the soldiers. I couldn’t place exactly who they came from, but too many carried a taste of the malice that burned within their hosts.

None—including the King—carried a candle to Luther’s power, but they were many, and we were two. Even my shield couldn’t hold forever.

You could kill them all, my darker instincts purred.One flash of your silver light is all it would take. A show of power like that, and every mortal would follow you into war.

A shudder rattled my body.

“Let’s speak elsewhere,” I called out. “Somewhere more private.”

The King’s lip curled higher. “I think I’ve got you right where I want you out here.”

“If you insist. I’m sure they’ll all love to hear about what happened on Coeurîle. Especially about the heartst—”

“Enough,” he growled loudly. His muscles twitched.

I grinned at my victory as he turned and jerked his chin for me to follow. I gave Sorae a light tap on her haunches, and she reared back and leapt upward into flight. After what happened in Lumnos, I didn’t trust her in their hands on the ground.

“There are fewer soldiers here than I expected,” I mentioned as we fell in step behind the King.

“There’s more than enough to handle you,” he snapped.

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “I’ve no doubt of that. I’m just wondering. I’ve been to Fortos many times, and these yards had ten times the soldiers.”

His square-cut jaw ground tight. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re atwar. Between the rebels on the island, the attacks in every realm, and having to babysit your Regent, my men are in high demand.”

“If you’re only using the men, I’ll be happy to take the rest,” I joked, earning his withering glare.

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