Page 262 of Heat of the Everflame

My hackles rose as we moved indoors. The King’s complex was a concrete fortress of labyrinthine hallways and foot-thick metal doors, with scowling soldiers on guard at every corner.I kept my chin high, refusing to acknowledge their scrutiny, though Luther let out quiet growls as he brazenly stared down each one we passed.

“We were never formally introduced,” I said. “This is my Prince, Luther Corbois. You can call me Diem.”

The King grunted. “You can call me Your Majesty.”

“Well I won’t be doingthat,” I mumbled, half under my breath. “Don’t you have a name?”

“No one here has names, only ranks. And mine is King. If you must, you may refer to me by my realm, as we do on the island.”

“Surely there’s something I can call you other thanFortos. What did people call you before you had a rank?”

“Child 1593-30.”

I slowly blinked. “Fortos it is.”

We turned into a long hall that ended in a set of vaultlike doors. Even from a distance, I recognized the unmissable sparkling black stone.

“You come alone.” He pointed at Luther. “He stays here.”

Luther edged forward. “Crowns are entitled to a guard.”

“Only when invited for a formal visit.”

I rolled my eyes. “Your little edictformally invitedme to come in for questioning.”

“Are you always this difficult?” the King asked irritably.

“It’s part of her charm,” Luther drawled.

I shot him a scowl, though it faded at the hidden smile gleaming in his eyes.

“If you wish to discuss the coronation ritual, we do so in private,” the King said.

I let out a dramatic sigh. “Well, if you’rethatscared of my Prince...”

He glared and turned on his heel. I gave Luther an apologetic look, his nostrils flaring unhappily, and scurried down the corridor.

We passed through the godstone doors, and the King slammed them shut with an ominous bang. He secured a convoluted series of bolts and locks, then nudged a chair with his boot. “Sit there.”

He grabbed a tunic from a small armoire, then began cleaning the blood off his chest at a water basin.

“Nice doors,” I said as I sat. “Is that what the army did with all the godstone they were supposed to destroy—turn it into royal decor?”

“It’s a saferoom to protect the Crowns in case of attack.”

“And yetyouare the only Crown with access. How very convenient.”

His eyes slid to me, his expression unamused.

“The soldiers you sent to my realm had godstone weapons,” I went on. “I thought those had been banned by the Crowns.”

“The army is permitted to use them when necessary.”

“And what in my realm makes it necessary?”

He toweled himself off and threw on his tunic, then sank into a leather chair behind his hammered steel desk.

“There’s a rumor the Guardians have allies among the Descended. Veryhighly placedDescended.” He leaned his forearms on the desk. “I don’t suppose you know anything about that.”

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