Page 275 of Heat of the Everflame

Fifty-Three

The King laughed loudly. “Have the messages brought to me here, Lieutenant. I want Lumnos to see me when I read them out loud.”

Luther’s growl rolled through the air.

“And bring a battalion when you come,” the King added. “In case ourguestsget any ideas.”

I threw my thoughts out in a desperate bid to reach Luther, but the godstone’s effect was brutal. Like it had in his toxin-ravaged body, every time my magic brushed against it, my godhood shrieked and retreated in fear.

It felt unthinkable that I’d destroyed it in my earlier battles. The glimmering ebony rock seemed hopelessly impenetrable now.

“Change of plans,” I hissed at my mother as I stood. “The King needs six votes to execute you, and I think the last one just arrived. We have to do this now.”

She blanched, then a calm focus settled over her face. “Tell thePrinceto distract the King while I run. Let him take the fall.”

She said Luther’s title like a swear. I frowned. “I’m not putting Luther at any more risk than he is already.” My motherbalked. I grabbed her arm with a warning scowl, then rapped my other hand against the door. “Andyouaren’t running.”

“Yes?” the King’s voice called out.

“We’re finished,” I yelled.

“So soon? It’s only been a few minutes.”

“I work fast.”

“Don’t you want to make the most of your mother-daughter time?” His tone turned cruel. “Might be the last chance you ever get.”

I clenched my teeth and pounded the door. “Let us out, Fortos.”

Even without magic, the godstone’s repellant nature had an uncanny effect. The longer it touched my skin, the more my bleakest emotions bubbled to the surface—hatred and anger, sorrow and gloom. The material was smooth beneath my palm, but it somehowfeltlike the worst thing I’d ever touched, like death and wrongness given tangible form.

I fought the urge to recoil as I knocked again. “Now, Fortos.”

“I’m not quite ready. I’m enjoying my time alone with your Prince.”

My blood went cold. I heard Luther’s voice, too low to decipher. I pressed closer to the door, straining my ears to hear, and the godstone’s wicked influence deepened its claws.

“Touch him and you’re a dead man,” I shouted.

“Don’t worry. I don’t have totouchhim at all.”

A foul smell wafted beneath the door, followed by pained grunts.

“Luther?” I called out, my panic rising.

“I’m fine,” he answered in a stilted rasp. “Fortos is just... trying to make up... for his... tiny di—”

His words cut off, followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor.

My banging turned frantic. “Luther?Luther!”

Fight, thevoicedemanded.

I hurled a blast of light at the door. The rays shattered into splinters on impact, ricocheting in white-hot sparks throughout the cell.

“The Prince might need a healer,” the King taunted. “Your mother was one, wasn’t she?” He snorted, as if that were some clever joke.

I glanced at her. Her eyes quickly darted away.

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