Page 399 of Heat of the Everflame

“I’m going to die,” Ignios wailed. “That bitch killed me!” He scraped frantically at his wrist. “Someone cut my arm off—quick, before it gets to my heart.”

“I’ll do it,” I chirped.And my blade might slip and slice your throat in the process.

He was so desperate, he actually started to walk toward me.

“Stop, Ignios, before you get yourself killed,” Doriel muttered, their eyes rolling high. “Come to my realm after the ritual. My researchers have a cure.”

His orange eyes bulged. “They do?”

I frowned. “Theydo?”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Meros asked softly, a small crease forming on his brow.

“It’s new,” Doriel rushed out. “We didn’t know it worked until the battle. When we tried it on the wounded, it stopped the toxin on every last one.”

I fell still. “All of them? Theyallrecovered?”

Ignios cackled loudly. “Hear that, Umbros?” He slammed his sandaled foot into Yrselle’s corpse.

“Stop it,” I hissed, feeling a sudden, strange new protectiveness over her body.

He turned to me and flashed a toothy grin, bright like pearls against his ruddy, sun-darkened skin. He held my stare as his foot connected with Yrselle’s lovely, lifeless face.

Fury scorched the inside of my skin. “You know what? Fuck your coronation. Let the Forging spell rot. Let all your borders fall. I don’t care.” I snapped on my heel to storm from the Temple.

“Diem,” Doriel said with a tone of warning. “You’re going to want to stay.”

“Go freeze in the glaciers of hell, Doriel. I’m getting my Prince, and we’re going h—”

“Diem!”

I stilled mid-step.

That voice... gods,please, notthatvoice.

“I was worried something like this might happen,” Doriel said. “I brought someone along to ensure your cooperation.”

My head turned, and there he was—two brown eyes and a splash of auburn hair.

Flanked by a host of army soldiers with a blade pressed to his neck.

“Teller!” I screamed. “Don’t you touch him.Don’t you fucking touch him!”

“They won’t. Not as long as you do as I say.”

My temper exploded behind my eyes in a scarlet mist of blood and brimstone. If I’d had access to my magic, I would have razed the Temple to dust. I would have razed the whole damn island to dust.

“I’m going to destroy you,” I seethed, stalking toward Doriel. “I’m going to make you—”

“Diem,” Teller cried out again, his voice—that familiar, most beloved voice—now shrill with pain.

I jerked to a stop and looked out to see him on his knees, a rivulet of blood trickling down his neck.

I couldn’t breathe.

“Don’t take one more step,” Doriel warned. “They’ve been ordered to kill him if you get within striking range of any Crown.”

I lurched backward into the Lumnos arch, staring in horror at my bleeding brother, unable to look away.

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