Page 92 of Hellfire

He slid the gold ring with a ruby on Gable’s finger.

Gable’s classic smirk gave the stage lights a run for their money. “Thank you, sir.” He twisted the jewelry back and forth to admire its clarity.

The headmaster gathered Gable’s hand in his, shaking it, then moved to me. Gable’s brother and sister cheered, and he waved to them.

I felt the weight of every eye in the place, and my first instinct was to cringe and bow my head. But I was a Dark Princess, for fuck’s sake. A queen to a fallen empire. And I didn’t cower from anyone. I lifted my head like true royalty, staring at the center of the auditorium like I owned it.

“In honor of Miss Prince’s service to the Guild in eliminating our enemy, the Brotherhood of Serpents, we gift her the Cobra of Isis.” He lifted a broach shaped into a crown with a snake head, pinning it on my shirt.

I stroked the gift and smiled triumphantly, feeling freer and lighter than I ever had in my life. “Thank you, sir. I’ll wear this always.”

He hummed and turned to address the crowd. “Today is a historic day for the Guild. We honor our five brave members who killed the serpent Queen and King and ended a millennia-long war, sealed the breaches of the Veil, preserving our legacy and the barrier between the worlds.” He glanced back at the line of us. “They may have also put us out of a job.”

The crowd tittered at his joke.

“Please put your hands together for our brave warriors and friends of the Guild.” He led the chain of cheering and clapping for us, the sound deafening in the space with terrible acoustics.

Gable took full advantage of it, bowing like a rock star about to exit the stage after a concert. I laughed at him, more at ease than I was moments ago.

The headmaster lowered and raised his palms to quiet the crowd. “We’ll have a ball to celebrate our good fortune in two weeks, and I hope to see everyone there.”

He marched off stage, a man on a mission to lavish in the praise of his superiors, who attended today’s ceremony and sat in the front row seats. Handshakes, congratulations, and potentially a promotion followed as he progressed along the line. A few of the high-ranking members ventured onstage to thank us, and we pasted on our polite smiles.

One man in a tweed jacket from the seventies and a golf hat came up to me. “Miss Prince, may I have a moment in private?”

This one question told me he wasn’t like the other ass-kissing bluebloods that made up the Guild’s elite echelon who fawned over my men and me, posing for pictures like the politicians they were. He was a man of principle and discipline, rather than using his heritage to earn him rank.

“Who are you?” Cole asked for me, always by my side, claiming my hand, showing his allegiance.

“A concerned friend,” the man replied, his fuzzy brows heavy over his weary gray eyes.

I took over the questions. “Friend of who?”

He glanced at his peers and spoke low, “Miss Nomical.”

At the mention of Astra’s surname, Cole and I moved backstage, away from the rest of my men and the Guild members. I wanted to know how she was holding up in a strange environment when her Asperger’s was at odds with major changes in routine.

I shoved my hands in my uniform pocket to warm them out of the frost setting over my body. “What about Astra? Is sheokay? When is she coming home?” And why the fuck didn’t the elemental get her back to me?

“I want you to know, I’m taking care of her,” the man reassured, though it did nothing to warm the cold shadow in my heart. “She won’t be harmed.”

“Do me a favor and get her out,” I demanded, more Dark Princess than student. “That’s the least you can do, can’t you?” I removed the cobra broach and offered it to him. “You can have this back. I’d rather my friend’s freedom.”

His brows came down in a hard line that said, “No can do.” “I’m sorry, Miss Prince, but I need her.”

“What for?” I asked. “And who the hell are you?”

The man’s gray eyes slid to Cole in a way that said he was used to dealing with conflict. “I’m Vartros, warden of the Guardian’s prison in Broken Hill where your friend and Mr. Mathieson’s mother are currently stationed. And you would be wise to watch your tone with an ally.”

“Ally?” Cole’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “The Brotherhood is gone and all the trafficked gantii are returned to their worlds. You don’t have reason to detain my mother.”

“That may be the case, Mr. Mathieson, but Guild traitors have seized control of Brotherhood trafficking operations, and your mother and I must ferret them out,” Vartros said.

Cole prickled at that, his jaw grinding like he crushed pebbles with his teeth.

That didn’t explain why he wouldn’t clear my friend of wrongdoing and release her. “Why do you need Astra?”

Vartros scratched his forehead. “I’m afraid I can’t say, other than I need Miss Nomical’s help for this.” His lips pressed together with sympathy. “And until this is done, she is my asset.”

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