Page 23 of Petals for Deadly Power

Ayla, Raoul, Indianna, and Nina joined them just when the woman with the eye-patch—Nyxara—said, “Is this everyone? We must leave now, or no shadows will keep the roixers from seeing us when the sun rises.”

14

Lenna

Apparently,thecourtradeswerein such a fucking rush to depart from Thyria that there was no time for proper introductions.

There were three courtrades, that much she knew. Lenna had barely had the chance to even look at them before they disappeared somewhere in the navia to do whatever busy courtrades usually did in these floating vehicles.

She would admit it: she had not expected their transport method to be so humongous. It was very . . . black. And metallic.

Some beings often complained that the Cardinals were obsessed with red, crystal, and the four-petal panom mark. Well, Llunal and his black passion could give them a run for their money.

Lenna and Jake had Given an invisible barrier around the navia, and swirling shadows courtesy of the courtrades seemed to hover around the two horizontal, flat platforms and the two towering, curved peaks above. Hopefully, that would be enough to keep anyone from seeing them overnight. As for moving as far as they could from the shores of Thyria at the biggest speed possible . . . Whatever the courtrades or their god were doing, it was working. It was so awfully windy and cold on the top platform that they had decided to hide in the roofed cabins underneath.

And precisely here was the not-so-pleasant surprise Lenna hadn’t counted on.

Apparently, the blond young woman, svelte and fit as the damned Fifth, was theinvited guestthat Jake had found necessary to bring on board.

“Reinforcements, my ass,” Lenna spat, making Sasha chuckle next to her.

“Talking about asses, hers is top tier.”

There was no point contradicting her friend. Everything in the strange blond woman seemed to be top tier. Including the passion with which her green eyes scrutinized Jake from the very top to the very damn bottom.

“Arabella D’Arcy,” Jake greeted her. “Thanks for coming.”

“I would never refuse a personal invitation from you, Jake.” She grinned, biting her bottom lip with perfectly white, straight teeth. “It’s been too long since the last time we deeply caught up.”

Her red-haired high ponytail swung as Lenna and Sasha interchanged silent stares full of hatred. Cardinals give her fucking patience. Or a wall to slam that pretty face against.

“Arabella, is it? My name is Lenna. My sincere apologies for not knowing who you are. We were not expecting last minute guests on this trip.”

“Oh, no worries at all.” The pretty smile turned sharp and cold in no time. “I’m a member of the South House, and Jake and I have had the pleasure of knowing each other for many, many years. He asked if I could offeryouhelp with the Taking power for some important challenge, and I could never say no to him.”

Lenna’s nostrils flared as she smiled tensely. The connotations of what this woman was implying between Jake and her shouldn’t have hurt as much as they did. What in the Fifth world had made Jake—herJake—think about bringing this being to the crusade was a good idea?

“Of course you couldn’t. My man is irresistible.”

Jake’s grave voice whispered in Lenna’s ear, loud enough for the others to hear as well. “Our bed awaits, sweet fire.” The firm hand on her lower back was reassuring in a way that she was too annoyed to admit right now. She let him guide her towards the corridor, and she wasn’t out of the room yet when the last words of the blond bitch sent that reassurance out of the fucking navia.

“Lenna,” Arabella said, waiting until she twisted her head backwards to look at her green eyes before she continued, “You should let your hair loose. He really enjoys pulling it when fucking.”

Her words felt like an ice-full bucket on Lenna’s body. She felt Jake’s arm tensing, his muscles marking in more than their usual places. Why the actual Cardinals’ fuck did he think it was a good idea to bring this woman tohelpher? If Lenna didn’t end up killing her, it would be a goddesses’ damned miracle.

“I knoweverythinghe likes, sweetheart. Worry fucking not.” Lenna winked. “Have a lovely, peaceful andsoundlessnight.”

Without looking back again, Lenna let Jake guide her to a very black, very metallic door that led to the place they would share during their stay in the navia. Arabella was going to be in for a treat.

Their cabin was bigger than Lenna had thought, including a private ensuite. A four-post double bed with no sheets was in front of the window facing the waves of the Radel Sea outside. Black curtains with a minuscule pattern of white stars framed the window. A big couch with a high back and rolled, thick arms covered one side of the room. There were multiple pillows of different-but-equally-dark patterns on the bed and on the couch. A few desks covered the other side of the room.

The only unusual thing seemed to be the lack of any source of light, but Lenna sent golden sparks across the room as soon as she shut the curtains. Just in case the invisibility barrier hiding them from sight, and the shadows doing the same, weren’t enough to keep unwanted, curious roixers at bay.

“You can see your guest and I are not going to get along, correct?” Lenna’s hands were on her hips.

Jake leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. The blackness of the room allowed the silver of his eyes to shine, as if his eyes were the brightest stars in the room. His face was grave, lacking the usual amusement that was, in some measure, always present.

“I decided to bring someone from the South House to help you prepare for the Taking ordeal. You should use her.”

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