Page 140 of Of Storm and Emerald
“My family has stayed tucked away in that remote, frozen, no-man's-land for decades, and we’ve had enough. So, here I am, to take back what could have been rightfully mine to begin with. I have just as much a claim to that throne as you do, and I intend to have it.”
The nonchalant tone in her voice grated Auraelia’s last nerve, and her magic swirled throughout the room as her temper rose.
“You killed her, didn’t you?”
“Who? Your mother? Yes…but also, no.” Her smile was sickly sweet. “I merely provided the necessary supplies.” Reaching into the pocket of her cape, Davina pulled out a delicate white flower and gazed at the tiny bud with all the tenderness a mother would give her newborn babe.
“Did you know that Lily of the Valley was poisonous? Or that consuming five or more of its berries could kill a person?” she asked no one in particular.
Auraelia watched as Davina continued to swirl the stem between two fingers.
“You’ll never get the backing from the other courts,” Auraelia said, filling her voice with as much confidence as she could muster.
Davina stopped twirling the flower, and turned her pity filled gaze to Auraelia. “Oh, my dear, sweet cousin. I have the entire Court of Sapphire Isles backing my claim.”
“Like hell you do!” With the mention of his court, Daemon shot to his feet and moved to stand next to her.
“Ah, you must be Prince Daemon. It’s so nice to put a face to the man I’m intended to marry.”
“I’m not marrying you,” he scoffed.
“Oh, but you are. Just ask daddy dearest.”
“I would never agree to a marriage with you.”
Davina giggled, her eyes growing wide with mock innocence. “I didn’t need you to agree. Your father leapt at the proposal when I explained that I knew how to cure his illness.”
“You–you cured my father?” Daemon’s brow’s furrowed, and confusion filled his words.
Davina tilted her head from side to side, like she was trying to find the best way to answer his question. “Again, yes…but also, no. I simplystoppedsupplying the poison that was wreaking havoc on his system once he agreed to my proposal.”
Auraelia whipped around to face Daemon, but his eyes were searching the crowd for his father.
“You won’t find him here. He and your mother fled back to Kalmeera shortly after the queen dropped dead.”
Rage surged through Auraelia, and her fingertips began to spark with electricity. “Howdareyou!”
Davina’s eyes lit with glee. “You want to play, cousin? Because I amdyingto play with you.”
The instant the words left Davina’s mouth, Xander placed a shield around their group.
Auraelia rarely saw her brother use his gifts.
He was one of very few shields in Lyndaria, and he was the most powerful one at that. Able to cast over entire armies, but also able to form individual shields around multiple people at once.
His abilities were extremely impressive, but they weren’t needed in times of peace. Peace that was slowly fading away with every second that passed in Davina’s presence.
Davina’s eyes widened in surprise as she took in the shimmering dome that covered Auraelia, Xander, their mother, and even Daemon. Her gaze, which was now aimed back to Auraelia, was full of malice as it trailed down her arms.
The electricity had formed into ribbons of lightning and began to wrap around her arms like pieces of armor, but Davina’s gaze continued until it stopped at the tips of her fingers.
She tilted her head to the side like a cat contemplating a mouse, then she smiled once more. “Though, with a little practice, we may yet be evenly matched.”
“What do you mean?” Her words were spoken through gritted teeth.
Davina sighed and shook her head. “Your mother did you a disservice, cousin. Keeping secrets from you all these years. Your fingers–” she gestured to Auraelia’s hands, “That happens when you’ve fully tapped into your magic.”
Davina held up her own hand, and just like Auraelia, the tips of her fingers were stained. Only Davina’s, were a red so dark it could have passed for black.
