Page 43 of Kiss of Fire

They all stared intently at her with their strange marmalade-coloured eyes. There was something steely about them. A ferocity she’d seen in the photo of her mother. And she knew instinctively they weren’t to be trifled with. The Vulcani were dangerous.

Anxiety gnawed at her stomach.

“Lord Shadeed,” greeted one of the males. He looked fractionally more mature than the others, though it was hard to tell their ages. For all she knew, he was a thousand years old.

So much you don’t know,her inner voice said derisively.And you think you’re going to pretend to be one of them?

“Loris, this is Aelah’s daughter. Raya, this is the head of the Vulcani council. Loris was your mother’s right-hand man.”

Plastering a smile on her face, Raya held out her hand. The fae looked at it in silence, and she dropped it.

“Pleased to meet you,” she said instead. Loris examined her. She felt the sharpness of his stare and tried not to look away.

“You have something of Aelah about you, I suppose. Around the nose and brow. Not your eyes or ears though. I suppose it was too much to hope you would escape your father’s features.”

He seemed to be expecting a response.

“Um, yes. Sorry about that.”

“What do you know of your mother, child?”

“Nothing, really. She gave me up when I was born.”

“You have Vulcani abilities?”

Shade intervened.

“She has inherited Aelah’s talent, I assure you. She is more Vulcani than human. And as Aelah’s progeny, she wishes to take her mother’s place as clan leader until she returns.”

The Vulcani’s expression hardened and his glance raked Raya from head to toe.

“You dare to presume you can lead us? A half-human?”

“It is her birthright…” Shade began, but the fae held up his hand.

“I am talking to her. Answer me, child. What makes you think you can take Aelah’s place?”

“I…” Raya had no idea what to say. She knew so little about her mother. But she did know one thing: Aelah was a fighter and no way would she let herself by intimidated by this skinny dude. “I want to honour my mother’s legacy. She gave up everything to save me. I want to prove I’m worthy of her sacrifice.”

Was it her imagination, or did the fae’s expression soften slightly? Shade intervened.

“And, of course, under fae lore it is her right.”

Loris snapped his gaze to the jinn.

“And why do you care so much about Vulcani affairs, Lord Shadeed? Is it to do with the battle over the throne, perhaps? Do you think by bringing us someone purporting to be Aelah’s daughter you can win our favour? Convince us to rebel against Aelfric and supportyourclaim instead?”

“No, not at all.” Shade paused, weighing his words carefully. “But as Aelah’s proxy, Raya would be entitled to pledge Vulcani allegiance to whomever she likes. And she has formed an alliance with me.”

“An alliance?”

“She is my betrothed.”

Shadeed spoke matter-of-factly, as if he’d said something as banal as ‘she likes chocolate,’ but hearing the words made Raya jump.

Loris fell back a step, his face a mask of outrage.

“This is a bold move, Lord Shadeed. Forcing a schism among the fae. Aelah would not countenance division.”

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