Page 114 of Rage of Her Ravens

She gave me a look like she didn’t believe me, and I couldn’t think of anything else to say in his defense. “That thing you were going to do with your mouth...” I said instead.

She bit her lip, her cheeks coloring. “I’ll finish after our meeting.”

Shiri slipped into a robe, and I wrapped a sheet around my waist. It took a little longer to wake up Blaze. He finally stumbled out of bed and Shiri wrapped a sheet around him just as the door opened again and servants came in bearing trays of steaming food. My stomach rumbled, and I realized we hadn’t eaten much today. We’d been too busy doing other things.

The three of us sat down to eat, the breeze from the open doors blowing back our hair and cooling our skin, when Drae came in again, Mrs. Euphemia by his side. She carried a dead plant with her, setting it down on a table by the doors. The brown leaves crumbled in the breeze, and I was suddenly struck with a terrible smell that reminded me of the stench I’d woken up to after I’d recovered from my injury.

Drae walked to the hearth, his wings tucked back, his mouth flattened in a grim line. At that moment, he looked far older than his thirty years, and I sensed the heavy weight he carried on his back. I didn’t envy his position as Lord of the Manor. He looked longingly at Shiri sitting there between us. Even though he’d brought this on himself, I still felt bad that he’d been left out of our happy honeymoon.

“Your Highness, My Lords,” Mrs. Euphemia said as she bowed before us. “Forgive me for interrupting.”

“It’s fine, Mrs. Euphemia,” Shiri said as she slowly sipped her wine. “Where are the girls?”

“Napping,” Mrs. Euphemia answered.

Shiri made a spluttering sound. “I haven’t been able to get them to nap in two years.”

Mrs. Euphemia smiled. “They played hard in the garden this morning and wore themselves out.”

Shiri clutched her heart. “Thank you, Mrs. Euphemia.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” The nursemaid beamed, clasping her hands together. “It has been too long since we’ve heard the sound of children’s laughter ringing in these halls.” Then her features darkened. “But I’m afraid I’ve come before you now with more serious news.” She motioned toward the plant. “I’ve finished examining the contents of the herbals used on Master Nikkos.”

I shared confused looks with Blaze and Shiri. “I’m healed now, Mrs. Euphemia. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I know, but...” She gave me an apologetic look before looking to Drae.

Icy tendrils of fear wrapped around my spine. I shot up in my seat looking from Mrs. Euphemia to Drae. “What is it?”

“The standard herbals that go into a healing ointment are sanitae, pultes, and oregano,” Mrs. Euphemia continued. “The Fortis plant thrives on those herbals. I’ve been treating the Fortis plant with the herbals the nurses used on Master Nikkos.” Bile projected into my throat when she nodded toward the dead plant.

The color drained from Shiri’s face. “It’s dead.”

“The Fortis is the strongest plant imaginable, able to grow in the harshest conditions.” Mrs. Euphemia cleared her throat. “There’s only one thing that can kill it.”

My feathers shook as I dug my fingers into the table. “What?”

She leveled me with a dark look. “Venenum root.”

Drae pushed off from the mantel, pacing the floor. “That plant only grows in the Werewood Forest.”

I jumped from my seat, clenching my hair by the roots. “The demon forest?” Werewood was on the other side of the mountain range, and if rumors were to be believed, nobody came out of that forest alive.

“Yes.” Mrs. Euphemia rubbed her chin. “It’s a poisonous plant, some say demon touched.”

Shiri clutched a fork in a white-knuckled grip. “Have your men found the nurses?”

“No.” Draevyn frowned. “I’ll send out another search party.”

My head spun. This couldn’t be happening. “They tried to kill me?”

“Something is afoul here.” Blaze leaned back in his seat, drumming his fingers on the table. “Very afoul.”

“Do you think Bertram and Sol are behind this?” I asked Drae. Could that be why the fire mages were spotted nearby?

Drae shook his head. “No, this is too sinister, even for them.”

“Then who?” I asked.

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