And it was how he’d materialised between me and The Hat Man.
I swallowed, pushing the memory away, not wanting to recall my horror and pain at seeing him hurt.
The tunnel was getting lighter now. Soon we’d be at the small room with the stone steps and grate.
I stopped and gripped his arm. “The priestess sent me here, she said it was prophesised.”
“You think she knew, that she meant to harm you?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know if she knows what’s down there, but I don’t think she meant to harm me. I met her before, and she gave me a broach to shield my thoughts. Why help me then to throw me to the wolves later?”
“The priestess works in mysterious ways. You will need to speak to her about this.”
I nodded. “Thank you. For coming to help me.”
His brow furrowed, the harsh lines of his brutal face sharper in the green tinged gloom.
“What else would you expect?”
I was the flame after all. It was in his best interests to keep me alive.
I smiled. “Yeah, thanks anyway.”
His silver eyes clouded, but I was already moving on. I was done with the smell of blood and death.
I was done with trials.
I wanted my fucking throne.
47
The faces when we emerged were truly comical, and if I hadn’t been so exhausted and pissed off I may have found them funny. Instead I marched out the pit, straight past Baal, and went nose to nose with the woman who had put me down there.
Ignoring the commotion, the exclamations of wonder and the speculation on how I’d gone in alone and returned with Erebus, I locked eyes on the priestess.
“Did you know what was down there?”
She smiled. “Of course, child.”
Curses sprang to my lips.
She held up her hand. “But you needed to face your demons.”
That’s it, she was insane. “Those weren’t my demons they were Ibris’s.”
“Yes, they were, and by facing them you have finally accepted who you are. You are whole, are you not?”
Way to whip the wind out of my sails. “Yes …”
“And by summoning Erebus you finally accepted your bond to the dark djinn and the ceaseless army.”
“So this was a test?” I leaned in and whispered. “Did you fake that prophecy?”
She pressed her lips together. “I would do no such thing.” The gleam in her eyes told me otherwise.
She’d played me, the sneaky bitch. “Fine, what’s done is done. What I need now is a cool drink and a comfy throne.”
The twinkle in her eye intensified.
“This proves nothing!” Kai’s voice broke through the hubbub of the gathered djinn.
His voice was a barb in my skull, a thorn in my side, a hangnail that really needed treating.
The priestess looked over my shoulder and replied. “It proves everything, Kai. Kenna has faced her demons, and now she will take the throne.”
“No, she won’t.” His words rang with finality. His guards appeared from among the gathered, swords and spears at the ready.
I turned to face him, hands on hips. “Someone needs to be less of a sore loser.”
He snorted. “You, a woman, with your frail mortal body, will not rule me!” He spread his arms, addressing the crowd. “Yes, her body is mortal, and broken. She has no leg and walks using a prosthetic. A tool!” He widened his eyes. “Would you be ruled by such a deficient creature?”
Beside him, Davin rolled his eyes. He looked … bored. I looked to Baal. His lips were pressed together and his emerald gaze was fixed on me encouragingly. This is your fight, it said. You are queen. You can do this. I opened my mouth to speak but Erebus beat me to it.
“Yes, she is physically deficient,” Erebus said. “And yet Ibris’s flame chose her. She has succeeded where all other djinn have failed. Her body may be weak but her spirit, our king’s spirit, which lives on within her, is stronger than ever before, whereas you,” he raked Kai up and down with a derisive glance, “are nothing but an interloper.”
Kai smiled slyly. “I may be an interloper, but I am an interloper with an army. The kingdom of fire is mine, and no one will be claiming Ibris’s throne while I stand before it.”
One of the other Overlords, Caim, stepped away from the crowd. “Enough Kai. Although we thank you for taking the reins in a time of desperate need, we did not agree for the arrangement to be a permanent one. In the face of the evidence, the existence of an heir to the throne, we can no longer support your claim.”
Kai laughed. “Oh please, Caim, I could crush your army with my little finger.”
Another lord stepped forward. “Could you crush mine?”
And then another. “And mine?”
The crowd began to buzz, voices rising against Kai.
His guards lowered their weapons, looking concerned with the sudden uprising of the gathered djinn. I was pretty sure they weren’t expecting to actually have to fight or kill anyone.
I raised my hand. “Silence, please!”
The noise died down. “Take your men and leave now Kai, and I’ll forget this ever happened. Your actions, your words, are tantamount to treason and anyone who supports you will also be committing treason.” From the corner of my eye I saw the couple of guards sheath their swords.
No one wanted to be punished.
“You have no authority. You haven’t even sat on the throne yet. If it has any sense it will spew you back out like it did before.”
He spat the words in my face, actually spat in my face, and I lost it. My fist was a blur connecting with his face in an explosion of crimson, and then he was squealing like a girl.
I spun on my heel and began striding toward the carriages. “Let’s just get this over with.”
48
My thighs ached, my arms throbbed, and all I saw when I looked at the throne was a comfy chair.
I parked my butt and waited.
Djinn filed into the throne room, led by Baal and Erebus. It was weird seeing them side by side. One so brutal, the other powerful and refined, and yet I’d cared for them both … loved them both.
Okay, was something supposed to be happening?
The room was almost filled to capacity, if something was supposed to happen, it needed to happen now. The priestess joined me on the podium, and I shot her a panicked glance.
She closed her eyes. “Wait for it.”
“Wait for wha—”
The throne room was sucked away, and I was spat out in the place of flame and embers.
Ah, she returns.
As promised.
As prophesised—a giggle.
Let me see.
Let me feel.
Hands on my head. Hands pressing on my chest and abdomen.
The heart is the flame.
Silence.
The head is the flame.
Whole and true. A forever rule.
The body is not of smokeless fire.
The body is of earth.
But the spirit is of smokeless fire.
We will forge the body from smokeless fire.
What? What did that mean? Were they going to remake me? No … No I didn’t want that.
Resistance? Uncertainty?
Very well, we will let you be until you ask us not to.
For now, you have our blessing.
Heat radiated from every point of contact until I was consumed. I opened my mouth and screamed.
The fire around me winked out, and the throne room filled my vision.
Silence.
Heavy and ominous.
I looked to the priestess who smiled.
And then Erebus dropped to his knees, followed by Baal and every djinn in the room.
The priestess chuckled. “Oh, my dear girl. I do believe you’ve finally arrived.”
49
Kai stood alone, the only erect body in a sea of prostrate ones. We locked eyes, and slowly, re
Baal was the first to rise, and everyone else followed suit.
Kai lifted his chin in defiance. He may have bowed, but there was no way he was going to just roll over and accept my rule. There’d be trouble from him, no doubt. But I couldn’t have him arrested for something he may do in the future.
He inclined his head. “We will be taking our leave, Your Majesty.” The words were forced and stiff.
I inclined my head to release him from my presence. The crowd parted to let him through, and I caught a glimpse of Gia, of the fresh bruise on her face.
“Wait!”
Kai froze, his shoulders tightening. He turned slowly to face me. “Your Majesty?”
“I feel, in light of your abrasive words earlier, I am owed some recompense.”
He swallowed. “I accept my error, and I apologise—”
“No. That won’t do. Not in this case.”
His jaw flexed. “What would Majesty deem a suitable compensation?”
“I find myself taken with your sharmuta, Gia. Gift her to me.”
Gia’s eyes widened and her mouth parted in surprise.
Kai blinked rapidly—the only indication of his disconcertion.
“Hardly an unreasonable recompense,” Baal said. “The queen will need a companion. Someone to show her the ropes, if you will”
“Doesn’t she have you for that?” Kai spat.
I sighed. “Once again, Kai, your tone betrays your heart. I will have your sharmuta, and I will have Davin.”
Baal glanced at me in surprise but I ignored him. To be honest, I had no idea why I’d said that either. Maybe I just didn’t like Davin working for such a sleazebag. No, it was more than that. There was something about the djinn, aside from the amazing things he could do … My gut told me he could be useful in the war to come, and I’d rather he be of use to me. From the look on Kai’s face I’d hit the nail on the head—Davin was important to him and his plans.
Kai quickly composed his features and inclined his head in deference. “Your Majesty, I have been discourteous, and I accept I must pay homage. But Davin is my most trusted companion. To lose him would be—”
“I don’t care.”
Baal snorted. And a murmur skittered across the gathered.
Kai blew out a breath, his eyes flitting from side to side as if calculating. “Of course,” he said. “Please accept Gia and Davin into your service. I am forever your humble servant.”
Something flitted across Kai’s face—a dark slyness that instantly had me on edge. Davin clenched his jaw and exhaled through his nose.
There was something I was missing here.
Gia stepped forward. “You should take Kai’s ring also,” she said.
“Gia!” Kai reached for her, but she sidestepped out of his reach.
“The ring binds Davin. It controls him,” Gia elaborated.
Davin sighed, his muscles relaxing.
He’d said that he was sworn to Kai, not bound to him. Maybe he hadn’t been able to tell me. Shit. Once again Davin was someone’s bitch, and Kai … the fucker, would have used Davin as a spy. No. This had to end now. No one deserved to be controlled in that way.
I stood and stepped down from the throne. “Give me the ring.”
Kai’s chest rose and fell rapidly. Would he fight me on this? Please fight me. I allowed my lips to curl in a wicked smile. Do it. Defy me.
He was too smart for that though. Defiance would get him a cell. He pulled the ring from his finger and held it out to me.
“Is this the ring?” I asked Gia.
She nodded.
“So how does this work?”
Kai cleared his throat. “You wear the ring and you control the djinn.”
I looked to Davin. His expression was flat, waiting for me to claim him as my bitch.
I curled my fist around the ring. “And if I do this?” My hand began to glow as heat surged through it.
Kai stepped forward. “What are you doing?”
The ring began to melt.
“No, you don’t understand, you can’t release him, you—”
“Too late.” I opened my palm and the liquid evaporated into the air.
Davin groaned and doubled over. His body began to pulse and glow.
Kai turned and ran.
“You want me to get him?” Erebus asked.
“No. Let him go.”
Davin straightened. Was he larger? Was his skin glowing? There was something different about him …
I took a step toward him. “Are you all right?”
Hs eyes narrowed. “You set me free.”
“Well, yeah …”
“I’m free to leave?”
“That’s how it works.”
He watched me through narrowed eyes and then smiled. “I think I’ll stay a while if it pleases her Majesty.”
“It pleases me very much.”
_____
My heart was still racing from exertion, thighs quivering from the orgasm, but I sat up, strapped on my leg, and pulled on my trousers.
“What made you chose these chambers?” Baal asked from his spot by the balcony as he buttoned up his shirt.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, I like them. Why?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. They just … they belonged to your sister.”
I glanced about the room, a light airy space with a minimal feel and a mixture of light and dark furnishings. It had appealed to me immediately. Although Irina had filled me in on Baal’s past, he had no idea I knew.
Joining him on the balcony, I laced my fingers through his. “I know about Dante, about the two of you.”
A darkness flashed in his eyes, gone too soon to catch. “You do?”
“Irina told me, and I’m glad she did.”
He swallowed. “I loved her. Very much. But it was a long time ago, Kenna. There is only one woman in my heart now.”
I stared at my reflection in his eyes. “I know.”
His beautiful lips curled. “Good.”
I wanted to ask how she died, but it didn’t seem to be the right time. And anyway, we had our whole lives together for sharing memories, but only a few minutes before he had to leave.
“How long will you be gone?”
“A day or two, no longer. It seems my mother has been making deals that she cannot honour and has got herself into a little bother. I’ll check on Caldwell and the antidote for Brett on my way back.”
“We can’t leave Brett cooped up in your house.”
“No, we can’t, which is why I’ll be presenting him to the heads of government in Lindrealm. They need to know the truth if they are to protect themselves.”
My gut twisted. “No. You can’t parade him around in front of them like a lesson.”
Baal’s brows snapped together. “Kenna, I would have hoped you would know me better than that by now. Brett will have a choice. If he decides he’d rather come to the fifth dimension and be with you, I will bring him.”
I sighed. As much as Brett was struggling with what Orin had done, he’d want to do whatever it took to fight back and protect Lindrealm.
I nodded. “Just, don’t be long. I have no idea how all this court stuff works.”
Plus I had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that something awful was just around the corner.
Baal cupped my shoulder. “You have Gia and Davin, and I had Irina fly over. Plenty of counsel if you need it. Plus, having a mage around will give you extra protection.”
“You think Kai has spies here?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“Great.”
Baal leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead. His lips still resting on my skin he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want me to talk to Erebus?”
Erebus was going to be so mad when he found out I’d held off on telling him about his kin, but I was hoping he’d understand.
“No, I can do it. I want to. You focus on your tasks and let me deal with this.”
“A dark djinn army would be a huge deterrent for Orin.”
“I know.”
And I had a plan, one which I hoped to execute before Baal returned from his trip.
A knock on the door prompted Baal to release me.
I smoothed back my hair. “Come in.”
Irina entered, her eyes glittering in triumph. “You did it.”
“Did you have any doubts?”
“Not a one.”
Baal chuckled. “I’ll leave you girls to it. Take good care of her Irina.”
Irina inclined her head. With a final kiss, Baal stepped onto my balcony and disappeared in a whirl of air. I stepped into the space he’d just vacated and breathed him in.
Liquorice and spice. “God, I love that smell.”
Irina joined me on the balcony. “Yes, they do smell delicious.”
I glanced at her to see her gently cup one of the pink and purple blooms growing up the wall like ivy.
She leaned in for a sniff, and smiled. “Polyanders. Beautiful but deadly if consumed.” Her eyes widened as if she’d just thought of something. “In fact, I think they were Dante’s favourite flower.” She turned back to the room. “Oh, was this her room?”
I nodded.
“It’s amazing! It’s strange how you were drawn to it.”
But I was still stuck on how Baal smelled like Dante’s favourite flower. He’d just shown me how much he loved me, that I was the only woman in his heart, so why the jealousy? But then so had Blane, and look what happened there.
“Irina?”
She turned away from fingering the gauzy shimmering drapes that hung around the bed. “Yes?”
“The scent Baal wears? Do you think he does it to remember her?” I ducked my head. “You know what, forget I asked that. I’m being an idiot.”
Irina’s brow furrowed. “Scent? What scent?”
“Baal’s aftershave or whatever he uses to make him smell like those flowers.”
Irina’s frown deepened. “Kenna, I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve certainly never noticed that particular scent around Baal. I’m sorry.”
She had to be joking, right?
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