Page 194 of The Incendiary

“You are exquisite, Your Highness.” He offered me his hand. Despite Elias’s grim expression, I took it. “I must ask… Which of the gods’ powers will you show me first?”

“She’s not a dog!” Gemma snapped, but I shot her a look and held up my hand toward the trilevel water fountain in the center of the foyer.

The room fell silent as I used Rainar’s magic to draw the water into a single stream, up toward the ceiling, before I clenched my fist and the water burst and sprayed throughout the room in a cloud of mist. I then pulled the water back out of the air and deposited it safely back into the fountain.

Melonius let out an astonished laugh. “Oh, how spectacular!” He offered me his arm, which I reluctantly accepted, and led me through the foyer into a grand dining room with wildly inappropriate paintings lining the walls. “You must sit near me during dinner. There is so much I would love to discuss.”

I glanced back to see the others looking worriedly after me. Especially Eli, who was red-faced and, by the way his veins flexed in his forearm, about to shatter the glass in his hand.

All of dinner was spent discussing cultured things I knew little about but had read enough in the last eight months that I was able to keep up. Diplomacy was brand-new to me, and uncomfortable, but Melonius was more than willing to carry the conversation. Gemma, Finn, and Ezra sat quietly toward the other end of the table. Mavic sat across from me, freely chatting with one of Melonius’s sons, while Elias sat silently beside me. His eyes were fixed on the duke’s hands the entire time.

It wasn’t until the end of the dinner that I found the courage to inquire about the book we came here for.

“Melonius.” I leaned forward slightly. “You are a most gracious host, and your generosity of spirit is unmatched.” Gods, what was I even saying? “As Elias mentioned, however, we ultimately aren’t here for… pleasure. I’ve been told you have in your possession a rare book that has never been opened, even by… my father.” I wielded the lie like a curse. “It requires magic.”

The duke leaned back in his chair, studying me. “I do possess it. It was entrusted to my ancestors centuries ago.”

“Entrusted by who?”

The duke hummed in thought. “That remains a mystery even to me. Regardless, you may borrow the book at a cost.”

My fists clenched impatiently in my lap. “When was it last opened, Melonius?”

“Never,” he answered, lifting his glass to his lips. “I have no magic.”

“Then you have no use for it.”

“Even so, it is in my possession, Your Highness.” He drank from his cup and swallowed. “While you are our queen, and you are very much alive, thank the Selvaren, do you expect every one of us to hand over our possessions and receive nothing in return?” He tsked, shaking his head. “You must be eager to prove yourself.”

I was having a hard time controlling my breathing. When Melonius glanced down at my angry, heaving chest, draped in thin pink silk, his pupils only widened.

“Spend a night with me,” he continued, “and the book is yours for as long as you wish. Along with my home, my resources, my money. Anything.” Elias stiffened on my other side. As if he hadn’t predicted this exact thing would happen. I could feel the heat of his stare shift down as Melonius reached under the table and touched my knee. His fingers tightened over the silk of my dress and shifted toward my hip. “I think you’ll find that my generosity of spirit extends to many, many places, Your Highness.”

Before I could process any movement, Elias was out of his chair with his dagger pressed against the Duke of Peradine’s throat.

FIFTY-SIX

ARYELLA

“Hands. Off.”

Elias’s command silenced the room.

Melonius, unfortunately, did not appear afraid. Excitement gleamed in his ocean-blue eyes as they darted between me and my betrothed.

“Why, Commander Winterton,” he sputtered out, laughing, “in all my years of knowing you, I’ve never seen you so incensed.”

“Hands off, or your blood will paint your precious marble floors.”

I stood up and rested my hand on the arm Elias didn’t have curled around the duke’s neck. “Stand down, Commander Winterton.”

Elias glared at me, incredulous. I wanted to appreciate him standing up for me, even though I could do so myself, but all I felt was persistent anger that he only cared more because I was his queen. After a subtle shake of my head, Elias released the duke and returned to his seat beside me.

“My skills in the bedroom are not for sale,” I remarked, my voice as threatening and disgusted as I could make it, “and never will be.”

Melonius readjusted the collar of his open shirt and sat up straight. “Unfortunately, this does not surprise me.” His chuckle turned cruel. “When I first saw you today, Your Grace, I suspected you were a soft ruler.”

Fire simmered beneath the surface of my skin. I used Nevelin’s ice in my veins to quell the threatening burn. “Soft,” I repeated. “Is that so?”