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When Helius turned to her, Elria gave him a slow nod.
Her sons and nephews parted, revealing the three gargoyles. They looked like possessed apes with smooshed, black leathery faces and wickedly sharp teeth, but they made low, guttural sounds when they talked, reminding her of pigs at the trough.
She pushed off from her throne, standing beside her sister, every nerve ending set aflame as that foreboding feeling spread throughout her body like an unstoppable plague. She glared at the chieftain of the gargoyles who’d organized the raids against Atlantia’s citizens. He should’ve been obliterated, but here he was having a private meeting with hell’s most powerful sorceresses.
“Balaam,” she said with a sneer, “you’re late.”
He grunted several times, his eyes shifting from her sons back to her. “Forgive us, my queens.” He bowed low, his wings awkwardly flapping behind him. “We were adding the final touches to our gifts for you. Forged from the fires of Infernum.” He snarled at the two gargoyles behind him.
Wings drooping at their sides, they inched forward, holding up their wooden boxes with childlike squeals.
Helius and Drakkon snatched the boxes from them, sniffing the casings for any threats.
Elria’s breath caught in her throat when Helius turned to her, revealing the most stunning crown she’d ever seen, a dark, polished silver with sparkling ruby jewels. Hecate had a similar crown with emerald jewels.
Hecate snatched up her crown. “Oh, aren’t these beautiful, sister?”
Elria waved away her gift. Her son handed it to a winged servant and then went back to her side. “Don’t put it on,” she warned. “We must test it for dark magic.”
Balaam’s eyes widened, his hand flying to his chest. “You wound us, queen. We would never risk the wrath of the most powerful rulers in hell.”
She caught his gaze, unable to hold it for long. He was definitely hiding something. “You would if you could profit from it.”
“We seek to profit through trade,” he said, his eyes shifting far too much for Elria’s comfort. “Our goldsmiths are eager to sell their jewelry in exchange for goods from your wish-beast.”
“I didn’t know gargoyles had goldsmiths or knew how to forge anything at all,” she said wryly.
Deception leached from the gargoyle’s pores like a poisonous fog as he flashed an oily grin. “There’s much you don’t know about us.”
Elria seethed when her sister slipped off her golden crown, replacing it with the one the gargoyles gave her.
Hecate was beaming. “Well, we’re eager to learn.”
“Thank you, my queen.” The gargoyle bowed low, splaying his claws across his heart. “You honor us.”
Something wasn’t right. Elria had never heard of the gargoyles forging anything until now. If they had the power to make such beautiful jewels, why weren’t they selling them? Why did they have to reduce themselves to raids in the middle of the night? And what were they really trying to accomplish by bringing these gifts, for Elria knew without a doubt the gargoyles weren’t here to broker peace.
* * *
HORATIU HAD A FOREBODINGfeeling as he and his brother Lucian hurried toward their mother’s chamber after receiving an urgent summons. Their heavy footsteps echoing across the slate floors mimicked the pounding in his heart. Something about their mother had felt off ever since the gargoyles had visited yesterday. She and their aunt had fought after the gargoyles had left, screaming like banshees before Horatiu and his brothers and cousins had to break them apart.
In all his immortal existence, he hadn’t remembered his mother and aunt screaming at one another. During the times they rarely disagreed, their arguments had always been civil. Their mother had gone to sulk in her chamber after that, refusing to see anyone, which was very unlike her.
His stomach had churned all night, and he couldn’t escape the feeling it had to do with the crown the gargoyles had given his mother. Their aunt had said to test it for curses, yet his mother had refused to take it off. Why?
What do you think is wrong?Lucian asked through thought as they neared the heavy wooden and iron door to their mother’s chamber.
I don’t know,he answered as he rapped on the door,but if she’s still wearing that damn crown, we need to find a way to get it off her.
“Who is it?” his mother hissed from the other side of the door, her voice shaking with fear.
The beast inside Horatiu scratched the surface of his skin, begging to be let free. Something was wrong.
Lucian gave him a look.She doesn’t sound the same.
Be on your guard,he warned him.
“Your sons,” he said aloud after clearing his throat.
