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Blaze tensed beside me, squeezing my knee. “Who?”
Drae blew out a breath, leaning back in his chair. “I have a suspicion it was Sol and Bertram, though I can still hardly believe it.” Shadows darkened Drae’s features as he dragged a hand down his face. “They’ve always been dragon’s asses, but I never knew they were capable of such evil.”
Nikkos cleared his throat. “They were shocked when they saw me. They looked at me as if I was a ghost.”
Drae nodded. “They didn’t expect you to be alive.”
I swallowed back a knot of panic as realization struck me like a mallet to the head. “They were behind the poisoning.”
Blaze shook his head. “But how did they get demon herbs?”
“Because they’re demons,” a little voice squeaked behind us.
I looked over the back of the sofa at Ember who stood in the doorway. She had an intelligence in her eyes that made her look far older than four years.
Drae slowly stood, his feathers standing on end. “How do you know this, Ember?”
She pressed a palm into the wall, her doll hanging in her other hand. “They smelled like demons, and I saw their darkness.”
“Holy elements,” I breathed, clutching my throat. “H-how do you know what demons smell like?” I stammered.
She walked up to me. “My friends told me what demons should smell like.”
“Friends?” Drae asked.
She’s a spirit talker, Nikkos told him through thought.
Drae’s eyes widened.
By her friends, she means the ghosts that follow her.I added.
Drae blew out a long breath.This is getting interesting.
“And what should they smell like?” I asked her.
She made a face. “Like troll dung.”
“Oh.” Nervous laughter escaped my throat. I took her on my knee, kissing the top of her head. To be so young and have such dark magic. It must’ve felt more like a curse than a gift, and yet she was the sweetest child.
Blaze jumped from his seat, his wings ruffling as he swore under his breath. “I should’ve killed them when I had the chance.”
“And risk Malvolia’s wrath?” I asked.
Blaze shrugged. “But they’re demons.”
“Would Malvolia believe us if we told her that?” Nikkos asked.
I tensed, watching Drae for his reaction. I knew how highly he thought of his queen. His shoulders fell. “I’m not sure if she’d believe us, especially not after...” He paused, visibly swallowing as he glanced at me.
“Not after you mated with her enemy?” I was unable to keep the bitterness from my voice.
“Please don’t say that.” Drae knelt in front of me. “You’re not her enemy, Shirina. You’reourmate.” There was no mistaking the flames in his eyes as he pressed his lips to my knuckles.
I threaded my fingers through his, my cheeks suddenly heating as I got lost in the fire in his eyes. Then I watched out of the corner of my eye as Aurora tiptoed into the room. She giggled when Nikkos snatched her in his arms and kissed her cheek.
You said Sol and Bertram are Malvolia’s lovers?I asked through thought so that the children didn’t hear, projecting my voice to all my mates. How odd that speaking to all of them at once felt like second nature, as easy as breathing. I didn’t need to conjure a spell to do it. I simply thought about projecting, and it worked.
They were at one point,Blaze answered back through thought, grimacing.I’m not sure if they are now. Our queen discards lovers like old shoes.Averting his gaze, he refilled his wine goblet, his mouth still turned down.
