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No, do not apologize,I snapped through thought.He’s taking advantage of your kindness.
“I understand,” he said, his shoulders falling. Then he turned to the crowd, his laughter the deep rumble of rolling thunder. “You know my magic can pierce those veils.”
The guests gasped and turned their backs. A few brave fire mages stepped forward, shielding the throng.
My sister clutched her throat. “Thorin, how could you?”
Red rage clouded my vision. I’d had enough. “Thorin! Have you come simply to ruin my sister’s wedding?”
When he turned to me, and I saw the malice in his eyes, I had my answer.
“Why would you think that?” he asked in a mocking tone.
It was then I deeply regretted not executing him during the Dark Tide. Even though Flora had protested that her friend wasn’t a threat, the rest of the court feared Thorin had inherited his uncle’s temperament. They had asked me numerous times to execute him, but I’d gone against my better judgment and caved to Selig’s and my sister’s pleas. That didn’t mean Thorin was welcomed at court. In fact, after his last mind-spinning prank, he was forbidden from stepping a foot in Thebes. He knew this, and yet he had the gall to crash my sister’s special day.
“Shame on you for causing a scene and scaring our guests.” I pointed in his direction, smoke twisting from my fingertip like a coiling serpent. How easily I could choke him with it. “Now you see why we didn’t invite the Monster of Delfi.”
He jerked back as if I’d scorched him. “I’m not a monster!”
“Your actions say otherwise. Go now before I lose my temper.” I waved him away like I was shooing a stray dog. “And if you set foot in Thebes again—” I paused, enjoying the fear shining in his eyes when my trail of magic broke into three deadly serpents, coiling above his head and poised to strike. “I will kill you.”
After giving my sister one last withering look, he turned from the dais with a dramatic flourish. The crowd parted as if the earth had split open while he marched through them toward the door.
I nodded toward four of my most loyal fire mages. “Make sure he leaves the city walls.”
They bowed and then quickly followed him.
My sister looked from her mates to me, her eyes wide with fear. “I’m worried he’ll retaliate.”
“Not if he doesn’t want to have his head put on a spike,” I answered, ignoring Selig’s gasp. “Come now. No time for dark thoughts.” I clapped my hands together, then waved toward the musicians, wincing when they struck up a somber tune. I motioned toward the servants. “More wine and bring out the feast.” I lifted my goblet into the air while scanning the sea of frightened faces. “Do not give the mind spinner another thought,” I said. “My sister has found her true loves. Let us celebrate!”
Marius held up his goblet, too. “Have no fear,” he said before winking at me. “Your sorceress queen has the power to keep you safe. The mind spinner doesn’t stand a chance against her magic.”
Much to my relief, the crowd broke into cheers.
My sister held up her goblet. “All hail, Queen Malvolia, for saving us from the darkness and keeping her people safe!” She slid up to me and kissed my cheek.And for being the best sister ever,she added.
Heat flamed my face when the crowd cheered louder.
I kissed her back.As are you. Never forget how much I love you.
Tears welled in her eyes.And I will always love you.
The musicians struck up a lively tune, the wine flowed freely, and soon everyone was dancing and laughing, and Thorin was nothing more than a distant memory. Still, I couldn’t stop worrying that the mage would find some way to retaliate. If he so much as tried to harm my family or my people, I wouldn’t hesitate to strike him down.
* * *
Selig
32 years later
Selig brushed breakfastcrumbs from his beard while hurrying down the drafty stairwell toward the throne room. His queen would be angry with him for his tardiness. He stumbled down a step, nearly tumbling onto the landing, cursing his clumsy feet and the darkened stairwell lit with only a few flickering sconces. He was still half asleep after a long night with a brutish fire mage, Simon, or Salian. He forgot the mage’s name, though it made little difference. He never kept the same lover more than a fortnight. He’d just descended the last of the stairs when a hooded figure stepped out of the shadows.
He gasped, clutching his throat when the figure pulled back his hood. Thorin! Only, his brother looked as if he’d aged fifty years. His skin had turned ashen, and his black beard was now gray. The lines framing his mouth and eyes looked like tributaries on an old map. Fae-kind lived for centuries and aged slower than most humans. At only one hundred years old, Thorin should’ve looked like a forty-year-old human. Instead, he looked like a decrepit old man. Never mind that Thorin and Selig had a human mother. Their Fae magic should’ve prevented them from aging so quickly.
He swallowed back a lump of apprehension before taking a hesitant step forward. “Brother, it has been too long.” Though obviously not long enough, for he sensed his brother brought calamity.
“Too long,” Thorin said, his voice a sibilant whisper. There was a wickedness in Thorin’s eyes that Selig didn’t recognize, the only thing about him that didn’t appear old. Selig always believed the eyes were a window to the soul, and his brother’s eyes conveyed a blackened heart beneath. But there was something else lurking within that shriveled up organ, something even more sinister. When Thorin’s eyes flashed red, Selig had his answer.
