Chapter 39 #2
My magic tightened around them like twin nooses. They had no choice but to obey as I walked to the exterior stairs that led away from the palace. The rose garden wasn’t far—just outside the royal feather.
Something tugged backward, and I glanced over my shoulder, finding Mannore’s face screwed up like he was trying to resist the compulsion.
But there was no fighting off my power once it had taken root.
I didn’t even break a sweat from flexing my Command as we strode onto the grassy lawn.
Slowing my pace, I ensured those around tending to the grounds merely thought the three of us were out for a stroll.
“So, what was it that you were saying about the war?” I asked casually, like either were capable of replying.
I clapped one on the shoulder and laughed for good measure as we dipped between two thorny bushes and out of sight of the gardeners.
Thankfully, Iaoth waited for us on a stone bench a short distance away.
“Ah, there you are,” she purred, her focus trained on the two males under my thrall. “Do we have an agreement?”
Opening my hand, I slackened the hold of my magic. “They have been Commanded.” The velvet of my voice was scraped raw, as it always was after.
My sister grinned like a feral cat before the pounce, all teeth and cunning. “Good.”
She approached Rhael Thesariin and rose to her tiptoes, fingers pressing into his temples. With a subtle nod, I released all of my hold over him, doubling the effort on Mannore Liraeviel.
Rhael thrashed, sinking to his knees, as Iaoth’s power sank into his mind. More radiant white poured from her fingers and filled his mouth to muffle his cries.
“There,” she said, stepping back and letting him collapse into the dirt.
“For Goddess’s sake, Iaoth,” I snapped, stepping forward and jerking him upright. “Do you want them to think they passed out drunk in the garden? For your future reference, Rhael doesn’t drink alcohol. You couldn’t be more obvious with your meddling unless you shoved a dagger in their skulls.”
I planted him on the bench my sister had vacated and dusted off his jerkin. His eyes were glassy and vacant, like the male was nothing more than an empty shell. It would take a few minutes for him to return to himself.
Iaoth made a noise like she disagreed and moved onto Mannore Liraeviel, repeating the process.
This time I was prepared to catch him when he collapsed. I arranged the males in such a way that they would awake from the magic facing one another, like they’d been mid conversation the whole time.
“Let’s go,” I snapped at my sister, striding toward the palace and the private door that led from her rooms and into the garden.
She lifted her silk skirt and rushed after me.
“Is it true that the Manipulator unit is collapsing?” I questioned as we reentered the cool marble.
“And where did you hear that?” she sneered, walking away from me without looking back.
In two strides, I’d caught up with her. “That is what the two were discussing when I cornered them.”
She tossed her head, long hair whispering over her lower back, and tiara glinting from the light spilling through windows that framed this hall. “They have no idea what they’re talking about.”
I followed her back into her room. “Don’t lie to me, Iaoth. I can’t help if I don’t know.”
“Oh, so now you want to fulfill your obligations again?” she tossed at me like I’d even abandoned them in the first place.
My nostrils flared. But I would not let her barb me like she had upon my return. “You know my duty always comes first.” It wasn’t a lie. But what that was currently shifted like the sands on the beaches of the Hatha Islands.
She arched a critical brow. “Fine. Yes, there seems to be some sort of sickness spreading now too. But it isn’t plague-born.
The dry air seems to have quite an impact on some of our more delicate soldier’s lungs.
They’ll adjust the further south they go.
And then they’ll be all better when they return to the forests. ”
Delusional.
That was the word to describe my sister. She was going to drag all of the Angels down with her. I could no longer stand in the shadow of her willful incompetence.
“If you’ll give me leave, I have other matters to attend to,” I said through clenched teeth.
She waved me away like I was nothing more than a fly. “Yes, go. And don’t be late for the council meeting.”
Like I needed a reminder.
“Give my regards to the Seers. I’ll be seeing them again very soon. The latest two you brought me are so very pretty too. Makes me think what all the Goddess has in store for them.”
Ice slithered down my spine. Ashen light gathered at the tips of my fingers, begging to be released. To wrap around my sister’s neck and strangle until life bled out of her. Not a muscle twitched in my face, expression determinedly calm when I was anything but beneath the mask.
Something devious glinted in Iaoth’s eyes. The corner of her mouth twitched up.
Did she know about Sylaira and me?
The thought wrapped vines around my ribs and squeezed.
I still hadn’t had nearly enough time to determine a path forward. With everything Iaoth wanted me to do, there wasn’t much time to think of a plan. My survival strategy hinged on completing everything she asked of me so that her claws would retract.
I said nothing else as I reentered the halls, this time headed for the training ring with the royal sentinels. And hopefully Maelsar.
Because the truth sank into my bones. There was no doubt in my mind that my fighting skills needed to be honed like my blades.
Because the greatest threat to our race wasn’t across the spine of Keleti, lying in wait in the Demon Realm.
No, it was standing in front of me wearing a smile.
War raged beyond the Skala Mountains, but soon, the spear of battle would pierce our borders once again.
And our monarchs weren’t doing nearly enough to stop it.