Page 112 of Madness of Her Mages

I briefly checked the pack strapped beneath Nikkos’s vest that contained necessary supplies for Marius, making sure they were still secure, then Drae and Nikkos held my hands while we followed Malvolia’s coven down a grassy slope toward a dense forest.

A reminder of what will happen to us if we lose favor with Malvolia,Nikkos said through thought while leering at Felicity.

I gritted my teeth.I will kill her before that happens.

Drae’s curse echoed in my skull.Nothing bad will happen, so long as we do what she says.

You mean, so long as we’re good dogs?I hissed.

He gave me a grim look.Yes.

It was then I realized we may not have been bound in physical leashes like Felicity, but we were still my aunt’s slaves, something I planned on rectifying very soon.

The coven had already been instructed not to so much as smile in Felicity’s direction, which is why I assumed they were keeping their distance. Not that I blamed them. I overheard them whispering that my aunt was in a particularly sour mood after receiving more bad news about Fachnan’s court from her spies. I turned away from the coven, not wanting to hear more. The whispers about the court my sister had allied with made me more depressed, though the court we’d been forced to join wasn’t much better.

I was grateful when Drae gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and smile.

You okay?he asked through thought.

As much as I can be,I answered back.

I hadn’t noticed the beauty of the forest when we’d first flown over it, but walking across the moss-covered floor, I was in awe of the majesty of the tall, wide trees with ivy growing up the sides, the clouds of mist that floated among the branches, and the thick, pungent air that smelled of flowers and pine. The air was warmer, more humid here, the breeze muted by the trees as a bead of sweat formed on my brow.

We followed Malvolia as she and Mortimus walked through a tunnel made by overhead branches that reached across the stone path, their limbs twisting and turning around each other. I felt as if we were entering the gates to heaven, and when we emerged into a clearing, the mist cleared to reveal an ancient stone temple with ivy growing up the sides, and I knew we’d entered a sacred space. I felt almost as if the goddesses of old weren’t just staring down at us—they were here with us. I was humbled to think I could one day be among their numbers.

“Well, Shirina,” Malvolia said as she walked up to the temple, her hands jutted on her hips. “This is it.”

“What is this?” I asked as I examined the blackened, deteriorating stones of the building that was about the size of the castle stables.

She turned toward me, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “It’s an ancient temple built to honor Kyan. You’re going to tear it down.”

Fuuuck.Drae’s curse resonated in my mind.

I gasped. “You want me to what?” I already knew she was crazy, but this was a new level of madness.

Shadows fell across her eyes. “I want you to obliterate it.”

“But that’s sacrilege,” I blurted.

Her burst of shrill laughter was like a hammer to my ears. “What do I care about a goddess from two millennia ago, or any goddess who failed to eradicate the demons?”

She’s lost her fucking mind,Nikkos’s grumble echoed in my skull.

You’re just now figuring that out?Drae answered.

I took a step back, pressing into my mates when Malvolia approached me, her cloak whipping behind her. Turning up my chin, I summoned my courage. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“I didn’t ask you how you felt.” Her eyes flared as black magic rose from her pores. “I gave you an order, and you will obey it.”

I tensed when Drae squeezed my shoulder.Do as she says,he warned.

Please,Nikkos added, fear ringing in his words.

Malvolia snarled at Felicity, rattling her chains before dropping the leash. “This is your chance to earn your pardon, Felicity. Teach my niece how to bring it down.”

Felicity answered with a submissive bow and sidled over to me while keeping her gaze down.

I gathered my nerve and stepped forward, immediately missing my mates, even if they were excessively warm and I was already starting to sweat. Their warmth and their scents of sulfur and sage meant safety.

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