Page 114 of Madness of Her Mages

He kept his iron-eyed gaze straight ahead.We’re fine. Don’t worry about us.

I know you love and admire her, but I hate her—I breathed out a long, weary breath—with every ounce of my soul.

His gaze darted to mine, his wings faltering a little before he pushed us faster.I don’t love her, Shiri, and I certainly no longer admire her, but she is still the queen and still capable of turning us to ash, so we must play her game until we can get the hell out of here.

Words couldn’t express my relief that my evil aunt no longer had Drae under her spell.Once we leave here, I never want to come back.

Neither do I.

I rested my head on his shoulder again as we wordlessly flew the rest of the way back to the battlements.

Once we landed, Felicity gasped when one of Malvolia’s new young lovers roughly grabbed her.

“Back to your cell,” he grumbled.

I stepped forward. “Let her go,” I said to the mage. “My mates and I will accompany Felicity back to her cell.” I tried not to sound too eager lest my aunt discover the real reason I wanted to go to the tower.

Malvolia held a hand out to me. “Come, Shirina. You don’t want to follow Felicity back into that dank dungeon.”

“I don’t.” I made a face, pretending as if the dungeon was the last place I’d rather be. “But I have a few more questions I wanted to ask her.”

She gave me an impatient look. “Then ask her.”

“It will take some time,” I said, the lie easily slipping off my tongue.

“I’ll go with them, My Queen,” Lady Veronica said sweetly while toying with the feathers on her neck, “and then I’ll escort them to their rooms.”

Malvolia laughed. “My niece isn’t going to share her mates with you.”

“I know.” She leered at Malvolia from beneath her lashes while biting her bottom lip. “I was hoping to catch the eye of a particular guard who has impressively large hands.”

My aunt rolled her eyes. “Is that all you think about, Veronica?”

“My necklace is looking a little shabby, don’t you think?” she said with a pout, then she protruded her chest at Drae.

When Drae backed away, his cheeks reddening, Malvolia burst out laughing.

Lady Veronica waved her fingers at Malvolia. “We will see you at court, My Queen.” Then she turned to us, her eyes sharpening. “Hurry,” she said on an urgent whisper while tapping Nikkos’s arm, “before she changes her mind.”

Nikkos gave me a helpless look, but I nodded, and he held out his arms, grimacing when Lady Veronica wriggled into his embrace. Drae picked me up, and we flew behind the mage who had Felicity.

I didn’t know what Lady Veronica knew or suspected, but my instincts compelled me to trust her. I only hoped my instincts weren’t wrong.

Drae

TENSION GRIPPED MYspine as we followed Felicity and Malvolia’s lover across the tower bridge. I held tightly to Shiri’s hand while Lady Veronica and Nikkos brought up the rear. I didn’t dare look over my shoulder at them, though I could tell by the way Lady Veronica giggled and Nikkos groaned, he wasn’t having a good time.

Shiri didn’t seem bothered by Lady Veronica’s flirtations.It’s all an act, Shirina projected to us as she kept her gaze forward, centered on the mage’s back.

What?I asked.

Lady Veronica. She’s not just a simple witch.I think she’s helping us.

I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder at Lady Veronica. Though she pretended to be a silly flirt, I’d seen the shrewdness in her eyes before, too. That didn’t mean she was on our side. She could’ve been Malvolia’s spy.How can you be sure?

I can’t,Shiri answered.It’s just a hunch.

I inwardly swore, hoping we didn’t get killed on a hunch.

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