Page 128 of Madness of Her Mages

Then I remembered Veronica’s words. ‘Trust in your heart and in your bonds. Do not act out of fear, but out of love.’I heaved a shaky breath while repeating the mantra.Trust in your heart...Trust in your heart.

After wiping tears from my eyes, I crawled out of bed. Long shadows had fallen across the tent, illuminated by lantern light. How long had I slept? I spotted my mates sitting by the tent opening, watching the activity of the evening bustle through the open flap. Night was upon us as shards of moonlight peeked from behind the clouds. I crawled into Nikkos’s lap, resting my head on his warm chest while he rubbed my back. Why hadn’twe declared war? I was about to ask my mates when I spied a line of what appeared to be giant birds perched on top of the wall dividing Caldaria and Windhaven. But no, those weren’t birds.

Bile projected into my throat when a roar rattled the air and one of those ‘birds’ shot a stream of fire into the night sky. Well, fuck. Malvolia expected me to disable the dragons, too? I hadn’t practiced my siren’s call on anything larger than mages, unless we counted that time I’d disabled the giants.

“Can we go exploring?” a little voice called behind me.

I looked over my shoulder at Aurora sitting up in bed, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her sister sat up with a yawn while stretching her arms.

“No.” As if I’d take the chance of them getting picked off by a dragon. “You’re not to leave the tent.”

“Aww,” the girls cried in unison. “Can we at least see the beach or the animals?”

“What animals?” I asked as I rose from Nikkos’s lap.

“Probably the stables we passed on the way here,” Nikkos answered.

“Girls, listen to me,” Drae said as he sat on the bed beside them, a stern look in his eyes. “We’re at war. There is danger all around us, not to mention dragons.”

“I want to see the dragons!” Aurora pleaded.

Ugh. I repressed a curse.

“Absolutely not,” Drae answered. “Dragons are too unpredictable.”

“You are not to leave the tent for any reason,” I said to them. “Understood?”

The girls pouted. “Yes.”

I turned when a servant came into the room, handing me a summons from the queen bitch.

“Aunt Malvolia has summoned us.” I stood, kissing the girls’ temples. “Who’s staying with the girls?” I asked my mates.

Nikkos leaned back in his chair, dragging his hands through his hair. “I will. I’m exhausted.” His eyes looked weary, framed by dark circles, and I feared he still hadn’t gotten enough rest after healing Marius. I kissed his cheek before turning to the girls. “Be good for Uncle Nikkos.” I wasn’t reassured when I caught a gleam in their eyes, and I feared they would be a handful.

Nikkos gave the girls warning looks. “They will be if they want ginger candies.”

I kissed them once more and followed Drae and Blaze out of the tent while hoping ginger candies were enough incentive for them to behave.

THE FIRST THING THATstruck me when we went outside was the blistering heat. I wasn’t surprised with so many fire mages being so close together. The next thing I noticed were the dragons. I could see them better outside the tent, their menacing forms bathed in moonlight, from their barbed tails, long snouts, and wicked fangs. They ranged in color from gold to blue to crimson, and they varied in size, too. About a dozen perched on the wall dividing Caldaria from Windhaven, watching us like cats on a fence deciding on which mice to snatch for supper.

Blaze, Drae, and I dodged mages and witches in colorful robes while trying to cross the short distance to my aunt’s tent. It was hard not to miss the biggest tent in the center of the field. Behind us loomed the beautiful city of Ventus and in front of us that massive temple blocking the seawall.

We ducked inside the tent, its door flap left open, and I was met with the leering eyes of Malvolia’s five lovers as they sprawled out on a sofa, a giant table with what looked like a map of the Tribus Point spread out before them. I gavethem a withering look before averting my gaze. The tent had several rooms divided by partitions, from a sitting area, dining room, bedchamber, and a bathing room. Each area was awash in candlelight and smelled like spicy incense. I squinted at the partition dividing the bathing room as I heard splashing water. A female figure with long, sharp nails rose from the tub, her naked silhouette clearly visible while she dried off. Drae and Blaze averted their gazes before crossing to the buffet server and pouring goblets of wine. I went with them, accepting a goblet, knowing I needed something to fortify my nerves as I prepared for my visit with Malvolia. I drank down several gulps, barely registering the fruity taste before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

My aunt’s lovers caught my gaze again. They were all nude, though they had the decency to shield their groins with either their wings or pillows. I reminded myself not to sit on those sofas or use any of the pillows. No telling how much of their ball hair and fluids I’d get on my dress.

Malvolia appeared from around the partition, exposing her breasts before wrapping a black silk robe around her body.

I gritted my teeth when my aunt flashed my mates a devious grin. As if I couldn’t like her any less.

“Be a dear and pour me some wine, too, Lord Inferni,” she said as she sat at the head of the dining table and waved us forward.

I pulled up a chair next to her,setting my goblet on the table. “What news, Aunt?”

She thanked Drae as he handed her a goblet of wine and then gave me a blank look. “About what?”

Blaze sat beside me, and Drae sat across from us on Malvolia’s other side, both giving me looks that said they were here for me.

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