Page 58 of Madness of Her Mages

I knelt between the girls’ chairs, holding out my arms. “Girls, I have to go. Give Auntie a hug.”

Ember gasped, falling into my arms. “You’re leaving?”

“We don’t want you to go,” Aurora whispered as she flung herself against my chest.

“I know, but Uncle Nikkos will be here.” I kissed both their foreheads, my lips lingering on their soft skin. I didn’t think I could love children of my own womb any more than I loved these cherubs. “I’ll check back soon. Please be good for your nursemaid.”

“We will,” they said in unison.

I kissed them both once more. “I love you so very much.”

They held onto me tight. It was as if I was ripping my heart from my chest as I extricated their hands from my clothes and hair. “Remember what to do if there’s danger, Aurora,” I whispered to her as I had an overwhelming sense of dread at leaving them. Powerful demons could easily overwhelm the guards and even Nikkos. “But only if Uncle Nikkos can’t save you.”

She vehemently nodded, her lower lip hanging in a pout. “Yes, Auntie.”

“I love you, Auntie,” Ember whispered while kissing my cheek.

I cupped her cheek in my hand, committing to memory the silver and blue swirls in her eyes while trying my hardest not to cry. They had too much change these past few weeks. First, I took them from their grandparents, then my aunt took me from them. My only consolation was they had each other.

I tensed at Malvolia’s impatient sigh behind us, and I wondered if Thorin’s spell on her mind had also turned herwitch’s heart to ash. Surely, after finding her long-lost family, she should have had more compassion.

“Don’t leave us forever,” Aurora pleaded, her eyes watering with unshed tears.

She could have plunged a blade into my heart, and it would’ve had the same effect. “Not even an army of dragons could keep me from you.”

I FOLLOWED MY AUNTback down the long hall while taking every opportunity to look out the windows we passed. I saw more formations of fire mages flying through the sky before plunging through the air. I caught hundreds more battling one another with fire on the ground and in the air, and my veins solidified with dread at the thought of going to war against my sister.

My aunt took me through several chambers and into a grand room, her heels echoing across the smooth marble floors. We were in what appeared to be the throne room. Though I’d never seen one before, my mother had once described it to me. Oddly enough, the throne at the end of the room was a floral parlor chair, looking out of place sitting on top of a dais and framed in grand velvet drapes.

Malvolia took me to the bottom step of the dais, motioning toward the odd throne. “That chair belonged to your great-grandmother. It was the only piece of intact furniture left in her bedchamber after the mage Djall had killed my family.”

“So you made it your throne?”

“I did.” She rested a foot on the edge of the dais, leaning on her shapely knee. “It serves as a daily reminder of what happens when a queen becomes too trusting.”

There was no mistaking the meaning behind the side-eyed glare she gave me. She still didn’t trust me. Fine. I didn’t trust her, either. “Djall was my great-grandmother’s mage?” I asked, remembering my mother telling me about him.

“He was,” she said with a grimace, her gaze settling on the throne, “and his nephew was my mage until he also betrayed me and fled to Fachnan’s court.” She plastered on a smile that looked like it was etched in stone. “Come.” She stood, motioning toward a door to the side of the dais. “We’re going to meet my personal coven before you question my army.”

She took me into a much smaller room, a cozy space with a circular shape of wide sofas piled with thick cushions and pillows surrounding a stone pool with inky black water. We gravitated toward the warm hearth at the end of the room to avoid the drafty air.

Four witches, each dressed in simple, colorful robes, stood by the hearth. But the witch in the gray robe who sat on a sofa caught my eye, for she wore that hideous black feather necklace Lady Veronica had worn yesternight, though this witch looked nothing like the bitch with the dragon-doo hair and face caked in white makeup. She looked to be not much older than me, with pretty, slightly tapered eyes, an upturned nose, warm complexion, and her dark hair tied back in a simple braid. When she stood, flashing that devious smile, I realized this pretty witch and the unpleasant bitch were indeed one and the same person. I didn’t know how to reconcile the two. Considering her number of feathers, I assumed she was closer to my mother’s age. Hadn’t she claimed to have collected thousands? She must’ve been barely a teen when she started collecting them.

When she smiled at me, I gritted my teeth, refusing to reciprocate.

“Shirina, I’d like you to meet my council, members of my personal coven.” Malvolia motioned toward the witchescongregating around us. “You know Daminica and Cousin Felicity.”

I gave a start when I looked at my lady’s maid, Daminica, minus all that white makeup and hideous wig. I recognized those striking emerald eyes, though now she had dark hair and olive skin. She wore a simple green gown with loose flowing skirts and matching robe. She was also a member of Malvolia’s council? No doubt my aunt assigned her as my maid to spy on me. My Cousin Felicity was almost as pale as her face powders, though she had dark eyes and hair to compliment her deep blue robe. She was exceptionally pretty, but her beauty was marred by a sneer etched into her features.

I nodded when they curtsied. “Yes, of course.”

Malvolia motioned toward Lady Veronica who inserted herself into our circle. “And of course, you remember Lady Veronica.”

Lady Veronica bowed while placing her hand across her feathers, no doubt to taunt me. “I knew you couldn’t forget me,” she said with a wink.

I curled my hands into claws, repressing the urge to yank that necklace off her and throw it into the hearth. I flashed a saccharine smile. “No, how could I forget the woman who collected my mate’s feathers?”

Lady Veronica had the nerve to giggle while touching the feathers on her large bosom, the ones she said belonged to Drae.

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