Page 30 of Vicious Is My Throne

Raziel shook his head. “We can’t survive for too long in the blight, and we can’t fight the Soul Reapers.” Anaria cleared her throat, and I turned to hide my smile as Raziel stumbled over a poor excuse for an apology.

“Sorry. While Anaria can kill Reapers from sunrise to sunset, Raz is right. When we step out of here, we won’t have the luxury of debating where to go, so we decide now. Tristan, you’ll have to be outside to shift forms?”

He shook his head. “The exits and entrances are wider and taller. I could shift at the mouth of the tunnel, but I have to be in a clearing for my wings to create enough lift. And if I’m carrying one of you—or two at a time—my take off will be slow.”

Meaning, if there were Reapers or Night Crawlers or fuck knows what monsters waiting, we’d be sitting ducks.

“The Wynter Palace.” Anaria looked up, her eyes dark. “Remember what the Oracle said about the palace? She’d gotten rid of the Wynters and spent ten years preparing that place. Some of her magic is in that castle, maybe enough to deter Corvus. Or make his magic think the castle is off-limits.”

“I could do a quick flyover,” Tristan suggested, his gaze fixed on the long run of tunnel leading to so many unknowns. “Take a look. From the air, the blight is easy to spot, even at night.”

“That’s a plan,” Zor agreed. “Tristan and I will head to the opening; everyone else stay here.” He scanned the walls. “Any sign of the blight down here and you get moving. Choose a place that you deem safe, but don’t come outside until we give you the go ahead.”

Tristan handed Anaria the pack mule’s reins, then shed his cloak, his shirt, pants, and boots, and stuffed everything into one of the saddlebags before leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“We’re fifteen minutes from the entrance.” If I squinted, I could see the faint glow of daylight. A good sign, better than gloaming darkness.

“We’ll return when we know something.” Zor’s jaw clenched. “If we aren’t back in an hour, then come find out why. And get out of here if you can.” His eyes dipped to Anaria, and I knew what he meant.

Save Anaria at all costs.

This realm might be fucked, but it was our duty—our sacred duty—to keep our queen alive. But none of us could fight the blight or kill Reapers. Keeping her safe in Caladrius might be impossible.

And that fucking pissed me off.

As Zor and Tristan headed down the tunnel, a ball of fire floating over their heads, Anaria’s small, cold hand slipped into mine. “I’m sorry we’re heading back to the palace; I know you despise that place,” she said quietly. “And I’m sorry about Nightcairn. If it’s the last thing we do, we’ll get your home back, Tav.”

I clamped my teeth together, feeling them grind.

I hadn’t allowed myself to dwell on my final glimpse of Nightcairn, my ancient, beloved castle disappearing beneath a layer of Corvus’s filthy rot. That castle had served generations of Montgomerys, even before the two brothers went to war.

Nightcairn had fallen while under my watch.

That Anaria had promised me, with fire and flame in her eyes, to get my home back for me…everything else fell away because nothing else mattered.

Nothing but her.

Every time I thought I couldn’t love her more, she said or did something that made my heart race like a fucking schoolboy’s.

“Thank you.” I kept my smile easy. “That means a lot.”

“It’s one thing to see woods destroyed, but your home is different. Not that I’ve ever had one,” she hurried to add, “but when I saw what Corvus had done, I wanted to burn a trail straight to the Hammer, then kill that fucking bastard with my bare hands.”

Fuck. A helpless emotion swept over me and my knees went weak, my heart racing.

“Well.” I skimmed my hand down her cheek, willing my fingers not to shake. “Aren’t you a bloodthirsty little thing.”

10

ANARIA

Anger made the words pour out of me, Tavion staring down at me with that slightly amused expression, and I winced.

Too much.

As usual, I didn’t know when to shut up.

“I mean, Nightcairn was beautiful. Probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life,” I overexplained. “And I hate to see beautiful things destroyed.”

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