Page 21 of Violet Legacy

Talik glanced at her cautiously, and she shook her head at the silent question.

A group of Atlanteans stared at them as they moved through the foyer. Rieka ignored them. They were undoubtedly just wondering who she was. Talik was not inconspicuous, but she didn’t care. She was too distracted by the living museum they had just walked into. Blues and purples swirled together on small tiles. It took her a second to register that they were standing on a mosaic. Excitement rushed through her as she slowly surveyed the ground. She needed to get higher, to see what the design was. “Give me a moment.”

“Of course,” Talik replied. This time, the laughter in his tone was unmistakable. “I don’t think I have ever seen anyone this eager to examine outdated architecture and useless objects.”

The screech of metal on sandstone broke the spell. The sound vibrated through her; goose bumps appeared on her arms. She glanced at Talik as he winced. Four armored guards moved as one, the silver of their armor blinding her as they fanned out around a giant plain vase.

“Vandana’s flame,” Khalida said as she stalked toward them.

Rieka swallowed, her mouth unexpectedly dry as she remembered where she was. Her mom had told her stories about the flame: the last surviving link to House Atlas and the royal family.

“My family has guarded the flame for more than four thousand years. The priestesses entrusted it to Aadya.” Pride tinged Khalida’s comment.

Talik stiffened next to Rieka, but she ignored it—too entranced by the flame. What Lilian had never mentioned was how alluring it was. Even from this distance, she wanted to touch it and see if it would burn like any other fire. It changed from dark purple to a light lilac and every color in between. For a moment, it was just her and the flame. She grasped her pendant through her shirt as she forced down the need to touch the flame. Taking note of the guards stationed at the site, she would find her way back here again. “It’s beautiful,” Rieka said.

Eleven thousand years was a long time for a fire to burn.

“Vandana saved it herself, a reminder of her sacrifice,” Khalida added, seemingly just as entranced as Rieka was. “The last vestige of our original home.”

“Aadya?” Rieka didn’t recognize the name, but there was something familiar about it.

“Aadya was lord of Azaes until she abdicated the position.”

Rieka scrunched her face. Atlantean genealogy gave her a headache on a good day. And she really wished she’d paid more attention to it in the past.

“She is Dante’s and my paternal grandmother. Our fathers were half brothers,” Khalida continued. “As humans would refer to it.”

Rory had been right. The ruling elite were incestuous.

“Some believe that as long as the flame burns, a descendant walks the earth.” Talik broke the silence between them.

She’d heard countless versions of the legends. “Do you believe it?”

Talik smiled, the light not reaching his eyes as he stared at Khalida. He tensed up, the move subtle. “If there is a kernel of truth in the legend, it remains to be seen which parts.”

She’d been so distracted, she hadn’t realized that she could cut the tension between them with a blunt knife. They must have history with each other, and she didn’t want to get between them. Not if she valued her life. Khalida probably didn’t carry the dual swords solely for the aesthetic.

Khalida looked at them. Her yellow eyes glowed with an unnamed emotion that was at odds with the stillness Khalida held herself with. “Not everything is what it seems.”

Chapter 14

“Areyouhidingfromus?”

The voice was low, the Atlantean accent unmistakable. If Dante ignored the intrusion, they may leave him alone. First Idris and now Anhur. Seconds passed. He was not that fortunate. Soft voices carried through the room. Neither of them were leaving.

“If I can find some quiet and work, then yes.”

“I told you he wasn’t ignoring us,” a feminine voice gloated. The pair rounded the corner. “I win.”

“Frankie, I would never hide from you,” Dante said as he stood and looked at the heavily pregnant blonde in front of him. She wore the glow of pregnancy well. “You look radiant.”

Somehow, Frankie had become an integral member of House Azaes’s council in the short five years since she’d been named a consort, although not without antagonizing the older members, particularly the old bloods. Frankie threatened their world order, just as Dante had when he established his businesses in America.

Anhur glowered at him, bright yellow eyes staring at him with animal intensity that was emphasized by his dark complexion. Clearly, Khalida had inherited her temperament from her father. Dante ignored him and smiled at Frankie, genuinely happy to see her, but he also knew it would irritate his uncle. Frankie blushed prettily and gave him an exaggerated wink in return.

Anhur let out a long sigh. “Are you both done?”

“Will you leave?”

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