Page 111 of Wild Flame

Yesh and Selasi stationed themselves outside as I entered. The rest of the Talonar would be manning the outer entrances to The Sphere, just in case.

Inside The Conclave Hall was a single large chamber. It was surprisingly simple, with no decorations on the stone walls or ceiling. More lit braziers lined the space since there were no windows, and a rectangular stone table dominated its center. Inlaid in the stone was one of the most intricately carved depictions of a dragon I had ever seen, the serpentine body curling and twisting up nearly the entire length of the table. It was stunning and made even more so by the lack of decoration around it.

Finally, my eyes fell on the people standing around the long table. All of them with drinks in hand, as if they had been waiting a while.

Oops.It appeared I was later than I had intended.

Harun, Taj, and Sura were talking to Malik, who stood at the head of the table. Salim and the other Rajar stood at the six chairs obviously intended for them on either side, while Nilfren and Helene waited at the opposite end. My sister shot me a look filled with questions. I gave her a nod in return that we both knew meant we would talk later. It wasn’t until I drew closer that I saw Prince Amir standing to the left of what I assumed was Malik’s chair, looking very bored. Though for once he was clear-eyed and aware. I was amazed he had even shown. He tipped his glass to me when he saw me.

Malik turned to me when I finally reached them. He looked handsome, as always, in a red and black tunic. A sword was belted at his waist, and many others in the room were sporting the same. His face broke into a broad smile. “My queen, we were about to send out a search party.”

“My apologies,” I stammered, my cheeks going pink as the rest of those in the hall noticed me and bowed. “Time got away from me.”

“No matter,” Malik said aloud, while his eyes asked me if I was all right and offered me his glass.

I accepted and took a small bracing sip before I gave him a reassuring nod. He studied me for only a moment longer before helping me to the seat at his right before taking his own. Once he was seated everyone else followed suit, except for The Fangdar. Taj, Sura, and Harun had set down their drinks and now stood like soldiers behind Malik, myself, and Amir.

Then Malik and the six territory leaders each took a small glass jar from somewhere on their person and placed them in tiny grooves built into the design of the table. Each of the jars contained different colors of what appeared to be sand.

Malik must have known I would be curious because he leaned over and explained, “The jars contain sand from each of our territories. It is meant as a reminder of who we represent at these meetings.”

An intriguing practice, I thought as Malik leaned away.

“This conclave is now in session,” Malik stated to the room at large.

Salim wasted no time before he spoke. “Your Majesty, may I ask why you have called us all here on such short notice?” He gestured to Helene and Nilfren. “And why you have seen fit to invite outsiders to a gathering that has traditionally only ever been private?”

Malik didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared Salim down for several long moments before his gaze did the same to each of the other Rajar at the table. Only when he had reminded them all—without a single word—who he was to them, did he stand.

“I’ve asked you all here because an important matter has come to my attention that I wish to discuss with you,” Malik began. Everyone who hadn’t been tipped off about tonight stared at Malik with a mixture of intrigue and bemusement. “I have discovered wh—” Malik’s words suddenly halted, and I looked over at him in confusion. Malik had gone completely still. Unnaturally so.

“Malik, what’s wrong?”

I stood and stepped toward him. His broad chest still moved up and down with breath, but otherwise, he was motionless. “Malik,” I said, cupping his face, but there was no response. “Malik,” I repeated, shaking him slightly, but his normally brilliant amber eyes were blank and unseeing and . . . red.

Dread pooled in the pit of my gut.Confusion assailed me.What—It was only then that I noticed the entire hall had gone silent. I spun and saw most of those sitting around the table were frozen as well.What was going on?

I ran to Helene at the other end of the table. Her face was blank as she stared, unmoving. It was as terrifying as it was unnerving. No. No, no, no—

Panic rose in me, but I forced myself to take a deep breath, allowing my mind to settle enough to think logically. It appeared Salim and Nilfren had finally made their move.

When I turned to glare at Nilfren, he wasn’t smirking at me as I suspected he would be. Instead, he looked just as confused as I was, like he didn’t understand what was going on either. My eyes shot to Salim, thinking maybe it had just been him who was behind this, and to my shock found he was just as motionless and blank-eyed as the others. Unease ate away at me at the sight. Salim had to be behind this, surely.

This time, I examined each person more closely as I moved back down the table. They were all immobile. They all had red eyes.

Fleshfire. My gaze fell to the drinks on the table. Had someone drugged the drinks with Fleshfire?

Then movement caught my eye.

Sura. Sura was awake.

Was she involved in this? Surely not. But then why wasn’t it affecting her—but wait, no, itwasaffecting Sura, just not like everyone else. Even as I watched, she slumped to her knees, bleary-eyed, with a vacant smile on her face.

Why was it affecting her differently, and me and Nilfren not at all?

“What did you do?”

I whirled at the shouted accusation, expecting to see Nilfren glaring at me, but he wasn’t. He was staring at the person sitting nonchalantly at the opposite end of the table from him—the only other person who appeared unaffected by what was going on.

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