Page 16 of A Heart of Crimson Flames
I sniffed the air, trying to hone my sense further, grateful forthe breeze greeting us face on. I couldn’t see any movement, nor fires, nor flashes of light or reflection off steel. The place seemed long deserted. I closed my eyes to focus on the scent—nothing but old wood, dried pine needles, and dusty tomes.
“It’s abandoned,” I replied. At that assurance, Kian let out a sharp whistle that had me covering my ears with a scowl. “A warning would’ve been nice.”
“It was a warning,” he said. “But for everyone inside.” As he said that, the songs from within the wagon abruptly stopped and Navin stuck his head through the curtain.
“What is it?” he asked, gaze darting from Kian, to me, to the knives still safely tucked on my belt. I rolled my eyes. Did he really think his brother was sounding the alarm because I’d stabbed him? I smiled at Navin with feigned innocence. If I wanted to stab Kian, I’d make sure he couldn’t make a sound. Navin narrowed his eyes at me.
But Kian didn’t seem to notice the silent exchange between his brother and me as he said, “We’re here.”
Briar
I COULDN’T COMPREHEND WHAT I WAS SEEING. THE GROUNDwhooshed away, and then suddenly we stood in a cold, austere room, flurries of snow skirting by the frosted windowpane.
“We’re not in Olmdere.” I said it more like a question, my eyes searching the sumptuously appointed room of heavy furs and fabrics in silver and blue.Are we in Taigos?
Maez folded her arms and leaned against the bedpost, shadows still clinging to her. “I don’t think the people of Olmdere would much appreciate another sorceress on their doorstep so soon after Sawyn.”
I turned to look at my mate fully—at the emerald flashes of lightning reflected in her eyes, at the wisps of darkness swirling around her legs. “You’re not a sorceress,” I said as if I could will away the dark magic from confidence alone. My statement clearly amused her.
Maez lifted a hand spitting with green static. “Am I not?”
“No,” I breathed, begging. “You’re a good person, Maez. I know who you are. You are funny and brave and loyal and loving. You...”
Maez cocked her head, cold eyes narrowing at me. I wondered if she felt anything for me at all anymore—or was it only this possessive need to have me like everyone else? It was a sadistic fateto lose someone and still have them standing in front of you. No. I couldn’t accept it. We’d have to find a way to get her out of this.
There must be a way to break this curse. A cure.
“What happened in Valta?” I asked shakily, not yet ready to confront what there was—or wasn’t—between us.
Maez’s magic flared like liquor to a flame. “We were ambushed, attacked in Luo’s castle.” Her eyes grew brighter with menace and I shuddered at the pure power. She looked like an inferno ready to erupt, and I tried not to add any more kindling to her flame. “There was no way we’d have made it out alive. The look in Sadie’s eyes... like she knew it was the end. But then Navin conjured a monster—adragon—and unleashed dark magic into the world that was just there hovering, waiting for someone willing to take hold.”
“But... why didyoutake it?” My voice cracked.
Maez looked at me like she loathed me, like I was a pestering insect with a nattering question rather than the moon in her sky. “They told me Nero had taken you, that they were going to marry you off to Evres, the little snake,” she growled. “I couldn’t have that.”
My throat bobbed. “Why? Why couldn’t you have that?” My eyes pleaded with her, beseeched her to say because she loved me, because we were mates, because there was no world—dark magic or no—in which she wouldn’t come back to me.
But Maez just studied me for a long moment, her steely eyes contemplating something I did not know. Finally, as if a spell was broken, she blinked and looked away. She tipped her head to the bed. “It’s late,” she said. “You should get some rest. You’ll be safe here.”
I reached out for her. “Maez, please.”
Faster than a snow snake, I was in the air, pinned to the wall by an invisible hand. My legs dangled just above the carpet, and I clawed at my throat, wondering if she’d brought me all this way just to kill me herself.
Maez frowned down to where my fingers had skimmed herelbow before looking me in the eyes. “I don’t think you’re ready to play with this kind of power, Princess.” That vicious green blaze in her eyes made my hands drop to my sides and stop fighting her invisible grip. She angled her head. “Are you afraid of me, Briar?”
She loosened her grip enough to allow me to croak, “No.”
“Liar,” she purred.
“I’m not afraid of you,” I said, even as my voice betrayed me.
“Then you haven’t been paying attention,” Maez snapped. She gave me one last disdainful look. “Sleep or don’t; I really don’t care.” She gave me one last appraising look. “If I decide to keep you, I will teach you how to kill dogs like Evres.”
If I decide to keep you?
With that, she walked off, the door magically shutting behind her, and I crumpled to the floor.
My heart lodged in my throat as tears welled in my eyes. My mate would’ve never harmed me like that. That monster wasn’t Maez. On shaky legs, I went to test the door and found it was unlocked. I decided to latch it anyway, knowing that it would do nothing to stop Maez from entering my room at night if she wanted to. But maybe the snick of the lock turning would give me enough time to wake at least.
