Page 9 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
A breeze brushed his skin, but it did little to soothe the pain from the scorching heat. Instead, the temperature of the flames only grew hotter.
"Give in," a low voice whispered.
Graeson lifted his head, searching for the source of the voice. All around him, shadows danced, but he couldn’t make out the form. He tried to call out, but his throat burned, the pain too great.
"What are you waiting for?" the voice asked. "Why do you insist on walking among mortals when you should be above them?"
A shadow slithered across the ground, spreading and melting over the stone.
"It’s almost time," the shadow hissed.
Graeson tried to focus on the shifting shadow, but his vision blurred. He coughed, and smoke filled his lungs. The fire was no longer contained inside his body. But he was nowonfire. As the flames crawled over him, drowning him, Graeson saw the shadow blink at him.
Graeson jolted forward,his fingers digging into the thin blanket. His skin was slick with sweat, drenching the sheets and pillow. He tried to take a deep breath but nearly choked when he smelled the faint aroma of charcoal and smoke.
The nightmare had returned.
Chapter 4
KALLIE
Several sharp yelpsfilled the council room as Kallie burst through the doors. Chairs screeched against the wooden floor. Before Kallie could even take more than two steps inside, hands wrapped around her wrists. Her body sprang back, and her head jerked forward. Strands of chestnut hair slipped free from her bun and tickled her skin. Through the pieces of hair, Kallie spotted every face turn toward her, eyes wide and mouths agape.
When Kallie had decided to crash the council meeting, she had intended to walk through the doors with her head held high, her hair perfectly tucked into a low bun, and her dress unwrinkled. Not looking like some unhinged person.
One stubborn piece of hair brushed the tips of her eyelashes. She blew it away, but it fell down and danced in front of her eyes again as if to say,I told you this was a stupid plan.But what else was she supposed to do when the guards had denied her entry? Turn around?
With a sneer, Kallie yanked one arm, trying to rip it free from the guard’s grasp. The woman tightened her hold.
"Have you always been one for the dramatics, Kalisandre?" Cetia asked, sitting in a wingback chair at the head of the table.The Queen was one of the few individuals who appeared unfazed by the disturbance. Maybe even amused. Not a single drop of tea had spilled over the edge of the porcelain cup in her hand.
"Ever since she was a child," Terin answered, calling Kallie’s attention to the opposite end of the table where the Pontian prince leaned back in his chair. Her brother scratched his jawline in a poor attempt to hide his amusement. "Some things never change, it seems."
Ignoring the brief flash of nostalgia for a life she did not remember, Kallie ripped her arm free from the guard’s hold at last. "I apologize for the disruption, Your Majesty," she said, forcing her voice to sound even. "The guards refused to open the doors when I had asked nicely."
"Nicely?" the guard to her left retorted. "You demanded and threatened to chop off our heads.
Kallie rolled her eyes. "Now that’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? I said your hair, not your heads."
She had been as nice as the circumstances had allowed. At least she hadn’t manipulated them.
"Your Majesty, we’re happy to escort Princess Kalisandre out," the other guard said.
Cetia flicked her hand, her sharp black nails slicing through the air. "No need. She may stay."
Kallie brushed her hair away from her face, not bothering to hide her satisfied smirk when the guards reluctantly released her. The two women bowed to the queen before departing.
"I was wondering if you were going to show up before we started or if you would make us wait. Come. Sit." Cetia gestured toward the surrounding chairs.
Medenia, who sat on Cetia’s right, smiled brightly at Kallie when their gazes met. The princess’ ink-black hair was twisted into a single braid draped over her shoulder. She wore a simple but elegant sage-green dress layered with a black leather corsetthat was embroidered with beautiful beadwork. Myra would have been in awe of its artistry.
The fleeting thought took Kallie by surprise, but she shoved it down along with the mess of emotions accompanying it.
Scanning the rest of the table, she searched for an open chair. Around the enormous table sat nearly a dozen strangers. Kallie tried not to let the less-than warm welcome of the Tetrians creep under her skin.
"You can sit here," Terin suggested, offering the seat to his left. His white-collared shirt was cleanly pressed, but the purple hue beneath his eyes gave him a rather disheveled appearance.
With a tight smile, Kallie strutted forward but stumbled at the sight of Dani. Her brown hair had been twisted into a loose bun atop her head. A few stray curls framed her face, drawing attention to her hazel eyes, the deep green hues prominent in the light seeping in through the large windows. But it was the curl of Dani’s lip, her raised brow, and her arms folded across her chest that had Kallie pausing.
