his hand away. “You could have asked me. My loyalty is to the king, not the priest.”
“It’s not why I summoned you. I’ve wanted to do this since the moment we met.” I took his hand once more, dragged it along my parted lips again, and then began to guide it elsewhere.…
“No!” Severo barked, nearly upending the desk as he broke away from me. “I will not betray King Myron. He’s a good man. And you’re a fool for not respecting him.”
Indignation burned through me at his double-sided insult. Not only did he dare to reject my bold advances—he was calling me names as well. I could not permit that.
I glared at him. “Tell me where you went and whom you met.”
“I refuse to speak to you again without the king present.” He marched to the door and flung it open.
“Your family,” I called after him, sitting up. I waited until he turned around and faced me, a budding horror overtaking his expression. “Your siblings, whom Myron has taken such excellent care of…”
The heels of my slippers clinked on the stone tiles as I slid off the desk and strode toward him. “Unless you tell me where you went and whom you met last night, I’m afraid grave misfortune might befall them.”
His top lip curled, but he stifled his outrage just as he had stifled his desire. He was not as susceptible to carnal cravings as I had hoped. “I met an old man outside of Enturra,” he said. “I didn’t recognize his face. I barely even saw it. I hope your inquest is worth threatening innocent children.”
He walked out and slammed the door.
Seething, I stared after him for a long moment before I picked up a Holy statuette and smashed it to bits against the wall, releasing an unbridled screech. I tore handfuls of parchment and thrust the shreds away from me, yanked books off the shelves and smeared fresh ink over the pages.
I stared at the destruction I’d caused. My hands shook as I realized how difficult it would be to frame the priest’s death as an accident with his living quarters in such disarray.
What had I done? Why had I threatened Severo’s family? He and I had become friendly. He was reserved from the start, but he had warmed up to me. We had even laughed together last time I saw him.
There was no going back to who I was before tonight. The blushing princess who cared more about the regalia of wealth than the power that secured it, who could claim ignorance when she made selfish mistakes…She was a husk, a specter, a fading note of a sweet melody from a simpler time.
“I’ve done as you asked,” I said aloud to Nexantius, my voice hoarse from shouting as I broke and destroyed. “The priest is dead. Make good on your promise. Tell me how we will destroy Valory Braiosa.”
The others and I have waited long for an opportunity to claim worthy flesh vessels, Nexantius replied. You opened the door for me…for us. The others want worthy vessels too.
“What does that have to do with Valory?”
She would make a fine vessel.
Envy stabbed me like a thorn. “I offered you myself so that I could become more powerful than she, more powerful than anyone. If one of the other Fallen claims her body and mind—”
Don’t worry. We shall conquer her will. She will cease to exist. And when all four of us have claimed vessels, scourges will beleaguer our enemies. You will sit on your throne with unmatched beauty and power—as long as no one finds the sealed scroll. No one can know how to stop us before we’ve accomplished our goal.
“Is that a promise?” I asked, my desperation grating even my own ears. “If I do everything you ask, what I seek will be mine?”
I promise, my magnificent darling, Nexantius replied. Help me find vessels for the others before anyone thwarts us. Then you will reign sovereign over all.
EIGHTEEN
GLISETTE
MY head ached. Hunger groused in my gut. But I pushed us deeper into the rolling forest of oaks and evergreens toward safe shelter.
We had replenished the skin with stream water and foraged wild olives that were hard and bitter. Plenty of juicy meals on four legs had crossed our path, but I didn’t know how to catch the creatures without hunting weapons.
Mercer had once rigged a rabbit trap during our journey through the Forest of the West Fringe. But we’d moved on so quickly that he’d disassembled it