Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,55
between his brows. “The Yazdans notoriously fought the Cavilles for superiority over the flame. Although I suspect it was more complicated and my ancestors altered the history to suit themselves.”
“The Cavilles stole the flame and its power, and the Yazdans tried to stop them?” Niko floated the theory he’d been considering.
Vasili looked up and nodded. “That seems likely. The Yazdans are well-known for being righteous assholes.”
Niko pinched his lips together.
Yasir cleared his throat. “Roksana has sent out messengers to recall the rest of the family. The shah will be given a funeral fit for a king. But all the other guests and the shah’s wife vanished. There are many questions and not many answers.” Yasir pointedly lifted his gaze to Vasili.
“It will get worse,” Vasili said ominously. “With the Yazdans weakened, Seran is vulnerable.” He glanced up at Niko, his gaze heavy with foreboding.
“Elves?” Niko voiced what he must surely be thinking.
“They will be observing from afar. If they sense weakness, they’ll take advantage of it.”
“Where do the elves fit with the dark flame?” Yasir asked.
“Like everyone else, they want the power but will settle for unleashing its chaos. They are creatures born of the era of the dark flame. They survived when the flame was doused and bottled inside the Caville bloodline. Their numbers began small, but they’ve been growing in strength these last few decades. Loreen hasn’t had accurate numbers for months now. Not since Talos brokered peace.”
“So there could be hundreds of thousands of them? Oh, well, that’s… terrifying.” He set his pistol on the table and loosened his jacket. “What do we do now?”
“We?” Vasili asked.
Yasir blinked at him. “If you think I’m going to sea with this threat hanging over Seran, you don’t know me at all.” He stood straighter.
Vasili ran his hand over the map of Seran, his light fingers tracing the old streets. He looked up, straight into Niko’s glare. “What are you thinking, Nikolas?”
“Truthfully?”
“Is there any other way with you?”
“I’m thinking you took advantage of Yasir. You made him believe he had a choice when he was already too caught in your coils to ever be free of you. I think, Your Highness, that Yasir is too good for you and you’re lucky to have him as a friend. I think if Amir is here, he’ll be at the shah’s funeral because he’s an attention whore, and if he isn’t, and this is all you, then I’ll have my blade sharpened and ready to take your head the second you lose control. I think the three of us have a chance at stopping all of this from getting worse if we’re careful and clever.”
Vasili folded his arms.
“What he said,” Yasir whispered, “about the too-good part. I’m not sure—”
“Niko is right.” Vasili gestured at the map. “I wanted a sorcerer, someone to control. You are that.”
“Put like that,” Yasir said, “you really are a manipulative bitch.”
The prince’s unremorseful smile slithered onto his lips. “When is the shah’s funeral?”
“Three days,” Yasir grumbled.
“Then we have time to further explore your capabilities.”
Niko might have felt sorry for the captain if he hadn’t warned him about Vasili weeks ago. Back then, Yasir might have been able to wriggle free, but he’d sealed his fate the second time he went back to Vasili. Now, he was one of them, for better or worse. At least he wasn’t working for the elves, and at least Niko hadn’t given him his heart.
That lesson had been learned the hard way.
“This is fascinating…” the prince said, relaxing enough to admire the map. “How did you know to do this?”
“Seran’s archives. There are books there on sorcery.”
The prince’s interested piqued. “I’d like to see those books.”
“I’m sure you would, Your Highness,” Niko interrupted, “but until we know you’re not the source of the flame, you’re staying right here.”
Vasili’s attention reverted to the map. He asked Yasir again about the magic involved, apparently impressed the spell had worked on water. The pair would be lost to their dark flame discussions soon.
“I’m going to get some air.” Niko retreated onto the ship’s large deck. The stowed rigging clanged softly in the breeze, combining with the sounds from the dockside bars. He leaned against the side rail and watched the people some distance away. Nobody had any idea about the possible nightmare stalking them.
Seran was loud and colorful and exactly like the middle prince. If Amir were among the crowd, he’d blend right in.
If Amir was here.
Niko wasn’t sure he didn’t have the mass murderer in