The Cursed Empress

urned marble s

ackened terrace. The scorch marks from Nyra's outburst were too deep to

ightly around her shoulders. The fire hadn't come again, but its p

rtbeat fe

reath,

. came the sound

tst

Calm. F

a

n. "You don't

t your win

d. "Are you always

ays this

orning sun glinted off his armor, minimal but sharp. Ev

illed someone,"

as a

e faced her fully now. "That power-if i

"Will you put me down like a rabid dog?

r. "I'll contain it.

for something in his face-c

was no

, every wall built

wasn't

was

tired of b

a stood beneath the great mural tha

stly-the Flamefather. His figure towered above the rest, cloaked

Flamefather. Not the versions the priests reci

other once said. "He bargains.

yes painted above her, she whispered

r shim

blin

, the hall

shadows of the pillars. Hooded.

breath

are

re didn'

gloved hand and poi

lamefath

ou're not the on

d chille

ng-gliding between the columns

hed aft

corridor. Turning sha

o

tra

ngle black feath

saw w

usual, and for once, he didn

hamber, legs crossed,

all. They knew about the Flamef

in the city. Anyone with half a

ed forward. "This person knew someth

silent fo

Describ

ilks. No insigni

ye

dn't se

ey touc

N

owly. Tension rolle

ou care?"

Blood mages. Outlaws who believe the Flamefather can rise again. If the

t strengthen my power

hout control is a

ice cracked. "Stop cagi

pped p

re a d

iced cleaner

hroat ti

rned t

added, lower

pa

ha

harm and patience? I bathed in blood to sit on this counc

each me. If you understan

t her for a

wil

met him in the s

s flickering against stone walls, and

hand-not steel, but something bla

roached

rd?" he

fight wit

do you fi

d," she

Good answer.

lun

a

y avoiding the strike.

her palm-just a flicker. Enough

his bla

Like ember

eyes

is t

hing old. Forged from flame iron. It onl

e-born?" sh

dn't

acked

er hands ablaze. Sparks lit the nigh

t fightin

ting to surv

he felt Rael u

topped, both pantin

e not

her mouth

raised

e. If you don't

turned t

d. "Why are you

hand on the c

ds aren't dead,

... I want to make sure you're

eepest dark... the

s time,