The Cursed Empress

rt was a fore

mony. Instead, the air shifted around her like smoke clinging to silk. Every n

. Some curiou

eply, but her hands tr

reading. Th

st, they

e-bo

e-tou

he terrace wi

voices in

d fans and goblets

e felt the fear coiling off their

ly. Let them fear me.

ng courtyard. They hadn't spoken

ds were

ds exc

f torches flickerin

rame taut with tension. Silver tattoos snaked along h

her a prac

"This time, I

dded

toward his shoulder. He blocked it easily, spun her off balan

ned. "I

aid. "You'll

She slapped it away a

ircled

ld me sooner," sh

you

some cursed princess-I'm the vessel

ade. "Would you

ould've hit

ound so rare, it

as b

re

back. "You

ou're not be

locke

t, the worl

t politics.

t t

os

cl

ed away

he said

, Nyra cou

ary call

d scrolls, tomes bound in stitched hide

e candle wax dripping onto her fing

n she f

covered volume. A prophecy written in Old Tongue, barely

of fire weds

fracture, the w

shatter, anot

of ash shall aw

omach

d of

of

. R

ge wasn't

delib

. Or worse-by some

page and ran f

't in his

ord wa

s his

ed note lay

it, fingers

Dust. The Flamekeepers ha

alace. Trust

touch the

R

wallow

ce was three days south,

ld he l

arn her a

nock at

fr

shar

ot hesitant.

ned it

e, cloaked in red. Deep s

igh Priestess invites you to the eastern sa

idn't

l echoed in her head

ly. "Tell the High Priestess

owed again

, and bolted for the hidden s

s goin

he c

walls pulsed

they were

ere th

s filled

ed chamber, heart ha

ill sat at the ce

ac

ing l

touch it

, she w

y m

ce stretc

red-not aloud, but

you bear

chose to bury

aggere

ho buri

ey broke Me into fragments a

pered. "That's

when you're angry? Why d

pped to

but they sizzled off

't just

as a

r, the ai

pun a

a

o

d-robe

e, her eyes glo

twisted into

re," she said, her voice echoing

backe

ant," she said. "Y

aid calmly. "We walk wher

raised

-hot magic spir

nd fire explode

oom i

rown backward i

smoke cleared

de

t g

Nyra collapsed ont

ter lay wait

. No si

it with n

ince i

reached t

is yours no

e does

umbling ruin of white stone, a man

awake

her b