The Cursed Empress

alace

yra d

es fixed on the ceiling as shadows danced across the sto

ill echoed in her mind. The fir

d offered something just as danger

at both excited

nce. A blade wrapped in protocol and pride. But under the

ike a man alo

lik

side, trying to wil

did

her magic

his

ch

ing wa

t up q

s. The fire in the hearth had dimmed. And yet,

. Too de

e, padding barefoot to the edge

h

per of

er sliced through the air

ot trainin

dge of the table, and thr

black from head to toe, his face hidden b

sou

war

dagger

esser as the blade embe

to the surface,

mu

ying to contain it. Elira'

Focus.

t, leaping over furnit

rest object-a silver

his ribs, and

y for a

nged

e, she d

rele

ike hungry serpents. The assassin twisted midair, a

inst the wall, rolling

chest

her skin glow

r building again-wilder

ised h

door bur

or

awn. Eye

ssin, then at Nyra, and move

der didn'

fe-not at Thorn

with a sharp clang, deflect

ned to flee-but

e shoulder and drove hi

across his tunic. He reached for something at his belt-an

expl

it cleared,

ed, sheathi

rked, spinnin

r wild, nightgown torn, hands tremb

three strides, gri

you h

ad, wide-eyed. "

ought

had

tened slightly. "Y

no

nspoken flickered in his eyes-admir

roughly. "You

ough the palac

dn't leav

weapons, eyes scanning corners as if expectin

Tower of Shields, they reached a room secured

led her

not lux

s not

t was

d. "Until I root ou

row furrowed. "You al

dn't

epped

ll

ivided. Half want to use you. Half want to bury y

u?" she

e was answ

added, "I didn't save you t

eath h

pped c

u because I

d... f

of what you might become if you d

tared

ween them felt l

u," she w

"You were brilli

inked.

mething rare crossed his face-h

. A small,

leave, pausin

is made," he said,

head. "You me

n ever

n he wa

of the tower chamber, watching the mo

d changed som

. But the way her p

protect

y. Not ex

cis

longer af

believe she had been

s a p

just maybe

ht took root, another

cloak, retrieved by Thorne's sp

pa

k

n, inked

itten in ancient

ra

it, a si

liv