Page 41 of A Healer's Wrath

I let the men shout and scream until some became raw from the effort. When I tired of hearing them squawk, I waved a hand and drew heat out of the room, leaving their breath blooming in near-frozen clouds before their lips.

“Thank you for your attention.” I strode around the table to stand on the bottom step before the throne. “My coronation will take place in three days. I expect a grand affair. You had better get started. Anyone who objects will experience a far colder reception than you feel in this moment.”

The Crown Treasurer rose to object. “Your Majesty, this is wholly improper. The Kingdom will never accept—”

His mouth froze.

Frost formed across his bald pate, then tiny fractures crawled across his brow. I snatched a silver goblet from a table by the throne and hurled it into his chest. His body shattered into shards of frozen bone and flesh, scattering across stones.

“Anyone else care to lodge an objection?” When no one moved, I nodded and sat on the throne. “Excellent. Let’s get started.”

Chapter twenty-three

Irina

Danai paced before the throne as I watched in amusement.

We were alone.

Even the guards had been dismissed so we might speak privately, though I was sure an army of men in silver plate stood outside each door to the chamber. There were also likely a few others pressing their ears to the door hoping to catch a few words.

My magic would disappoint them.

“What, Danai? What aren’t you asking? I can see your mind whirling like a tornado.”

He stopped and turned to face me. “How? How did you freeze that man?”

“Magic is an interesting tool.” I grinned and shrugged. “You were right, Danai. I needed to learn to harness my power all along.”

He gaped up at me. “You are brilliant—and wrong—on so many levels.”

“I am Queen. Nothing is wrong if I say it is so.” I waved a hand dismissively. “Now that I think about it, the title Queen is so, I don’t know, common. It was given to me when I married, not something ordained. Besides, the consort to the King has no real power. What do you think of Empress instead?”

His brows rose. “It is certainly more . . . I don’t know . . . just more.”

Danai was rarely flummoxed. A grin tugged at the edges of my mouth.

“Good. That’s settled. Now, tell me what plans you’ve made for our brothers and sisters.”

He lowered his head and sucked in a breath. I had tasked him with planning revenge against the Mages, most of whom were difficult to locate and impossible to contain. I couldn’t fathom how to wage a war against an enemy who could vanish at will. Beyond that, if even a few of them combined their efforts, I could never hope to match their power. They would crush me before I ever drew a drop of blood. This was utter folly.

Danai’s greater knowledge and experience with magic was my only hope of taking them on. I needed him, and that crawled beneath my skin like a burrowing worm.

Virtually everyone I had ever loved was dead. I hoped never to need someone again, certainly not another Mage.

His mouth opened, and it looked for a moment like he might resist, but he finally said, “Tasha and the others around her have scattered, each fleeing to protect their own holdings.”

“That’s good news, isn’t it? We can pick them off one at a time rather than trying to battle them as a united front.”

He nodded. “Yes, but . . .”

“But what? Just spit it out, Danai, so we can be done with this.”

He recoiled, staring back as though I’d just slapped him. “Johann, Kelså, and, I think, Gareth have vanished.”

I shrugged. “Okay, good. They are doing the same as the others.”

“No, they are not, and that’s what worries me.” He shook his head. “They left to protect the Well.”