Page 2 of A Kiss of Flame

Oh, let them gossip. They knew nothing. Better they talked about him as a gullible fool than Wren as a… a what? A by-blow? His child born out of wedlock to another man’s wife? The witch-queen’s bastard?

Yvain cleared his throat. ‘I have no doubt many of us there in Knightsford owe her our lives. Certainly our victory.’

Yvain had been the commander of the Knightsford garrison when the shadow kin had attacked. He had fought at Roland’s side, his brother-in-arms, and every inch the Paladin Roland was. He knew better than most how many lives had been saved that day due to Wren’s raising of the Aurum’s light in their blood.

Not least Finn’s life. And as a prince of Ilanthus, even one held hostage and raised in Asteroth, Finn’s death would have caused a war. Did no one else see that?

Ylena smiled. ‘Then there is hope no matter what. The trial date will be set and all traditions followed.’

Lord Leyborne cleared his throat nervously. He was Sassone’s man to the core. ‘All of them, my lady regent?’

Ylena didn’t flinch. ‘Of course,’ she snapped. ‘We are not so far fallen that we will not follow our most sacred traditions. Delegations will be invited, our neighbours will see that our law applies fairly to all?—’

‘You’re going to invite the Ilanthians?’ Roland asked, unable to stop himself blurting it out in his surprise.

Ylena’s face didn’t change but her eyes hardened. ‘That is what is expected and that is what we will do. No exceptions. Not even for Queen Aeryn.’

‘How can we—’ Sassone thundered and for once Roland agreed with him.

‘Enough!’ Ylena slammed her hand down on the table. ‘This is how it is done, my lords, and this is what we will do. It is written. If you will try a queen and a Chosen of the Aurum, it must be seen to be fair. There are steps that must be taken and witnesses who must be here. None of them will come anyway. Why would they? Except perhaps to gloat. It doesn’t matter. What we are talking about is the gravest of situations and I will have this done correctly. Now, are there any more complaints?’

No one said a word. No one wanted to cross her. The anger in her voice was unprecedented. The bravest among them held their tongues.

Elodie had betrayed her too, Roland thought. She had loved the queen as her own daughter, perhaps even more than her own daughter, truth be told. She had helped negotiate Elodie’s marriage to Evander which had ended in such disaster.

How was Elodie even to hope to have a fair trial here in Pelias? How was Wren to hope to have any kind of life?

Elodie had begged him to let them go back to the forest, her and Wren, to forget he had ever found them. He should have listened.

CHAPTER 1

WREN

Wren hated Pelias.

She had never thought she could hate anywhere quite so much.

Oh, Pelias was beautiful and refined, and her every need was catered for. She lived in a palace of white marble, perched above the perfect city, overlooking the sea. It had blue tiled roofs and golden domes. The sun always shone on fair Pelias.

But it was also shallow and petty and cruel in so casual a way. And she was trapped here.

She caught sight of Finn at the far end of the banqueting chamber and something in her chest stuttered as she tried not to call out to him or make her way directly to him. Too many people were watching. His stormy-blue gaze snagged on hers and he shook his head, barely perceptibly, before turning away.

And something in Wren died a little bit more.

She wished a thousand times every day that she was back in the forest of Cellandre, living half wild and half witch, with only Elodie as a companion.

Or Finn.

When she had been discovered and brought back here, she had thought that maybe she would be fine. She had Finn and he would never leave her. And Elodie would be here as well. And maybe, just maybe, she could get to know the man behind the austere and formidable front her father presented to the world.

But the austerity seemed to be no front. It went all the way through the Grandmaster of the Knights of the Aurum, Roland de Silvius, right to his stony core. And Elodie wasn’t with her. She was locked up in the Sanctum of the Maidens of the Aurum, awaiting a trial which was seen as a foregone conclusion. No one was allowed to visit her.

And now Finn was like a ghost on the edges of her life. He had to be, he said. It was for the best. But it didn’t feel that way.

She let him go on ahead before pushing her way towards the doors to the gardens, heedless of those petitioning her, or trying to ingratiate themselves with her. Or even just trying to get into a perfect position to stare. Wren knew the rumours were flying about her. And about Finn as well.

But most of all about Elodie.