Page 50 of Scourged
Especially when the lights had failed completely again that morning. This time, they remained off for six terror-filled minutes.
Despite his anger with her, Ciana would endure endless days of Sebastian’s scolding if it meant they could get their queen back. Not just for her; but for everyone.
This world needed Mariah Salis, despite the way it hated her.
Ciana took another long pull from her wine, savoring the burn down her throat.
She missed her best friend so fucking much. There was a woman-sized hole cut into the tissue of her heart, bleeding out with every beat. Mariah looked like she’d been wrought from darkness, and Ciana from sunlight, but it had always been the light in Mariah’s soul that had filled the shade in Ciana’s.
Her hands shook when she lifted the glass back to her lips, desperate for the burn to quell the ache in her heart.
A voice echoed from beyond her door. Italmostsounded like her name, reverberating off the palace hallway.
That voice was Ciana’s only warning before a fist pounded on the wood.
Ciana groaned. “Good Goddess, it’s unlocked! Don’t go breaking my door down.”
She didn’t bother turning as the door slammed open. Footsteps echoed and two figures appeared before her, blocking her view of the Bay.
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline at a particularly frazzled-looking Delaynie and an uncharacteristically serious Quentin as they stared down at her, nestled into her couch.
“What is it?” Ciana dropped her feet from her table, setting down her glass as she stood. She first met Quentin’s stare, then shifted to Delaynie, the blue gray of her friend’s eyes wild.
“Kiira and Rylla found someone,” Delaynie said, breathless. “They found her in the city, asking for a way into the palace. I think you need to hear what she has to say.”
“They … found someone? Already? Who?” Ciana nearly knocked her wine over as she leapt over her coffee table, shoving her feet into a pair of slippers. She paused when Delaynie didn’t answer right away, turning slowly back to see the hesitation on her face.
Ciana narrowed her eyes. “Delaynie … what is it?”
“You just need to hear for yourself.” Quentin crossed his arms. “She’s in the throne room; everyone’s there already.”
“Well, you could’ve led with the fact that I’m late,” Ciana grumbled, already moving to the door.
“I didn’t think that would be enough to separate you from your wine.”
Ciana shot a venomous look over her shoulder at Quentin, his familiar grin faint on his lips, just as Delaynie swatted himacross the back of his head. He ducked, feigning injury as he glanced under his arm at Delaynie.
“Ow,” he mouthed, rubbing his head. “That wasn’t very nice, little wolf.”
Little wolf?
“Don’t call me that,” Delaynie snapped. “Besides, if Ciana wants to have a glass of mulled wine, I don’t think any of us could blame her.” She met Quentin’s stare before flushing a brilliant shade of red and glancing away. “In fact, I think most of us would want to join her.”
Quentin chuckled. “Alright, alright. You win. I would kill for some mulled wine right now.”
Ciana watched their exchange, curiosity and amusement twitching at her mouth. “If that’s all,” she said, “I thought you both said this was urgent.”
“Yes. Right. It is.” Delaynie’s already-red cheeks flared a bit brighter as she brushed past Quentin and Ciana, storming into the hall. “Come!”
Ciana turned slowly to Quentin, the mulled wine in her belly pulling her lips into a grin, despite the urgent tenor that dragged them toward the throne room.
“’Little wolf’?”
Quentin stiffened for a heartbeat too long before stepping past her. “Jealous, Cee?”
Ciana laughed. “Hardly.”
She followed Quentin through her door and after Delaynie, her friend’s dark auburn hair swaying with her urgent steps as her hands gripped her full, traditional skirts. Delaynie had dressed down during their outing into the city, but that was a rare occasion; on all other days, she dressed like the lady of the court that she was. Ciana noticed how Quentin’s eyes tracked Delaynie with a recognizable intensity and remembered the teasing conversation they’d shared with Beva a few days ago.