Page 36 of His Darkest Desire
Rather than fade, the discomfort only spread, tightening his throat.
“You claimed she was strong,” he said, voice ragged. “She will endure this. Words shan’t be her undoing.”
Softly, Shade asked, “Are not words the very thing that wove this curse?”
The queen’s voice arose in Vex’s memory, beautiful, terrifying, sultry, melodic, powerful. He forced it back into the depths, back into silence. This place was reminder enough of her. He would not allow her words to haunt him any further.
“A single word may uplift a soul…” Shade floated closer still.
“Or crush it,” said Vex.
“Just so, magus.”
“The way you spoke to her has done the human harm,” Flare said, “and it sits not well with these three.”
Vex’s fingers flexed, and his claws pricked his skin through his tunic. “Nor with me.”
Kinsley had pushed him, no one could deny that. She had tried his patience at every opportunity, had antagonized and insulted him. She had hurled objects at his head and made a mess of his bedchamber.
But she had also teased him with surprising warmth and good nature. She had smiled, and he’d glimpsed amusement twinkling in her lovely eyes. She had asked questions of him with genuine curiosity, and her interest in his answers had not been feigned.
And he’d rewarded her with evasiveness and aggression.
Despite himself, Vex had been enjoying her company during their meal. And he hadn’t missed the blush staining her cheeks when she’d favorably remarked upon his appearance.
Flattening his hand, he smoothed the front of his tunic. Her desire to learn more about him and the wisps could’ve been used to his advantage. He could have answered her honestly, without giving away information that could harm him, all while earning her trust. Humoring Kinsley would’ve been only to his benefit.
“A true effort must be made, magus,” said Flare, hovering at Vex’s shoulder again.
“In this, be not guided by your fury.” Shade’s phantom touch trailed across Vex’s upper arm. “You are much more than the pain bequeathed to you by the queen.”
Drawing in another breath of cool night air, Vex glanced skyward and fixed his gaze upon the moon, which was just visible through the trees. “What further counsel would you offer? What would you have me do?”
Flare’s ghostfire swirled. “Kind words bolstered by kind deeds.”
“Has it truly been so simple all along?”
Gentle laughter sounded from Shade. “Indeed, magus. You have ever been the complicating factor.”
Vex huffed, turning his head to glare at the wisp. “Your cleverness is ever the greatest threat to you.”
“Would that this one had been clever enough to spare you from all you’ve been made to suffer, magus.”
At that, Vex turned to face Flare and Shade fully. He lifted his hands, cupping one beneath each wisp, and brushed their ghostfire. Faint ripples of arcane energy flowed into his fingers.
“The choices that led me here were my own, my friends,” he said. “You three are all that have sustained me through this curse.”
Both wisps rubbed against his hands. Their touches were warm and tingling, familiar and comforting.
“These two shall share your words with Echo, magus,” said Shade.
Flare laughed. “Echo would not believe those words, even had that one been here to hear them.”
“First”—Vex lowered his hands—“I must request your aid. Kinsley has asked after her belongings.”
As the wisps returned to their usual places over his shoulders, Vex faced the wrecked carriage. He visualized his hands as extensions of his magic, sending out countless invisible tendrils to latch onto the plants growing over the conveyance. When he swept his hands to the sides, those magic tethers tore away the vines and moss, revealing the silver metal and broken glass hidden beneath.
Vex’s eyes did not need his companions’ glow to cut through the darkness inside the conveyance, to see the dried blood on the broken branch, the chair, the floor.