Page 98 of Wings of Snow
He wasn’t found at all.
The bastard had escaped at the last possible moment.
CHAPTER 29 - ILARA
Daiseeum couldn’t stop crying as we all worked to calm her down and soothe her frayed nerves. Scorched stone and soot filled the air, dust motes everywhere. My former lady’s servant oscillated between tears of hysteria at nearly being killed, amazement that we’d come for her, happiness at seeing me again, and terror at what would happen when the king learned of my return.
I tried not to let any of my trepidation show as she sobbed and rocked back and forth. But we’d just encountered the creature we were up against, and he was anything but weak. I would be a fool not to feel concern over the power that warlock had wielded.
Smothering that fear, I pulled Daiseeum close and tucked an arm around her. “Don’t worry about me or any of that. You’re safe now, and we intend to keep you that way. Norivun is assigning you a guard. You’re not to go anywhere in the castle without him, understood?”
The servant stared at me, then gripped my hands. “Yes, m’lady.” Fresh tears filled her eyes, and her knuckles turned white when she squeezed harder. “I shall never forget what you did for me tonight. Never.”
I hugged her briefly, then let go, not because I didn’t relish seeing her again but because we had to move. The huge hole that Norivun’s dragon had blasted into the castle’s underground levels had created a crumbling structure. From the shouts above, the entire castle knew that something destructive had been unleashed within its depths. No doubt, the castle commander was forming the guard at this very moment, and once they beheld the obliterated hall of cells, castle staff with constructo affinities would be called in.
This area was still salvageable and could be saved...if the constructo fae got here soon.
“Daiseeum, you’re not to breathe a word of Ilara’s presence here to anyone,” Norivun said as the rise of distant boot steps grew louder. “Understood?”
She bobbed her head, her eyes still wide. I had a feeling nightmares would be plaguing her for the foreseeable future. “Yes, my prince. I would never. On the Mother’s Honor. I will protect our queen until the day I die.”
A satisfied gleam coated my mate’s face as my former lady servant’s words hit me.Our queen. She had just referred tomeas her queen. Not Queen Lissandra. Not Georgyanna.Me.
“We must go.” Norivun’s magic again clouded around us as he pulled all seven of us into his affinity. His illusion shrouded everyone just as the castle commander burst through the door.
“Mother Below and all the gods!” he proclaimed when he saw the mess, altar, and teetering walls.
Every guard behind him came to a sudden stop.
“Call the constructo faenow!” the commander bellowed.
We didn’t stay around to see what happened next. In a wink of mistphasing magic, we all disappeared.
* * *
We returnedDaiseeum to her home, and Ryder volunteered to stay behind until the servant’s newly assigned guard could arrive. While I didn’t think the warlock that had almost killed her would be returning anytime soon, I was glad the crown prince wasn’t taking any chances.
Once back at the inn on the Nolus continent, the scope of what we’d done, and who we were up against, hit me like a million volts of lightning. I collapsed on the bed as soot from my clothing billowed around me.
“That warlock is so strong.”
Norivun grunted. “Indeed. He’s more powerful than I realized he would be. The Fire Wolf was right.”
I called upon my cleansing magic and whisked the grime away, but my mind kept turning, my thoughts racing a million millees per hour.
Pushing up on my elbows, I watched my mate. Norivun stood before me, also cleansing himself with his magic. I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, sawing away on the flesh. “Do you think Daiseeum was targeted intentionally tonight?”
Fatigue lined his eyes, and with a start, I realized the toll the night had taken on him. I hurried to assist him, my hands fluttering over him and peeling off his clothes. I used my own magic to wick away all dirt and sweat from his skin that his tired magic had missed.
When I finished, he gleamed like a golden god, and Mother Below, my lady parts began to tingle.
This male.Everything about him called to me.
He smirked, his nostrils flaring. “To answer your question, I was wondering the same thing. It’s too big of a coincidence that Daiseeum was taken by the warlock my father hired.”
I planted my hands on my hips. “Do you think the king targeted her in hopes of hurting me?”
A grim frown grew on his face. “Knowing my father? Yes.”