“You’re all insane,” I breathed, the heat of their weapons singeing my senses as pleas for help carved a hole into my heart.
My fingers dug into the fresh soil, my mind snapping beneath a million thoughts of murder and pain.
The hatred within me swirled and ignited into pools of angelfire beneath my palms, stirring beautiful flames that inched across the blades, seeking to destroy.
My eyes closed.
My breathing evened.
And I focused on my power, giving the strands a target for their impending destruction.
Shrieks from the guards made my lips curl.
Their bodies ignited beneath the wave of my tremendous energy. I captured them all in twisting tendrils of liquid blue fire and sighed as it melted their skin and demolished them to piles of ash. I didn’t stop until they were all dead. All one hundred and seventeen souls.
I only saved the one beside me, the one who didn’t point a spear at the village.
And then I used the remains of my control to absorb the shock of fire from the outskirts, saving what was left of the women’s huts.
Valora, a breath whispered against my ear, tugging me back to my reality in a slow blink of time. Adrik’s scent wrapped around me, intoxicating in its familiarity, his soul a hum against my heart.
Then it was gone.
Leaving me in a still field littered with death.
No whispers of gratitude followed my power.
No screams.
Only a slow clap of sound from behind me. To where Necros stood applauding my display. “Well done, little wife,” he cooed.
The soldier at my side had fallen to his knee, his head bowed in reverence. Not to the king, but to me.
Necros tossed a flame in his direction as if to incinerate his insolence, but I caught it and smothered it into the grass.
Mine, I thought. This guard is now mine.
The smile on my husband’s lips said he approved. “About bloody time,” he murmured, his eyes lighting up at the promise of my power. “You know, I wondered if this would work. I heard you talking about those women with your slut of a friend some time ago, and had a good laugh over your thoughts on the subject. But then it occurred to me that those worthless females might actually have value after all. And look at this—they do.”
A chill slithered down my spine. He’d spied on me with Zaya. Laughed at my ideas. Then thought to use those innocents against me. “How can you be so cruel? So vile? So evil?”
He chuckled. “My darling whore, you’ve known who I am for years, just chose not to acknowledge it. Just to enjoy the riches I gave you instead. Truly, you’re no better than I am. In fact, I’d say you’re worse for being so ignorant all this time.” He stepped closer, his lips curling deviously.
“Don’t touch me,” I growled, warning him with a ring of angelfire around my wrists.
He tsked. “Now, now, Valora. I think you’ll find the vows protect me. What were Lucifer’s words that you repeated? Ah, yes, to never harm me—in any capacity.” His grin was cruel. “Try, little whore. Try and see what happens.”
This was his test.
I knew that deep down.
But I took the bait anyway and sent a flame directly at his heart.
He flicked it away as one would a bug, his mouth broadcasting his victory. “Beautiful,” he marveled, sending a blast of power into my shoulder that knocked me sideways. “And what I adore most is that Lucifer didn’t require the same pledge from me. Something you would do well to remember.”
“You’re a monster,” I whispered, somehow hating him even more.
“A monster w