A Crown of Cursed Hearts (Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #3)

59. Tempest

59

TEMPEST

W e’d barely lifted my aunt up onto one of the sofas when a man I’d never seen before appeared in the parlor.

My growl ripped out. Before I could flit to him and thrust a blade against his throat, Zayde stepped between us.

“Don’t kill your emissary,” he said dryly, peering around me at my aunt who remained motionless. “Is she alright?”

“I don’t know,” I croaked, clutching my hands to my throat. “What did he do to her?”

Had the Liege killed my aunt? She was old. Weak. And dearly loved already.

I’d track him down and drive my blade so hard into his chest, it might very well come out the other side.

The emissary glanced between Zayde and me, momentarily paralyzed with terror, before he dipped forward in a deep, jerky bow. “High Lady. Allow me to, err, introduce myself.” Remaining bent forward, he stretched his hand out between us.

I looked down at it.

Zayde nudged my side. “Take it,” he whispered.

I slid my blade back into the sheath on my side and limply grasped the man’s finger.

“Yes, well.” He straightened. “I’m, err, Lord Dultrette. Of the southern-most Dultrettes?”

I continued to frown. “I’m Tempest.”

He flicked his wild gaze between me and Zayde.

“The Lydel High Lady prefers you use the name given to her when she was a small child,” Vexxion said smoothly, leaving my aunt to join us. “You can call me Beast, and I will rip off your arm if you keep touching my fated mate.”

“Beast,” Lord Dultrette reeled away from us both, his arms spiraling. “Controller!”

“Not any longer.” Death lingered in Vexxion’s voice.

Vexxion, I chided, rolling my eyes. I followed my emissary. “I’m afraid you caught us at an awkward moment, Lord Dultrette, but welcome.”

“Thank you.” He peered around me at my aunt who still hadn’t stirred.

Layla’s worried gaze met mine. “I’ll get a cool cloth. She appears comfortable enough.”

Then she was breathing.

“She’s not waking up.” The pain in Reyla’s voice wrenched my heart sideways. “Do something, Vexxion.”

I will remain at your side unless . . .

Can you help her? I asked. What did the Liege do to her ?

I believe we should ask what he didn’t do. Why are we unscathed while she responded like this?

I hope she wakes up soon and can tell us, I said.

After leveling Lord Dultrette with a glare of warning, Vexxion strode over to kneel beside my aunt, gently taking her hand.

“Yes, well,” Lord Dultrette said. “Is, err, the lady alright?”

“We had an altercation here a moment ago. She’ll be fine.” She’d better be or that Liege might as well hand over his bone coin right now, because I’d be taking it from him within moments. “You’ve returned from Evergorne Court?”

“I have.”

Reyla and Airia came over to flank me, both gripping weapons.

Lord Dultrette’s breath stuttered as he gaped at them. He backed away from me quickly, falling onto a chair, where he remained.

“Allow me to introduce my enforcer.” I tugged Reyla against my side.

She gouged a smile his way. “I enforce the Lydel High Lady’s every wish.”

I tugged Airia forward as well. “And the commander of my dragon fleet.”

Airia gave him a level look that told him to behave.

“Were you able to speak with the Evergorne King?” I asked.

“Yes, err, I was. He agreed to send a fleet of ships that will land on the southern Lydel shore within days. Each contains three hundred fae warriors eager to battle at your command.”

“Wonderful,” I said. Finally, some good news. These soldiers, combined with our Lydel dragon riders, might be enough to win this thing after all.

That would leave me to kill Kerune and the king.

“He had, err, one condition.” Lord Dultrette sat up straighter in the chair, yanking on his dark blue tunic ornately decorated with silver braid. “If you don’t agree, he’ll turn his ships around.”

There was always a catch with the wicked fae. “What does he want?”

“A bride.”