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And where was the woman? Had that truly been a drea around her, she pinched her broken nose With a wince, she tweaked it back in place Overcast daylight crept through spindly conifer needles, disorienting her When her vision cleared, her face fell

Pravus In nu her: vaods of discord--and Libitinae, winged castrators They’d gathered in a clearing in the forest, within an encaht like Stonehenge, part deux Only one person could effect that

Lanthe craned her head around Sure enough, Portia sat upon a stone throne, gazing at Lanthe on the ground The sorceress’s eyes were bright behind her jade-greenas boldly as theEmberine, Queen of Flames, had draped herself over the rock throne’s ar over their new capital of This-Is-So-Fucked Island

Some said Portia and E a week in the sa toward lovers

She’d wanted to get closer to the key, but not like this She gazed past the More stones for a wood nymph, a fox shifter, an animus de the sheer number of the fire demons Plus he’d been injured She could almost pity him--a prince of Vrekeners imprisoned by Sorceri

They would torture him to learn the location of his ho, ensorcelled to do their every bidding

She kneell the kinds of acts they’d force him to do What they’d force hiaze was focused on Lanthe, and he looked frenzied to reach her One of his wings was back to nearly nornarled The one that’d been shredded had bits of flesh trying to grow

"It took you long enough to wake," Portia told her "Exactly hoeak are you?"

Lantheleaves off herself Why would the great Portia care? Lanthe had a sinking suspicion:Thronos at all

Despite her power, Portia never would’ve captured her in the past Sabine’s reprisal was too feared Now? Just because the sisters had helped assassinate Oa Her brother had had it co "Did you have to attack ly" I never would’ve coround, unconscious"

Then who hit me?

Ember added, "As if soed mouse"

Lanthe cast a worried look at Ember Both females were diabolical But while Portia at least listened to reason, Ember was akin to the flames she wielded--volatile

"What did I miss?" a old regalia striding into the clearing, a ain

"Hasface lit with a s seductively His Sorceri ability enabled him to make anyone believe any lie he told She would know

Her face heated as she remembered his fervent vows to her When he’d proold, children, and ht-skirted Lanthe had been a lock

In the throes, she’d ceded her clairsentience and battle sorcery She hadn’t possessed her portal power yet, and he hadn’t wanted her tainted soul

Portia turned to hiround her teeth

He turned the full wattage of his se, Mel"

After sex, when Lanthe had asked hi date, he’d released her froh you te for us, dear But wasn’t the sex enough of a reward?"

No, Felix No, it was not She’d slunk away, burning with hu how to tell Sabine that she’d lost even more powers I’m such an idiot, she’d railed at herself, such a dupe!

"You look as ravishing as ever," he said now, but he hadn’t used his power, so she was free to disbelieve hi? Her recently broken nose ollen like a balloon, and she probably had two glaring black eyes "And you’re the same duplicitous ht species to begin with; needless to say, Felix was a favorite a no worse for wear froold armor really was to die for

"I’ve only recently arrived Had a vampire friend trace me to this island for the ‘sport’ "

Just as Lanthe had suspected

"I’d found it yaorthy--until I heard about your capture"

His interest put her evenant, Melanthe"

Why now? They’d had her, Carrow, and Ruby in their sights earlier when they were all escaping the prison Yet they’d spared the trio, ley--the grubby one that now hung froold belt

The key to Lanthe’s freedom "I’m all ears"

"With so many helpless Vertas trapped here, we’ve decided to eradicate theet a jump on the Accession"

Every few centuries the Accession rolled around, a supernatural force that fueled conflicts between factions, drawing the ier Some said this one had already started with the renewed vao

"We’ve had our allies teleport more soldiers here," Portia continued, "but e need is an ar on the wall "You wantthe doom of all the Vertas here?

Like Carrow and Ruby

Think fast, Lanthe Portia would have to ree persuasion, she could command them to release her

"Bravo, Melanthe," Portia said "We want a door to the centauri lands so thousands of them can march directly here"

"They already have a portal" Most dimensions had at least one--but the quality varied

"It’s being utilized for a new top-secret offensive," Portia said, eyes flickering at the thought of carnage

Who were the centaurs targeting? "Well, Portia, I can’t do anything with my current accessory" She yanked on her torque "So"

"But we can’t trust you" E red and black locks over her shoulder "Not after your actions in Rothkalina last year"

"Mel, did you really behead Hettiah?" Felix’s tone was ad