Chapter Two

If Azure Dies Accidentally Falling On My Knife, No One's Losing Sleep Over It.

"Nothing is as it seems. Never take the supernatural world at face value, or you will be gobsmacked by the whiplash of something you never saw coming." ~Zeena

Zeena had once possessed a spirit that glowed as radiantly as the rising sun. Those who know her now would scoff at this revelation, but once upon a time, joy and love spilled freely from her heart, bringing light to all those around her. But those happy days were gone, displaced by the cold centuries spent mated to Azure. He hadn't always been cruel and disregarding of her feelings. There'd been a day he hadn't been dismissive toward having a family. But he'd changed, and because of that, he had chilled the inner radiance she once held to barely a flicker. She felt as though ice flowed in her veins, and she exhaled frosty air with every breath.

"My love, we have no need for children to be happy," Azure would purr, his serpentine eyes staring through her. "Our kingdom will ssstand as legacy enough."

Recently, before the attack on their home, she'd thought she might be pregnant. But if she were, it was early, and she'd lost the babe. Bitterness had become the armor she wore to cover the anguish. Though it threatened to choke her, Zeena would paste on a smile. In public, she played the part of the devoted queen, appearing as ruthless as her mate. Only alone at night in the dark of her bedroom did she weep for the future she had always dreamed of having: little ones to nurture and raise, a family to cherish. A mate who would gaze upon her as though she were his entire universe.

Azure cared only for power and domination. He viewed her innermost desires as mere distractions from his ambitions for their kingdom.

"Why dwell on what we lack?" he would hiss dismissively whenever she dared speak of children. "I provide you with everything your heart could wish for. Is that not enough?"

After centuries of being denied the family she so desperately longed for, Zeena's once tender heart had been forced to harden simply to survive the pain. She retreated deep within herself, becoming as cold and removed from the world as her indifferent mate. Though outwardly she stayed loyal, a secret part of Zeena's battered soul continued to whisper that she deserved so much more than this.

The day Azure finally revealed his depraved plan to steal and sacrifice innocent lives, the last frail flicker of light lingering within Zeena shuddered and went out. She could no longer pretend that her mate was anything short of a monster. Nor that she, herself, was completely blameless for standing dutifully at his side all this time.

When fire finally rained down on their kingdom, Zeena fled the ashes of her shattered dreams. Centuries of emotional neglect at Azure's hands had smothered the joy she once held, dimming her spirit down to the barest ember. While Azure had gone into hiding, allowing the voodoo priestess to help conceal his whereabouts, Zeena had fled in a different direction. Alone, she hid herself away in a kingdom where he would never think to look for her, a place where she could change her appearance enough to fit in and not be discovered. She needed time and space to figure out what her next move would be. She had to prepare herself to face the male who had slowly destroyed everything good and gentle within her.

But perhaps, a small voice whispered, it is truly not too late for your inner light to be revived.

Nico leaned back in the plush seat of the private jet, propping his boots up on the table. Across from him, Callon tensed, his golden eyes flashing with irritation.

"Feet off the furniture, Shaman Chaos," the lion shifter growled.

Nico's lip curled. He didn't take orders from overgrown cats. But after the look Shaman Roan leveled at Nico, he shrugged and complied. No need to start a brawl 30,000 feet in the air.

"So, we're going to beg the silkies for help to find Azure?" Nico snorted, flipping one of his knives idly. "I highly doubt they'll want to get involved in a snake wrangling mission. It's too risky for those creepy crawlers. They might break a leg… or six."

Callon bristled, but Roan answered calmly. "King Aurelius and Queen Athena lead justly and despise those who deal in darkness. If Azure hides in their lands, they will wish to root him out."

Nico grunted skeptically. In his experience, those in exalted positions enjoyed keeping the status quo. They didn't want to rock the boat, even if it meant tolerating the occasional bit of rot. "Maybe they will want the snake out of their territory, but will they be able to find him if the slippery serpent doesn't wish to be found? He has the help of a voodoo witch. No doubt he will be hidden by powerful spells of concealment."

"Which is why we need Athena's help," Roan said patiently. "There are few supernaturals stronger at unraveling the unseen. If anyone can pierce Azure's veil of darkness, it is her."

"She's got a hundred eyes. Of course, she'd be able to see past the glamour." If he were being honest, Nico would have to admit that he didn't like arachnids of any kind. He didn't trust them and never had. But that was a story for another day. Today, the front-page headline would read "Two Stupid Shaman, One Lion, and One Panther Get Stuck in the Spider's Web." No two ways about it. We're going to be lucky to make it out of KOS without becoming dinner.

The jet hit some turbulence, and the conversation halted as they rode out the bumps. Nico gazed out the window at the landscape far below. He loved to fly, though he'd much rather be able to do it like those in the Kingdom of Wings—out in the elements, feeling the wind ripple across your skin as you twirled and flipped and then rose higher into the air. Nico lived for the adrenaline rushes in life. Why? Because what the hell else did he have to live for?

After a few minutes, the jet leveled out. Nico leaned forward, bracing his arms on the table. He was ready to get out of the steel bird and hunt. His metaphorical inner beast was foaming at the mouth to get a hold of Azure. Which gave him pause. "Say we do actually find Azure, thanks to the Silkies. Then what? Azure won't go quietly, not after the Dire Wolf gutted him and took his prize captive." Just thinking about the snake made Nico bare his teeth. He'd enjoy being part of the hunting party that finally took Azure down for good. Focus, man.

Callon's eyes glowed fiercely. "We'll rip his fangs out by the root. The snake king will pay for the lives he stole."

Nico appreciated the lion's thirst for blood.

Roan pressed his fingers to his temples. "Let's just start with locating him. Justice and the law will deal with Azure in due time."

Nico snorted. "If you expect the Council to handle this, the cobra will slither free as he always does. I say we finish it ourselves, send a clear message to those who might be inclined to hurt innocents."

Bane whispered, "We should not be the ones to take Azure's life. That right belongs to the Dire Wolf, for it was his mate that has been harmed. Our goal should be to incapacitate and capture."

"No one will take anyone's life. We represent the Creator's law, not our own vengeance," Roan chided.

Nico pointed at Callon. "Does he look like he's in a mood to dispense fair, even-handed justice?" At Roan's exasperated look, Nico shrugged. "Face it, Cat Boy. If Azure dies accidentally falling on my knife, no one's losing sleep over it."

"Except Gage," Bane insisted again. "The honor belongs to him."

"Don't call me Cat Boy." Roan's words held a hiss, which Nico thought sounded very cat-like indeed. He felt the jet begin to descend. "We're here. Let's just focus on finding him first."

Nico gazed out the window as they flew low over a sprawling vineyard. Rows of grapes stretched out in endless undulating lines. So the Silkies fancy themselves vintners as well as cloth peddlers now? He huffed under his breath. Once they had Azure's location, the Council could handle the politics. Nico was here for the hunt and the kill. Justice would be served; he'd see to it one way or another. The snake king had hurt Nico's people for the last time. And if the law refused to act, well, the Kingdom of Chaos had their own kind of justice.

The jet rolled to a stop on the vineyard's small private runway. As they disembarked something sinister in the air clung to Nico like oil coating his skin. He gave a little shake, attempting to abate the feeling. Eventually, it dissipated. He looked up and saw a tall woman with dark hair pinned elegantly atop her head. She approached, flanked by two guards. Her dusky skin seemed to glow from within, and her amber eyes were sharply intelligent.

"Prince Callon, Bane, Shamans Nico and Roan," she greeted them formally. "Glad to see you've arrived safe and sound. Welcome to our kingdom."

Nico inclined his head. "Lyric, should I remind you that this isn't your kingdom? We are, of course, beholden to the Council first and owe loyalty to them before our respective assignments."

The shaman heard a scoff next to him and looked over to see Roan cutting his eyes at Nico. "You are one to talk, Shaman. I don't think I know of a shaman more devoted to his kingdom."

"Chaos suits me." Nico shrugged. "It's just a happy coincidence that I was assigned to the best kingdom." He turned his attention back to Lyric and eyed the woman. He was impressed with the power that shimmered around her slender form. Nico had always admired the strength she exhibited in their meetings, never caving to something she didn't agree with. Lyric was bold and outspoken. Here was someone who might actually prove helpful in the hunt, or be a potential hindrance if she wasn't on Team Take Azure Out Now.

A knowing look entered Lyric's exotic eyes, no doubt understanding at least a little of what he thought. They'd known each other a very long time.

Nico grinned. "Let's skip the pleasantries and petty posturing among kingdoms, shall we? We have a snake to catch."

Her face didn't change as he said the words, not even a twitch of her cheek. She had no "tell." Nico's grin widened. "Oh, yes, this could prove very interesting indeed," he said, more to himself than anyone around him.

"Nico," Roan snapped. "Can you not act like a weird psychopath for once?"

Nico raised his eyebrows, pulled one of his smaller blades from the thigh sheath, and began spinning it. "I'm just trying to make the best out of an unpleasant situation."

Roan scowled. "Well, stop."

Nico could tell Lyric was studying him, and her earlier amusement had faded. "You seem quite eager to spill blood, Nico."

Nico chuckled. "Blood, guts, innards of any kind. I'm not picky, as long as those that deserve death get their opportunity to fall on my blade. The Kingdom of Chaos always collected on its debts, and the snake king's tab is long overdue." Nico sheathed the small knife, humoring Roan's request.

"But a true hunter knows patience." Lyric turned, gesturing for them to follow. "Come, we have much to discuss."

Nico ignored her words as he fell into step beside Callon and Roan, with Bane pulling up the rear. Lyric led them from the airfield toward a sprawling villa covered in flowering vines. The grounds were immaculately kept, fountains and benches artfully placed along wandering garden paths. It was breathtaking, and a tad ostentatious.

"Many view the KOS as hedonists obsessed with beauty and pleasure." Nico wondered what Lyric saw on his face that made it necessary to bring up the subject. Was he that readable? "They forget that silk must be spun and vines pruned to thrive." Her eyes flashed knowingly. "Appearances deceive, especially here in the Kingdom of Silk. The spiders must be subtle to survive."

When Nico looked closer, he realized there were hundreds of spider webs all wrapped around the vines. And within those webs were a multitude of captured insects.

"The Kingdom of Silk has no problems with insects damaging their crops. It's one reason they're among the most profitable vineyards in the US. You'll find that King Aurelius and Queen Athena prefer to stay out of the drama of the other kingdoms. They like to focus on their own people, thriving without having to fight any others. I, of course, support their stance." Lyric shook her head. "Getting mixed up in undignified business, such as that undertaken by Azure… Well, that's not KOS's style."

"Undignified is putting it nicely," Roan told her.

Nico appreciated the disgust in Lyric's voice as she spoke about the serpent king. Perhaps she hadn't drunk the Azure Kool Aid. Though he wouldn't be so quick to cross off the Kingdom of Silk royals. Maybe some didn't remember the time before they left Damaria, but Nico did. He remembered the alliance between KOV and KOS. He wasn't fool enough to think there wasn't still a remnant of cooperation between the two species, even if five hundred years had passed. Call it paranoia, or just the gift of an accurate gut, but Nico would bet his blades on it, and he loved his blades. There's something spinning in this kingdom, and it's not just the silk. Okay, now he was thinking up ridiculous metaphors. This acting sane thing that Roan wanted Nico to do was going to be harder than he thought.

Once inside, Lyric showed them to a solarium decorated in bright silks and plush cushions. A table laden with refreshments awaited. She pointed at the empty chairs and couches, motioning for them to make themselves comfortable. "Please."

After they'd seated themselves amidst the pillows, she poured tea, the fragrant steam curling languidly. "Now, tell me of Azure. I, of course, have heard rumors, but I want the information from the horse's mouth." She cleared her throat. "Or the lion's mouth, I suppose, is more appropriate. And I will tell you what whispers these vines have shared with me."

As Callon brought her up to speed on Azure and his voodoo-fueled depravity, Nico's gaze roamed the room. He wondered if they were being observed even now behind cleverly concealed screens or viewing spells. The Silkies did love their voyeurism. He blamed it on the number of eyes the arachnids had. It wasn't healthy to see so much at one time. How could you savor the beauty of one rose if you were looking at hundreds of them all at the same time?

"If Azure hides here, he will not remain hidden for long," Lyric declared when Callon finished. Her lovely face was lined with disgust. "I know well the taint of blood magic. It leaves traces for those with the sight to read. But we must tread carefully when we seek the king and queen's input. It would not do to offend them."

Lyric took a graceful sip of tea, eyes distant in thought. "There are those in every kingdom who crave power over principle. They will shield this snake if it profits them." Her sharp gaze returned to Nico. "Subtlety, not force, will catch him unawares."

Nico leaned back amongst the silken pillows and casually flipped his knife. He hadn't even realized he'd pulled it out. "I can do subtle when the situation calls for it." He flashed a charming grin full of sharp teeth. "But I prefer meeting threats head on."

Lyric didn't look convinced as she shrugged. "We shall see. For now, come and rest. On the morrow, we prepare for your audience with the king and queen. They will aid us in drawing Azure into the open."

"Why do we need to wait until tomorrow?" Callon's deep voice was gruff.

Lyric clasped her hands in front of her, pulling her shoulders back and raising her chin in the air. "Because they aren't prepared for guests. They've already settled in for the evening. It would be rude to ask them to arise at this hour."

"You sure are cozy with your king and queen," Nico toyed. "Do they give you extra points on your Spidey Discount Card for acting like their damn administrator?"

Lyric's eyes flashed bright silver and swirled faster. "We've already had this discussion, if you will recall, in our last meeting. I am an ambassador for this kingdom, and I do respect the rulers. But do not think for one second I take orders from anyone other than Visata." She straightened her collar, which wasn't at all crooked, and sniffed. "We will meet with the king and queen tomorrow because it is the polite, respectful thing to do."

"Meanwhile, Azure could be moving farther from our reach." Callon clenched his teeth.

"Azure isn't going to go farther away than absolutely necessary from the females he so desperately wants." Lyric rose elegantly and led them from the solarium.

As she showed them to their lavish rooms, Nico's mind turned over all she had said. Lyric was protective of the rulers of KOS, and her formal behavior was odd. She wasn't ever that formal in their council meetings. Clearly, she knew more than she let on about the snake king's whereabouts. Nico would need to be watchful if he wanted answers. He slid the knife back into its sheath, knowing that he would have to bottle up his restless blood … for now.