Forty-One Camilla

Hilma hissed, another fragment burning her skin as we tried and failed to force it back together.

“Hey, instead of you two idiots standing over there snickering all day, come help,” Hilma snapped to the two witches giggling at the corner table where they were mashing herbs. They stopped what they were doing and scurried over.

“Sorry, sorry,” they said in unison, and I wondered how much power Hilma had here.

“It’s fine.” I rubbed my brow. “Let’s take a break, huh?”

Hilma looked at me like that was out of the question, but we had been at this for hours, and these damn pieces refused to mend. I wished I knew what power kept them apart. Whatever it was, it was very strong, and just the thought of it made my skin prickle. Then, there was another part of me that whispered it didn’t matter.

“Okay,” Hilma said. “Quick bathroom break, but we have to finish this.”

“Why the rush?” I asked. “Hasn’t she been trying to fix this for years? I don’t think we will get it anytime soon.”

Hilma stared at me, and then a small smile formed on her lips. She nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Okay, I’m going to go eat. Wanna join?”

I shook my head. I already had plans. “No, I’m okay.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

I waved as the two other witches ran out, hand in hand, Hilma following them. My guards entered the room, waiting to escort me out. I had to admit I much preferred when Vincent escorted me everywhere, but once again, he was busy.

The guards escorted me out of the room, and I slipped my hand into the pocket of the silk pants Nismera made us all wear, tapping the item in my pocket to make sure it was still there. We walked in silence as they led me back to my room, and I even pretended to give them a curt smile as I slipped inside. The door closed tightly behind me, and I ran toward my dresser. Moving a few garments aside, I dug my necklace out of its hiding place and clasped it around my neck. I knew what I felt. It was the same power I had felt when I fled my burning mansion, that unmistakable power that flowed through my woods after Kaden had sent those beasts and they attacked my island.

Oblivion.

A quick chant and I slipped out my door and down the hall. It was so easy to move when you couldn’t be seen. No one even glanced my way, and I prayed to the old gods, thanking them for giving me as much magic as they had. Otherwise, I would be a dead woman.

I reached the end of the wing, raising my hands as my magic whipped out, drawn to that power trail. I hurried through winding hallways and far too many stairs. The further I went, the fewer people I saw, only a handful of guards, and even then, they were few and far between.

Silence followed me through this wing of the palace, and an uneasy feeling met my every step. Images were carved into the shimmering, pale stone of the walls, depicting ancient battles between gods and monsters. I paused before a statue of a huge masculine form with jagged horns growing from his shoulders. His head was bent, obscuring his face, and he appeared to be holding a spear. I glanced closer at the words etched deep into the plinth. The curves and slashes of the words predated even my knowledge of language. I studied the muscled figure, drawn to it for some reason. The way the artist had sculpted the face, body, and pose, it was obvious that whoever this man was, he’d been deeply loved.

“That won’t do,” a voice said behind me, and I nearly jumped. I turned around to see Tara and Tessa coming toward me.

“It has to. We are running out of test subjects as it is,” Tessa said.

I stayed still as they approached, their long silk robes dancing across the floor as they walked hand in hand.

“She will imprison innocents at this rate. Damn, maybe even her own citizens, to get this to work,” Tara said.

Tessa raised Tara’s hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to it. Tara blushed. “You are safe with me. We both are. Just do what she says, remember? Besides, the guards started to talk, so I think she’s backing off them.”

I followed the girls, passing the large statue and heading toward the stairs. What were they doing down here? What did Nismera have them doing? They continued down the steps and turned a corner, still lost in conversation. I tried to process all they said. Use her citizens? She had to mean those bodies Kaden and I found downstairs. Bile hit my stomach.

They pushed open a large door, and voices spilled out. Machines whirled as workers, small and large, shouted to each other. Several tiny winged creatures carried pieces of trash away from the area, snapping at each other in a language I didn’t know.

“Any progress, Quill?” Nismera’s voice had me backing into the nearest wall.

She strode toward the center of the room, her black gown flowing behind her. The feathers of some beast lined the neckline, dipping low enough to reveal the inner curves of her breasts. A crown made of sharp edges and spikes jutted from her head. When she turned, I realized it wasn’t a gown but more a coat. Her lower half was covered in golden armor, stained with what I could only assume was blood. She must have just returned.

A man, or something close enough to it, walked toward her and bowed. He wore an apron covered in grime and glasses over his three eyes, the middle piece larger than the other two.

“Yes, I have the gauntlet almost ready as well.”

Gauntlet? I took a step out of the shadows.

Quill turned away, and she followed. They moved past a few pieces of giant machinery and headed toward the back. I trailed behind, making sure I remained undetected. My heart thudded as we rounded a corner and entered a room that was a perfect circle. There were symbols worked into the stone on the floor, matching the ones on the giant device above us.

The runes lit up as Nismera entered, her power activating them. Quill and she stopped in the middle of the room, and I joined them, careful not to draw too close. She lifted her arm, and the walls enclosed us, glowing runes spinning. We moved forward and then what felt like down before the wall slid away. Quill stepped out first, and we followed.

I gasped and quickly covered my mouth, muffling the sound as we entered the massive stone room. Several people lay bound on the floor, their hands tied and mouths gagged. A few looked no more than twenty years of age, covered in dirt and grime. These must have been the recent shipment of prisoners one of her legions had collected.

Windows, three stories high, made up the walls, and I wondered what the view was like from here. I wanted to go look, but the large pillar in the center of the room pulled at my magic. Whatever was there both beckoned and repelled me. Quill turned his shoulder, giving me a clear view, and my blood ran cold. On the raised pedestal, encased in glass, was the ring of Oblivion.

Nismera walked toward it, her long nails grazing over the clear box, the runes on it lighting up. It was infused with godly magic to keep the ring stable. Oh gods. My magic jerked away, remembering only a fraction of the power belonging to the man who used to wield it. I took a step back, then another and another, speaking words to calm my magic. We were not in danger.

Nismera tapped on the box as if it weren’t holding a weapon of mass destruction. “Anything new?” she asked.

“No, my liege, but we may try again.”

She nodded, and with a flick of her wrist, a spear made of gold appeared. Runes lined the shaft, and power sang from it, dark, twisted power, made from blood and not just anyone’s, but Dianna’s.

I knew it, felt it in my skin. Ig’Morruthen and celestial. The perfect weapon made into a death spear. This was the one that killed Samkiel. The prophecy Reggie spoke of was not wrong. They were destined to kill one another, and they had. My heart lurched. I knew she felt that now. She probably hated herself for it, and I didn’t blame her one bit for wishing to burn the world for it.

“Let’s try again, shall we?” Nismera asked. Quill took several steps back, moving to the side.

The people in front of her began to tremble as she lifted the lid off the case containing Oblivion. The portal activated behind me, and I turned as Tessa and Tara walked out.

“You’re late.” Nismera eyed them sternly.

Tara’s blush deepened. “My apologies, my king.” She bowed slightly, but Tessa couldn’t care less. She just stood, playing with the ends of her blonde hair.

Nismera did not berate them. Instead, she turned her focus back toward the Oblivion ring.

“Tessa. Tara,” Nismera said without looking at the witches. “Secure the area, will you?”

Both girls giggled before raising their hands. Magic burst forward, and a bubble formed over us, blocking out the area, and my ears ached. Their specialty was shield magic, and I had never felt a force field so strong. Quill tried to shift further away, a bead of sweat rolling down his leathery skin.

Nismera carefully plucked the ring from the pedestal and placed it on her finger. My eyes widened as her godly adyin marks lit up, and I wondered if she could actually wield Oblivion since Samkiel was her brother. Were they alike in that aspect? She gripped the spear with the same hand and turned toward the group of people on the floor. A crackling stream of light burst from the spear, arcing from person to person. Their bodies glowed and then exploded, one by one. Blood and gore coated the outside of the bubble, dripping down its surface in thick rivulets.

Nismera cursed as we all stood staring at the mess. Quill’s mouth gaped open, and he turned to look at Nismera. Two quick strides, and she was in front of him, his apron gripped in her free hand.

“Why is it not working?” she hissed.

Quill stumbled. “I’m not sure, Your Majesty. It should work in all aspects. The ring is made from her amata. The spear holds her blood. They should bind as they would have.”

My heart rammed itself into my throat. That was what she wanted. Oblivion. She thought she could bind it to the spear. Gods, that weapon in Nismera’s hands would end everything.

She dropped Quill and slipped the ring off. “Take the remains back to the lab. Have them checked for even the slightest sign of oblivion.”

Quill nodded and carefully locked the ring back up. Nismera called the spear back before stepping into the portal, Tessa and Tara following behind.

MY FEET BARELY TOUCHED THE GROUND AS I RACED BACK UPSTAIRS. I didn’t think, and I didn’t remember taking a breath until I heard voices in the cafeteria as I came through the doors. Guards and generals filled the tables, cracking jokes over food as they ate. They were none the wiser of the psychotic goddess to whom they pledged their lives. Or maybe they did know. I glanced around, searching for Kaden, but didn’t see him or his brother. I left, heading toward the war room. Guards stood outside, meaning someone was in there. It was mid-afternoon, and everyone was usually on break at this time. I had no problem moving past the guards and bursting through the door.

“Kaden.”

Several heads whipped toward me, Kaden’s included, and I froze. Okay, perhaps there was a meeting. The being made of ice and hate glared at me, even the touch of his gaze frigid. Ittshare. That was his name. He was a King of Yejedin and one strong enough to damn near control winter itself. He towered over Kaden, and half of his body was covered in the same dragonbane armor. His right arm and shoulder were exposed but covered in sharp spikes of ice.

“What is the meaning of this?” Leviathan snapped from his seat. He had papers folded in front of him, and they all seemed to be discussing battle plans.

I swallowed, realizing there were a lot of soldiers and council members in here, even if Nismera was not.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I said, hating myself for what I was about to say. I scratched at the back of my head. “I was on my lunch break and wanted to see you for a moment . . . or two.” My face heated as every eye in this damned place stared at me.

The smile that formed on Kaden’s face made me want to rip his head off. He folded his arms. “See me? Go on, Camilla, use your words.”

I expected steam to burst from my ears at this point, but I steeled my spine. This wasn’t just a joke. I had finally figured out what his evil sister was up to, and I needed to tell him. If that meant playing into his ruse, so be it. “Do you want a quick fuck or not?”

His smile dropped. He was clearly already bored with this little game, and I heard Leviathan groan as he placed a wary hand over his face. Ittshare cocked his brow, and Isaiah snickered but covered it quickly before looking at his brother. The other guards, thank fuck, avoided eye contact, but it was Elianna’s response that made me stumble. She glanced between us, hurt in her eyes. She recovered quickly and shifted in her seat, suddenly concerned with the tassels on the sleeve of her gown.

“I’ll pass,” Kaden said. “Maybe later.”

My teeth were about to grind to dust, but I forced a thin smile. “Either come tonight or not at all.”

I stormed from the room and back to my workstation, hoping to keep the last shred of my dignity. Gods above and below, this place would be the death of me.

I HAD WORKED UNTIL MY NOSE BLED, AND HILMA DECIDED IT WAS A good stopping point. I cast several glances toward Tessa and Tara as they helped us, needing to keep an eye on them. If shield magic was their strong suit, then maybe this medallion I had been working on was more powerful than I thought. If they were here to keep damage to a minimum, I truly worried about what I was helping put back together. The only positive was that they didn’t know I had been there. I wondered just how many working here held Nismera’s secrets.

I made it back to my room well past dusk, and as soon as the guards left, I stripped and headed to my washroom. This was one of my favorite parts of my day. I’d managed to make a soap that helped ease my mind, a fine mist spreading across the room when it hit the water. It eased away all the stresses of the day, and the warm bath soothed my tired and sore muscles. My magic loved it, recharging my power after they had nearly drained me.

I sighed and leaned back. Vincent hadn’t come back today, and I wondered what she had him doing this time. He had left with another legion member earlier. I had only seen him once, when Vincent had dropped me off at my workstation. He was tall and lined with muscles. The helmet he wore was all sharp angles and had wings that fanned out around his head. When he turned, I saw the thick, massive wings held close to his back. I asked Hilma who he was, but she just mumbled something about him being a brother to a powerful queen and shushed me back to work.

I dipped my head beneath the water one final time before standing and grabbing a towel. The floor was cool against my feet when I stepped out and dried myself off. I walked into my bedroom and screamed, scrambling to wrap the towel around myself.

Kaden lay on the bed, his hands behind his head and gazing at my ceiling. “Excessive, don’t you think?”

“How—” I stammered. “Actually, what are you doing here? I’m naked.”

He turned his head and looked me up and down. “I see that,” he said before sighing deeply and turning back to his perusal of the ceiling. “I promise your virtue is safe with me. Besides, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. It’s not that appealing.”

I grabbed the first thing I touched off my vanity and turned to chuck it at him. He caught my wrist and squeezed hard enough to crack the fragile bones. I gasped, and my hairbrush fell to the floor with a clatter.

“Now, now, there is no need for violence.” He let go and stepped back, placing his hands in his pockets. “What was so urgent you had to burst into a council meeting?”

I held my wrist, willing my magic to the tender spot, sighing with relief as it healed. Turning, I grabbed the dark nightgown on my chair and threw it on, the hem swinging around my knees.

“I found something,” I said.

His head whipped toward me, and his eyes flared with interest. “Dianna?”

So that’s what he cared about above all. That’s what got the attention of the cold-hearted, mean bastard in front of me. Dianna and Isaiah seemed to be the only things he truly cared for.

To be honest, I wasn’t shocked. I’d always known he had the most lethal obsession with Dianna. His eyes followed her every move and expression. I was surprised he ever let her out of his sight. Although, I would bet that even when he pretended not to care, all those times when she left to be with her sister, he kept an eye on her. What was more surprising was that he tolerated my relationship with her, but even then, I knew he used it as a cover for his true feelings. I didn’t know why he did it, but now it was all clear. He could still be with her without Nismera or the others breathing down his back.

“No,” I said, watching as his shoulders slumped slightly. “I may or may not have snuck out during lunch and found another part of your sister’s lair.”

Kaden tipped his head, waiting. “Okay. Go on.”

I took a shuddering breath, hating this next part. “I don’t trust this place or its residents, so I’d rather show you.”

“Very well.” Kaden sighed. “Show me.” He seemed so bored.

I stepped forward, my lips slanting over his as I showed him every part of what I’d seen down in the east wing. His grip tightened on my waist, his mouth pressing harder against mine, the kiss deepening as he saw that golden spear. He pushed back after Nismera killed her prisoners, his eyes scanning mine.

“That’s it?”

I nodded, taking a step back.

A look of pure bewilderment crossed his face. “So Nismera wants to harness Oblivion?”

“Looks like it,” I said a little too breathlessly. It wasn’t from kissing Kaden. I had zero sexual feelings toward the man. It was just that I hadn’t been kissed in a very, very long time, and I missed it. My mind drifted to a certain tall, broody celestial, and I quickly extinguished that thought. “Now, we also know why she had all those remains. I think she’s trying to see if she can even use Oblivion. So, no creepy experiments, it seems. Although it doesn’t explain the ones that were diced.”

Kaden was silent for a moment as he paced, and then he glanced at me. “If it’s not working, that would explain why she needed Samkiel’s blood, even Isaiah’s.”

“How?”

“Isaiah has power over blood in general. She’s probably just working on a way to stabilize Oblivion.”

“Oh.” I paused. “Okay, so how do we stop her?”

Kaden looked at me as if I had grown horns. “Stop her? From what?”

“She’s killing innocent people to make that weapon, and if she succeeds, she will own this realm and every realm in between.”

His dark brow rose. “And? Let her have it.”

I was quiet for far too long, and he caught it. He laughed a small chuckle that had my magic screaming for me to run. He took a step, then another, until I had to tip my head back to look at him. His fingers gripped my chin in a painful embrace. “Have you forgotten who I am? You think I care about innocent fucking people? My sister already rules these realms, and she will have them forever. No one defies Nismera. You’ll learn that here. And if you try, you will learn that Nismera is not the worst thing in this wretched world.”

I said nothing as Kaden used his free hand to reach forward, moving a strand of my hair.

“I don’t care for much in this world. I never have, but I do care for Isaiah. He’s still easily swayed and impressionable, just as he’s always been. He’s the reason we were cursed to that damned prison dimension. His hubris gets the best of him, but I promised eons ago I’d never let anything happen to him, and I meant it. If she’s using his blood to bind a weapon, then so be it as long as he is not hurt.”

“You don’t know that for sure. How can you trust her so blindly?” I said.

The laugh that left his lips was unnerving, and I flinched. “You think I should care about you? Camilla, you are and have always been a means to an end. Gods damn, are you all this simple in any realm? You think soft kisses and whispered words make me a nice man, that I want to help innocents? I only love two people in this entire wretched world, and you are not one of them.”

“That is a position I would never want to claim,” I snapped.

“This ends now. No more snooping around this palace. If I catch you, I’ll send you to her myself. How much magic can you do with no hands, hmm?”

I tried to jerk my chin from his grip, but he held tight. “Let go of me!”

A cold chill went up my spine as he held me there. In a serious lapse of judgment, I had forgotten he was a predator, an apex of his species, just like Dianna. He could rip my throat open if he wished, tear my head from my body, and right now, as he looked at me, I had a sinking feeling he just might.