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I stared at him coldly. I could kill him, here, now. Fry him to the floor like an egg in a pan. It was tempting. Disgusting to clean up, but tempting.
But the Blood Rise wasn’t over yet. Was it? Draven was still alive. Even if there was no way he could compete.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I demanded. Behind me I could feel Crescent tense and waiting.
“Just came to see the look on your face,” Avriel drawled, folding his muscular scaled golden arms across a white linen tunic.
“You saw it.” I turned to the door of the suite.
“When I told you the next trial was tomorrow,” Avriel finished.
I paused. “You’re a man of lies, Avriel. Why would I believe such a stupid one?”
“Because it’s not a lie. The Queen Regent grows tired of waiting for her...son... to awaken.” Avriel didn’t bother to hide his smirk.
Sephone had never behaved as if Draven meant anything like true family to her, though from all I had seen he treated her with courtesy and respect. Overall, I knew people who had closer bonds with their baker. Or their dogs.
So, I wouldn’t have put it past her. Still, it was clearly a blatant lie.
“Well, you’ve told me,” I said blithely. “Now go. Before your toxic aroma stains the hall.”
“You don’t believe me,” Avriel crowed. “But it’s true.”
I lost my patience.
Whirling around, my hands shot out.
A ring of fire sprang up around Avriel. I watched him hop and dance, his back to the wall as the flames flickered.
“Here’s what I know,” I said, holding the flames steadily in place. “You should be dead already. Lyrastra should have killed you. Draven should have killed you. Selwyn should certainly have killed you. You’re weak and craven and haven’t the heart or the stomach to lead an empire. You’re thirsty for power but like an infant, you’d drink it up only to spew it out again. You’re weak, Avriel. So weak it makes me sick. And if I had the chance...”
“What?” Avriel challenged, his scales flashing as he leaned forward, taunting the flames. “You’d what?”
“I’d kill you myself,” I said truthfully. “If the prince dies, you won’t live to see the next dawn.” Suddenly, I saw the truth behind his brazenness. “You think you’re invincible because you have the favor of the queen. That’s why Lyrastra held back. That’s why they all did. What did Sephone do? Threaten them? Threaten the contestants’ families?” I waggled my finger and the flames climbed a little higher. I could feel their heat from where I stood. “That’s not very nice, Avriel. Tampering with the Blood Rise. Hiding behind the queen’s silk skirts.”
I enjoyed the look on his face. Unbridled fury that he could do nothing with.
“Get me out of here.”
“You’ll find your own way out. You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
I pushed open the door to the suite, leaving him in the ring of fire.
Lyrastra was sitting in a chair by the bed, with her head leaning on one hand. She seemed tired as she stared at Draven’s prone form.
As I entered, she looked up.
“Good. You’re back. We need to talk.”
