Flickering Shadows

Chapter 19

Aziel

"Kiana?" I repeat, just to make sure.

Nicholas nods. "That's my mate's name."

Inara's best friend. The girl I was planning to get from here.

I wonder if Kiana knows the risks Nicholas has taken in order to have her. The person he's endangered just so she could be part of his life.

I turn back to Alexander as I say, "I want all your men out of my pack before I get back there. If I ever find out that you have more planted, I will burn this palace to the ground."

Alexander swallows hard. His only show of fear. "Of course. I have no use for them there anymore."

What a mess. The fact that he had use for them there in the first place is ridiculous.

All because my brother found a mate. The things that love make us do.

"What did you get out of this?" I ask Alexander. "Because from my point of view, you have less than you started with, and you don't seem to mind."

His motive is still unclear. He wanted revenge, but he didn't get it.

His eyes flicker down before raising to the roof. "I wanted to watch you scramble, as I had. I thought that if I watched another king turn to scraps at the sight of their love in danger, that I would feel better about myself."  He laughs humourlessly. "It was pathetic, and I don't even know why I'm telling you. It doesn't feel good to watch someone suffer when you know exactly what it feels like. I don't feel better, and I created unwanted conflict between us. Life isn't fair, but I thought maybe I could beat it at its own game. It didn't work."

I blow out a breath. How did everything get so out of hand, and for what? Pride? Ego? Love? Revenge? Everything mixed together?

"You're a good king, Alexander."

I don't know why I say the words, but there they are.

He smiles sadly. "Not as good as you." He straightens, holding his hand to me. "We are no longer at war Aziel Marret. I would like to officially declare peace between our packs, if you're willing?"

I almost smile, but Inara's life still hangs in the balance, so I only nod before shaking his hand. "I like the sound of that."

"Now go save your mate," he says.

I turn back to Nicholas. His eyes are empty and distant, like a storm that's just settling, floating away on clouds that are no longer heavy.

"You have an enormous amount of explaining to do," I say coolly as I walk past him.

•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
Inara

My insides have long since melted into pools of fire, swirling around my body as they search for more flesh to feast on.

I don't think I feel the pain anymore. It's more numb now, like the heat has burned through all my receptors. It both agonizing and relieving.

A cloth touches my forehead. The same cloth that Penny has cooled over and over. She has not stopped tending to me. I don't have the strength to tell her to stop. To tell her to go take a nap or eat something. I don't even have the strength to move anymore.

Everything feels weighted and weak. Even my eyelids are heavy. My limbs don't work and I can't so much as twitch without agony burning up my skin.

I'm dying, and there's nothing I can do.

"It doesn't matter!" Someone yells.

It's muffled, as if through a door, but I think it's a girl.

"Nothing matters if she doesn't live!"