a P

ated as its name suggested, but it coul

ered the silence. It wasn't the sound of a man. It was the s

r. My awakened senses tracked the residual heat of the a

oak doors of Gideon's bedroom

r-poster bed, his entire body rigid

tearing. He wasn't wearing his silver mask, and the she

was barking useless orders to a pair of frantic assistants. Fleming

ng spells coming!" Fleming

u're doing immediately," I commanded, stepping fully into th

you get in here? You are the dragonless Beaumont bride! Get

" I said, my voice dripping with cold

u aren't healing him. You are trapping the poison d

irl! I have studied under the greatest m

a year if you keep touchi

en to lock onto me. The feral, warning glint in his gaze would hav

uncrushed Ashroot, and a lit candle," I

y voice overrode their loyalty to Fleming. O

leming protested, looking at Gideon. "Sh

me. Beneath the haze of pain, his sharp, calcu

d out, his voice hoarse. He gave

back the heavy blankets and firmly

in was heavily scarred and crisscrossed with terrifying black veins. The Dra

the candle flame. Taking a deep breath, I let the ancient

drove the needles deep into specific, forgotten dr

eming shrieked. "Tho

learn," I

o his flesh, the violent spasms rack

od began to ooze out, sizzling slightly as it hit the ai

from his muscles. He fell back against the pillows, bre

ears, the agonizing fir

e assistants whispered, s

ht before his eyes. What a dozen grandmasters had failed to do for ye

is voice was no longer a weak rasp, but

ord-" Flem

t o

ambled out of the room, shutti

at his legs, watching me calmly wipe away

the bed. He planted his bare feet on the stone

bedpost for support, but he was standing. He took two halting steps

his golden eye. The mockery was gone,

said softly, a bitter smile touching his lips. "A

," I replied coolly, pack

e intense. "How long until I

of continuous, painful treatments to fully purge it from your

ye. "The capital still celebrates my demise.

it," I said smoothl

assassins and more poison. But if you remain the crippled lord in the wheelchair, the

ical ruthlessness. His smile deepened-a feral,

he agreed, his voice a low purr.

nd we shared a sha

val, we weren't just Lord and pr

to walk in the small, walled garden near my wing, crouching to exam

ride?" a soft, incredibly s

d strawberry-blonde curls. Her wide, water

ll. But my newly awakened sen

n her dress: embroidered in silver thread was a

laim to a status she clear

m Audrey Burns. It's a pleasu