In Deeper Waters F.T. Lukens (acx book reading txt) 📖

on the left side—from the wing for honored guests. One looked like Emerick—his sister, Vanessa. The other wore a cloak, head bowed, the hood obscuring her face despite the brightness of the room, but Tal recognized that cloak and the heeled boots she wore.

“What is going on?” Vanessa yelled as she took in the scene. “Have your guards unhand my brother at once! What is the meaning of this?” She pointed at Tal. “Who is this?”

“I’m under arrest!” Emerick wailed. “Vanessa, tell them you didn’t try to kill this child! That you didn’t pay mercenaries for his magic and that you didn’t frame Mysten!”

Vanessa stared at Tal, her expression hardening. She was as beautiful as the rumors claimed, even as she regarded Tal as if he were a bug under glass.

“Vanessa,” Emerick prodded. “Tell them!”

She huffed. “Whatever you think Emerick has done, you’re wrong. He’s not smart enough.” She tossed her hair and narrowed her eyes at Tal. “You must be the little prince. I’m surprised Zeph couldn’t wring the magic out of you. I paid her well enough, though it looks as if she didn’t finish the job.”

Tal clenched his fists. His anger swelled like an incoming tide as he remembered his days on the ship. He tasted cinders on his tongue, and smoke curled from between his fingers as he reined in every desire to turn her to ash. “She tried.” He moved toward her. “I have the scars.”

“I’m sure. I can only imagine what the other kingdoms will say when they hear that King Lon’s great-grandson shares his gifts. Will they march on Harth and overthrow your mother, or will they take you in the shadows and bury you so far under the ground only the worms will know you?”

Garrett crowded behind Tal’s shoulder. “They’ll do neither.”

“Vanessa,” Emerick said. “What have you done?”

Vanessa smiled, cold and cruel. “What you couldn’t, brother. I have put us in a fine position. I’ve started a war we sorely needed to wrest control of the border mines from Mysten. And I’ve secured us a powerful ally, right, little prince?”

Tal bristled.

“Oh”—she waved her hand—“don’t look like that. I gave you a choice. You could’ve easily given up and died on that ship. You were meant to when you wouldn’t prove the rumors true. But now that you have shown the magic that burns inside of you like the rising sun, you’ll be essential in our war. The war that started this morning.”

Tal froze.

“Oh yes,” she said, nodding, jeweled fingers tapping her angular chin, “you are a smidgeon late.”

“Kest,” Tal said, his brother’s name a breathless whisper from his tight throat.

“The assassin may not have killed him, but it was a near thing, and it gave your queen the push she needed to invade Mysten this morning.”

“Arrest her,” Isa said, voice flat with rage. “Arrest her and throw her into the darkest dungeon you can find.”

The guards advanced in tandem, but the cloaked figure moved swiftly and barred the way between them and Vanessa. She pushed up her sleeves to reveal dark, sharp claws, which lengthened as she dropped into a crouch. Conjuring a gust of wind, Tal snapped her hood back and met the dark eyes ringed with gold.

“I should’ve known you weren’t a commoner,” she said, smirking. “You have the stench of royalty all over you.” She sniffed, lip curling in disgust.

“Maybe if you were a dog, you’d have recognized my scent from when you helped kidnap me on the beach.”

She shrugged and studied her claws. “Cats don’t see fine details, especially when their prey struggles and cries as much as you did.”

Garrett unsheathed the sword strapped to his side, the metal sliding through the leather. “Arrest them all.”

Vanessa’s maid bared her teeth. In a blink her clothes shredded as she shifted into her cat form and jumped over the advancing guard. She growled, guttural and fierce, and Tal shuddered, the bite from her jaws fresh in his mind. With attention drawn elsewhere, Vanessa tried to make her escape.

Garrett shoved Tal to the side, sword drawn, but the cat dodged away and ran straight to where Athlen slouched in the corner, unarmed and silently watching everything unfold.

“No!” Tal yelled.

With a jerk of his arm, Tal conjured a wall of flame from the floor. It erupted from the stone in a riot of red and orange, flames like spikes creating a barrier between the cat and Athlen. He thrust out his other hand and, with the force of will, grabbed Vanessa and pulled her backward by her hair.

She screeched. The cat yowled. Athlen skittered away from the flames as the cat skidded to a stop, claws raking across the stone, to save herself from barreling into Tal’s magic. The chamber exploded with movement. Isa ran for Vanessa, tackling her to the floor, and Garrett and his guards sprinted toward the singed cat, swords at the ready. Isa and Vanessa rolled over each other, scratching and fighting, tumbling in a flurry of silk and hair, Isa gaining the upper hand to allow the guards to intervene.

Garrett and his men encircled the enraged cat. She stalked in a line as they approached, eyes focused on Tal, lips curled back over her fangs. She growled when the guards closed in, backed to the wall of the throne room. In a last-ditch effort to escape, she charged, vaulting over the line of raised weapons and landing in front of Tal. She pivoted and took off at a sprint toward the open side door.

Tal shoved his hands outward and the doors slammed shut, blocking her exit.

“There’s no way you’re escaping,” Tal said, sparks popping from his fingertips. “Surrender, please.”

“Run!” Vanessa yelled, struggling against the guards. “Run! They’ll kill you if you’re caught.”

The maid didn’t hesitate. Dodging the guards, she sprinted right toward Garrett, her furred body hurtling toward him. Garrett dropped into a fighting stance, his sword drawn. She didn’t slow. They would collide, and Tal saw the bloody end for one or both if he didn’t