“She is a creature of the Pit and therefore mine to rule.”

I pushed her back another step with my body, staring down at her. “She is a creation of the mother goddess gifted to me. She is mine, Fiametta. Do not forget that.”

Around us the mountain rumbled and the red lines of power worked up Fiametta’s arms to her shoulders. “You wish to fight me, Terraling? You will lose.”

“Do not be so sure,” I snapped, seeing for the first time the colors racing up my own arms. A deep vibrant green with hints of pink peeking through, boosting the darker color. “You may be queen, but you are blind. You have someone trying to take you down and you are so sure of yourself, you think you can stand against it on your own.”

Her blue eyes widened. “I have killed the traitor.”

I took a step back and shook my head. “You think he worked alone? He said he had a master other than you. And then there are the firewyrms. You would wipe them out as if they were nothing.”

“What do you know of the firewyrms?” She leaned toward me.

“I know they were being manipulated into attacking you. Making you believe they were the true threat.”

Her eyes turned thoughtful. She raised her left hand and beckoned to the Ender on that side. “What say you?”

He bowed his head. “No one here rivals you, my queen. You reign supreme and will for a thousand years.”

A second wave of her hand and both Enders stepped back, far enough that they could no longer overhear us.

The Ender’s words had a feeling of something he’d said before; something he did by rote with no real feeling behind them.

Fiametta snorted. “That,” she pointed at her Ender, “is why I have not killed you, Larkspur. You do not back down from me and while you irritate my skin just looking at you . . .I cannot deny you speak your mind and with it a truth I have not heard in a long time. It is an interesting theory you have regarding the firewyrms. Interesting indeed.”

She lifted a hand toward Peta and I shifted my weight so the shoulder my cat sat on was away from Fiametta. The queen dropped her hand. “Come, see your friend. We will speak after of things that should not be heard by mere Enders.”

Spinning on her booted heel, she walked away. Her long red hair swayed against the black leathers she wore as she walked . . . but the boots caught my attention.

Following slowly, I reached up and ran my hands carefully over Peta’s back. “Why is the queen wearing boots? Why would she be afraid of her feet touching the ground or the heat? Shouldn’t that be part of her connection to her element?”

I could understand why the Enders wore boots, they were useful when kicking the crap out of someone, but not the queen.

Peta gave a low shudder and she struggled to breathe around her words. “That is a good question.”

I stopped and stared at her. “How badly are you hurt?”

“I will heal.” Her eyes were at half-mast and her third eyelid dropped across her green irises. She struggled for breath as her tiny pink tongue hung out, and she wobbled on my shoulder.

“Fiametta, we must stop at the healer’s first.”

The queen never slowed for a beat. “I will not. You have a few moments before everyone in my kingdom will waken. This is your last chance to see your friend.”

Peta panted in my ear. “She will not give you another opportunity.”

Growling to myself, I stalked after Fiametta, wishing I could break a few of her ribs and see how she liked it.

Peta laid her head on my shoulder and a pitiful purr rolled out of her, a raspy wet rumble that did not sound right. Jaw tight, I did my best not to jar or jostle her. Because maybe she wasn’t all that enamored with being my familiar, but she was mine to protect and care for as much as I was hers.

CHAPTER 14

The dungeons were not deep in the mountain as I expected, but to the side of the main throne room on the upper levels. The entrance was directly behind the gold and jewel encrusted throne.

Before I could ask, Fiametta pointed at the plain doors. “It is best to keep your enemies close, Terraling. If you ever find yourself protecting a royal in the Rim, that is advice I suggest you heed.”

“Is that why you slept with the traitor?” The words popped out before I could catch them and I swallowed hard. Peta let out a low groan as the queen slowly turned.

Her blue eyes sparkled, and shocked, I realized she tried not to laugh. Her lips twitched and her shoulders tightened as she fought not to shake. Flicking her fingers at the two Enders, she turned and walked to the flat section of the wall that was the prison entrance. “Larkspur, you are bold like no one I have met in a long time. It is refreshing. I did not know he was a traitor. But if I had, I likely would have still bedded him. He had a very fine body.”

I opened my mouth, but then closed it quickly as I thought better of my words. Fiametta turned and lifted an eyebrow.

“What, now you would censor yourself?” she asked.

“I believe if I cross a line you do not like, and I cannot see, you will use that as a reason to throw me into the dungeon beside Ash.” I folded my arms over my chest while I waited for her to either open the door or step out of my way.

She shrugged. “Possibly, yes.”

“Don’t do it, Dirt Girl,” Peta said at the same time as I spoke.

“And Cassava? Did you know what she was doing or did you realize too late that she was trying to manipulate you?”

Fiametta stared at me, her expression unreadable. “Cassava and I were friends once. Her machinations are what made me break ties with her. Basileus should have banished her when she killed his mistress. That one could have made your family great if she could have ousted Cassava.”