“LadySurah.”
Surah whirled around. She should have been carrying a blade. Something. Though the gargoyle who landed gracefully onto pavement with a swish of silk skirts was elegant, lovely–she was also dangerous. Sarah scanned the skies for her guards, keeping an eye on Lavinia at the sametime.
“What do you want,Lavinia?”
She moved closer, wings folding against her back. The rain scented evening breeze didn’t stir a single hair from her tight braid. “Now that is an interesting question,” she said. “I believe I told you what I wanted weeks ago–yourefused.”
“And if you’re here to ask me again, don’t waste mytime.”
Lavinia laughed. “Or mine. No, Surah. I’m not here to ask you again. I’m here to warnyou.”
“Aboutwhat?”
She smiled. “The Prince will not let go of power so easily–he knows of Malin’s intentions to wrest the throne from hiscontrol.”
“Malin has no such plans,” Surah snapped. “That’s a rumor spread byyou.”
The Councilor ignored her. “I’ve heard talk the young Prince is moved to make a strike before his brother can offer the firstblow.”
Surah closed the space between them, anger heating her words. “You know what I’ve heard, Mogren? I’ve heard that your ambition and idealism has led you to do the one thing our kind abhor–betray thePrince.”
“You are not one of us, girl. The happy–for you–fact that that whore Adagia pushed you out from between her legs doesn’t change what youare.”
Surah returned Lavinia’s smile with one of her own, a baring of teeth. “What? Pale, wingless? A weak child of day. You can’t say anything I haven’t heard my entire life.” She stepped back, reining in her temper before her clenched fist rose of its own volition to connect with Lavinia’s jaw. “Fly away, Mogren. I have nothing left to say toyou.”
“I have something to say to you, Surah Adar, half-sister to the Prince. Fair warning, girl. I’m done playing games. I’ve admired you–you aren’t mentally weak and for a female with some of our blood, you aren’t an embarrassment. But my indulgence only goes so far. Either you halt your research, or accept theconsequences. ”
“I’ll take theconsequences.”
Lavinia laughed coldly. “Well, I’ve warned you–and we will have to make a small demonstration of ourabilities.”
Surah turned just as Lavinia launched into the sky, watching her fly away with a frown. Malin would be furious. She strode to the plain, black sedan she'd taken, unlocking it as she approached. The click just barely covered the scuff of a foot on thepavement.
Damn.
She had just enough time to think of turning before feeling a sharp sting at her neck. Hard fingers pressing on her artery. Thennothing.
* * *
Pain flooded her body,muscles twisting in spasms like an all over charley horse. Her throat burned, eyes dry as sandpaper. Surah inhaled; even breathinghurt.
“Surah?”
Malin’s voice pierced through the muddled nerve endings. Surah turned on her side, aware of the brushed cotton sheets against her bare skin. Knowing that if she was conscious and Malin’s voice was this calm, then whatever had happened in the parking lot couldn’t have been thatbad.
She attempted to sit up. Well…badenough.
“Easy,” Malin said. Surah pried open her lids as Malin’s arm settled around her back, supportingher.
“What the hell?” shecroaked.
“Indeed.” The Prince’s grim amusement gave Surah the courage to move her limbs. Her mother had once described childbirth, telling Surah the pain was so terrible, it hurt to even move a toe. She made a mental note to go visit her mother soon, maybe with a dozen roses and some homemade fudge in three different varieties. “We found you in the parkinglot.”
Surah licked her cracked lips, carefully turning her head to meet Malin’s eyes. Carefully shutteredeyes.
“Surah, there’s a needle mark on your neck. There was an empty medicine bottle next toyou.”
Well, that was obvious. Malin reached behind him, picking something up off the side table. He placed it in Surah'spalm.
