Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms 4)

“At Melenia’s request.”

“You make theirs sound like a friendly partnership. Melenia used him.”

“And he let her!”

“My, you’re stubborn. Fine. I won’t sully your memories of this imaginary location another moment.” Suddenly the air began to swim and shimmer, and the scene around them began to shift and change.

Lucia stood up and found herself in the ice gardens of the Limerian palace. Standing before her was Timotheus, wearing a black cloak, leather boots, and the same hateful expression she remembered from the meadow.

“Now that I’ve proved I’m in control here,” Timotheus said, “we can begin.”

“Begin what?” she snarled.

“What has the fire Kindred told you? What does he say he wants?”

“Fire Kindred?” She offered him a thin smile. “I’m sure I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Does he think you can kill me?”

“Why would anyone want to kill you, Timotheus?” she asked. “I honestly can’t imagine that, given how kindly and respectfully you’ve treated me so far.”

“Has he told you what he plans to do after I’m dead?”

She inhaled deeply, ignoring her racing heart. “Your questions are meaningless to me and I’m not answering any of them.”

“You killed Melenia,” Timotheus said, not a trace of a question in his tone.

“Are you sure about that?”

He studied her, ignoring her deflections. “You drained her of her magic. Alexius taught you that trick. Very clever of him. It seems he had more control over his free will than I thought.”

“How do you . . . ?” But then she stopped herself, because she suddenly realized how Timotheus knew about that night in the temple. In this dream, he could read her mind, so he could also see memories. Could all Watchers do this? Had Alexius possessed this skill as well?

“No, he didn’t,” Timotheus said, answering her silent question. “Though he would have been considered ancient in your world, Alexius was one of the youngest of our kind. I, however, am not so young. I am one of the first immortals created to protect the Kindred and all that lies beyond the Sanctuary.”

“So was Melenia,” she said.

He nodded. “There were six of us in the beginning.”

“Now you’re the only one left.” She cocked her head. “So much for immortality.”

“We are immortal. Not indestructible.”

“Much gratitude for the reminder,” Lucia said, her chest aching as she thought once again of Alexius.

“Kyan misleads you. He doesn’t care for you. He’s manipulating you to get to me.”

“He’s not manipulating me. I agreed to help him.”

“So it seems that Lucia Damora is capable of speaking the truth.” He shook his head, then looked at her with what Lucia recognized as pity. “You are filled with so much anger and pain and grief. Yet instead of letting those emotions run through you and make you stronger, you choose to unleash them on the rest of the world so that others might feel your pain as well.”

“Are we done here?” Lucia snapped, trying her hardest not to think of anything truthful, lest Timotheus use it against her. “I’m getting very bored.”

“You think this armor you’ve created will protect you, but it’s only a distraction. Beneath it you’re still the same spoiled and selfish girl you’ve always been.”

Her mouth dropped open. If she could summon even a fraction of her magic, he would be engulfed in flames by now.

“Kyan’s right,” she snarled. “You are just like Melenia. And you deserve to be destroyed every bit as much as she did. Although, I suppose your death won’t come as a surprise to you, will it?”