As the four rode to the Palace, Kayla explained. “Your girlfriend has been poisoned. That much is obvious. Normally she would heal automatically. However, something is stopping her from doing so. What’s the one thing that nullifies Amneris’ power?”

Colt’s eyes widened. “Someone got Scarlet Budtorite into her?”

“Yes. Which means things will get bad if we can’t get some Sapphire Budtorite into her fast.”

“How bad?”

Jay and Kayla exchanged grim glances. “The only place that can hold her is the Palace isolation chamber,” Jay said. “Does that answer your question?”

“We have an isolation chamber?”

Either Kayla or Jay had sent word ahead to the Palace. Lvaane was waiting outside a thick door on the lowest level in an area Colt didn’t know existed. Lvaane took Amneris from Colt’s arms and went into the room, the others following close behind.

Colt looked around in both amazement and horror. He’d never seen something like this before. The room was made from a polished grey stone with red crystals—obviously a small amount of scarlet budtorite—set at regular intervals in the walls. The floor was carpeted and a few small lights were connected to the roof. There were only two items in the room: a makeshift bed against the wall and a single video camera hidden in the corner of the room – Colt only saw it when Jay pointed it out to him. The room was clearly made for one purpose, to make sure those with mass amounts of power—specifically Core Guardians—couldn’t go out and harm others when they lost control.

Kayla knocked on one of the walls. “This room weakens a Core Guardians’ power without actually damaging them. The walls are thick enough that it would take Amneris at least four days to break out—yes, we tested it—which is definitely someone to come in and sedate her as necessary. The only way out is through that door which is not only enhanced by the red crystal, but is also under constant guard whenever someone is in here.”

Colt gaped. “How did you come up with this?”

“I didn’t,” Kayla said. “This thing has been here since before he was King.”

She pointed at Lvaane who nodded. “This was made after the first experience of a Core Guardian losing control of their power. After Lapide became the Capital, of course. It would be pointless to have a room like this somewhere it would never be used.”

Colt glanced at Amneris who lay on the bed. “She never told me about this . . .”

“I would assume she never had a reason.” Lvaane pointed at one of the walls. “Viewing platform and monitor station are up there. Everything still works.” This last part was directed to Kayla.

“Good,” she said, “but someone will have to stay in here and inject her with the blue crystal every few hours. We cannot risk opening that door for anything once she wakes up.”

“I’ll stay with her.” Kayla and Lvaane faced Colt. He shrugged. “She is my girlfriend and most likely to let me inject her. Surely you know how she gets around needles.”

Kayla tilted her head. “You have experience in administering medicine?”

“Well, no—”

“Then I will stay with her.”

“And be killed the first moment you come near her.” He ran a hand through his hair. “How about you show me what to do?”

Kayla sighed reluctantly. “Very well.”

She pulled a rectangular box from her bag and handed it to Colt. She showed him how much of the blue crystal—currently in liquid form in a sealed jar—would be needed and how to administer it. She also handed him a protective container that even Amneris couldn’t break, just in case.”

“Remember, you could be in here for days,” Kayla said. “There’s no way to predict how long it will take to work it out of her system. I gave her the first shot when we got here. You will have to give her another every three hours.”

“So long as you bring me enough food and water, how hard could it be?” Colt forced a laugh. “Maybe some blankets and a few books would help too.”

“That can be arraigned,” Lvaane said. “We will be keeping watch from the monitor station. If at any time you no longer feel you can do this, we will find someone to replace you.”

“How?”

He smiled. “We can figure that out when we get there. Good luck.”

The Old King, Kayla and Jay left. They bolted the thick door shut behind them. There was no way out now. Colt sunk to the floor beside the bed, taking Amneris’ hand. Nothing would make him leave her side.

At the same time as Amneris was being shut inside the isolation chamber, Tara had just finished an extremely uneventful day. She’d walked the streets to see the people and ask if they needed help, only to be shunned. Again. Not that she didn’t deserve it. So many of them had lost family and friends because of her actions. Even she had lost many friends during her time as Queen.

In her despair at being unable to help, Tara made the stupid decision to climb the stairs from the city down below to the Castle. Now she found herself laying in bed, legs aching too much to do anything other than not move. She was too exhausted to go to the main hall for dinner, not that she was particularly hungry.

A knock on the door made her sit up—though the decision was immediately regretted. Liam let himself in. He was holding a silver-grey tray. On it were two covered food options, two glasses and a wine bottle.

“Thought you would be hungry,” Liam said, sitting on the other side of the bed.

“Not really,” Tara admitted. Her stomach rumbled. “Fine, maybe a little.”

Liam pulled the silver domes from the food, revealing two bowls of stew, and two small plates with toasted rolls and butter. Tara breathed in the warm scene of food and sighed. Perhaps this was a good idea after all.

She gratefully took the bow and plate Liam handed her on a separate platter so she wouldn’t burn herself. “You really didn’t have to do this.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Liam said, filling her glass with shining purple wine.

Tara could help her shy smile as she took the glass, taking a sip of the sweet liquid. Liam was the one person who stayed with her no matter how many bad decisions she made, no matter how many times she’d been a total bitch to him. Some days, Tara couldn’t believe he was still here despite everything. Gods, she wanted to kiss him.

She blinked. Where had that come from?

“How is the search for the new Ruler coming alone?”

Tara sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Gods. “It isn’t. I have not heard anything from the Lyriumians for days.”

“Call them. Ask.”

“What, right now?”

“Yes, right now?”

Tara reached for her phone, hesitated, then picked it up. She placed it on the streets in front of her. A holographic screen appeared before her. She scrolled through numbers, pressing on one in particular. It was titled Photon Bitch.

Liam smirked at the name, dunking bread into his strew. “Better hope she doesn’t hack your phone and find that. You’d really be in for it.”

“Ha-de-ha-ha.”

No one answered for five rings. Right when Tara was about to hang up, assuming ‘Photon Bitch’ was busy, the call was answered. But it wasn’t Amneris who answered. It was her Second.

“Hey, Ta,” Nikki chirped cheerfully.

“You’re not Amneris,” Tara said. She suddenly felt stupid for stating the obvious.

Nikki looked over herself. “I can be if you want, but I doubt that would make things any less awkward.” She winked. “Why are you calling my Queen?”

Lian gave Tara an encouraging nod. She took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you’d had any breakthroughs with finding the new Ruler.”

Nikki winced. “Oh. Right. That.”

“Did you . . . forget?”

“No. You see, Ta, we’ve had an unexpected event take place which has meant the search has been put on hold.”

“Is everything okay?” Liam asked, moving to sit beside Tara.

Nikki waved at him. “Everything is fine. Look, I gotta go, but we’ll get back to you as soon as we find something. Bye!”

Tara felt her heart skip a beat. “Wait—” The call was ended. “What the hell was that on about.”

Liam crossed his arms. “They do have their own problems to deal with, remember, but I’m sure they’ll call you back soon.”

Tara looked down at her half-eaten dinner, watching the steam drift off it into the dim light of the room. “I hope you’re right . . .”

Nikki cringed as she pocketed Amneris’ phone. That had been an unexpected call, not to mention badly timed. The Shifter sighed as she continued rummaging through Amneris’ wardrobe. She’d been sent to fetch clothing for Amneris and Colt, the latter’s already in a drawstring bag over her shoulder.

Gods, things had gone to shit quickly. Who on Lyriumia would poison Amneris? No one would dare! The consequences were dire. Besides, no poison could actually kill Amneris. Put her through extreme pain, yes, but not kill her. Nothing could kill the girl. Clearly this plan wasn’t well thought out.

Or maybe the entire point of poisoning her was for the person to prove that they could.

“Was that Tara?”

Nikki jumped, placing a hand over her non-beating heart as she faced Carmin. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people!” she gasped, turning back to rummaging through the drawer. “Seriously, how do you do that?”

Carmin placed her hands on her pregnant stomach. “Yes, you would think this makes me easier to see coming.”

“I’m surprised Dan let you leave your room.”

The Dragonoid woman pulled a soft, dark blue hoodie from its hanger. “You know how my husband is,” she said with fondness. “He has only become more protective since my pregnancy.” She gave Nikki a sidelong glance and smile. “Makes on wonder how Leo would react if you two ever decided to have kids.”

“I, uh, I never really, you know.” Nikki cursed under her breath at her awkwardness. “What I mean is, well, it’s not really something we’ve discussed—”

Carmin laughed at her friend’s discomfort, taking the loose pants in her hands from her. She folded them and added them to the ever-growing pile. “I’m teasing, Nikki. Relax. It’s nothing you should feel pressured into doing.”

“I know,” she said, leaning against the drawers. “It just fees like someone I’m expected to do.”

“Why.”

She tilted her head back. “Most people I know are either married or have kids or both. You’re pregnant, Amneris has Hathy, Colt once mentioned having a son and daughter, a lot of my friends are in the process of or have kids. Hell, there’s even a theory out there that freakin’ Enliatu has a child.”

“Enliatu having a child . . .” Carmin murmured under her breath. “Yes, we should look into that.” Her wings ruffled and were folded behind her. “I understand what you mean but, in the end, it’s your decision. You know that.

“I know, I know.” She looked down with an embarrassed smile. “Gods, this got really deep really fast.”

Hands appeared on Nikki’s shoulders, making her meet Carmin’s kind gaze. “We’re both women. I don’t mind talking about these things, and I doubt the others in our family would either. Yes, that does go for the boys, too. We both know Leo would never force that sort of thing onto you. If you both decide to go through with it, that’s great! If not, that’s great, too! But, please, don’t feel forced just because everyone else is.”

Nikki smiled. “Thank, Car.” She looked toward the pile of clothing, only to find everything was neatly folded into the bag she’d left there. “And thanks for that, too.”

Carmin handed her the bag. “Give our Queen my best, okay?”

She winked at her friend, tossing the bag over her other shoulder. “Can do.” When she reached the door of Amneris and Colt’s room, Nikki stopped, turned back, and gave Carmin a soft smile. “Give me a call if you need anything, okay? Or if you’re just sick of your husband’s company.”

The Dragonoid laughed. “How does tea tomorrow morning sound?”

“Sounds perfect,” Nikki beamed.

“Assuming things don’t get worse.”

“Naturally.”

Everything hurt. Her head ached like crazy, her body felt like it was on fire. She couldn’t move from the softness she lay on. A sharp pain flared through her arm. Amneris hissed, trying to move away form it. A steadying hand appeared in her hair. She managed to open her eyes—barely—to find Colt looking down at her. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said, stroking her air. “How is my girl?”

She forced a laugh. “In a shit-ton of pain.”

“It will pass, Tali, I promise.”

Amneris struggled to keep her eyes on him. Everything was unnaturally bright. “What’s wrong with me?”

He looked surprised. “Someone poisoned you with Scarlet Budtorite. I told you already.”

“You did?”

“You do not remember?”

She shook her head, grimacing as the motion caused another flare of pain. Amneris felt more than saw Colt sit beside her. Carefully, he lifted her head and placed it in his lap. The fluffy blanket covering her was adjusted and pulled over her shoulders.

“Some thought it would be a good idea to poison you. We do not know who or when but are looking into it. There have been no breakthroughs yet but I am sure we will find someone soon.” He glanced down at her, hazel eyes filled with worry. “Do you have any idea who or when it could have happened.”

Amneris frowned, trying to sort through her fuzzy thoughts. “Actually yeah. I went to see Kek—”

“You what?”

“—to get more information on the Frozen Ones. He was, unsurprisingly, useless. Anyway, I started feeling off not long after I left his house.”

Colt shook his head. “What is it with that man and trying to kill you?”

“Hmm, I think he’s more trying to figure out what my limits are so then he can kill me. If I die in the process of his experimentations, then that’s just a bonus for him. He’s been trying since before I died.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Colt said, playing with her curls. “If he is the one behind this, I am sure the others will be able to catch him.”

“And break his nose for me?”

He laughed. “And break his nose for you.”