Broken Girl (Book I of Anita Blake Adoptive Mother Series)

Chapter XXII

~ Malvolia's Point of View ~

I gasped sharply while sitting on my throne falling forward slightly a few strands of my fair falling in my face.

"My Lady are you alright!?!" Narkissa Morana Chaos, my handmaiden and lady in waiting, asked in alarm.

"I'm...I'm fine..." I said once I caught my breath. I took several more deep breaths before saying while smiling a chilling and evil smile, "More than fine. I found her."

Narkissa nodded smiling. She knew who I was speaking of.

I looked to the two guards that were stationed in the room. "One of you bring Alumir to me. And one bring my son Aries Soran Eris to me." I ordered as I continued to smile the chilling and evil smile. They all but jumped to obey immediately.

I went over what happened when my shadow self was where Brittany and her father was. I frowned slightly though thinking Her gifts could be troublesome. Along with her sorceress and that woman with them. I also frowned because Alumir had been lying to me all this time when he said he didn't know where she had been taken.

After several minutes there was a knock on the throne room door. I smiled calmly knowing that it was my son and that he had arrived first. Perfect. I thought

"Enter." I gently commanded him. After all he was my son.

He strode in kneeling at my feet on the throne steps, as he took my right hand in his,and kissed it softly. Then he moved to stand a few feet from my throne. He smiled a smile that could be as chilling as mine had he meant it to and said, "You summoned me Mother."

"Yes I did. For I have good news for you my son." I said smiling my chilling smile again which he returned.

"Oh. What news is that Mother?" He asked returning the chilling smile as his eyebrows raised.

"I have found Aylaska Aurora Shadowmend." I said still smiling. If that news bothered him he didn't show it, in fact he looked happy at the news. He knew I had planned on him marrying her when she came of age so that I could take her magic, while also planning on taking everything from Ahriman, including her in general to cause him pain.

"That's wonderful Mother." He said smiling though his eyes were guarded.

"Yes it is. For soon everything I have worked for will come to be. Thanks to your help that is." I said. Though I had a back up plan in case he didn't work out with her waiting in the wings so to speak.

"Yes Mother." He said dutifully.

Just then there was another knock on the door. I smiled my attention momentarily focusing on it for a minute then turned to Aries.

"You may leave son. I will let you know when you are to go to her. And where." I said calmly.

"Yes Mother." He said kneeling and kissing my hand before leaving.

After a minute or two I called in Alumir.

He came in his legs shaking slightly and he was ringing his hands nervously. I watched him as he bowed low to the ground smiling almost viciously, as I thought, Yes you little worm. You are right to be fearful and nervous. He stayed bowed low until I said he could rise.

"Tell me." I said as I calmly smiling coldly at him as I stood moving to circle him. "When were you going to tell me you knew where she had been held? And when were you going to admit to me that you had tried to not only betray me but also think you could steal her from me?"

He shook more as I circled and asked him. The look in my eyes completely vicious. He was so terrified that he couldn't even speak without stuttering and making a fool of himself. When he couldn't explain his actions he began to beg for his life for he knew what was coming.