Shadow Reign (Shadow Puppeteer Book 2) by Christina E. Rundle

fit more blades, I would. I felt vulnerable without weapons and my attack against Kelaino wouldn’t be clean. My nerves were getting the best of me as I carefully pushed the drawer back into place.
    I barely stood when the beads parted. My heart leaped into my throat. He was going to know I took them. There was no way he’d let me leave the room with the weapons. I was extremely aware of the way the metal laid against my skin, wondering if it made an outline against my clothes.
    Utan’s eyes narrowed. “It’s time to go back to your room.”
    I nodded. My body was so stiff maybe he couldn’t tell I was hiding something. He grabbed the torch he left beside the door and I followed. He didn’t look back at me though my heart was still pounding.
    The dodging and thrusting movements irritated all my wounds, though the ones on my shoulders and ankles ached more. There was such a great deal of relief in heading back. Exhaustion was greater than the nightmares that kept me up, but I couldn’t rest. I had to strategize. I needed to find Kelaino and it had to be now. I could ask to be taken to her, though in my current condition, I wasn’t going to be able to fight her very well. I needed the element of surprise. Actually, maybe I could make both of them work for me.
    “I want to speak with Kelaino.”
    Utan spun and the fire swept inches from my face before he caught me by the throat, pushing me hard. My head whacked the stone, sending vibrations through my skull and jawline. Despite my obvious pain, he didn’t let up. Tears welled in my eyes as I tried to breath around the pressure that held me in place.
    “I know she lets you address her by name, but in my company, you’ll call her mistress,” he said.
    I didn’t answer him and the pressure tightened. He wanted an excuse to break my neck and I had a feeling he’d use this. I couldn’t pull my cards too soon, though my fingers itched for the blades. As much as I hated it, I had to humble myself.
    “Can I speak privately to your mistress?”
    He squeezed and that little bit of pressure made the blood in my veins run cold.
    Utan released me and I swayed against the wall. “You’re a mistake.”
    Even if I felt up to arguing, I couldn’t risk another attack. It was difficult trying to draw air into my bruised throat. It hurt to swallow and blood beat erratically in my eardrums. He started walking ahead like nothing happened and I shuffled behind, glad he didn’t unearth my hidden blades. He was definitely the second person I was going to kill. Rose would be third.
    At first I thought he was heading back to my room, but he turned down the hall that led to the dining alcove. Luckily, adrenaline had my heart slamming against my ribs, which made it less suspicious that now I was anxious for this.
    “I’ll tell her you request her presence. You’ll have to wait if she’s busy,” he warned.
    I entered the alcove, now missing the table and chairs. It wasn’t cozy with the homey items and it wasn’t cozy now. The circle across the floor was glaring at me. I could feel the energy trying to press against my shields. Even the obsidian mirror gleamed strangely in the torchlight that Utan left in the wall peg.
    My mind was buzzing, making it impossible to come up with a strategy. I planned to use all three blades on her, one in the hip, one in the chest and one to sever her head from her body. With her dead, it might not stop the Reincarta from coming after me, though, hopefully that took Rex and his pack off her hit list.
    I paced the room as my stomach tightened in knots. Any minute now, she’d be coming down the hall. What if she wasn’t alone? I had to make this fast.
    I crossed the circle of blood, though this felt like a foolish and stupid thing to do. Everything inside me lurched, wanting to vomit. The energy was heavy. Many bodies suffered before their souls separated from their physical form. I saw their faces when I blinked.
    I had no real plan so I drew all