Page 276 of The Dread Descendant
He chuckled nervously and touched his lips, confused. Maeve watched him for a moment in their reflection.
“That was odd,” said Xander, feigning laughter again.
Maeve looked down at the ring on her left hand finger. She brought it to her lips for a moment before turning around in the chair.
“If I know Mal, and I really and truly do,” said Maeve, relishing her words, “it’s only going to get worse.”
He scratched at his lips in a panicked manner as they began to inflate and turn bright red.
Xander began to panic as the curse flared and spread across his face. Maeve waved her hand and effortlessly gathered the readings and books of her father’s she intended to take for now.
“What’s happening to me?” Screamed Xander, pathetically, dropping his facade.
“I believe, put simply, you tried to take something that is not yours. Consider it a parting gift from The Prince of Darkness,” said Maeve. “And by all means, please tell Lithandrian just how it was you ended up in such a state.”
Maeve headed for the fireplace and vanished as Xander screamed.
She stepped out of the fire in Mal’s penthouse suite. Ambrose left it to him. His name was now scrolled across the deed. Ambrose left Mal a number of things.
Mal crossed towards her and took her hands in his own. Her Sinclair family ring shining on one hand and Mal’s Dread ring on the other.
“I need to prepare the Dread Lands. I need to get my people out of here as soon as possible. I have so much work to do.”
“I need-”
“I know what you need,” he said softly. “And you will have it.” He brought his lips to her forehead. “I will give you time to grieve and mourn. But when our kingdom is ready, I will come back for you. And you will be at my side once more.”
He took her hand again and balled it into a fist. He placed it over her heart, where his Dread Mark lay beneath her clothes. She held her chin up proudly.
“Pour toujours,” she said.
Forever.
“À tout jamais,” he said in reply.
And always.
Maeve’s eyes darted between his. Her voice shook as she said-
“I’m going to kill them all.”
Mal brushed his free hand across her quivering bottom lip.
“No, Little Viper. We are going to kill them all.”
