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“Cassial wasn’t only keeping Althea hostage,” Rafaela said, her defiant gaze fixed to me. “He’s been biding his time to use her against the fey. You would have turned back for her.”

“Of fucking course I would have,” I shouted, unable to move a muscle beside my eyes that flared open once again. “And yet we’ve left her, in Altar knows what state, for how long?” I spun around, winter winds crackling around me, searching shadows for the Asp. “We need to leave. We have to catch up with them.”

I was moments from exploding.

Pinching my eyes closed, I saw the Cedarfall family, dead, in the dark of my mind. The image of their bodies swaying like pendulums. After everything Althea had endured, we’d left her in the hands of a man who’d soon see every fey killed.

Duncan placed a hand on my shoulder. The touch lasted a second as repulsion uncoiled in me. Shrugging him off, I took steps back, pressing into Erix who waited.

The emotion that stormed through me was destructive and hungry. It needed release.

“You could’ve told me,” I spat, pushing my finger into Duncan’s chest, so hard that nail bent against muscle. “Shouldhave told me! I deserved to know if Althea’s life was underimminentthreat.”

Duncan looked down at me with an expression of sorrow that irked my soul. “There wasn’t the time–”

“Because you were too busyfuckingme?” I screamed, no longer caring who knew. “Althea means everything to me, Duncan. If I’d known she was going to be used as a pawn to start the war Cassial is so desperate for, we could’ve saved her.”

“But Duncan would have died in the process,” Rafaela reminded me. “Coming to Irobel was imperative to our success.”

“Success is not guaranteed! We only came here to further testyourprophecy. Because of your twisted beliefs and manipulations,” I barked, spinning on her, brain aching from the constant whipping of my head. “He is your Saviour, freeing those Nephilim bound in stone. But who will be Althea’s saviour?”

“Gyah, for I have seen it,” Duncan muttered. “I know what she must do, and I have faith it will work.”

My eyes settled on Erix, to find him trembling with the same unspent rage I was lost to. His pupils had shrunk, giving his eyes the impression of being pools of silver. “Take me away from here, Erix.”

He didn’t reply. He looked down at the table, eyes flickering between his splayed hands.

“We only did what had to be done, to save the world,” Rafaela began, but I cut her off.

“And yet you didn’t think for a moment that Altheaissomeone’s world.” There was something in her words that sent Cedarfall-conjured fire through my veins.

I couldn’t blame Gyah for leaving. I would’ve done the same. If anything, I only wished I had the chance to leave with her.

“Whether you knew about Althea or not, I have little doubt you would not have divulged the information if it meant keeping Duncan from his fate. Gabrial’s promise of the Herald was the only thing ensuring we could stop the Fallen.”

Duncan lay a firm but gentle hand upon my shoulder. “There have been no secrets, Robin. The moment I woke, I shared the information I had with Seraphine and explained what I saw in the threads of endless possibilities before us. I asked her to keep it to herself until we were further prepared. Gyah knew the truth of Cassial’s plans soon after.”

“And yet you didn’t tell me!” I snapped, drawing away. “Gyah has gone alone to face god knows what plans Cassial has.”

“She is not alone, she has Seraphine,” Duncan reminded me, soft fingers reaching for my face.

I leaned into it, delighting in his warmth. It grounded me against the maelstrom of anxieties rupturing through my body. “I should be there.”

“Giving Cassial access to another fey royal to control isn’t what we need right now. You are safer here, and Althea Cedarfall will be safe as soon as Gyah reaches her. Trust in that.” Duncan’s voice was so loud it was as if he was shouting, except his furrowed brow and drawn lips showed he felt nothing but regret.

My eyes flared wide as realisation of a missed detail made itself known. “Cassial would not kill Althea so flippantly. He will need her, just as you said. He needs a fey to host the power…”

“A willing fey,” Duncan reminded me. “Althea would sooner die than become a pawn for Cassial to use. Iseehow this will end.” His fingers dropped to my chin, lifting it up until we were eye to eye. “Do you trust me, darling?”

“Trust is a shield,nota weapon, Duncan. We don’t have time to waste talking about this,” Erix said, hands wringing together before him. I could feel the press of his body behind me, how he trembled with emotion, limbs quaking. I had no doubt that he got close to me in case he lost control and needed an anchor. “Robin is right, we must follow and stop them.”

Rafaela looked to Duncan, fixing her eyes on him. I read the nuance of their silence and discovered Erix’s answer before either of them said it. They weren’t going to let us ruin whatever they had planned.

“Don’t you dare,” I spat, finger pointing at both of them, my heart aching at the betrayal laid out before me.

“Robin, please,” Duncan pleaded. “I know Cassial needs a fey, one of Altar’s descendants, to house Duwar and survive the power source. I do not think his plans are to murder her, but to use her. It will be Althea who chooses death over that outcome.”

“I hate to say this, but you are right,” Erix said, head bowing. “Cassial needs Althea because she is going to be the next vessel. She is safe – as long as we don’t intervene, or as long as she doesn’t refuse him.”