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Poison by the reflection of his own evil intentions.

“Do not be frightened,little bird,” Cassial taunted. As he spoke, I could see his tongue move like a snake through the gap in his cheek. The wet sound of flesh on flesh, accompanied with the hot stench of rot and infection, made me want to vomit.

“You look like shit,” I spat. “Had a hard time recently, have you?”

“Courtesy of your Asp,” Cassial said, gesturing to his ruined face.

It was a miracle he was still alive – not a miracle, but the fact his body was a host for chaos itself.

She’d tried to kill him, that much was clear. A spark of joy simmered inside of me, knowing she had left her mark on Cassial.

“Half a job means a little less for me to do,” I said. “Come closer and I will put you out of your misery.”

“Misery?” Cassial cocked back his head and laughed, the sound grating and vile. I saw the workings of his inner body through the gouge marks, his tongue bulging like a bloated slug, strings of veins and sinew like threads holding his ruined face together. “My life is anything but, especially now you are here.”

“You laugh at me, and yet your end is still inevitable.” My tongue brushed over the glass vial hidden in the back of my teeth, making sure it was in place.

Cassial finally stopped laughing, and there wasn’t a sign of humour on his face by the time he faced me again. “The Asp certainly gave it a good go, bless her. But in the end her luck had run dry. I took her life with a smile on my face, knowing that I may have lost the vessel required to use Duwar, but at least I could use her toreplacewhat was taken from me. And look at you, here like a willing little lamb. I had hopes Erix would have followed after you, better to have two options than one. But I suppose now I know what I must do to send out a call for him.”

“I never told you what type of signal Erix would expect,” I said, holding on to that one hope. “Good luck prying it from me when I’m dead.”

Cassial didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. “You will not be dying yet, Robin Icethorn. I have a need for you. Starting with Duncan. Amazing, isn’t it, this endless well of great power. I knew Duwar would provide me with possibilities beyond my imagination, but never did I think that any one thing can be achieved when using the source of power. Every power that a fey has – telepathy, illusion, glamouring, the conjuring of elements – it isallmine. Endless possibilities at my fingertips. It did not even cross my mind, until your little Asp came here and tried to mess with my plans. Imagine my surprise when I found out you all survived the journey to Irobel. Thank the Creator you did, because otherwise I would’ve been forced to put Duwar inside of that Elmdew babe and wait years until I could use it again. My weakness is my impatience.”

Your weakness is your desire for power.

“You’re wasting your breath on me, Cassial.” My vision was red, my need for pain and fury a siren song too impossible to ignore. “Itisover.”

My eyes flickered down to the butcher’s knife. It was only for a split second, but Cassial began tutting. “Now, now. Robin. I would suggest you do not make hasty decisions. The wrong move would not go well for you. So, let us sit, shall we? Talk about how we can help each other stop this war I know you will do anything to prevent. If you do, I have something of great importance I can return to you.”

I couldn’t get over the fact that Duncan had been standing before me one minute and was gone the next. My lips ached from the kiss he’d given me, the disgusting knowledge that it had never been Duncan.

“Where ishe?” I seethed, my body trembling against unseen bounds.

“Oh, Duncan?” Cassial said the name as if there was even a possibility I’d spoken of someone else. “Well, he is here, of course. And if you behave, I may just let you see him.”

That was how Cassial knew to glamour himself as Duncan, because he had come to Gyah’s aid, but never left. That was why Rafaela wasn’t here. Somewhere along the way, Duncan had been captured instead.

“If you harm him a single hair on his head–”

Cassial leaned in, his smile widening. It was only when he got closer that I noticed the cracks across his skin. The fissures, like scars in clay, revealed a glowing, fire-like light from beneath. “As long as you do as I ask, then I swear to you, no harm will befall Duncan Rackley. The same goes for Erix. So, shall we sit and discuss what it is I need from you, and then we can come to an agreement that will be mutually beneficial?”

“I have nothing to say to you.” I rolled the glass vial of poison between my teeth. I got myself ready, poised to crack it and spit the poison over Cassial. Then this would finally be over. I had no antidote, no way of not meeting the same end as Cassial would.

But it would be worth it. The pain, the death, the suffering… it would mean something if I dragged Cassial to the afterlife with me.

“No, perhaps you do not. But I can tell you that I do not need to know what signal Erix Oakstorm waits to receive from you. To my luck, Erix is already on his way. Word has reached me that he is coming here, with a host of fey warriors at his heel. I think it has something to do with the return of Althea Cedarfall to Wychwood, and her orders to attack. But I would very much like to have this conversation with you first, before I must go and greet him. You never know, maybe we will come up with a way to stop the bloodshed that is… imminent.”

I paused, letting the possibility of what he said sink in. “I don’t believe you.”

“Nor do I care if you do.” Cassial tilted his head, like an inquiring mutt. “Time will show you that the war is now upon us. But I know what you desire, Robin. You truly would do anything to save those humans outside, no matter how they hate you, how they wish to see me destroy you. Then there is the matter of Erix. You are worried I may use him as Duwar’s vessel if you are no longer an option. And I admit, you would be right to have those concerns. I also admit it would be ideal that he would be my second choice, considering he would willingly give himself up to save you. But you already knew that, which is why you came to me alone.”

I could reply, but my silence was as much confirmation. “An educated guess.”

“No, that was no guess. It does not take a scholar to see the ties between yourself and Erix Oakstorm. Not to mention how insightful Duncan Rackley has been. It has taken little of Duwar’s power to crack into his mind and take out what I have needed–”

I leaned in, the glass vial aching between my teeth. “I will–”

“Listen to me, carefully.” Cassial dug his fingers into my jaw, holding me in place. I could barely breathe, let alone move. All I was permitted to do was listen. “After all, that is why you came, because youknewI needed you. So, I think you would very much like to hear what I have to say. More importantly, what I have tooffer. Starting with the fey army following in your wake. The sooner we speak, the quicker you can call an end to the death that awaits those souls outside this tent. Either you listen to me, or more innocent people will perish just like dearest Seraphine. Or, if you are unwilling to cooperate, we can have this conversation after the fey army soak the ground with the humans’ blood. What will it be, Robin? Will you sit back and wait for the realms to tear each other apart, or will you do the right thing and see how we can stop it all – together?”