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“We’ll try to find an ostekke at sunset.”

“You’re evil.” Navin tossed his balled-up tunic at me. “I never thought I would ever be seeking out monsters.”

“We need to try,” I opposed. “Or we can summon more—”

“I’ll do everything I can,” he said tightly, clearly exhausted but adamant. The guilt of his conjuring gnawed at him. Nightmares pulled him from the depths of sleep. Maez still hadn’t been found. For all we knew, Briar was still in Nero’s control, too. And my brother... there had been no word from my brother, and I prayed that he was somewhere dead in the snow. Because if he was alive, I would kill him.

“I’m glad it is you with the power now and not me,” I said finally, stepping out of Navin’s touch. As the dragon disappeared over the pine forest, I picked up his lastar and patted him on the shoulder. “You should go again. I’m going to keep translating that songbook we found under Ora’s pillow.”

Navin grabbed the instrument from my hand and gently propped it back against the wall. He leaned his bare chest into me, his half-mast eyes dropping to my mouth. “I’ll join you.”

“No.”

His hands skimmed up my sides. “Why not?”

“Because when youjoin me, we never get any work done,” I said, playfully shoving at him as his hands tightened on my waist.

We’d been poring over every dusty old tome and song sheet we could find in Galen den’ Mora, translating so many ancient scrolls that my skin bore the permanent scent of old parchment. But still, we’d found no answers to how to reverse the effects of dark magic. I hoped the temple of knowledge might have more answers. Surely if there was a way to conjure it into the world, there was a way of pulling it back out again?

Navin let out a hungry protestation as he nipped at my earlobe. “I like the way we work.”

My hands trailed up his back as he kissed his way down my neck. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, distracting me.”

He laughed against my shoulder. “So long as it’s working.”

A high whistle sang out over the desert. We lifted our heads, finding a tall figure cresting the nearest dune, a trail of a dozen others following him.

“I think you’ve had this place all to yourself for too long, Navin,” the tall one called. The man had a smooth, honeyed baritone, his eyes a matching bronze to Navin’s own. His gaze slid to me. “We meet again, Wolf.”

Recognition alighted my expression. I’d seen this man before. Behind him the others gathered, all of them wearing little badges on their lapels: the Songkeepers of Galen den’ Mora. They’d come to our aid once more.

But the tall one—the one I’d nearly cut down with my sword only a few moons ago—the one Navin stopped me from killing. I glowered back at him. Of all the people to answer Ora’s call...

The group as one crossed fists over their chests and dropped into a bow.

“What is this, Kian?” Navin asked.

“We heard Ora’s song. We’re the new officers of your army, General.” Navin’s brother rose and smiled. “We’re here to train some monsters.”