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“Does it now?”

Taly nodded—confident. She hoped. “We had an agreement. I earned my third seal. I’m an Acolyte now. It’s time for you to hold up your end of the bargain.”

“An Acolyte? You?” Azura chuckled, low and mocking. “What in Shards’ name makes you believe that?”

“I passed your test.”

“You passedatest. You finally figured out that time mages cheat. That we’re always thinking at least ten steps ahead. However, that is far from the last lesson I have to teach you.”

Taly’s heart seized. No. No, she couldn’t— “You said that stupid game of tag was my test for the third seal.”

Azura’s smile widened as she rose from her chair. “Oh, my dear,” she said, her voice lilting as she sauntered into the ring. Every movement wascalculated and lethal, limned with ancient grace. She held up a hand, and the veil of air and time magic evaporated in a hiss of aether. “You poor tiny little slip of a thing. I said you needed to beat a game of tag before I would let you leave, but I never saidwhenthat would be. You really should’ve been listening more carefully.”

Taly began to shake her head, hating the tears that burned her eyes.This was supposed to be her way out. This had been her only way out!

“You lied,” Taly whispered.

“No, I didn’t,” Azura claimed. “To quote a very dear, veryoldfriend:‘I did not lie. I simply did not correct you when you made certain assumptions.’” Azura winked. “Spoken like a true time mage.”

Taly visibly winced. Those were her words, said to Skye that night at the tavern. The night before their entire world had changed.

How the Queen knew them…

“There is still one more trial you must complete,” Azura said. “One more game. If you win, I’ll send you home.Immediately. You’ll be an Acolyte. A student I can be proud to call my own.”

The Queen had finally made her way to the center of the ring, standing only a few feet away. “That’s it?” Taly asked.

“That’s it.”

“One game?”

“One game.”

“And you’ll give me my freedom?”

“I’ll give you your freedom.”

“Immediately?” Taly pressed. “Not next week, not next year—”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Azura muttered. “That’s exactly what I said.”

Taly hesitated. “What’s the catch?” There was always a catch with this woman—even if she couldn’t immediately see it.

The Queen’s smile was positively feline. “If I told you, it would ruin the surprise.”

Chapter 27

-From the personal notes of Ivain Castaro, Marquess of Tempris

My wife is dead.

My daughter too, gone before she took her first breath.

I still have their blood on my hands, and the healers keep asking me questions. They keep saying that it was an accident. That there was nothing anyone could’ve done. Both mother and child were healthy—up until they weren’t.

They just took my daughter away, wrapped in a black cloth. My wife is still in our bed. I can feel Sarina watching me, like she’s afraid of what I might do.

She’s right to be worried. Because I think I know a way to bring them back.