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Over and over—until something inside her snapped.

Taly didn’t realize she’d launched herself forward until Skye’s arms were around her, lifting her off her feet as she struggled against him, wild with rage.

“Let me go!” she snarled. Her aether flared, and then hit a wall as Skye’s own magic wrapped around her like a vice.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on,” he hissed in her ear, “but I didn’t come all this way just to watch you die. That’s a Genesis Lord. She could kill you with a thought.”

“You should listen to him,” the Queen added. And that smile…

That stupid, smugsmile…

Taly let out a shriek of rage. “You—”

“Gave you a test worthy of your skill?” Azura arched a brow. “Allowed you to take revenge on a man that had not only wronged you, but your family, your island, your home, and countless others? A man that would’ve made you wish you were dead had he succeeded in capturing you?” This time when the Queen laughed, it was humorless. “Yes. That is exactly what I did. And now, this man is dead, slain by your own hand, andthe world is better for it. You’re better for it because you’ve finally realized what you can do when you finally stop hesitating.”

Skye’s magic continued to tighten around her, and the flames reignited in Taly’s lungs as he slowly took control of her aether, holding it just out of reach.

Giving one final jerk, Taly sagged against him, her heart twisting so viciously in her chest that the world went sideways.

“Why?” Taly whispered. Then louder, gaining strength: “Why?!Why would you do this?”

The Queen smiled a bit, reaching down to pluck the amulet from around Vaughn’s neck. “When faced with their worst fears,” she said, “many people fall down and never find the will to get back up. I’ve seen it happen many times before. To good mages. Brave men and women that allowed their sorrow to cripple them. Before I let you leave this place, I needed to know that you weren’t that kind of person. I needed to know that even in your darkest moments, you had the strength to get back up.”

The Queen passed the amulet from hand to hand. “This test wasn’t about how many spells you’ve learned, or how much magical theory you can recite. This test was about getting Talya Caro out of her own way. This test was about finally getting you to embrace what you are and what you can do and to force you to let go of that girl that got tossed at my feet a year ago wounded and confused. You keep holding onto her, but that girl was destined to die. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. Everything I have done has been to keep that from happening. To keep youalivebecause that is the promise I made to yourmother when she came to my palace, desperate for a way to keep her child out of the Sanctorum’s eye.”

The Queen stepped around the body, making her way across the clearing. Her face was impassive, her eyes serene, and when she was close enough, she reached for Taly’s hand and pressed the amulet into her palm. “A gift.” A glance at Taly. Then Skye. “Given as a symbol of my everlasting friendship. Lord Castaro will know what to do with it.”

Taly stared at the amulet. Quiet. Unmoving. Blood had caked beneath the scales of the ouroboros.

The blood of a man she had killed.

“Now then,” the Queen said, straightening her cloak, “you are free to go whenever you wish. I would, however, recommend staying until tomorrow morning, perhaps the next day—take some time to rest and recover before going back to a shade-infested island full of people that want to kill you both.” She looked to Skye, her expression softening a bit. “I’ll keep an eye on Kato in the meantime, so there’s no need to worry. He’ll be a little rattled when you return, but, otherwise, unharmed.”

Skye let out an audible sigh of relief that Taly didn’t quite understand. He and Kato hated each other. When had that changed?

The wind picked up, and the fairies began to whisper.

Azura was watching her, but Taly had nothing else to say. She was too numb, too exhausted. Despite the warmth of the sun, she felt cold.

The Queen turned, disappearing into the hedge maze without another word; the whispering of the fairies began to fade.

Still, Taly didn’t move, only stared at that amulet. At the blood, already flaking on her skin.

“Taly?” Skye’s voice was gentle as he closed his hand around hers. “Is there a place where we can get you cleaned up? You would feel better.”

She almost laughed. Typical Skye. Here he was, bleeding and wounded—Shards only knew what he’d gone through to get here. Yet he was still putting her needs before his own.

Taking a breath, she let her fingers trail down his chest. There were three rips in his armor. The leather was black with blood. “You’re hurt.”

“Bruised and sore, yes.” Skye caught her wrist, the movement making him wince. “And I think Vaughn had his mages using mistlewick venom—it’s painful but hardly lethal at such small doses. I’ll be fine.”

Taly gave a jerky nod, her eyes drifting back to Vaughn and that ever-widening pool of blood that was slowly devouring the circle of white stone.

Skye followed her stare, taking in the corpse, the pieces of armor lying off to the side, the crystals scattered on the ground. He was looking for the heart, she realized. The one she had turned to dust.

“You probably have questions,” she said softly.

“A few, yes. The least of which being just how you managed this.” She couldn’t read the emotion in his eyes, if it was judgement or pride. “But that can wait.” He removed the amulet from her hand, replacing it with his own. “C’mon. I know that palace has to have at least one shower.”