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Taly lifted her chin. “If you want me to follow you without question, then be someone worth following.”

Azura’s eyes narrowed—just slightly, as though she were considering the proposal. “Is that all?”

“Yes,” Taly said. “I might not know you as well as you claim to know me, but I have a feeling there’s nothing else I could ask for that you would consider giving.”

Azura huffed out a laugh that turned into a long tapering chuckle. Taly got the distinct feeling that she’d just been backed into a corner. “Agreed,” she chirped, clapping her hands twice.

Taly’s ears popped, her vision blurred. It was as if all the air in the room got sucked out at once. The lights flashed, plunging the room into darkness—

And then it was over.

The double was gone. The room was silent save for thetick tockof the clock on the wall.

Groaning loudly, Taly fell back into a chair. Her heart beat out an unyielding rhythm, and she pressed a hand to her chest, desperate for air.

Azura claimed the seat across from her, smoothing out the fabric of her robe. “Well, I think that’s enough spellcasting for today,” she said, reaching for a small bell that rested on a low-lying wooden table. “Tea?”

Without waiting for a response, she rang the bell. A moment later, a door creaked open, and Leto entered the room, pushing a cart laden with tea and sweets.

“Now then,” Azura said, replacing the bell on the table, “let’s talk about meditation.”

Taly leaned her head back as the Queen began to speak, noting with some relief that instead of tea, Leto handed her a cup filled with brandy.

Chapter 8

-An excerpt from the Essential Fey Survival Guide

Rule #127: Water mages are tricky bastards.

A high-level glamour can fool the senses, imitating flesh and blood, light and color, warmth and scent. It can build palaces out of mist and conjure spirits from fog. It can conceal nightmares just beyond the veil of perception.

If you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a water mage’s illusions and wish to escape, you will need to do one or more of the following:

Find the water mage;

Find the anchor for the spell;

Set yourself on fire;

Set your surroundings on fire and hope the rapidly evaporating water aether doesn’t boil you alive;