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I nick Galleghar’s arm, and he grazes my thigh. On and on it goes, blow after blow, one close hit followed by another. Never have I fought a more difficult foe—and never have I enjoyed the challenge so much.

My father is right. There’s brutality in our blood. I’ve always been aware of it, but it’s times like this where I feel the carnage calling to me.

I can hear our labored breaths, and smell the sweat and blood and magic dripping from our skin. The whole room is thickening with it …

Around me, the shadows have fallen quiet. So very, very quiet.

I feel him then. The Thief.

I parry a blow from my father and let my eyes sweep the room.

How had I not noticed?

All of that vile, unnatural magic I’m choking on doesn’t belong to Galleghar or any one of the sleeping soldiers. It’s the Thief’s.

I can feel his life force all around me. He’s not simply an undead king, or a banished leviathan—

I hadn’t realized until now the true nature of darkness. It closes in on me from all sides, one with the magic.

… We’re sorry …

… So sorry …

Cold, bleak certainty washes over me.

My eyes move to Callie just in time to meet her horrified gaze.

I love you, I want to say.More than worlds can hold or words can convey. You are everything that has ever mattered to me. Have faith and strength. You’ll be alright.

The darkness closes in on me, descending on my flesh just as I’d seen it do to so many of my enemies.

I try to speak the words, to give Calliesomething, but the shadows sink into me, carrying dark magic with them. It feels like fire beneath my flesh, an inferno in my veins.

I’m sorry, cherub. My beautiful nightmare. You will have to save us all yourself.

Chapter 35

I watch,frozen, as Des’s shadows close in on him.

His back arches and his entire body tenses, his muscles straining against his skin.

This is what the Thief wanted me to see.

I clutch my heart. I can feel his pain like a battering ram, slamming into me over and over again. I nearly choke on his agony. If I’m feeling that through our connection, then what musthebe experiencing?

And then the blackness swallows him up.

When it clears, he’s gone.

Immediately, the pain in my chest cuts off. At first, I feel a relief; Des is in no more pain.

But then,panic. Panic like I’ve never known.

I can’t breathe.I can’t breathe I can’t breathe I can’t breathe.

My eyes scour every corner of the room. Where did Desgo?

My fingers, still cradling the skin over my heart, now dig in.