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Sweat formed on Avenay’s brow as she kept her light going. Fatigue washed over her—was this the poison Onora had mentioned? Surely.

She pushed through the exhaustion, pulling on every ounce of power within her. Her light flickered, and she closed her eyes and focused. The people were almost all in. She just had to hold out a little longer.

Vasu continued to blast the beasts with his spells, and the soldiers fought them off. When the last person came inside, they heaved the door shut, locking it. The soldiers behind them had taken out the other beasts, a few going to see how they had found a way in.

“Get everyone to the caves,” the soldier said.

He walked ahead, brushing past Edond and leading the others to the caves. Avenay stepped next to Vasu. The elf was visibly shaken,sadness etched in every line of his face. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He gave her a weak smile.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I can’t think about it now or I’ll crumble. How are you?”

He took her hand and squeezed it, holding it as they walked on and drew in a deep breath. “The spells I used are healing spells. I inverted them to make the veins burst.” He swallowed, a look of nausea overwhelming him for a moment. “I’ve always sworn to only do good, to heal, to save. Knowing they were once sentient beings… I hoped to never do something like that.”

She squeezed his hand back, letting silence fall as they walked. The bond between them and the strong grip of his hand in hers was the only comfort she felt in the cold devastation that worked its way through her heart.

The caves were dark and wide, a network of tunnels under the castle with a grate to lower for protection. The people piled in, some producing light from magic, others with enchanted orbs. Avenay leaned against the cool wall, sliding to the ground.

She hated this. Sitting here, doing nothing. Her thoughts and feelings swarmed like the beasts of the forest. Vasu sat next to her, andSylvaine wandered to them, staring at her tentatively. Avenay’s glance slid to Edond, who moodily sat in the corner, talking to no one.

“I’m sorry,” Sylvaine said, wringing her hands.

“Did you know?” Avenay asked, accusation cutting with each word. “Did you know the moment you saw us that we’d be used as sacrifices?”

Sylvaine’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, tortured. She shook her head, eyes swimming with tears. Avenay searched but couldn’t find any sympathy for her. “No. Truly, we wanted to save Enid. But then we saw you had a human too and… It’s been so long, Avenay. We’ve been here for centuries.”

“That’s no excuse. The people of Evolis wanted to overtake the world with the Holy Mother. The witches weren’t wrong for locking this place away.”

Sylvaine looked down. “I know… I hated it, I did. But…” She chewed her lip and looked at Edond. “Did you know he and I have been lovers since we were teenagers?”

Avenay didn’t know, nor did she care.

Still, Sylvaine continued. “We’ve been in love for ages. We were married when he became king. Then the Holy Mother came. Everything changed. He changed.

“He was a very benevolent man. But he fell in love with her, and she made him see visions of a future where he was full of power and ruled the realms. He convinced himself and all of us that it was to create a better world.”

“You sound like you don’t believe any of it.”

She chewed her lip again. “I think what he really wanted was power.” She glanced over her shoulder. Edond was talking to a soldier, not paying attention.

“Then why stay with him? Why support it all?”

Sylvaine’s eyes didn’t stray from Edond as she spoke, and Avenay knew the answer before she said it. “I love him. Nothing else really matters to me but him. I would kill for him.” Finally, she turned to Avenay. “You and Enid were in love. Surely you feel that way for her?”

Avenay thought about it, then frowned. “No. I love…” Avenay stopped, swallowing the word over the lump in her throat. “... loved Enid and would do almost anything for her. But I wouldn’t harm others. That’s not love, Sylvaine. That’s desperation.”

Sylvaine looked like she’d been slapped. She stood, smoothing her hands over her skirt. “I think someday you would have understood what I mean. If Enid had become so entwined in your world that she isyour whole world.” She spun on her heel and walked away angrily toward her lover.

Avenay closed her eyes, lips trembling. All theifsandwould haves. The loss of it bit into her, clamping down through flesh and sinew, refusing to let go. She reached out again, desperate for any sense of Enid’s spirit.

Was that possible? Not likely. Avenay wasn’t a spiritual person, but at that moment she was desperate for it to be true, for anything to be true. And as she searched, a shadowy caress grasped her senses, twining around, strong and full of love.

She let out a gasp, her hand flying to her throat, clutching the sob there. She’d been imagining it. That was all.

But she closed her eyes again and reached back out.

More shadows, but this time it held on and Avenay grasped back, heart pounding. Then a spark burst behind her eyes.