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“Hey—” But she stalked right past him, unshed tears brimming in her eyes, caught on the edge of spilling.

Skye let her go. He’d catch up with her. Walking the few steps to Ivain’s open door, he found the man himself still seated behind his desk.

“What the hell?” Skye demanded.

Ivain didn’t look up immediately. When he did, his expression was calm, stern, as if he’d already braced for this confrontation. “I take it you were listening through the door?”

That and Taly had broadcasted the high points through the bond. “She did good, and you know it. Hell, she did more than good—she carried this team last night.”

Ivain’s gaze hardened. “Half the city witnessed her doing things no human should be able to do.”

“Even when Taly was human, she did things no human should be able to do, Ivain.”

“Do you know what will happen if anyone starts asking questions? If even one person gets a whiff of what she is?”

“You know I do.”

But Ivain said anyway, “They’ll hunt her down without mercy. And all the work that we’ve done, the plans we’ve made to protect her—everything will have all been for nothing. I didn’t think I needed to explain that. Not to you. You were supposed to watch over her, not encourage her to throw caution to the wind.”

Skye crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. “Maybe I’m coming around.”

“Oh Shards, not you too.”

“No, maybe Sarina’s right. Hiding made sense at first, back when we thought she’d be untrained and volatile. But she’s not either of those things. If anything, the more daring she is, the more the public seems to adore her.”

“And how long do you think that adoration would last if they knew what she was?”

Skye shrugged, his tone sharp but steady. “I don’t know, Ivain. What I do know is that this siege has shown me how easy it is to circumvent the rest of the Imperium. You control the Gates. This isyourisland.”

“And it’s my decision how I’ll keep my daughter safe.”

“And how does a desecration spell keep her safe?” Skye shot back, the remnants of Taly’s fury—and her heartbreak—thrumming through the bond. “Taking away her magic? That’s not a precaution. That’s a punishment.”

Ivain’s jaw tightened. “Trust is earned. And last night, Taly abused mine. She’s always had a habit of testing limits. This time, there will be consequences.”

“Aneirinwillcome for her again. You know it. I know it. You’re leaving her defenseless.”

“You let me worry about that.”

“But—”

“I am not discussing this,” Ivain snapped.

Skye raised his hands in surrender. He could tell when he’d hit a wall. “Alright, have it your way. Just don’t expect me to play mediator when this blows up in your face. And it will, Ivain. You can only push Taly so far before she pushes back. I hope you’re ready for it.”

Skye didn’t wait for a response. He’d said his piece. With a final pointed look at the man behind the desk, he left to comfort his grieving mate.

Chapter 65

Ivain always made it a point to read the names of the dead.

Every day, the list grew longer. The shades had pulled back in recent weeks, but they were still in the forest, always looking for ways to test their defenses. Patrols often returned smaller than when they set out, and mages disappeared from the troops stationed around the perimeter.

The city was secure—for now. But with the shades killing them outside the wall and the Curse killing them within, he was running out of soldiers, running out of trained mages to replace them. He’d already opened recruitment to humans, knowing their names would quickly find their way to his list. If they didn’t get off this island soon, he’d be arming children.

They’d lost two more today in a skirmish by the eastern perimeter. Ivain read their names before setting aside the list. They were from the island, and he would need to write letters to their families. Need to find some way to tell their loved ones how they died and why there wouldn’t be bodies to bury.

He was halfway through the first letter when the door to his office opened and closed. The scent was familiar—Taly—and it eased some of the tightness in his chest. He’d been too hard on her today, his words too sharp. He’d failed to give her credit where it was due, focusing instead on everything wrong.