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"The two of you could go when the rest of us travel to the rip. Urkin would never suspect it," she whispered.

"Vexa, it's too early for these ridiculous heist aspirations. You're not in prison anymore." Effie's voice was sharper than normal. "You're simply asking for trouble."

"If we timed it right, we could leave and return at the same time. He'd never know you weren't with us." Vexa raised an eyebrow.

"It's not worth the risk." Aether wouldn't meet any of our eyes now, and that told me more than his words.

"We're running out of options," Vexa pressed.

"I said no." Aether stood abruptly, his chair scraping against stone as he strode toward the courtyard door.

I watched him leave, frustration burning through me. If there was even a chance this could work, how dare he dismiss it without discussion? Without letting me decide if the risk was worth it? Before I could think better of it, I pushed away from the table and followed. I didn't even know what Dread Sirens were, nor did I particularly want to find out, but if this was the only way forward, I was sure as Esprithe going to take it.

"So that's it?" I called after him. "You're just going to walk away? You’re the one who said we need to get creative!"

He didn't slow his pace, forcing me to jog to catch up. "I already gave my answer."

"Without even discussing it? Without even considering?—"

"There's nothing to consider." His voice was sharp as he rounded on me, shadows writhing across his void burns. "The cave is in Draxon territory. After what happened at the Void, you think Valkan wouldn't love to find you wandering right into his domain?"

"So youhavethought about it." I stepped closer, refusing to be intimidated by his looming presence. "You've already mapped it all out in your head, haven't you? And you said nothing."

Something flickered across his face—too quick to read—before his expression hardened again. "It doesn't matter. It's not happening."

"Why? Because you said so?" Heat crept into my voice. "Last time I checked, you weren't in charge of me anymore. I'm not your prisoner."

"No," he said, his golden eyes burning with an intensity thatmade me want to step back. I held my ground. "But you are my responsibility."

"I don't need your protection."

"Clearly you do, since you're willing to walk straight into Valkan's territory on the word of a drunken bard."

"At least I'm trying to find a solution!" The words burst out louder than I intended. "While you're content to just let everything fall apart because what? Because it might be dangerous? Aether,everythingabout this is dangerous. The whole realm is dying, in case you hadn't noticed."

His jaw clenched, shadows deepening around him. "You think I don't know that?"

"I think you're scared." The moment I said it, I knew I'd struck something. His entire frame went rigid. "Not of Valkan, not of the Dread Sirens. You're scared of taking a risk that might actually change something."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." His voice had dropped dangerously low.

"Then explain it to me. Because right now, all I see is you shutting down our only lead without even?—"

"Because I don't care to watch you die." The words exploded from him with enough force to make me stumble back. In the silence that followed, I could hear his breathing—heavy and ragged. "Not for this. Not for some desperate, idiotic gamble."

I stared at him, caught off guard by the raw emotion in his voice. His careful control had cracked, revealing something underneath.

"Aether..." I started, but he was already turning away.

"Find another way," he said, his voice steady again, though something in it still trembled. "Any other way."

As I watched him walk off, my rage nearly boiled over. If he wasn't going to help me, I'd find a way to these Dread Sirens myself.

And with that, I turned back towards the archives. I needed a map.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Vexa caughtmy eye as she adjusted Draug's saddle straps, giving me a slight nod. Even Effie shot me a meaningful look, though uncertainty flickered across her features. It was the day of the deadline. The day the Spectres would make the journey to the rip.