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In the next moment, the bookcase was revealed to have been nothing but an illusion as it melted away to reveal the entrance to his vault—a striking silver door.

I took in the lock that sealed it, made of gears and cogs. There was a tiny vial at their center containing what I scented to be blood—Celestial blood. It had a strong similarity to Ariana’s.

Cornelius drew a shallow cut across his palm and held it over the vial.

As soon as a couple of drops hit it, the cogs and gears turned, the door beginning to unlock.

“Protected by blood magic,” Kai spoke.

Cornelius nodded, and I saw his cut had already healed. In mere split seconds.

The door opened and he stepped inside, beckoning us to follow.

And then we found ourselves inside his vault.

Wooden shelves were set into the rough gray stone walls filled with spell books, magical artifacts, potions, and Hades knew what else.

Kai was in his element, looking all around, getting a real kick out of being in a place like this.

I mean, he had his lab, but this was a whole other deal. At least five times the size, for one thing.

“The feathers of True Celestials,” Kai breathed in wonder, approaching a dozen of them resting on a silver metal dish on one of the shelves. He stopped just shy of touching them. “Hmm. Powerfully warded.”

“As they must be. Highly secure and inaccessible to all.”

Kai lifted a shoulder. “Not all. Close, though.”

Interest shone in Cornelius’ eyes as he regarded Kai studiously for several moments, before asking him, “You believe you can shatter the ward?”

“Not shatter it. Breach it.”

“Show me.”

Kai eyed him. “What?”

“Show me. Retrieve a feather.”

“You think I’m all talk, posturing?”

“No. Quite the opposite, in fact.”

They stared at one another for a moment.

And then Kai stepped forward and held both palms over the warded feathers.

His rose-gold magic radiated out until it was enveloping them and I could see the outline of a ward, a silver hue of a dome surrounding the feathers.

“Zheiren val’kara. Nuriel thaz’en.”

He was speaking that same ancient language similar to Proto-Indo-European and fused with other ancient dialects that he had when he’d penetrated the ward at the Unity Council.Let shadow precede the light.

The ward flickered at his utterings.

He grunted and pushed harder, speaking,“Kael’shara ven’torii. Zhurai ek’tol kai’neth.”

Remove the chains, I am older still.

A break formed in the dome and it widened enough where Kai was able to reach his hand through, snatch out a feather and pass it through the ward.