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This moment was horridly backward.

It was all wrong.

CHAPTER 36

Kage

The Sanctuary wasat the edge of chaos. Seers, pupils, a few palace guards were running between buildings and alleys, as though a battle were beginning.

“Gwyn,” I said. “Cover them.”

No hesitation, Gwyn held out her hands, palms up, murmuring a few incantations under her breath. Adira’s freckles faded, transforming into flaps of weathered skin. Asger’s fiery hair receded until the crown of his head caught some of the light from the sconces. His beard sagged to the center of his chest.

“Damn you, Gwyn.” Cy, at least two heads shorter than before, rubbed a hand over the bulge over his belt. “What have you done to me?”

Gwyn ran a hand in front of her own face, transforming her brown skin to rosy windblown cheeks, and her dark braids into short, golden hair that struck just below her ears. Wordlessly, I summoned the bones of my features to shift. The sick grind and snap of my jaw caused Adira to grip my shoulder.

“I forgot how horrid it sounds,” she said in a warbly, aged voice.

Once I finished shifting bones, my hair was thinner on my knobbier skull and my teeth hung over my bottom lip slightly.

“We must separate.” By the goddess, I hated this. “They will bewatching. Keep down, and get to the gates. We meet in the deep wood.”

“By the willow,” Adira said.

I nodded, pressing a kiss to her wrinkled brow. “The willow.”

Where we’d first challenged each other as feckless young mages.

Where I’d first desired her and did not want to admit it.

“If you all aren’t there within the next clock toll, I’ll burn this damn sanctuary down,” Asger muttered.

Cyland went first, humming folksongs beneath his hood like one of the old seers who’d indulged in too much toadberry wine. Next, Asger. Gwyn skirted away, disappearing into the shadows of the stables.

“Adira.” I tugged on her hand before she abandoned the stairwell. “I love you.”

Altered faces did not keep her from kissing me. It was strange. My mouth was too large, hers thin as rice paper. I kissed her deeper.

Heavy breaths flowed between us when we pulled back.

“I’ll see you at the willow, you arrogant prince.”

“I wouldn’t dream of disappointing you, Wildling.”

After Adira slipped into the main square, I waited for a count of thirty then stepped into the bustle.

More guards lined entrances, but not the far gates. Not yet. Seers hurried their young students to the various dormitories, all whimpering and watching in a bit of fear as more of Destin’s forces overtook the sanctity of the place.

A High Mage, clad in white and gold robes, barked from one of the high towers.

“Our goddess be shamed!” he wailed. “This place is no place for Soturi occupation!”

A few seers at his back sobbed their cries of displeasure.

It was all a charade. I’d studied in these walls for seasons aplenty, and many of the uppermost seers were in their robes for the accolades. Truth be told, I would not protest should someone knock them back and lock them in their tower.

I ducked my head, keeping to dark stone walls, and out of sight from leering watchmen who’d overtaken the parapets connecting thespired towers. Every twenty paces, a guard stood resolute beside a wall made of cracked brick and clay.