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From the elven’s mouth, theanamisibloom was tucked away in the Never Court. A wraith-filled place that, for the shadow king, would be a breach of laws in their land. A bit of hopeful light faded from Adira’s gaze, and I was rather murderously desperate to return it.

“We’ll manage,” she said flatly.

“You can’t just manage,” said the elven woman. “You would never make it past the wraiths.”

I snorted softly. They’d never faced a pack of Immorti.

“We have defenses,” Adira argued. “And I have my magic?—”

“It won’t be enough.” The fiery woman spoke with such certainty a prickle of unease slithered up the back of my neck.

Adira’s voice quivered. “I don’t have a choice.”

The woman’s eyes went glassy with sympathy. She looked between us as though searching for something to say, something to restore a bit of assurance that was slowly peeling away like rot on the trees.

“Yes you do,” the shadow king said, voice low and soft. Almost kind. “We will retrieve theanamisifor you.”

For a moment we were silent. Adira seemed speechless with gratitude, I was suspicious and inspected his sharp features for deceit. I did not trust him, but the way the king flushed under the utterdelight of his woman’s gaze, if he was lying, at least I knew he would have to answer to her.

I slumped back in my chair, kicked my legs out, and offered the king a smug grin. “I, for one, think it’s a grand idea.”

The king frowned. “Why is that, mage?”

“Ah, you see, we just made a deal where I get what I want without doing any of the work.”

Cy chuckled when a flush of heat filled the shadow king’s face. “I feel much the same, although I am taking a great deal of pleasure knowing akingis doing my bidding. It’s one of my fantasies, you see.”

Adira reached a hand and covered the elven woman’s, trying to fight a grin. “What they mean isthank you. Both of you.”

I winked at the shadow king, reveling a bit in his murderous glare, all while burying the heady unease twisting up my insides.

CHAPTER 42

Adira

While Kageand King Hadeon puffed up their chests, claiming dominance here, I lowered my voice and spoke with Ember. “I remember my past as a mage. And now that my magic is restored, I feel like I’m completely home in Magiaria.”

Ember offered a soft grin. “But?”

I traced the tattoos on one of my center fingers. “Do you recall details of the sacrifice? Degeneration spells in our land blur that time from all of us. I know why I went to the tree, but I can only see that moment, nothing in the days before, and Kage remembers nothing in the months after.”

Ember leaned onto the table on her elbows. “You know the name Valandril?”

I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t know why death was required.”

“It was the only way, as far as I know, to encase Valandril’s spreading power and darkness,” Ember said. “Each of us were taken because of our position in the realms.”

I studied my palms. The blood mage. With my parents gone before the war, I was the last heir of the curse breakers.

“We were told the Veil would part eventually and our souls would be restored,” Ember went on.

“I didn’t do it because I was selfless or bold. I know that much.”I cast a quick glance back at Kage who’d hardly softened his glare on the king. A smile curved in the corner of my mouth. “I did it for him. We were to be married two days after.”

Ember’s lips parted. “Truly?”

“From what I’ve learned, the cruel ones—what we call the dark mages that rose with Valandril—were targeting Kage because he is a powerful battle mage. Even in the haze of the memories, somehow I knew he would be killed. I didn’t choose to join you at the tree to save the innocent—children, families—I did it because I could not lose him. I’m not sure what that makes me, but even after it all, I would do it again. Iwilldo it again.”

Ember covered my hand with hers. “I hope it does not come to that for you, but if it does, I assure you, I would understand entirely.”