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“Me?”

“I cannot be…free…without you,” he said. “Without your magic.”

I stared, swallowing hard. I was conflicted. I wanted Adrian to be free of Dis, but I had never realized that he saw me as the key to that freedom.

“What do you mean?”

“Vampires cannot fight magic. You have said so yourself,” Adrian explained. Then he whispered, as if he did not wish for anyone to hear, “But more importantly, witches are Dis’s creations; you draw from her magic. Does it not seem plausible, then, that you could harness it against her?”

With my skills, it was not plausible, but his admission hurt me. It made me feel like there was truth to what Ravena had said—that I did not truly know Adrian, that he had brought me along because I had use—and I hated that she would be right at all.

“What if I had not had magic?”

He said nothing, but I knew.

“Ana,” I whispered, and there was something about this that felt like deception. “Is this how I become useful?”

Adrian clenched his jaw, and his hands tightened around me, as if he feared I would run. I was still considering it. “Ineversaid that.”

“Is it not implied?”

“Do you think I would cast you aside if you could not do it?” he asked, angry.

I didn’t, but it still hurt that he had not spoken of this before.

“Do you truly believe I want you for no other reason?”

“Why did you not tell me you needed my magic before now?” I asked. We had been so honest with each other about everything, why was this any different?

“Because you showed no signs of having magic, and why would I place the burden of my curse upon you?”

I bit my lip hard and looked away from him, frustrated with myself and with this situation.

“Ravena said I wroteThe Book of Disto destroy you,” I said. The words were like blades scraping my throat, and yet Adrian did not seem at all surprised.

I felt his fingers against my jaw, forcing my gaze to his.

“I have no doubt that you did,” he said.

“Adrian—”

I did not know what to say.

“If you do destroy me, it will be because of Dis,” he said. “You’ll remember that, won’t you?”

“What are you saying?”

“I am saying I am no longer the favorite of the goddess’s creations.”

I started to speak, to ask for more, but there was a knock at the door, and Adrian permitted them entrance. I had expected Vesna and Safira, so I was mortified when Tanaka entered our room. I drew close to Adrian to maintain an ounce of modesty—an action Adrian apparently found humorous because he chuckled.

I could not tell if Tanaka was nervous or embarrassed or if he had merely overexerted himself in an attempt to reach our quarters. Either way, he was red in the face, and he paused to clear his throat.

“Your Majesties,” Tanaka said, bowing. “Gavriel has arrived from Lara. He brings urgent news.”

Despite my efforts to hide my nakedness, I pulled away from Adrian, straightening.

“What news?”