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Anything to get the hell away from the Starlit King—her father.

Rhett leaned closer. “He’s right.”

She slammed the cup on the table, startling Rimu. “Now that we know what I’m capable of, stealing those final shards should be easy. And if we don’t, what was the point of...” her words slowed “...the point of all that?”

I frowned. “The point was to give you more control over your power, to understand why the Starlit King wanted to help you. And we accomplished that.”

She rubbed her temple. “We certainly did.”

My heart pounded, recalling how the Shadow Throne had consumed Eleanor for her ascension rite. Would the Starlit Throne do the same to Ayla when it was time for her to become queen? If my shadows didn’t work around the throne, how would our bond fair? The ramifications of all of this...

Ayla scratched Rimu’s ear, and he leaned closer as she found the spot that he loved. She turned to me. “Can I abdicate the throne?”

I frowned. “Doing so requires sitting on the throne so you can connect to it directly. Thrones don’t like being told they chose the wrong heir, and very few have succeeded.”

“And if we just... run away?”

“It’ll work, for a time. Possibly, years or even decades.” I looked away. “But when the throne summoned Eleanor, she was compelled. The bond between heir and throne is a frightfully powerful thing.”

Perhaps even more powerful than our tether.

I leaned back with a long sigh. “I hate how much it explains. Including the day we met.”

Ayla turned to me, eyebrows furrowed with curiosity.

I explained, “My plan to lure the shades to me failed that day because they simply pursue the fae with the highest power. I had assumed that because I was a fae prince, they would want me. But they went after you—anheir.”

Ayla let that settle, taking a tentative sip of water. Putting the glass down, she held my gaze, her lips pursed with determination. “I want to steal those shards. They’re why we came here, and if we take them, it ensures nobody can control Gloom. We’re so close now, and we might never have another chance.”

She paused to breathe, and a pleading anger pulsed through the tether, as if accomplishing this one thing would fix the rest. She was determined. And as much as I hated the prospect, I saw the merit. What if she was right? Since she was his heir, opening the starlight box could be trivial.

“We can take a look,” I slowly agreed. “I still don’t understand why he has the shards in the first place, so any clues would also be useful. But if a solution isn’t forthcoming, we leave. Deal?”

“Deal,” she agreed.

Rhett sighed, glancing from her to me. “If there’s no convincing you...”

“There’s not.” I leveled with Rhett. “We’ll meet you on theUmbral Star. Iona should already be on her way.”

“She... is?” Hope glinted in his eyes.

“She’ll explain.”

He looked confused, but it only lasted a moment before he snapped to action, clasping Ayla’s hands between his, making me curb the urge to come between them. “If I can’t talk you out of this, come back safe,” he urged her.

“I always do,” she promised.

He slapped his thigh for Rimu’s attention and stood, addressing me. “Teyr knows I’m not cut out for the type of trouble that follows Ayla, but I’m glad she now has someone who can keep up with her.” He shouldered his packed bag. “Take care of her, Zayne.”

“I will.”

He approached the door, and I faded into the shadows as I sealed the door firmly in his wake. He and Rimu couldn’t leave fast enough, my bond to Ayla achingly frail.

At long last, I was alone with her. Unable to wait a second longer, I shadow-stepped to her side, unveiling myself.

Her gaze flicked over me, searching from head to toe.

I cupped her chin. “Ayla, whatever happens—”