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“Navok’s anomalies are in Evalon. They’ve surrounded Vallenia — and they’re about to attack.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ashlyn’s declaration made Kiva freeze, but Jaren instantly strode forward until he was right in front of his cousin.

“Tell me everything,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

The princess didn’t delay. “We found a villager willing to talk. She said Navok has been sneaking anomalies into Evalon for months, with them crossing the border in twos and threes — numbers small enough not to raise the alarm — all under orders to travel south to Vallenia and wait for his command.”

Ashlyn took a breath and continued, “They’re obeying because he stole their families. Their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, even their children — anyone they love, he had his soldiers kidnap for leverage, locking them away at Darkwell Keep.” To Kiva, she quickly said, “It’s an impenetrable fortress, even to those with magic.” She turned back to Jaren, her face grim as she revealed, “If the anomalies don’t use their powers for him, he’ll kill the people they care about. This isn’t a case of them having nothing to lose — they haveeverythingto lose. And they know it.”

Kiva ground her teeth, realizing how dangerous that made the anomalies. They weren’t fighting out of loyalty to Navok — they were fighting because they were desperate. And a desperate enemy with that kind of power...

Gods, Kiva thought, a chill snaking down her spine.

“You said they’re about to attack,” Jaren prompted his cousin. “How could the villager know that? She might know what Navok has done and what he’s planning, but how —”

“That news didn’t come from the villager,” Ashlyn said. “Issa senta messenger to Evalon — she was worried because she hadn’t heard anything from us in months.”

Kiva remembered the queen mentioning that during their meeting yesterday.

“That messenger returned today, right as I arrived back from the village with the others,” Ashlyn explained. “He was the one who shared the news. He saw the anomalies with his own eyes.”

Jaren cursed, but his cousin wasn’t done.

“It gets worse,” Ashlyn said. “Navok himself is on his way. He’s sailing down the coast, just like we did from Ersa, with wind anomalies speeding the journey.”

Instead of becoming more distressed, Jaren straightened and said, “Our armadas will stop him. He won’t get far.”

“He will. Hehas,” Ashlyn said, her features even grimmer now. “He has an entire ship full of anomalies with him, and not just wind elementals. They’re laying waste to the coastline, for no other reason than to show his power. Entire villages are being set aflame, low-lying settlements are being flooded by tidal waves, the earth is cracking at his command. All of our ships that have been sent out to meet him have been torn apart without getting near enough to fire a single cannon. It’s a warning — and a promise: he’s on his way, and he will show no mercy.”

Silence rang in the wake of Ashlyn’s damning statement, with Kiva unable to do anything but envision the horrifying image the princess had described.

“How long until he arrives?” Jaren asked, every muscle in his body rigid.

“Any day now.” Ashlyn turned to Kiva. “He was never going to honor the deal he made with your mother. All of this proves he was only using the rebels, waiting for Zuleeka and Mirryn to weaken us so he could swoop in and steal our kingdom. He’s been biding his time untilthe protection we offered was gone, and now Evalon is ripe for the picking.”

Kiva was unsurprised that Navok had intended to renege on the deal, but shewassurprised he was moving forward without having her bound to him, especially because —

“Zuleeka won’t let Navok take Vallenia, not while she has magic that can stop him,” Kiva said. It made her feel sick to even think it, but at least there was one good thing that came of her sister’s deadly power: Navok wouldn’t have a defense against it.

“Zuleeka has locked herself in the palace,” Ashlyn revealed, her silvery eyes flashing. “She’s doing nothing to prepare the city for an attack.Nothing.Our people need protection, and she —”

Ashlyn stopped and inhaled deeply, before saying, much calmer, “I don’t think we can count on your sister doing anything right now, other than looking out for herself. That seems to be what she’s best at.”

Kiva looked down at her feet, devastation and fury and shame warring within her. But then she felt Jaren’s hand curl around hers, silently reminding her that he didn’t blame her — for any of this.

“With any luck, Navok will confront Zuleeka once he arrives,” Ashlyn went on, missing their nonverbal communication. “She’ll have to defend herself then, hopefully wiping him off the board. But I think we all know Navok is too smart for that.”

“Which means he has another plan,” Jaren said, calculating.

“Or he’s underestimating the strength of her power,” Ashlyn countered.

Kiva knew they could stand there playing guessing games for hours, but that wouldn’t help anyone, so she said, “What are we going to do?”

“We need to get back to Vallenia,” Jaren replied instantly, his answer filling Kiva with pride. Even without his magic and his crown, he would do whatever it took to protect his people.

But Ashlyn shook her head. “No, you need to get the final ring. Now more than ever, we need the Hand of the Gods in our possession. Issa’s messenger couldn’t say how many anomalies there are, but right now, the only elementals we have on our side are Cal, Galdric, Aunt Ariana, Oriel, and me. We can’t take on an army of magic users without help.” She peered deeper into the cave. “I assume you found the third ring?”