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“Pavo, yer Majesty.”

“And where do you hail from?”

He nodded toward the door to his tent. “Eserene, yer Majesty. Found me’self in Taitha after…”

I smiled at him. “Thank you, Pavo, for this kindness. It’s beautiful work.”

“Ye’re welcome, yer Majesty.” I could tell by the way he wrung his hands that he had something else to say. “If I may,” he said apprehensively, waiting for the nod I gave him, “I know Castemont.” My stomach bottomed out, and I felt Cal tense beside me. “He frequented my shop when he first moved to Eserene. Never got a good feeling from ’im.”

Cal looked at me. I kept my eyes forward on Pavo.

“If it please you, when you find ’im…” He turned to one of the many racks of blades, pulling a broadsword and laying it across his palms. “Will ye use this?” The entire weapon was almost as dark as the armor, except for a sun and moon inlaid just below the guard and a serpent winding around the hilt, all in gold. My eyes traveled up the blade, and I gasped.

THE MERCY OF KATIAwas engraved in the steel. I reached forward, flipping it in his hands to seeTHE FURY OF RHEDROSon the other side. The same inscription on the dagger that had been left for me before Initiation, the dagger that Miles had handed over to Castemont.

“The inscription…” I whispered, my eyes stuck on the words.

“A man came into my shop a few years back. Asked for a dagger wi’ the same inscription. I always remembered the saying, and thought it’d be a good blessin’ for yer efforts today, yer Majesty.”

“Who was the man?” I asked, my eyes wide.

He flinched at the sudden severity of my tone. “I’m sorry, yer Majesty, don’t remember much about ’im. Just the inscription.”

“Do you remember anything? Anything at all?”

“I think ’e had dark hair,” he answered apprehensively. “Maybe.”

“That’s the dagger you told me about?” Cal asked. His stare was glued to the blade with the same inscription, brows furrowed.

I nodded in response, trying to think ofwhowould’ve had the dagger forged.

Heavy hoofbeats suddenly sounded outside. A gallop — and they weren’t slowing. “Your Majesty!” someone called. “Your Majesty!”

I walked out of the tent into the foggy air to see Tomkin approaching on horseback, throwing himself from the steed before it even stopped. “Your Majesty,” he panted. “A raven sent from the scouts at the wall. Castemont’s army of Vacants is gathered at the city gates and are preparing to meet you outside of Eserene’s walls. There are tens of thousands of them.”

My eyes flew wide.Tens of thousands? How?“The city gates,” I whispered. My mind struggled to connect what was supposed to happen to what was happening now. “The battle needs to take place within the city walls if we want any shot at winning.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

Summercut’s horse galloped in at breakneck speed. “Do you have new orders, your Majesty?”

Adjust, Petra, adjust.“Send a legion of soldiers to barricade the city gates,” I commanded Summercut. “Ready the rest of the forces now. We’re marching on the eastern wall.”

It was time.

Chapter 50

“Each of you chose to be here, to fight for me. To fight forgood.”

I rode up and down the frontlines as we waited at the edge of the eastern wall of Eserene. I tried to sit straight on my horse, pushing against everything that tried to weigh me down. I didn’t have Katia or Rhedros to guide me today. I had to do this on my own, and though I was terrified to my core, I wasn’t going to let any member of my army see it.

I was fire. I was wind. I was the storm. I was the Daughter of Benevolence and Blood, and I was going to eliminate the Saint of Pain or die in pursuit.

“I have not a single desire other than to promise you that we will triumph. I cannot make that promise. I cannot promise you that Castemont will fall. I cannot promise that good will reign supreme. And I cannot promise that you will live to see tomorrow.”

My heart thundered in my ribcage at the truths I told and the lies that were to come. The armor Pavo had fashioned me was surprisingly light, but I still felt like a fucking boulder was dragging me under the surface.

“But I can promise that I will be with you, fighting alongside you, for you, for the good of the realm. I can promise that I will drain myself of every dreg of my power, every flame, every ember in the pursuit of Castemont’s life.” I swallowed hard, the lie burning on its way out of my mouth. “I can promise you that should we fall, I will fall with you. And I am honored, I am so honored to do so.”

That was not a lie.