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Asinia yelps, ripping her hand from mine.

My chest wrenches and I snatch it back, searching for a burn. “Are you hurt?”

“No. The heat just startled me.” She meets my eyes. “Rythos could be our only chance.”

“I can’t do it, Asinia. I can’t.”

“Sowe’lldo it. Me and Demos and Rythos. It’s just a test. To see if his power can even work on Calysian.”

“And if it can?”

“Then we’ll know that if all else fails and it looks like this world will fall, we can leash the dark god until we have a better plan.”

The thought of Calysian beingleashedmakes bile burn up the back of my throat, and I turn my head, avoiding Asinia’s gaze once more. I have a feeling she sees far too much.

And yet, what’s the alternative? My own plans hinge around either convincing Calysian not to take the grimoire, or getting to it first and hiding it from both him and Vicana.

“Fine,” I croak. “But tell Rythos he has one chance. I won’t have him working on Calysian the way Haldrik did with that fucking stone.”

Asinia sighs. “Of course you couldn’t fall in love with an ordinary man. You couldn’t choose a fae or a hybrid, or a prince. No, you had to go and fall in love with agod.”

I bare my teeth. “I’m not in love with him. We’ve enjoyed each other’s bodies. That’s all.”

She gives me a pitying look. “If you say so.”

Madinia

When I return, Calysian is holding Fox’s lead rope as he takes him on a gentle walk down the trail. The horse nudges at him with his nose, and Calysian murmurs something too low for me to hear.

“How is he?”

Calysian turns, guiding Fox toward me. “Surprisingly fine. I’ve been monitoring him closely, and we should be able to travel tomorrow as long as we keep the pace slow.”

“You’re not worried about Kyldare finding the grimoire?”

“Of course I am. But when I explore the link, I can’t yet sense our enemies approaching it.”

Fox nuzzles Calysian again, and he reaches into his pocket, pulling out an apple and offering it. “I don’t know why I worried about you.”

“I don’t, either,” I say. “That horse is invincible.”

Amusement flickers through his eyes, and he leads Fox back to the trees where we’ve tied the others’ horses.

I take a brush, grooming Hope, although I can see someone else has already brushed her today. Still, the long, sweeping motions calm the worst of my anxiety.

Until Asinia walks past, sending me an intent look.

Panic flutters in my chest.

I should never have agreed to this. I want to take my agreement back, want to refuse even the thought of such a plan. But…

Rythos strides toward Calysian, a smile on his face. Even without his power, he’s charismatic. Compelling.

It’s too late.

Threads of his power drift towards us, and I stiffen, my hands warming. But Rythos aims that power away from me, spearing it directly at Calysian.

My stomach swims, my mouth turning watery. This is wrong.Wrong.