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One shove, and it would go straight through her heart. Not enough to kill her, but it would keep her down for hours, even with a healer on hand. A winning blow.

Elora took a step back, but there was an easy smile on her lips. She smiled quite often, since her mother’s death. A sign she was coming into her own, or that she’d been happy to do away with her mother… Parys would have to see what he could find out about that.

Another task to add to his endless list.

And no time to be wasted.

Parys stepped into the ring. “Guinevere.”

Both females cut him a look, their eyes still fierce from sparring. Guinevere straightened, sheathing her sword, but her attention was still on Elora.

“You rely too heavily on your magic. Next time, only blades,” she said. Command, always such command in her voice. Even as she spoke to the commander of the elemental armies.

Elora’s smile grew. “Or only magic.”

Parys paused. Were Elora’s eyes glowing?

It was hard to tell with the midday sunlight. But the way she angled her body, her eyes lingering on Guinevere…

But the Goldstone was no longer looking at her opponent.

Her eyes swept around the perimeter of the ring. He knew those tawny orbs were noting every face, though her expression didn’t shift an inch.

The fae who’d been watching began to disperse, but the humans lingered. Definitely hoping for an audience, then.

Guinevere realized it as well, leveling Parys a look. The question was only in the slight tilt of her head. He jerked his head back down the corridor from which he’d come.

He needed to talk to hernow.

“An hour,” she said to Sylva.

Then she was striding in Parys’ direction.

But Sylva didn’t appear offended. She was already turning back to the other two humans with her, speaking rapidly. Parys was curious enough to send a snapping warm wind after them, but Guinevere was already at his side.

“What?” Her voice as sharp as the blade she’d sheathed only moments before.

They were alone—seemingly.

But Parys wasn’t taking any chances. There were too many passageways, too many ways of listening in. He set his warm wind swirling around them as Guinevere strode briskly down the corridor, blocking off any sound from getting in and any of their words from escaping to curious ears.

“Igraine and Merlin are up to something.”

“We are back to this again?” Guinevere sighed, letting her annoyance show. “Have you seen anything else?”

“No,” he said through gritted teeth. “But they are smart enough to know they’re being watched. To act in secret.”

He’d set up tails for both of them.

There just wasn’t enoughtimefor him to do it himself. Not if he was going to make any headway in the library. That was pressing, though he couldn’t exactly explain why. There was something he was close to figuring out… something to do with Veyka and her power. Maybe he’d already read it. He’d read thousands of pages. But it still didn’t quite fit together.

Guinevere strode through the goldstone palace, her pace unchecked. After she sparred, she patrolled the corridors at random, checking that the palace guards were in place and assessing any weaknesses.

Parys had to trot to keep up with her.

“They are both vile. I do not disagree with you. And most likely have their own schemes. But the humans are the more pressing issue. The Queen sent them to us directly. Once we’ve settled on how we are going to provide aid, we ought to use them to get at the Shadows.”

Parys blinked. “The Shadows.”