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“I did as you asked, Gorlois,” Percival interrupted. “I destroyed the archives in Eldermist. I earned their trust. I brought them here. Not give me my sister.”

Gorlois.

I searched my mind. Gwen would have known—she knew all about the elementals. She’d trained for this. Not me—I was a poor excuse for a king. I didn’t care about my kingdom. Not anymore. Not with my mate standing before me, paralyzed.

She wasn’t going to attack.

She would have done it by now.

She wouldn’t—or couldn’t—access her power. But why not? Fear? I tried to sense it through the bond, but all that I found was burning wrath.

Gorlois rolled his eyes, shoving the young woman into Percival’s waiting arms. “What does it matter, now that I have the real thing?”

The real void power.

Veyka.

No one would take my mate from me ever again.

The beast inside of me roared. Pulled against the restraints. One by one, they began to snap.

Mine.

Gorlois lifted his bow and arrow, making a show of examining it as he spoke. “I had nearly given up hope, you see. After so many years, no magic had appeared within you. Igraine and I did everything we could think of to seed magic within you. You met all the other requirements of the prophecy. Born under a double moon, marked by a radiant star.”

My beast growled—not a sound inside of me. Not anymore. It filled the clearing. And that male, that sent every instinct in me roaring, finally looked to me.

“It was your mate all along, wasn’t it? He was the one to awaken the power within you. I couldn’t do it no matter how hard I tried.”

No.

Veyka screamed the word—inside, through the mating bond. It reverberated in my chest.

No. No. Please, no.

Make it stop.

I didn’t understand.Make what stop? No to what? To me, my beast? To this male, Gorlois? What—

“Ah, I see you haven’t figured that part of the prophecy out yet. Shall I tell you, Veyka? I was the one to mark you. I am your radiant star.” He shifted. A starling.

Against the shimmering mist—a glowing, radiant star.

Veyka’s knees gave out.

I understood.

It washim.

85

VEYKA

I was frozen.

Frozen with rage.

With fear.