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Zaylin’s silver eyes travelled to Raife then to Aes Orsa, both of whom nodded in response to whatever silent communication had flowed between them. And then, with a flash of light, Alex wasparronedaway from the throne room, arriving in her bedroom—which was technically no longer hers—with just her helper in tow.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Alex said, “Not that I’m ungrateful, but I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to leave the feast.”

“Raife and Orsie are covering for us,” Zaylin said, which explained the nods they’d given. “But we don’t have much time before Saefii will conclude the feast and send you home.”

“Finally,” Alex muttered, causing Zaylin’s lips to tilt slightly upwards. But then her face sobered.

“What you did today was foolish.”

“You’re welcome,” Alex said with a roll of her eyes.

“It was also brave,” Zaylin continued. “Braver than anything I would have expected from a mortal.”

Not entirely comfortable with her praise, Alex shrugged it off by saying, “I’m not a murderer, Zaylin. It was integrity, not bravery, that stayed my hand today, consequences be damned.”

A shadow passed over Zaylin’s face. In a voice so low that even Alex had trouble hearing her, she said, “You were never going to pass the final test.”

Just as quietly, Alex said, “I know.”

And she had known. The moment she’d seen Zaylin’s eyes flash that morning after her declaration that Saefii would have to honour their agreement if they triumphed, Alex had realised the truth.

The Tia Aurans had never intended to come to Medora’s aid. And what Zaylin said next only confirmed as much.

“Had you killed any of us today,” the immortal said, “they would have claimed your heart was too full of hatred to pass a test of love. The Gate itself was a trick.”

Softly, Alex recited, “For troubling are the Gates of old, well known for trickery.”

Zaylin’s full-body jolt showed that she recognised the words from the prophecy, just as Alex had known she would.

With renewed fervour, Zaylin leaned forward and said, “No matter what happened today, you have to keep fighting, Alex. You can’t give up—not now. Not after everything you’ve been through to get this far.”

Alex had no intention of giving up, and not just because she’d promised Niyx she wouldn’t.

“Thank you for everything, Zaylin,” Alex said, with meaning.

The Tia Auran slowly closed her eyes, recognising the goodbye for what it was.

“Before you go, I have something for you,” the immortal woman said, touching the Myrox necklace at her throat as if to remind herself of the gift Alex had given her.

“That’s really not necess—”

Before Alex could finish, there was a bright flash and a pearlescent bag arrived in Zaylin’s hands. Inside were three packages, each wrapped in gold and tied with shiny strands of twine.

Handing the bag over, Zaylin said, “Go on.”

Unable to curb her curiosity, Alex laid the packages on her bed, reaching for the first to untie the twine and peel back the gold. Her brow furrowed at what she found and she turned questioning eyes to Zaylin, but the immortal gestured for her to continue, so Alex opened the second and third packages. Once she was done, she stood back and looked down at the offering.

It was an outfit, of all things. But it wasn’t just any outfit— it was armour. Impossibly light and unfathomably smooth, it was the finest armour Alex had ever seen in her life; finer, even, than what the MeyarinZeltorawore—by far.

The first package contained boots—knee-high boots of the blackest black, the colour seeming to ripple in the light. The second package held pants similar to the leathery ones Alex was currently wearing, but while the dark material before her appeared just as supple, it too rippled in the light, shining with a subtle yet distinct shimmer. The third package revealed the top part of the armour; a long-sleeved, high-collared work of art that was made of the same rippling black substance, but with golden swirls curling subtly around the bodice and up over one shoulder.

Just by looking at it, Alex knew the ensemble was made to fit tight against her flesh, allowing her full flexibility and comfort as well as complete protection from neck to toe.

“It’s much less than you deserve,” Zaylin said quietly, “but it will help protect you against Vae’varka, inasmuch as anything can.” Running her fingers along the textured dips and curves of the bodice, she explained, “We call the materialvaeronis.The rippling effect you see is because it is fortified by stardust.”

Alex jerked. “Stardust?”

“You already know that Vae’varka has the power to kill anyone from the slightest of wounds,” Zaylin said. “That’s because of how it was forged; made of darkness but for that single drop of liquid starlight. As I told you yesterday, the combination created the sentience behind the blade, but such extremes of dark and light cannot live together in unity, thus the volatile nature of the weapon. This armour,”—she touched the bodice again—“is the last of its kind. If Vae’varka should graze you while you wear it, thevaeroniswill absorb the darkness of the blade. You will still be injured, but the effect will be just like that of any normal weapon.” She held Alex’s eyes as she finished, “Which means, unless from a lethal impalement, the Harbinger of Death will not be able to kill you. Not from its nature alone, at least.”