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“There are several parts to that plan,” he told me. “And now that you’re here, you and your magic can help—”

“My magic is dangerously unpredictable.”

“Maybe. But we’ve seen what you can do. What you did for the wraiths outside of Erebos. And even before that, Thalia tells me.”

“I didn’t do any of it alone. My magic—myunpredictablemagic—is affected by Aleksander’s, and we still don’t truly understand the nature of how it all combines.”

“…So I’ve heard.” His expression remained soft, but there was an undercurrent of urgency that made my own pulse race faster in response. “Nevertheless, you clearly carry the mark of the Vaelora, and the magic that comes with that. Magic that could be enough to turn the Aetherstone’s life-giving power in our world’s favor. Maybe with the Light King’s help, maybe not; there are things we need to work out, certainly. A lot of questions that still need answering.”

I took a deep breath, shaking my head. “Why do you needmefor whatever your plan is? You have magic, too, don’t you?”

“Yes, but it’s nowhere near as strong as yours. I don’t carry the Vaelora’s mark. The only reason it’s as strong as it is, the palace scholars believe, is because I once shared a womb with you and absorbed some things. I’ve done what I could with what I had, helping to build up the protections and wardings of cities like Erebos. But I’m not the one whocreatedany of those things. I’ve never managed to truly bring life back to this world, either, or…” He trailed off, a shadow crossing his features.

Silence settled. They both stared at me like they’d truly been waiting a lifetime for something—an answer, a sign—and hereI was. Even Thalia’s usual hard features eventually softened, a flicker of something like hope in her eyes.

I could only shake my head again, my heart pounding with a mixture of disbelief and fear. “You’ve made a mistake. I’m not the savior you think I am.”

I started to back away. Thalia moved as if to stop me, but Bastian caught her arm again, his grip firm yet gentle. She shot him a sharp look, something unreadable passing between them. Her jaw clenched, and for the first time since I’d known her, I saw a flicker of something like uncertainty in her pale purple eyes.

Her mouth opened as if to argue, but Bastian spoke before she could, his voice low but full of a king-like authority: “Let her go.”

What he said beyond that, I didn’t hear.

Because I was already walking away.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nova

Even more eyesfollowed me as I made my way through the palace this time.

Still, no one spoke to me or approached me. Oddly enough, it felt like I was back in Rose Point as a child, merely existing in a world of splendor and intrigue, surrounded by endless chatter, fascinating lives, and unfolding stories…yet somehow entirely set apart from it all.

Phantom followed closely at my side, but even he eventually abandoned me—distracted, as he so often was, by the scent of food. He was gone the instant I took my eyes off him, darting into what appeared to be a pantry of some kind. Just before the swinging doors settled shut behind him, I caught a glimpse of several servants frozen from a combination of fear and curiosity at his approach.

My stomach growled, urging me to follow him. But my heart resisted; it didn’t want to be forced into awkward small talk with any of these palace dwellers who were working so hard to avoid me.

Instead, I carried on alone—the way I was used to doing—and eventually flung open the door to the room I’d woken up in earlier, slamming it shut behind me. I was so caught up in trying to escape everyone outside that I forgot, for a moment, who was waiting for meinside.

Aleksander was awake and shrugging into a clean shirt when I turned away from locking the door. He eyed me curiously, but otherwise continued to button up the shirt—as if it was a common thing between us, this coming and going into the same space. Like we shared a room all the time.

I kept my head up and tried to pretend everything else was normal, too, ignoring the way my insides felt like they were unraveling, twisting and turning and trying to put themselves back together in a way that felt right.

I wasn’t sure anything would ever feelrightagain.

Nevertheless, on the outside I smiled my usual optimistic greeting, hoping it would be enough to fool him until I was alone again and I could crumble in peace.

We had clearly been spending too much time together, though, because he glanced up at me while rolling up his sleeves and asked, “What’s wrong?”

I ignored the question, making my way over to a silver tray centered on a desk, piled high with the food Aveline had promised earlier. Rich, delicious-looking food—bright fruits, thinly-sliced meats, buttery bread and some sort of spice-sprinkled spread to go with it. I wasn’t sure I could truly stomach any of it at the moment, but I pretended to be deciding on a feast for myself so I could avoid answering Aleksander as he stepped closer.

“Nova?”

I picked up a bright red berry and proceeded to study it, counting every seed visible in its shiny skin. “Nothing is wrong.”

“Liar.”

I breathed in deeply through my nose.