Page 50

In Deception we Thrive

Adelina led Filip through the servants’ entrance at the narrow metal gate. A pulse throbbed in the side of her neck, and a numbness spread through her chest. She blindly followed his instructions to retrieve the Sword, while the crippling sensation of defeat clutched her heart.

He’d won. Filip had won. And she was about to give him one more tool to aid him on his quest to conquer and raze the countries to the ground.

Her name would be dragged through the dirt with him—she’d play an equal part in destroying homes, taking lives, fuelling Filip’s crave for power.

And what was to say he wouldn’t kill Damir and force her into an unwanted marriage?

To spawn his children, who he’d shove onto the same, dark path on which he strolled?

“If I’m to do your bidding, then I want to know what role your father plays in all this,” she said to Filip as they headed towards the treeline .

“My father?” He laughed—the sound slicing through the air. “Don’t play coy with me. I know you know what we are.”

She whirled to face him. “You’re demons. Shapeshifters from the underworld.”

“Clever. Keep moving.” He nudged her forward, and she stumbled over a thick tree root.

“Why would Veles send you both to the living realm? Your father played an instrumental part in the last war—enslaved many astral wielders. But he failed, didn’t he? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here to do his bidding.” Adelina matched his sharp tone with her own equal one.

“My father was responsible for countless murders, and the needless sacrifice of astral magic, which resulted in the near extinction of astral wielders.” Twigs snapped underfoot as he followed her towards the fallen tree in which she’d hidden the Sword of Light underneath.

She bit her tongue—she would never tell him about the pocket watch and the stored astral magic within.

The power she’d absorbed. While she’d been born an astral wielder, according to what the Sun God had told her, she was far more powerful than she was a few months ago.

Her thoughts spiralled—he hadn’t answered her question about why they were sent to the living realm in the first place.

“My father was reckless.” He spat on the ground. “He squandered his opportunity for complete power and nearly rid this world of the one thing we need to be at our strongest: astral wielders. As penance for his crimes, Veles has weakened him.”

“What do you mean?” She frowned. If she was to play his servant, she may as well learn everything she needed to. “Wait, is this something to do with your father being ill all these past months?”

“I promised my father, and by extension, Veles, I would correct his mistakes,” he said. “Otherwise, my father will be dragged back to the underworld.”

Not a single ounce of her felt bad for Filip or Antanov. Whatever the God of the Underworld had in store for them, they deserved.

“What does Veles gain from you laying siege to the countries and creating a republic?” Adelina couldn’t quite fathom the final piece of the puzzle.

He simply grinned. “Now if I told you, there would be no fun.”

She shivered.

“It’s here,” she said as they reached the trunk.

“Get it for me.”

Kneeling, she rifled through the dirt, then drew the Sword of Light.

Despite every ounce of her body screaming at her to not hand it over, she had to in order to keep Damir alive.

He could have him killed on a whim. And what about Tihana?

If Adelina didn’t follow Filip’s orders, what’s to say he wouldn’t have her sister dragged back to the palace or harmed in some way?

Reluctantly, she handed it to him.

He grasped it, turned it over in his hands, and inspected the glinting, metal surface with a steady gaze.

Chewing her bottom lip, she studied him. He did not cripple over in pain as she had in the cave. No white light burst through his body. He stood perfectly still, not a single dark hair on his head out of place. She wondered what it could mean .

“Finally,” he mused. “Come. We have work to do. Preparations need to be made.”

Instead of voicing her thoughts about his rather subtle reaction to wielding the Sword of Light, she bit down on her tongue. The Sun God had been right about the sword’s loyalties, and she wasn’t about to clue Filip in on it.

∞∞∞

Filip rested his hands on the large wooden table as he scanned the map of the three countries.

Three other men gathered nearby. A sickening sensation flipped Adelina’s stomach.

They were planning their attack, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

A dark part of her mind tempted her to unleash her magic.

If she killed Filip and his puppets then and there, the war would not happen.

But she was not a murderer, and she could not risk the wrath of Veles.

For all she knew, he could simply summon another demon to carry out Filip and Antanov’s unfinished work.

“We follow the route through the mountains into the north of Saintlandsther. From there, we march through the Salken Mountains, travelling south until we reach the city of Pike. We will lay siege to the city and take down the Saintlandsther Council.” Filip’s voice was as charismatic as they come.

“You’d previously promised the leader of the Saintlandsther Council your support in ending poverty amongst other things. They will not be expecting your attack, sir,” a middle-aged man with sharp facial features said.

Adelina knew otherwise—the coded letters sent back and forth between Yelena, Olga, and Nikolay suggested they would be anything but unsuspecting.

She hoped they would be ready. Yelena wouldn’t have time to send them a coded letter to inform them of Adelina’s presence, so they would likely see her as an enemy too, especially if she opened fire on them.

“Precisely. We have all the power we need to take them down.” Filip stood back from the desk. “We’ll rally the soldiers and prepare to march at first light.”

Heart rate spiking, she scrambled through her thoughts for a sound reason for him to postpone his attack.

She hadn’t planned for him to order it so soon, and she needed time to practise with Yelena.

Instead of letting Filip use her as a weapon, she had to find an advantage against him, since she could no longer rely on the Sword of Light or her talisman to keep her magic in check.

“Perhaps it is wise I spend a few days training with Yelena. Since removing my talisman, my magic is tumultuous. While this is what you want, maybe there is a way Yelena and I can weaponise my magic further.” She kept her voice level.

“I am sure there is a way for me to master the element of fire. It would help when we reach the city walls. We could burn them out.”

Filip arched a brow. “Adelina Orlova, I am surprised by your sudden enthusiasm in our war efforts.”

She needed to think of something, and fast, if she was to stop Filip and his men from ever setting foot on their march south .

“Fire is the best way to ensure a quick capture of the Saintlandsther Council. It means we lose fewer soldiers, weapons, and cavalry on our end. We will be in a better position for when you plan to move onto Temauten Congregation.” The mention of her home country seized her heart in a deathly grip, but she fought to keep her facial expression neutral.

“Combined with my freed magic, the fire will spread quickly. And wildly.”

Filip stroked his chin, but from the spreading grin on his face, he’d already made up his mind. “I will give you three days to master this. Get it done and I will ensure Damir is fed well. If you are fooling me, he will face punishment. Understood?”

“You have my word,” she said, lying through her teeth. “I will head to Yelena’s right now.”

Shooing her away, he returned his attention to the three men. “Prepare the cavalry and gather the supplies. We must face no further delays.”

Whatever responses were given were drowned by her clomping footsteps as she hurried out of the palace, through the gardens, and towards the training building. She found Yelena hunched over an open book, uneaten food on a tray beside her.

“What have you got there?” Adelina asked as she neared her.

Yelena jolted. “What is it with you appearing out of nowhere, unannounced?”

“Sorry, but we don’t have much time. Filip has given orders to invade Pike. I’ve persuaded him to postpone, but he has only agreed to three days.” Adelina raked her hand through her hair .

“Gods be good, I thought we’d have more time.” Yelena’s eyes widened as she discarded her book. “Tell me what else was said.”

Adelina spurted out the details of the training she’d spoke of with Filip, all the while pacing the floor. When she was finished, a silence formed between them.

“Well?” Adelina halted.

“We need a spell strong enough to disable Filip and his men from ever leaving this palace.” Yelena grabbed a load of books from the shelves, then scattered them along the floor. “We must be quick if we are to find something and learn it in such a short time.”

Dropping to her knees, Adelina helped her teacher rifle through the pages in search of anything . Books were flung to the side if deemed unhelpful.

Although Adelina fought to keep her attention on the task at hand, she couldn’t resist the thought of Damir creeping into the centre of her mind.

His life was on the line. If Filip cottoned on to the fact she’d no intention of ever helping him take Saintlandsther or Yelena’s loyalties did not lie with him, he could discard of Damir as easily as breathing.

Her vision blurred, heart pounded, and each breath was ragged.

“Steady there,” Yelena soothed as she wrapped her hand around Adelina’s wrist. “We’ll find something.”

“It has all become so real. My husband rots in a cell, his life in Filip’s hands. If I fail, I could lose him, and many other lives could be taken.” Adelina trembled as she clutched the open book in her lap .