Page 78

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Rhea

Daje has taken to pacing the room, his boots tapping on the wooden floor in front of the door. He almost fell asleep on the couch, which would have been fine with me, but he insisted on staying awake until Nox was here.

“Any idea how long we’ve been up here?” I ask, my magic glowing white in my hand as I infuse it into another stone. Though my thoughts are scattered between Nox and Tienne and what else my uncle may be doing, I try to focus enough intention into my magic to make the stone stay glowing.

“At least an hour, maybe closer to ninety minutes.” He continues pacing, his arms crossed over his chest.

I watch as my magic seeps into the dragon stone, making it glow gray at its center. When a few seconds pass and the rock stays lit, I set it on the table next to small piles of rocks I’ve practiced with. The small release both eases my magic and focuses my mind so that I don’t sink too deeply into my guilt. My ring catches a glint of the light, and I stare at the back of my hand, smiling while I recall the words Nox said and how I had never felt so inexplicably happy and whole because of them.

“I didn’t congratulate you guys yet, I’m sorry.” I look up to find Daje gazing at my hand—at the ring—a look I can’t quite interpret pinching his features.

“It’s alright. And thank you.” The right corner of his mouth lifts, his dark blue eyes glistening under the spelled flame. We both jump when someone pounds on the door three times.

“Gods,” he growls, reaching for the door handle before looking back at me, “Maybe you should go to the other side of the room. Just in case.” His magic, yellow like the light of the sun, flares brightly in one of his palms, his signature growing stronger in the air as I follow his instructions. With a nod, Daje faces the door again and opens it slowly, his magic at the ready to attack. But he quickly relaxes as he steps to the side to reveal one of the guards standing there.

“You both have been summoned to the beach by Prince Nox,” the guard says as he rocks back on his heels, his long pin-straight black hair hanging over his shoulders.

“The beach?” Daje asks as I walk forward and stand next to him.

The guard nods, his arms crossing over his chest. “His Highness went to investigate it with a small patrol. He needs your confirmation on whatever it is they’ve found,” he says, looking at me.

“You don’t know what it is?” I question.

The guard shrugs. “I don’t need to. I was just sent to relay the message.”

“We should go, then, right?” I ask Daje, already taking a step out of the room. Daje hesitates, an argument with himself warring in his mind, before he eventually nods and shuts the door behind us. “I wonder what it is they could have found.” Was it evidence of how she ended up here? It seemed impossible for her to randomly appear on the beach exactly where the capital of the Mage Kingdom is. We follow the guard to the end of the hallway, the landing empty.

“Maybe they found something of hers? Or perhaps another person?” Daje offers grimly, and I have to force my steps not to falter.

We reach the bottom of the stairs and walk into the foyer, all evidence of Tienne’s body thankfully gone. The guard stops, turning to face us as the light of the spelled flames casts shadows over his high cheekbones. “I need to meet with the council and let them know you are on your way,” he says, waiting for Daje’s nod before spinning on his heel and walking towards the council room.

“Let’s not assume the worst,” Daje offers, turning to me with a sympathetic twist of his lips.

I swallow down my nerves, my heart racing as we make our way to the tall carved double doors. Please don’t let it be another person hurt in my name. A familiar feeling pulls on my chest, the sensation strong enough that I stop walking.

“What is it?”

“It’s Nox,” I tell him, my brows drawing together. At his look of confusion, I add, “I can feel his magic.”

“You can sense his signature? From all the way at the beach?” he asks, no shortage of astonishment in his voice.

“I guess so,” I respond, stepping back as Daje opens one of the double doors, nodding in greeting to the four guards standing on the other side. Holding his arm out to me, we descend the white stone steps onto the pathway that leads to the beach.

The night air is crisp, a slight chill making me draw the fabric of my cape closer together while we quicken our steps, the music from the ball still playing despite the late hour. The rest of the path leading deeper into the forest is nearly pitch black, only a few pools of silvery light from above stream past the thickly woven canopies.

“How late will the ball go?” I ask, goosebumps rising on my arms.

“Either until all the guests have gone home or until sunrise, usually the latter in my experience.”

“And yet you were ready to call it an early night?” The fallen leaves around us rustle, some crunching beneath our steps.

He snorts, exhaling loudly. “I suppose that this year is just different.”

It’s too dark to make out his expression, but needing the distraction, I ask, “Because Bahira isn’t here?”

“I—” Daje’s grunt halts his response, his body falling to the ground with a horrifying thump as he goes silent.

“Daje?” I call out, bringing my magic to my palm. I take a step forward, turning my hand down and illuminating the path. My gasp is loud as I fall to my knees beside him. Fresh blood gleams as it drips down from his temple and over his unconscious face, pooling onto the stone path and fallen leaves. Oh gods . My heart drops at the sight of his injury, and I call up more of my magic, laying a hand on his temple when a searing crack sounds in my ears and pain bursts to life at the back of my head.

I go crashing to the ground on my side, the harsh beating of my heart drowning out the muffled voices that surround me. The presence of magic thickens the air, the sensation lying atop me as if I’m being buried beneath it. Panic and adrenaline shoot like lightning through my veins, begging me to move as I groan, but my head —

“I need her ring. Get it! ” someone hisses, their words slurring in my mind as I try to push myself up, my palms slipping on fallen leaves. A hand, warm against the cool night air, grabs mine, pulling my engagement ring from my finger in one quick movement.

“No,” I murmur, the ringing in my ears deafening but my heartbeat even louder as I feel it pulse at the back of my head. I call on my magic, but the moment it rises up my torso, it falters under the feeling of a barricade tightening around my body. They’re suppressing my magic with their own .

Terror courses through me as I realize that between the pendant and my expulsion magic earlier, I’m too weak to fight them off. I gasp for breath, white lights flaring behind my eyelids while I struggle to reach for my power. For anything to help me. Nox ! I mentally scream out, hoping that whatever connection we have through our magic might be enough for him to feel that I’m in pain. That I need him.

“ Gods , her magic is strong,” someone shouts, and I feel that restriction around me falter.

I quickly call up whatever I can—healing and shadows alike. Warm power gathers on one palm as I blindly attempt to lift it in front of me.

“She’s still fucking awake! Hit her again, and let’s go .” That voice …

“What about Daje?”

“ Leave him!”

I manage to open a single lid, bright and colorful magic of different colors holding me in place as it blinds me against the backdrop of the dark forest. Steps rattle the stone beneath me, moving closer until another hit jerks my body, and I succumb to utter darkness.