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“Lies,” Arden snapped, though his tone held a hint of uncertainty.

Turning from Hadeon, Arden’s gaze settled on Arabella.

“But he’s not why I’ve been summoned here.

” Boots crunching on pebbles, the shadow fae prince strode forward.

Slowly, he lowered himself so he crouched before her. “Who are you?”

She hesitated revealing what Hadeon suspected of her heritage—and her relation to this male. She wanted to see just what he was like and if he was worthy of her trust. But she did need his help if she had any hope of rescuing Elias.

“No one of note,” she said carefully. “I possess shadow magic. And I was told you might be able to help me learn to control it.”

Eyes narrowing, Arden’s gaze lingered for a moment on her neck—where the black veins were. Then he said, “How have you survived without Queen Genoveva’s notice?”

Careful not to glance toward Hadeon, she said, “As it turns out, mortals are beneath her notice.”

“A demi-fae. That would explain why you weren’t amongst us when the Twilight Court slaughtered civilians,” Arden said, his voice growing distant. “Were you hiding among the humans?”

She nodded.

It was the truth, though all she remembered was being found at the edge of the forest near Shadowbank and the enchantresses taking her in.

In a flash, a blade was in his hand, and he was slicing the bonds at her wrists and ankles. “I’ll never turn away one of my own. Not when so many of us have been hunted down simply for existing.”

Rubbing her wrists, Arabella gestured to Jessamine, Hadeon, and Breckett—the latter of whom still slept.

“These are my friends. I hope you’ll be equally as welcoming to them.” Then she nodded to Breckett. “He’s going to need to feed when he wakes. I suggest having backup when he does. Enchantress Jessamine can explain.”

If she’d learned anything about Elias during the times when he’d nearly run out of essence, erox could become lost to the feeding.

And fae were equally susceptible to an erox’s power.

Once they were under an erox’s spell, they’d be unable to fight against the pleasure as their essence slipped from their lips—same as humans.

Leaning back on a heel, Arden studied her for a long moment before standing.

He nodded to the warriors behind him, one of which turned toward the cave’s entrance and disappeared. Several others strode into the cave, taking positions around Breckett.

“Walk with me,” Arden said. “There’s much I’d like to discuss.”

Arabella followed the shadow fae prince in silence through long tunnels within the mountain, clinging to the shreds of her remaining strength.

Like the cave they’d just been in, the walls, floors, and ceiling of the tunnel were all made of rough, uneven stone. Interestingly, there weren’t torches on the walls, nor did Arden hold one. Instead, he moved through the darkness with confident familiarity.

He can see in the darkness , she realized. Just like me .

Sparks of magic from nearby wielders bubbled into her awareness.

She didn’t need to cast her awareness out.

Not when hundreds of sparks lit within her mind.

She could sense them through the cave walls, which led her to believe there were more tunnels and caves within the mountain that housed even more shadow fae.

Just how many fae were here?

As they walked along the rough-hewn floors that slanted upwards, she watched, transfixed by how the shadows moved around Arden just like they did for her.

While it was dark within the mountain, the deeper darkness of the shadows still moved.

They swirled around her feet and then his—as if they couldn’t decide who to nuzzle into.

Seeing her gaze swiveling between the shadows and the cave walls, Arden said, “We used magic to tunnel into these mountains and build our home here. We needed a safe space away from the demons and creatures of this realm.”

“I didn’t know shadow magic could be used that way,” she said honestly.

They passed several branching tunnels, down which she heard echoes of laughter.

“What do you know about our magic?” he asked.

Our.

It was so strange to meet someone else with shadow magic—especially after years among the humans of Shadowbank who looked upon this type of magic with distrust and fear. It was why she’d had to seek out Lucinda’s help.

“I’ve only recently discovered some of my abilities,” she said.

He nodded. “It’s rare to encounter demi-fae. Historically, the fae have only mated amongst our kind.”

“Why?” she asked cautiously.

The prince shrugged. “There weren’t many humans in the fae realm. So, the opportunity didn’t often present itself.”

“And when it did?”

He raised a brow. “Love matches between fae and humans—or any other species—is rare. Most looked upon us with fear. But it did happen.”

Turning down another tunnel, they came to what appeared to be a cave.

But unlike where she’d awoken, this cave had an opening at the other end.

They were higher up in the mountain, overlooking the ground thousands of feet below, which was shrouded in the dark mist. Beyond, the desert stretched out as far as the eye could see in every direction.

As she followed Arden into the cave, she realized there was a steep drop-off from the mouth of the cave that led outside.

For the first time, she wondered why he’d brought her there.

As her stomach growled loud enough to wake the undead, footsteps sounded behind them.

Turning, she spotted a fae warrior with something in his hands.

Her mouth immediately watered. He held what appeared to be a loaf of bread and some dried meat.

When the warrior approached and offered her the plate of food as well as a waterskin, she hesitated.

She wouldn’t accept food if her friends weren’t also being seen to.

Arden nodded toward the plate. “Please. You must be hungry.”

“My friends,” she began, keeping her arms firmly at her sides. “They’re?—”

“Being cared for,” Arden interrupted. “I’ve instructed my warriors to see their needs are tended to.”

“Even Hadeon?” she asked, annoyed at herself for protecting the fae prince who held a bargain over her head.

Lips pursed, Arden said, “Even him.”

Without another word, she took the plate and waterskin from the warrior and shoved the dried meat into her mouth, tearing off a piece with her teeth.

When Arden gestured to the ground at the edge of the tunnel that overlooked the land around them, she cleared her throat awkwardly and swallowed the food.

“Thank you,” she managed before sitting down, allowing her feet to hang in the open air against the mountainside.

If this place possessed stars like in the mortal and fae realms, she thought the view would be breathtaking. As it was, the landscape was made up of a dark desert and a darker sky.

The prince took a seat beside her. To her relief, he said nothing as she finished the food and took a long drink of cool water. She drank until the waterskin was empty.

Only once she’d finished did Arden speak.

“Where did you enter the Abyss?” he asked.

“To the southeast,” she said. “I believe it was the same gateway you entered. The one in the western tundra.”

He nodded. “I’ve tried to find that gateway again many times, but I’ve never been able to locate it. It appears to be closed from this side. I’m afraid you and your friends are now stuck here alongside us.”

Her heart dropped as the realization sunk in. “When I learned of the potential of your being in the Abyss, I suspected there may have been a reason you never returned.”

I will find a way to get back to Elias, she thought, clinging to the shreds of her confidence. I won’t be stuck here.

After all, Hadeon had said he knew an exit gateway existed.

He shrugged. “We’ve tried to find a way out. But without my map, it’s impossible to locate the exit in the west.”

I’d been right , she realized. The line across the map is to a gateway .

“You’re lucky you found us,” he continued. “And that you didn’t become lost in the desert.”

“Yes.”

She thought of revealing that she had the map tucked away in her jacket. It was a miracle the fae hadn’t noticed it when removing their weapons and taking them into the mountain.

But she hesitated.

Maybe I can use the map as a bargaining tool , she thought. A way out in exchange for their help against Magnus .

“Why have you sought us out?” Arden asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

She considered what to say but eventually decided on partial truths. Better that than become tangled in her own web of lies.

“I need help controlling my magic,” she said. “Ever since I used an amplifier, it’s changed. The shadows… Well, they seem to have a will of their own.”

Brows drawing together slightly, he said, “That is rare indeed.”

“Not everyone can do this?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Most shadow fae can wield the shadows to some extent, but only the most powerful of our kind can awaken the shadows. It’s even rarer for this type of magic to be possessed by a demi-fae, especially one who’s part human.”

Fuck .

If she had any doubts of whether she might be the daughter of some fae princess, that shattered it. Especially since most fae nobility possessed the strongest magic.

A thought occurred to her.

Was her mother there? For a moment, she longed to ask, but asking would reveal her potential parentage. And that wasn’t something she was ready to reveal yet. Not if it was a card she could play in later negotiations.

“Once you’ve recovered, I’d like to see just what you can do,” he said, his eyes on the distant horizon.

“You’ll help me, then?” she dared to ask.

“If control is what you seek, I will help you,” he said before looking at her, a twinkle in his eyes.

For a moment, she thought he seemed genuinely happy.

“But not just now. You must recover from your long journey. Eat. Rest. There will be time enough to train.” A humorless laugh escaped his lips.

“Without the ability to leave, all we have is time.”

For a moment, guilt at not revealing that she had the map filled her. He’d been trapped here for so many years. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to live for hundreds of years in an underrealm.

But unlike the shadow fae, she didn’t have time. Not when Elias was being tortured by Magnus as they spoke.

“There’s something you should know,” he said, pulling her from her thoughts. “If you embrace your power, there will be consequences.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

She shouldn’t be surprised. Magic always came at a cost.

“Over time, you’ll lose much of what makes you human as you use your magic,” he said.

“My memories?” she asked, unable to disguise the panic bleeding into her words.

Not again. Not after what Elias went through to get them back .

“No, your memories will remain,” he said as confusion crossed his features. “But your… mortality may fade.”

She blinked.

“You will become more fae than human,” he clarified. “It doesn’t happen to all demi-fae, but most likely, you will age and look like one of us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Fae can live for thousands of years. Certainly longer than the lifespan of an enchantress,” he said. “And your body will become more fae. I don’t just mean the pointed ears, but you will move like one of us.”

For a moment, she had no words. This new information settled in her gut like stones.

She’d prided herself for so long in her abilities as an enchantress, in her abilities to protect the people of Shadowbank who couldn’t protect themselves.

If she was honest, she’d held fury in her heart against the fae—the very race who’d remained in their realm, behind their pristine walls or in castles, and never raised a hand against the threat of the demons in the mortal realm.

The demons who devoured all in their path.

To become fae… It was to become the very thing she’d grown to hate.

If I become fae, I won’t stop protecting those I love, she thought . It won’t change me .

But she’d already changed since using the amplifier and since her memories returned. She’d become more angry, more prone to impulses. How else would she change?

She thought of Elias, who’d risked everything to return her memories to her.

The male she loved.

The male who needed saving.

“It’s worth it,” she said, voice cool as the mountain stones.

Arden merely nodded. “Good.” He rose to his feet. “I’ll show you to your room, then?—”

“Tomorrow—” To her surprise, she grabbed the prince’s arm. Realizing what she’d done, she quickly dropped her hand. It wouldn’t do if he saw the gesture as a threat. “Please… I’d like to begin my training right away. Tomorrow.”

There wasn’t a moment to waste.

She’d give herself one day to rest, and then she’d throw herself into training and learn everything she could. Somehow, she’d find an edge that she could use against Magnus and his armies.

Lines formed between Arden’s brows, but he nodded. “Of course.”

Then he turned, and she followed the prince down the tunnels into the deep.

First, she’d learn to control her magic. As she learned from Arden, she’d determine whether he could be trusted. Then she would see whether she could convince Arden and the shadow fae to join her in the fight against a sorcerer.