Page 35

As they moved, she saw that the pool did, indeed, extend to a series of what appeared to be smaller channels.

The tunnels in the cavern wall were no larger than the size of a man with only inches above the water for air.

But she suspected beyond this room would be where some of the plants grew.

She marveled that life could exist in this realm at all.

“Can all of the shadow fae use shadow magic?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said as they walked. “Some only possess mere trickles of it while others can wield the shadows like arrows or spears. Some can slip into the shadows to disguise their movements or use shadow bindings or illusions.” He turned to her as they neared one side of the cavern where the water disappeared to whatever lay beyond.

“Colton told me that you disarmed him yesterday with your magic.”

“I did.”

“Show me what you can do.”

Bone-weary exhaustion still clung to her limbs and thoughts, and her movements felt slower than they normally would be.

But the night of sleep and the meals they’d been given had helped her regain some of her strength.

She wouldn’t be able to wield shadows like she normally could, but she’d at least be able to use some magic.

Stretching an arm out, she called to the darkness.

There were shadows everywhere in this place. Without torches, lanterns, or any other form of light in most hallways and caves, the mountain was utterly dark. To summon the shadows would be as easy as breathing with so much to draw from.

Shadows around the room shifted, peeling away from the corners of stones in nearby walls and from the depths of the pool. They slunk across the water’s surface and over the cavern floors until the dark swirled at her feet.

Come , she thought.

And the shadows responded.

They twisted up her body in rippling circles, moving until they encircled her legs before traveling up her torso and around her arms. To her surprise, as they inched down her forearms to her hands, the shadows stretched out past her fingertips until they formed a sort of claws.

That’s new, she thought as she considered how useful it could be in hand-to-hand combat.

She swiped the air, marveling at the near-solid shadows. More shadows pooled at her feet like a black storm cloud, shifting and eager.

As she pulled in more and more shadows, a strange fury filled her—a desire to consume . She realized the shadows pressed against her mind, melding with her emotions. Tilting her head back, she breathed the darkness in, feeling her eyes shift and the fury within her growing.

Then her gaze sharpened.

Blood , something rumbled in her thoughts. Desolation .

Devour.

The prince scanned the length of her.

For reasons she didn’t understand, she wanted to lash out at him, to wrap him in her shadows and demand that he send his army to the mortal realm. To save Elias. The impulse was so strong that it felt like she balanced on the edge of a blade. One push, and her restraint would shatter.

Arms trembling, it took everything in her not to unleash herself on this place.

Lines formed between Arden’s brows. “Something isn’t right about your magic.” He circled her. “It’s like something is layered on top of your shadows. Has anyone used magic on you?”

“A witch took my memories.” She closed her hands into fists, forcing them to remain at her sides. As she did, rage filled her, rippling through the shadows. “And a sorcerer returned them.”

Understanding dawned in his eyes. “Never let a sorcerer use their magic on you. You’ll get more than you bargained for.” He raised a hand toward her, palm outstretched, and then paused. “May I?”

She had no idea what he intended to do, but she managed a nod, fighting against the rising shadows that longed to be set free.

I can’t hurt him, she thought past the fury filling her chest, the impulse to destroy. I need his help.

Suddenly, a strand of shadow lashed out from Arden’s hand. Without warning, it struck her in the center of her forehead.

Instantly, pain fractured her senses.

For a moment, it felt like her head had been split open, and she nearly lost control of the shadows, nearly unleashing herself. Arden’s shadow moved across her mind. His power pricked against something inside her, leaving a trail of dark agony that sent splinters of pain behind her eyes.

Gritting her teeth, she stumbled forward but managed to remain upright.

“There it is,” the prince said.

Then his magic latched around something she hadn’t realized was there. Something that had taken root in her mind. The strange magic had claws that sunk deep, but the shadow wrapped around it and pulled.

Light burst behind her eyelids as something was ripped from her mind. It was like an arrowhead or a creature’s talon had been wedged beneath her skin, and the flesh had attempted to heal over it. But an infection had set in and was slowly poisoning her very being.

That infection was Magnus.

Her shadows roared as if they, too, felt her pain.

Arden balled his hand into a fist and pulled backward. The band of shadow tore from her forehead, and she staggered to a knee.

All at once, the pain stopped, but a roaring filled her ears.

Blood trickled from her nose, and her chest heaved as she took in deep, gasping breaths.

Glancing up, she watched as Arden’s shadows wrapped around a cloud of twisting scarlet.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he moved his arms in a sweeping motion, the entrapped scarlet hovering between his palms. Slowly, he brought his hands together.

As they did, the orb shrunk. The shadows became smaller and smaller, and the scarlet raged from within.

As if it knew it was about to be crushed.

Pressing his palms together, the shadows and scarlet were extinguished in a puff of air.

The shadows pooling around her feet hummed.

As though happy.

“Dark magic,” Arden said as he straightened, and his eyes connected with hers. “Some sorcerers can leave impressions on your mind. It’s not quite mind control, but it helps make you more malleable to their will. I think this one was being used to track you.”

She realized the urge to ravage everything in her path was just… gone. Her thoughts cleared, and her shadows had also calmed.

“Thank you,” she said, blinking in wonder as she stared at her hands where the shadows whirled.

Then the latter part of what Arden said clicked in her mind.

Magnus had been tracking her. That must have been how he’d found Elias’ castle so quickly and then located her at Hadeon’s estate.

She’d endangered her friends, and she’d had no idea.

“Those black veins in your neck will fade in time as long as you’re careful how much shadow magic you take into you,” he said. “Give it a few days, and it’ll go back to normal.”

She nodded absently.

A thought occurred to her, and she looked up from her shadows. “How did you know the thing in my mind was dark magic?”

All magic wielders could sense the power of another magic wielder, but it would take a level of experience to be able to identify dark magic had wedged into her mind.

A familiarity with dark magic.

Arden looked away from her then, studying the cavern walls. “Luck, I suppose. Perhaps my senses have grown sharp where dark magic is concerned after years of being in the Abyss.”

She dipped her chin ever the slightest, her eyes narrowing.

He was hiding something from her.

The prince gestured to the center of the cavern. “Let’s begin our training.”