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SOLVE ONE PROBLEM, CREATE ANOTHER (THE VILLAIN’S GUIDE TO PROGRESS)

ARABELLA

I closed my eyes and pressed my palms against Kazimir’s, trying to keep my focus from shattering into a thousand bits. The eastern tower was still half in ruins. Griffin had insisted that with its wards and enhancements, it was the best location for the stabilization enchantment.

A week had passed since the Syndicate departed, leaving behind more questions and a brittle hush over Skyspire.

This was our shot at regaining control before the Heirloom tore itself—and the entire Western Realms—apart.

At first, Kazimir scoffed at the idea of dragging me along; he wanted me safe away from the tower in case things went wrong.

But after a tense, whispered debate in front of Griffin, he finally conceded.

So here I stood, summoning every shred of nerve to link my power with his again.

A warm hum buzzed in my middle, the telltale sign of my magic flaring to life.

Kazimir’s cooler, violet-slanted magic rose to meet mine, swirling together until a gold spark pulsed at the center.

Griffin lingered nearby among half a dozen obsidian spheres, eyes practically glowing with anticipation.

“Yes, yes, that’s it,” he urged, voice trembling on the edge of manic. “Keep it steady.”

I forced out a long exhale and opened my channels to Kazimir, exactly the way he’d shown me. Strange how easy it had become to connect with him—to the point it felt wrong not to.

The spheres glowed faintly at first, then pulsed brighter. Griffin squeaked out an excited sound. Kazimir leaned closer and whispered, “A bit more.”

I did as he asked, letting that swirl between our hands thrum. Gold and violet arced in the space. The spheres flickered in time with our heartbeats. Griffin’s breath caught. “It’s working—the orbs are sponging up the excess!”

I felt a measure of relief. For once, something seemed to go as planned. Then, without warning, my magic surged out of control. One obsidian sphere cracked with a sharp pop. My energy flared through my veins, scorched my muscles, then ricocheted into Kazimir.

My eyes snapped open.

He looked taut, sweat beading on his temples. “Keep the connection,” he snarled, each word dripping with tension. “I’m diverting the overflow to the outer wards.”

I felt a tidal shift as he siphoned that furious power away from our joined hands, sending it rippling into Skyspire’s defenses. Windows rattled, and vibrations crept through the floor under my boots.

Griffin practically hopped in place, half terrified, half enchanted. “Truly fascinating! Your synergy is?—”

Kazimir’s breath snagged, pupils blown wide. A deep, strangled groan ripped from his throat, and fear jolted through me. I tried to draw back, but his grip clamped around my wrists, stopping any retreat. Dread coiled in my gut, then images started crashing through my head.

A cavern drenched in a sickly glow, runes gouged into the rock—unlike the ones on Kazimir’s body but carved with the same savage, ancient style. A surge of fury and hunger knotted together, pounding with raw, primal rage. The vision threatened to drown me.

“Kazimir!” I shouted, voice cracking.

He tore his hands free. The sudden break in magic left me feeling hollow. The remaining obsidian spheres disintegrated in a puff of black dust, and a pulse of recoil wrenched me off-kilter.

I clung to the wall, battling a swirl of dizziness that made my teeth buzz. Kazimir stood stiff as a pillar, wild-eyed and pale. Griffin rushed closer, scanning us both.

“That was incredible,” he said, though concern laced his tone. “But what happened to you two?”

My voice rasped. “I saw something. An underground place with runes. They felt… vicious.”

Kazimir’s jaw tightened, and he wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Magical feedback,” he muttered.

Griffin, brushing dust from his robes, nodded decisively. “Regardless, the enchantment is in place. The crack in the Heirloom shouldn’t keep spreading. Hopefully it’ll be usable again soon. I’d call that a success, wouldn’t you?”

I wanted to appreciate the good news, but my body still throbbed with leftover terror. Before I could celebrate, pain stabbed beneath my ribs as though something were clawing its way free. I coughed in agony and hunched over. A heartbeat later, Kazimir did exactly the same, mirroring my posture.

“Interesting,” Griffin observed, eyes bright behind his broken spectacles. “You must have triggered an entanglement effect—temporary, I’d guess.”

“Entanglement?” I ground out, pressing a palm to my side. “It feels like my guts are trying to wring themselves inside out!”

Kazimir staggered closer, wincing at his own pain. But as soon as he neared, my muscles eased, the pain sliding back. He exhaled, relief in the lines of his shoulders.

Griffin rubbed his chin. “Yes, that supports the theory. You’re forcibly sharing a magical signature. Until those energies settle—perhaps a day, maybe less—you’ll suffer if you’re separated. Staying close will dampen the worst of it.”

“A day?” I croaked, straightening by sheer spite alone. “Griffin, you’d better be joking.”

He shrugged. “Sadly, no. But it’s not soul-ripping, per se. More like... polite internal shredding. Think of it as mild mayhem. You’ll live.”

I shot him what I hoped was a withering look, and Kazimir radiated restless irritation. “Guess I won’t be going down to inspect the garrison tomorrow. Then again…”

His face shifted, that aggravating smirk forming on his lips as he gazed down at me. “The entanglement won’t disrupt our plans for tonight, now that the Heirloom isn’t seconds from catastrophe. However will we endure?”

“Right. Endure,” I echoed with a tight swallow, the heat in his eyes leaving me dizzy again. “At least we solved one problem.”

Griffin dusted fragments of obsidian off his boots. “Exactly. It’s a major victory. I’ll gather the remains for further tests, just in case a repeat is necessary.”

Kazimir rested the lightest touch on my elbow, soothing the last tremor in my chest. The moment felt precariously intimate, and I had to clench my jaw not to lean farther into him.

Our moment of near-calm was shattered by footsteps hammering up the tower stairs.

Vex barreled through the doorway, brandishing a sealed envelope.

“Letter for Lady Blackrose,” she said breathlessly. Then she eyed us, her brow furrowing. “From the Alchemist.”

Kazimir tilted his head, tension rolling through him. “Why would the Alchemist write to my wife?”

I gave him a mock glare. “Maybe they liked me better than you.”

Vex stepped forward, ignoring the shattered orbs. “No idea. But it’s sealed properly.”

Kazimir passed his hand across the envelope’s surface and sniffed the wax.

“No poison,” he said. “No subtle toxins, at least—not the Alchemist’s style.

They’re more about flamboyant transformations.

” Then Griffin performed a quick enchantment check and nodded.

Kazimir offered me the letter, staying close so that our arms brushed.

I tore open the seal carefully, uneasy about the dancing loops of script. The Alchemist’s writing filled the page:

Dearest Lady Blackrose,

It has come to my attention that Lord Atticus Evenfall—your father—awaits a tragic end at Auremar’s behest. Assassins are enroute to remove him as a loose end.

Whether you think he deserves such a fate is your affair, but I suspect you may want this information for your own reasons.

You must act swiftly if you wish to intervene, or simply observe.

I, of course, find the possibilities thrilling.

Let me know how the story unfolds.

I crumpled the edge of the parchment but then passed it to Kazimir in silence.

He skimmed the lines, his jaw flexing. I doubted he cared much about my father’s mortal peril from a moral standpoint, but we both recognized the manipulation for what it was.

My father, the man who sold me to the highest bidder, was apparently marked for execution by King Auremar. Now I had… options.

Kazimir lowered the paper. “So Auremar cleans up his mess by killing your father.”

“Probably to hide the deal they struck involving me,” I said, each word tasting bitter. “Though that’s hardly a secret, anymore, is it? It means the king’s hiding something else.”

“The Alchemist doesn’t hand out truths from the goodness of their heart. They’ll expect a favor in return if we intervene.”

“Unless it’s all a lie.” I looked up at Kaz. “Could be a Syndicate trick.”

He shook his head. “They don’t fabricate details outright. They prefer real sparks that set everything ablaze. It’s more entertaining. I’d bet Auremar wants no loose ends.”

I inhaled, swallowing any flicker of pity. “So if we do nothing, Father dies on Auremar’s terms. If we chase him down, we’ll owe the Alchemist. Great choices.”

“What do you want?” he asked, placing his hand on the small of my back.

I crossed my arms so he wouldn’t feel me trembling. “He’s not worth saving, but if Auremar kills him, I’ll never get the chance to confront him myself.”

No one spoke for a beat. I sensed the tension spiking around us, thick as the residue of burned magic. Griffin busied himself with orb fragments, clearly wanting no part in family matters. Vex just waiting, unblinking.

Kazimir eyed the paper one more time. “Then we’d have to leave now, entanglement be damned. We might face Auremar’s killers along the way. It’s not exactly ideal if we’re stuck staying close.”

“Are you telling me we can’t?”

He looked torn between annoyance and a grudging approval of my nerve. “I’m saying it’s a perfect storm of inconvenience. But if you need to see your father first, then we’ll do it.”

A swirl of emotions almost floored me—fury, old wounds, a twisted gratitude that Kazimir allowed me the choice. Possibly some excited glint that I’d confront my father.

Griffin cleared his throat and hefted the remains of one shattered orb. “I’ll see to the Heirloom while you indulge your paternal closure.”

“Wait,” I said. “The manor. Those suppression runes my father used... are they still active?”

Kazimir’s gaze sharpened, his hand tightening almost imperceptibly on my back. “Yes. They won’t reach full strength instantly, but don’t underestimate them.”

“Right.” I’m not the same girl he locked away.

I tried stepping away from Kazimir, but a fresh stab of pain made me hiss and pitch forward. Kazimir lunged to catch me before I hit the ground. Our abrupt half-embrace eased the agony, leaving me breathless.

He tried for a wry grin, though his voice still sounded strained. “I’d rather endure an entirely different kind of writhing with you, but once again, the Heirloom has other ideas.”

From behind us, Griffin coughed awkwardly. “Well, no one’s spontaneously exploded, so I’ll count today as a success. We can refine the enchantment later. Just… try not to stray too far from each other.”

I lifted my chin, aware that Kazimir’s arm still circled my waist, his body flush against mine. “At least we aren’t about to blow up the citadel. That’s progress, right?”

He gave me a light squeeze. “I’ll take what I can get.”

And although anger, dread, and a twisted sense of anticipation throbbed inside me, I leaned into Kazimir long enough to steady myself.

If we really were stuck together until this entanglement wore off, then so be it—my father’s impending execution demanded a reckoning, and I wasn’t about to cower just because it hurt to walk away from Kazimir’s side.

No. I would face Lord Evenfall on my own terms, even if I had to drag the Dark Lord along with me.