Page 31 of Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1)

“There are more where that came from, Monster. No need to fight Naheli for it.”

“Shut up.”

The grin that takes over Ash’s face is wonderful. White teeth and fucking dimples.

There goes my stomach again, hollowing and flipping, which feels gloriously terrible when blended with the dull buzz of energy that remains trapped in there. I might be sick all over the floor.

“Either way, how would you have known I wasn’t playing a game? Getting into the castle to make this curse more agonizing?”

Ugh. Who am I kidding? There isn’t a way in the world I could be the mastermind behind that. I’m clearly floundering, even aside from finding out my whole life has been a lie.

“You were looking for the amulet, and couldn’t control your magic without it.” Finley steps into the room, digging his hands into his cloak pockets. “Nera told us earlier that you’ve been feeling a pressure building inside your body? That you can’t get it out?”

“Yes, right here.” I press my fingers to the middle of my stomach, where the knot of energy buzzes.

“Is that what happened in Eponde? You finally lost control?” Ash asks.

The memory of the dirty window and the shadow moving behind Nera bursts in my mind. I don’t know if I’ve finally lost the last semblance of my sanity, or if I actually stumbled on something. I could tell him, but then again, can I trust any of them?

Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself to lie. “I saw a shadowy reflection behind Nera and got scared. That’s when I lost control...”

Alright, so apparently I can’t lie to him. Great.

I study their expressions, expecting them to change to recognition and excitement that perhaps I found something we can use, but they remain stoic. Nothing changes, not even a muscle twitch.

“I see . . .”

“That’s all?”

“What do you want? Eponde is not a safe place. The dark magic of the curse attracts creatures that live in nightmares. It’s hard to tell you what you saw without inspecting it myself,” Ash says at last.

I slump on the bed and swallow the last bite of my food.

Finley tosses a log into the fireplace. “Going to Hedrum might be necessary beyond Nera’s whims and wishes.”

“How so?” Ash leans forward as the fire roars back to life, and the room warms again.

“We all know Mia doesn’t need an amulet, yet her parents gave her one when she showed signs of magic. Isn’t that true, Mia?”

I nod, holding onto each of his words like they are food for a starving woman.

“Continue...” Ash waves his hand in Finley’s direction in a kingly manner that would have made me smile had they not been discussing my life.

“While we talked earlier, I got the impression all librarians use magic one way or another. Do any of them have artifacts like the one you had?”

The air lodges in my throat, and I know where Finley’s line of questioning is taking us.

Hybrids don’t need amulets, while sorcerers, like him, do.

I stare at the chunky silver ring on his finger.

The green gem catches the light. “All the librarians use magic without amulets.” I shift my body where I sit, moving the crumbs left on my plate with my finger.

“Did any of them ever mention anything about being hybrids?” Ash doesn’t look surprised at all. I suppose he’s known who had his grimoires all along. It was me who was unaware of everything.

“I don’t... know.” How many of my colleagues knew their nature? Surely the head librarian and all the elders must.

“I believe powerful sorcery is keeping Mia’s magic locked, and it’s only released when she’s using an artifact,” Finley says.

The room goes silent, and my forgotten vertigo returns. Everything spins, and I grip at the blankets tightly to ground myself. I used to be strong. Now I’m broken, tethered only by my will to save Irene, the fae—and myself.

“You think her parents were protecting her from the hybrids living in Penumbra? By what, trying to fool them into believing she could only access magic with her necklace?”

“No,” I say, shifting forward and out of bed, ignoring Ash’s protests and Naheli’s annoyed huffs. “My father told me to never let them see my artifact. I was very careful.”

Was I?

I got reckless during the last year while I attempted to learn ways to stop the beasts. While I mastered fire and wind spells. Irene knew about it, and that likely meant her friends in the scientist quarters did as well. Who else saw me?

“Artifacts allow sorcerers to wield magic,” Finley says, and his amber eyes land on me.

Pity fills them for the briefest of moments before he takes his hand out of his pocket and glances at the green ring on his thick fingers.

“If I’m right, an artifact might be the only way she can access hers.

A spell locks her power, and it was meant to fool most into believing she’s a sorcerer, not a hybrid. ”

“Why would the hybrids need to be fooled if I’m one of them?”

“Because not all hybrids are trying to destroy the fae,” Finley says, and then exchanges a meaningful look with Ash. “You need to tell her.”

“Mind your own business, Finley.”

“You made it my business when you went to Penumbra, even though I begged you not to.”

“Tell me what?” I stand, shaking. Why is everyone keeping me in the dark?

Frustration grows within me like a sickness I can’t stop. The burning sensation in my stomach returns with a vengeance.

A thread of magic pours from my fingers, shimmering white, and adrenaline moves through my body as I notice it escaping me.

It’s an uncontrolled spell that has no name, no meaning other than frustration.

I can’t pull it back inside me, fear takes over from anger, and the spell turns from white to blue. My skin glows on and off.

“Mia,” Ash whispers, and it feels sweet and haunting. Like he’s trying to calm a raging beast. Then in the fae tongue, he says, “ Naheli, help her .”

The spirit leaps toward me. Her body enlarges, sending starlight around the room, blinding me, and all I can hear is the whooshing of my heart.

Her aura expands and wraps around me like a hug, soothing the burning inside me. Cool mist that shortly shifts to the smell of pine, leather, and frankincense. And when I open my eyes, I meet Ash’s gaze as he embraces me, preventing me from collapsing to the ground.

Breathe . I read his lips and take a deep breath that eases the burning in my lungs.

Slowly, the room stops spinning, and I find myself relaxing in his grasp. Ash studies my face with pinched brows, and I think he’s making sure I won’t lose consciousness like in Eponde.

I nod, hoping he understands I’m fine, even though I’m too exhausted to speak.

“You should rest,” he says, dropping his hands from around my waist, and I immediately miss the warmth they provided. He takes one long step away and shoves his hand into his trousers pocket. “Finley’s right. We need to get you a new amulet until we figure out what’s happening to you.”