Chapter 19 #2
“It’s only them,” I say. “I heard their conversation, and they would have mentioned a third anchor. I think. They also… They kept mentioning the heart and the bonds. Zorwal thought Otavio had cut them, but Otavio probably knows it was Astra. The one thing that comes to mind is that Otavio suggested betraying the Witch King. Emprisoning him. So it’s possible to be done without killing them. ”
“He’s Tiurian, is he not?” Renel asks.
“It seems so,” I say.
He lifts a shoulder. “That explains it. Maybe they don’t need that many Tiurians to imprison the Witch King again, or maybe they, as anchors, can do it more easily. Still, I’d rather get rid of him once and for all.”
I try to think. “Marlak can’t be in three places at once, though, and, from what I heard, it seems that they were going to go their separate ways. Perhaps imprisoning the Witch King could be easier.”
“He could,” Ziven says. “I don’t mean being in three places at once, but within a short period. With a strong transcender.”
I can see where he’s going, but I can also see the problem in it. “Azur? Isn’t he magically poisoned? Bound to the Witch King? And how would we know where the three of them are?”
Ziven looks up, thinking. “There are other strong transcenders.”
“Yes,” Renel says. “Fire magic is still needed, so I suppose it’s up to my brother to figure it out.”
“Shouldn’t we return?” I ask, eager to see Astra, to be far from this castle.
Renel clicks his tongue and points at the books. “There could be more here. More things that might help us. And Berta asked us to spend the night. At this point, if we turn around and say we’re leaving, we’ll offend her.”
Ziven snorts. “Would she hang Marlak upside down? Because that would be deserved.”
Renel rolls his eyes. “My foolish brother. But I fear she’ll hang us.”
“Unless she’s planning on killing us,” I say. “In the middle of the night.” The thought stirs the food in my stomach.
“No.” Renel brushes away the hair covering his face. “She made a deal. We can go back to Marlak’s house tomorrow.”
Mirella raises her hand. “I have a question.” Renel frowns, and she looks at me and Ziven. “Why are you letting him make the decisions?”
“He’s making good points.” Ziven shrugs.
“Why?” I ask her. “Do you want to do something different?”
“Yes.” She points at the note. “We could find a circle and ask someone to come and pick us up. You don’t owe any loyalty to Renel.”
Ziven taps on the table. “We’re in this together, and make the decisions together.”
“Did he even consult you?” she asks.
Renel rolls his eyes. “I just found out how to kill the Witch King. You know, our priority number one. Would you rather we were doing nothing and waiting for my brother?”
She glares at him. “If I had my magic, I wouldn’t fear being in this court, so I want my magic back, that’s what I want.”
“Your deal was with me.” Renel places a hand on his chest. “And you’ll get your magic once you reunite with Marlak. Have some patience.”
“You know what?” Her voice sounds calm even if there’s a spark of fury in her eyes. “You’re the expert on research, aren’t you? You don’t need me.”
She walks to the door and leaves the library.
“Is it safe?” I ask. “For her to wander the castle alone?”
Renel shrugs. “Should be.”
We stare at each other in silence, then Ziven says, “I’ll go check on her.” He smiles. “Feel free to continue the thrilling reading without me.”
Being alone with Renel does something to my heart, an unpleasant squeeze.
I look back at the book, slightly frustrated that I couldn’t find information as useful as what Renel found.
The worst is that I can’t even focus on the words on the paper when all I can hear is Renel turning the pages of his book.
I glance at his daft fingers and can’t help remembering what they once did to me.
Steps sound by the door, and Ziven comes in.
“Did you find her?” I ask, realizing I’m a little worried about Mirella.
“No, but there’s something I need to tell you.” He glances at Renel quickly, then sets his eyes on me.
“What?” I ask. His intensity is making my heart jump.
“Renel’s the one who insisted on rescuing you. He also said that knowing you were in danger hurt more than being eviscerated—”
“Ziven!” Renel’s face is red and he stares at the prince with murder in his eyes.
Is he implying what I think he’s implying?
“Yes.” Ziven chuckles. “He also said that he’d rather have his eye poked out than leave you with Zorwal. Now excuse me. I’ll find Mirella.”
A strange buzz fills my chest as I try to process his words, to understand what he means.
Ziven leaves, and Renel rushes after him and stops at the door. “You gossipy piece of shit!”
“Talk to Tarlia, not to me.” Ziven’s voice fades in the distance.
Renel remains still, his back to me, staring at the space where Ziven was.
It feels like an eternity until he turns to me and chuckles. “Your friend thinks he’s quite hilarious, doesn’t he?”
That coldness, that distance is back. This is not the same Renel from the Desert Keep, not the same Renel… He’s not the same—and yet Ziven’s words…
“Is it true?” I ask. “What he said?”
ASTRA
Idon’t like to leave Marlak, but I’m glad he didn’t make a fuss about me escaping without him.
Nelsin walks before me, his steps silent, and I try to match him as much as possible, but twigs and leaves crack under my boots, and I hope the sound is too soft for distant giant ears.
Among threes, I glimpse some wood and stone buildings and some patches lit by torches, but we’re walking in what I assume must be the forest at the city border.
Chills run through my spine as I wonder if this place is truly protected against the monsters in the Shadow Lands.
Nelsin leads me to a circular hut with stone walls and a hay ceiling, with no windows, big enough only for fae or humans, which is odd.
“This is our circle,” he whispers.
Strangely, the thought of transcending scares me. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
He tilts his head. “Feels like it. Ready?”
Not at all.
A rush of anxiety climbs from my gut to my chest.
The image of the Witch King disappearing won’t leave my mind. And then I think about the Heart of Magic. Could he have found it? I swallow. There’s one way to find out.
“Can you transcend only to places you know?”
His lips form a line. “Yes. Why?”
I keep thinking about the Heart of Magic. “There’s… the Amethyst Palace. I went there with Ferer. It had a circle from where we transcended to the Crystal Castle.”
“Inside the palace? Those circles usually never allow anyone in—only out. It’s what I would guess. Either way… You could go there tomorrow, with Ferer.”
“You think he’ll escape? Shouldn’t you be loyal to the giants?”
“Shush. And let’s go.”
He extends his hand to me, and I hesitate, dread taking over my heart. Something’s wrong. I don’t know where the Witch King is, and I’m worried about the Heart of Magic. At the same time, escaping the giants is the best I can do for now. I just hope Marlak follows me.
I take Nelsin’s hand and then feel as if wind surrounds me. In a second, we emerge in a forest, but we’re so deep in it that I can’t glimpse any signs that we’re on the outskirts of a Giant city.
Beside me, Nelsin tenses and his cat ears perk up.
A shiver climbs up my spine. “What?” I whisper.
He takes my hand again, but this time I sense no wind, no transcending.
“What’s wrong?” I insist, feeling my heart beating fast and hard in my chest.
“I… made a mistake, I think.” He looks around, his movements frantic, his fear palpable.
And I hear it—a growl in the distance, and the reality of our situation dawns on me.
“You mean we’re not in a Giant city?”
He shakes his head. “No. And this circle… It doesn’t…”
“We’ll figure it out.”
I take a deep breath and try to calm down and think.
My light has kept the ghouls at bay before, but I don’t know if it will still work, and I fear it could attract them.
Then I remember that there are worse monsters in these lands, and focus on the Almighty Mother and her light, creating a circle around me and Nelsin.
It lets me see further among the trees, and I realize I know this place. I’ve been here before.
“Come,” I whisper, still afraid of speaking at a normal volume, as if I could remain unnoticed with this bright light. “We’re near the Amethyst—”
Something jumps in front of us, and I step back, my light failing for a second. Then I see that it’s a ghoul, its head flying away, as Nelsin finishes swinging his sword.
I hadn’t even noticed he had a sword, and I exhale in relief, then focus on the light. “Let’s go.”
It feels like walking through a path I’ve known since forever, even if I’ve only been here once. The heart’s calling me, I realize. Or rather, pulling me, and it must be why Nelsin’s transcending didn’t take us where he planned.
Making sure my light shield doesn’t fail, I advance in the night, Nelsin right beside me, sword in hand and ears perked.
We soon come to the path leading to the Amethyst Palace, and I can see its metal door from a distance. The place is no longer glamoured, at least not for me. Beside me, Nelsin’s looking at it, so I’m assuming it’s no longer invisible to anyone.
I push the enormous door, but it doesn’t budge. It still has that plaque with an ominous drawing of an eye with a drop. I pierce the tip of my little finger with a dagger, then rub the drop of blood on the eye and push the door again.
It swings open, and we enter the hall of that strange castle. Nelsin closes the door behind us and pulls a small lightstone from his pocket. I exhale and let go of my light magic as he looks around for any sign of foes, but the hall is empty.
There are fewer vines than when I came here before, and I can see the door leading to the stairs clearly.
“This is good, actually,” I tell Nelsin. “I’ve been meaning to come here.”
He glances back at the entrance. “Won’t they follow us?”