Her frown deepened. “Sometimes I think you make it your daily task to confuse me.”
“The feeling is utterly mutual, princess.”
They continued to glare at each other in silence as the tension in the room grew as thick as three-day-old gruel.
Jonas cleared his throat. “The princess is right. It seems as though you’re asking me to do your dirty work, while you sit back and reap the lion’s share of the rewards. What’s in it for us?”
“Us?” Magnus repeated unpleasantly. “You mean you and the princess?”
“Sure. And Lys and Olivia. And Paelsia as a whole. It’s part of your father’s kingdom now. Your kingdom if I’m successful.”
“It was my father’s goal to unite all of Mytica because he thought it was the answer to finding the Kindred,” Magnus said. “Chief Basilius foolishly helped him drag Paelsia into ruin. And now he’s dead. When my father finally joins him in the darklands, I want to restore this country to a simpler time. Limeros is my only concern—both now and in the future. Paelsia is yours, Agallon. And Auranos will be returned to you, princess.”
Jonas was certain he’d heard the prince wrong. The thought that this could be real made the world start to spin all around him. “And you expect us to believe this?”
“It can’t be true,” Cleo said in a tone of disbelief, shaking her head. Her face had gone very pale.
“It is true and it is my plan. It’s your decision entirely if you wish to be a part of it. Disagree, or choose to doubt me further, and you can leave my palace and never return.”
The first time Jonas had decided to trust Magnus’s word he’d been immediately put into chains and threatened with death. And that was only moments ago.
It would be a deadly gamble to trust him again.
Still, there was too much to lose to walk away, and far too much to gain if this was real.
“Fine,” Jonas said, his jaw tight. “I’m in.”
“Wonderful. And you, princess? Do you agree as well?” Magnus said, turning to Cleo. “When the king is dead, your kingdom will be returned to you, and I promise you’ll never have to see me again.”
She was silent for so long that Jonas wondered if she’d lost her voice.
Finally, she nodded.
“I agree.”
CHAPTER 14
LUCIA
LIMEROS
With the help of witches along the way, Lucia and Kyan had successfully found four of the stone gateways.
Unfortunately, all four had been stripped of their magic.
Kyan was all but certain that Timotheus had sent his minions from the Sanctuary to render each wheel dormant. With every new discovery and disappointment, Kyan became more and more irate. And Lucia knew that the more irate he became, the more people would die.
After leaving Magnus and the third wheel, they’d traveled to a broad, vacant field in central Limeros to find the fourth wheel, which was deeply embedded in snow.
“That Watcher must think quite highly of himself,” Kyan growled, pacing in front of the wheel. “But he won’t win.”
Intense heat emanated from Kyan as he paced, until the snow around them melted and they were surrounded by a field of flames.
Lucia stood by silently as Kyan ranted about Timotheus, but her patience was growing thin. She knew Kyan had a temper, of course, but ever since their visit to the Limerian palace, she found herself questioning her kinship with him.
How could it be that this omnipotent elemental god, one whom Melenia had lusted after for millennia, was about as mature as a toddler?
But no. He wasn’t omnipotent. If he were, he wouldn’t need her help.
“Are you finished with your tantrum?” she asked.
He glared at her, his eyes still glowing blue. “Nearly.”
“Good. Because this is growing wearisome.”
“Is that so? My quest to destroy my enemy and reunite with my family is growing wearisome for you, is it?”
“No. But all of this certainly is.” She indicated the burning field.
“I would have thought you’d enjoy a little something to warm you up on this cold day. My mistake.” Suddenly, his irises shifted back to amber and the flames surrounding them vanished. He raised an eyebrow. “Better? Be sure not to smile, little sorceress. It’ll ruin that stern look you’ve been practicing.”
“I’ve no intention of smiling. You know I’m still furious with you for what you did to Magnus.”
“Your brother disrespected me.”
“He doesn’t know who you are.”
“Exactly.”
“So instead of sparing him for his ignorance you decided to kill him?”
All the anger in Kyan’s expression faded away as he gave her a charming grin. “I wouldn’t say unleashing my rage upon him was a decision, exactly. Fire magic is who I am. What I am.”
She crossed her arms and began walking away from him. “That’s no excuse. Magnus is off-limits. If you harm him in any way, I won’t help you anymore.”
The fact that she’d willingly tortured Magnus with her magic until he’d spoken the truth didn’t sit well with her. Still, if he hadn’t resisted, she wouldn’t have had to inflict so much pain.
Causing Cleo pain, however, hadn’t troubled her at all.
Catching up with her, Kyan kept pace at her side. “Timotheus deserves to die.”
“Then he’ll die.” She shook her head. “I just don’t understand why you’re in such a rush to tear him out of the Sanctuary. You’ve only just awakened. And you’re just as much an immortal as he is.”
“I’ve waited an eternity to be free, little sorceress. Why should I have to wait another day to know it will be permanent?” He grasped her arm, slowing her down and stopping her. “I know you’re angry with me, and that’s the last thing I want. But I think I can redeem myself.”
“Really?” She eyed him skeptically. “How?”
“Let’s go find your real family.”
A breath caught in her chest. “Now?”
Kyan smiled. “You’re right, my vengeance can wait a few days. But you’ve waited sixteen years to learn who you really are.”
The witches who’d helped them find the wheels had also given up information about Lucia’s prophecy. They’d learned that the night Lucia was born, the stars had aligned, setting many witches out on a journey to Paelsia to find her. According to one witch’s rumor, two sisters with blood magic skills had succeeded.
One of those sisters was Sabina, the witch Lucia had killed many months ago in the Limerian palace when her powers were first awakening. If only she’d known enough to wait to crush Sabina’s skull and set her on fire until after she’d questioned the witch about her origins.
“All right, let’s go,” Lucia said now, eagerness rising in her chest. “We’re close to learning the truth. I can feel it.”
“Then it’s settled.” Kyan nodded. “Tomorrow we’ll set off for Paelsia.”
• • •
The second she closed her eyes to sleep she was haunted by the image of Magnus on the palace grounds.
His joy and relief as she approached.
His confusion when she didn’t immediately throw herself into his arms.