I start pacing, my thoughts a storm of fragments that refuse tosettle. The curse, the vault, the stone—it all feels like a tangled web with no clear way through. My boots scuff softly against the ground with each step, the rhythm grounding me as I try to piece it all together.
Could I even get back to the library unnoticed? There has to be a tome that breaks through bloodline curses.Does my father already know of Lord Striden’s plot against him?
I don’t know the answers, but I can’t let myself spiral.
“She needs to go back to find the book,” Alias says, his tone casual but firm, as if it’s the most obvious solution.
Gwyn doesn’t miss a beat.
“We could sneak her in,” she says with a mischievous edge, already planning out the impossible in her mind.
“That’s not happening,” Callum cuts in, his voice firm as he straightens, his arms crossed over his chest.
“You don’t decide what she will and won’t do,” Gwyn snaps.
“The fuck I do.”
Callum’s retort cuts through the argument, and I clench my jaw, willing them all to stop.
“And you think you’re her keeper now?” Gwyn fires back.
Their voices rise behind me, the bickering escalating. I don’t have the energy for their argument, not when every piece of this puzzle feels so maddeningly out of reach. My father’s men will be watching every inch of the library, and any misstep could ruin everything. But the symbol Malachi described—the bleeding roots—feels important. I try to remember if I’ve seen anything like it before, but the memory refuses to come.
I force myself to breathe deeply, focusing on my steps as I pace. In and out. Keep moving.
If I went back, how would I get past the guards? How would I even get close enough to search?There are too many risks, too many variables, and yet… I can’t shake the feeling that this book holds the answer we need.
I stop abruptly, the pieces of my thoughts clicking together like a lock turning. I lift my head, and the room goes silent as I feel everyset of eyes land on me. Casper is already watching me, his emerald gaze steady, filled with an intensity that makes my chest tighten. He doesn’t say anything, but the way he looks at me—it’s as though he already knows what I’m about to say.
“I know how to retrieve the book,” I say, my voice firm, cutting through the noise like a blade.
The room shifts. Alias tilts his head, intrigued. Gwyn narrows her eyes, her curiosity growing. Callum’s lips press into a hard line, the worry radiating from him. Malachi remains a pillar of calm, though the faintest hint of approval glimmers in his gaze. And Casper… Casper’s eyes soften just slightly, the edges of his hardened expression easing as though he already knows what this means for me—for us all.
I hold their gazes, one by one, my resolve hardening with each passing second. The risks are immense, but the cost of doing nothing is far greater. I’ll find the book. I’ll face whatever I have to. Because there’s no other way forward.
This isn’t the end.Not yet.
45
LAILAH
We stand in the heart of the forest, surrounded by the whisper of leaves and the faint rustle of creatures hidden in the underbrush. The air is thick with suspense, the kind that makes your skin prickle and your breath hitch. I extend my scarred hand, placing it in Casper’s firm grasp. His hand tightens around mine, his evergreen eyes piercing me with unspoken emotions—fear, anger,love.All of it wrapped into the way his brow knits, his jaw tightens.
I turn, my other hand outstretched toward Callum. He hesitates, the hard lines of his face set in defiance, his jaw clenched so tightly it’s a wonder it doesn’t crack. But he takes my hand, his grip warm and steady, though his touch carries an unspoken warning, a concern for my safety.
Two men I trust with my life. One who loves me enough to let me choose my fate, even if it means risking myself to save the world. And one who would burn the entire world down for me—stopping me even if I begged to die with it. Their opposing strengths tether me to the moment, and yet, neither truly knows the storm raging inside me. I glance at them both, drawing in their faces as though I might never see them again. I can’t falter.Not now.
I turn to face the forest as the others join hands, forming a circle around me. The world feels silent, breathless, as though it too is waiting to see if I will succeed or break. Closing my eyes, I steady my breathing and call forth the memory of the underground library. Every detail comes to life as I dig deeper into the fragments of my past.
The library’s warmth floods my memory, a stark contrast to the cold I now feel in my soul. I see myself as a child, crouched between towering shelves, hiding from the world with Jason by my side. The echoes of our laughter ring faintly in my mind, weaving through the silence. My first kiss—his lips brushing mine, awkward and unsure—pulls at something deep within me. It wasn’t the kiss itself that mattered; it was the fleeting moment of belonging, of being seen, of feeling normal. A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it, and I turn slightly, brushing it away with my shoulder.
The whispered secrets held within the dusty pages of the library come back to me, the countless nights I spent there, curled up in the corner with a book. It was the only place where I ever felt safe, wrapped in the stories of others, my father’s expectations momentarily forgotten. My chest tightens as I think of those nights and the overwhelming solitude they often brought. I didn’t realize how lonely I was back then, not truly. The books kept me company, but they couldn’t erase the emptiness that crept in when the castle halls grew too quiet.
Tears blur my vision as I focus harder, clinging to the images like a lifeline. My hands tremble slightly as I remember stumbling upon a story of a witch who sealed a world away to protect it—a tale I treasured, believing that someone could understand what it meant to carry such a burden. It’s too much, the emotions pooling in my chest until it feels like they might spill over entirely. I blink rapidly, trying to steady myself, but it doesn’t work.
The air around us begins to shift, cold and biting as it wraps around my skin. My magic stirs at the edges of my consciousness, an insistent hum that vibrates through my entire being. It’s like a living thing, clawing to be released, testing the fragile boundary of mycontrol. I’ve never attempted anything like this before. A portal that stretches hundreds of miles, cutting through the fabric of distance itself—it feels impossible. And yet, I have to try. Imusttry. The future depends on it.
I close my eyes, drawing on every ounce of strength I possess. Images flicker and blur, tangled fragments of the person I was and the person I’ve become. I see the skies turning ink-black beneath my magic, an unrelenting storm conjured by my fear of losing everything. I feel the pulse of Callum’s heart beneath my palms as I willed it back to life, terrified that I might fail and lose him forever. And then, Casper—his touch, his steady presence, the way loving him has stripped me bare, leaving me exposed and vulnerable in ways I never thought possible.
