“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?”
“I don’t think they can come in. Let’s go.” I push the door to the other room, then head to the stairs, still so dirty and covered with vines that it’s hard to climb them.
But I feel lighter now.
The Heart of Magic!
Of course it’s the answer. If anything, I should have come here sooner, but I was so caught up in Marlak’s plans, so confident that it was all we needed, that I didn’t consider what I could do. At least I’m here now, and I hope it’s not too late.
I remember this place so clearly. It’s still difficult to go up those slippery stairs, but we keep climbing until we reach the end. We walk through a large, empty room, until I reach the door leading to the Heart, in that room with the strange floor made of glass. Once I swing it open, my breath stills.
A man is standing by the heart, dressed in a long, dark robe, his hair to his shoulder, a lightstone beside him. The quiver in my body slows down when I realize his hair is brown, not dark purple.
It’s Otavio.
Kill him.I don’t know if it’s me saying it in my mind. I aim a dagger at his back. From here, I can hit the right point that would kill him.Kill him. But what if he doesn’t die like that?
He turns, and I hide the dagger quickly.
To my surprise, he greets me with a warm smile. “Astra. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Is it?” I frown.
