Lidiane just stares at Azur while he keeps looking at his hands, then Ferer says, “Nobody knows what could have happened. We need to look ahead.”
Azur raises a finger in the air. “There’s one thing I know—or at least think I do. When we transcended to the Shadow Lands the first time, after beheading Zorwal, I believe it was part of my bond, that it was the Witch King’s thrall pulling me, except that we didn’t get in his cave, perhaps because it was too well sealed. But I’m sure that’s what happened: the Witch King pulled me.”
I’m pondering Azur’s words when I realize he never told them the most important parts: that he’s the king of the Nether Court, and that he’s sworn to bring down the Crystal Court.
Is he really going to hide all that? His eyes meet mine for a second again, and there’s no doubt about the plea in them. He wants to keep that information to himself. A sliver of dread pinches my chest, but I decide to ignore it—for now. I guess I can grant a doomed man his wish, unless I see the need to divulge his secrets.
“Hang on,” Lidiane says. “So the location where we transcended in the Shadow Lands is right above the Witch King’s cave?”
“Most likely.” Azur’s voice is softer than before.
Renel’s thoughtful. “It’s far north, but reachable if one were to enter the Shadow Lands in the morning.”
“Indeed.” Azur raises an eyebrow.
Marlak exhales. “Except that we don’t know how to kill him.”
Renel taps a finger on the table, then says, “I know how to kill him.”
“Oh, you do now?” Marlak’s tone is mocking.
“Yes, I do,” Renel replies in the same tone. “I happened to spend time studying magic and learned enough to predict the movements of the castle, for example.”
Marlak narrows his eyes at his brother. “If you had magic, or if you didn’t pretend to be the king, you wouldn’t need to predict anything.”
Renel makes the same face and says, “If I didn’t pretend to be king, my brother would be dead. Was it a smart decision? Good question.”
Marlak runs a hand over the scarred part of his head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I’m very stupid.” Renel chuckles. “It was part of the deal with Zorwal to heal you. He asked me to be the acting king, and then kept telling me you’d come back to steal my throne.”
“It was never yours,” Marlak snaps.
I want to tell these two that this is not the time for this argument, and yet I don’t want to make Marlak feel like I’m scolding him.
Ziven is the one who breaks the tension. “How do you kill the Witch King?” Everyone looks at him, and he raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Because if it’s something Renel read in a book, someone knows the answer. Then why didn’t they try it before?”
“They probably thought he was dead,” I say. “Why would anyone want to kill a dead fae?”
Renel shakes his head. “Many scholars knew his prison wouldn’t hold him forever, and that’s why this knowledge was kept in books. The issue is that they needed the right element to kill him.”
Marlak looks unimpressed and rolls his eyes. “Let me guess; a false king.”
“No. They needed you.” Renel points at Marlak.
7
MARLAK
My brother’s pointing at me, an odd, unaccusing finger, while everyone is staring.
“What do I have to do with the Witch King?” I ask, my voice cracking like thin ice.
Renel gestures to me and Astra. “Other than being his descendant’s husband, not much. But that’s not the reason why you can kill him.”
I don’t know where my brother got that idea. “And you read that in books? Books sayingIcould kill him?”
He sighs. “Not books. Journals, sayinga powerful fire wieldercould kill him. Combine that with the amplified magic due to your royal title, and we have the solution.”
