“I have to free Tarlia and heal Azur.”
Azur taps on the table. “I’ll accept no deal with that foul fae to heal me. He’ll trick you, trick me, and I want none of that. So no. As for Tarlia… You’ll need to think carefully and have something he wants. Right now, you don’t want to risk giving away Marlak’s location if he’s the only one who can kill the Witch King.”
“What if we killed Zorwal?” Lidiane suggests.
Lovely suggestion, except for a big problem. “The one who survived a beheading? How exactly do we kill him?”
Renel looks up, thinking. “Fire, maybe. If it kills the Witch King, it will probably kill Zorwal.”
His words make me freeze.
I don’t know if I can burn anyone, don’t even know if I can use my fire. It’s one thing to use it once, against the Witch King, but to use it against a fae I know, even an evil fae…
“Marlak’s fire magic is rusty,” Ziven says.
Renel frowns. “Your main magic can never get rusty. It’s the source of your power. Every time you use another element, you’re using an extension of your fire.”
I almost make a snarky comment about his ability to know anything about magic, but Astra speaks before me.
“The Witch King is more important.” She looks at both tables, determination in her eyes. “It’s better to sneak in and out of the castle, get the information, and then try to get rid of our main foe. After that, we deal with Zorwal. And if his magic is connected in any way with the Witch King, he’ll be weaker.”
I run my fingers over the back of her hand, thankful for her suggestion, for her cool head and wise words, even if part of me wants to rush to the Shadow Lands and end this once and for all.
“Let’s plan, then,” I say, for once feeling confident that we have a chance, even if I hate waiting, hate postponing going to the Shadow Lands.
Renel presses his lips together. “I still think I should come with you.”
“Not a chance. But if you want to help, tell me where I can find those books.”
He blinks. “As you wish,Your Majesty.”
Azur sniggers at his table, and I glare at him. “What’s so funny?”
He stares at the tip of his gloves again, full of his pompous air. “Everything’s a disaster and my days are numbered. Can’t I at least laugh?”
“Right.”
I’m starting to wonder why Astra saved Azur, when he adds, “Lidiane shouldn’t go.”
She turns to him, “And you should bedead, if it depended on your wishes. Dead people give no orders.”
He runs a gloved finger through his hair. “Not an order, just… Zorwal’s dangerous.”
“I’m aware of that,” Lidiane says. “It’s why we’ll do it right.” She then turns to Renel. “I mean, let’s just ignore that we spent an hour in that castle with nobody to stop us. Oh, if only someone would have told his brother about that box!”
Renel blinks. “It didn’t cross my mind. Truly didn’t.”
He sounds regretful, but I don’t buy his remorse. I’m sure he would want to make a deal to reveal those journals, that he’d do anything to cling to any remaining shred of power if he could. At least I’m glad he’s finally doing the right thing. I just wish it didn’t have to be his last resort.
I take a deep breath as I feel Astra’s hand in mine and meet her lovely brown eyes. This is not the time to linger on bitterness, but to plan.
I turn to my brother. “Now’s your chance to redeem yourself.”
He sighs. “I seek no redemption—but I’ll do what I can to help you.”
“Good enough,” Lidiane says, as if to end the argument. “Let’s plan.”
A chill runs down my spine as I consider what I might have to do, what kind of magic I’ll need to conjure, but then I tell myself to focus on getting to the castle, on getting those answers.
