A prince did not bow.
A prince did not bend to the ruler of another kingdom. And that struck Ezer the most about how much he had changed. How utterly gone he was.
This was another creature entirely.
‘The One has been fed well,’ the Acolyte said. ‘Another night of feasting and praise has brought its freedom closer,’ he added, looking at Kinlear. ‘You are dismissed. But do not go far. I may have need of you.’
He held out a hand to where the pool of darksoul blood had been.
But now it was fully dry, like the banks of a river that had been washed away. All the blood that had been fed into it, from thousands of darksouls was gone. And in its place …
A crevasse, so deep, she knew if she fell into it, she would fall forever. It seemed to sigh as she peered into it. To breathe of power, like it harbored a sleeping giant within.
‘Ezer,’ the Acolyte said. ‘Blood of my blood. The daughter I never knew, and yet it seems the One did.’
His voice was a smooth, poisonous thing. It rolled over her and sent shivers down her spine.
‘Are you going to kill me?’ she asked.
He chuckled. ‘Have you so little trust in your own family, Ezer?’
‘Youare notmy family,’ she growled.
Six’s tail twitched twice, agreeing.
The Acolyte shifted. Shadows swam between his fingertips in warning. ‘Look at the darkness, daughter. What do you see?’
There was a path of rock that circled the enormous crevasse. Darkness moved inside, swirling as if alive.
‘Shadows,’ Ezer said. ‘Your little pets.’
He laughed at that. ‘Your ire. Your rage. I can taste it. It comes fromme.’He sat back in his throne. And though time had aged him elegantly, hardened the lines of his face … when he smiled, it was exactly as he had in Styerra’s memories. ‘And they aren’t just shadows. They are an extension of theOne.And this—’ he glanced at the crevasse, ‘is our connection to him. Our pathway that will someday become a door. We need only win this war.’
She watched the deep shadows sigh and roll. Like … the crevasse was breathing.
‘You read the Tome,’ he said. ‘I can see it in your eyes. I can sense it in the questions you aren’t asking.’
‘I have questions,’ Ezer said. ‘But I’m not certain you’d tell me the truth if I asked.’
He sat back, crossing one leg over another, and the movement was so human, so casual, it gave her pause.
‘Try me,’ he said. And then he sighed. ‘You look just like Styerra. I never knew about you, and that is the truth. If I had … perhaps this all would have gone differently. I wouldn’t have left the Citadel. I wouldn’t have leftherbehind.’He frowned, and his shadows crawled up an arm, settling around his shoulders in a comforting embrace. ‘But if I hadn’t … I wouldn’t be here now. And the One would still be starved, locked deeper in its cage, andyou… you would be alone in this realm, Ezer.’
‘That isn’ttrue,’ she said.
Her eyes slid to Six.
He caught her glance and smiled knowingly. ‘Raphons bond deeply to their riders. We have Wrenwyn to thank for that. It was one of her first acts as Acolyte.’
Wrenwyn.
Her ancestor.
Wrenwyn, the story Ezer had always loved … was once the Acolyte on this very throne.
Erath looked down at Six, who sat still as a statue, looking only at Ezer. ‘You can keep her for yourself, if you come to our side. Stay with her here, forever. Ride her into battle if you please.’
‘I won’t battle for you,’ Ezer said. ‘Set her free. Isn’t that what you speak of so much? Freedom for all?’
