“I’ve told you what I know.” I look at Tristen. “Now tell me what you found in the library,” I demand. With all the puzzle pieces, we can plan to seize Galen’s kingdom and prevent Sable from obtaining the runes.
Tristen runs a hand through his hair, paints on a handsome grin, and then performs as he retells. I don’t know what is longer, the facts or his comments about this old vampire’s agedappearance. A few weeks ago I would have pulled out my dagger and told him to cut to the chase. The new mated me, however, looks at her mate’s brother and smiles, even laughs at times.
But then, as Tristen reveals more, my amusement is doused out.
Titus holds me as I endure all the hidden facts that the world has forgotten. I absorb everything about Torin and the Vitalis, including how a new rune can be created, as well as the God’s Sword.
I’ve been here in Caldara all along. I just need to find the old castle hidden under the mountain.
The truth—how the dots have connected—is so astoundingly beautiful and complicated. I wonder how Everett managed it. To plant so many seeds, knowing some would perish and others would flourish. How many outcomes did he have to sew in order to protect the final vision for which he died?
“But now we have one huge problem,” I blurt out.
“Only one?” Titus answers, a smirk playing on his lips. I want to see his smile when it’s free of stress.
“We need Sable. Only death magic can get the book out of Torin’s cage. Sable’s rot can choke Torin’s power.” My head drops in defeat. “Sable just slipped free. Even if we find this old entrance into Caldera’s castle and we find the book, we can’t touch it.”
My eyes meet Titus’s. It’s the same grief and frustration as locating my mate, but I cannot have him.
“Maybe Sable doesn’t know about the location yet,” Tristen offers.
My stomach rumbles. “She knows. She’s been sneaky since we arrived in Blackthorn. Building relationships and searching for facts. She was looking for the entrance,” I state with confidence. “She’s coming back, and she’ll have an army when she arrives to get the book.”
“Then it’s easy.” Tristen claps his hands. His shadows vibrate with excitement. “We play the waiting game. Wait for Sable to come, lead us straight to the book, and then we steal it from her.”
“That’s what you consider easy?” I snort, leaning into a shadow. We’re going to need a lot of magic for this. We’ll need a god on our side, but the gods abandoned us long ago.
Tristen and Titus both share a long look. “It’s the three of us versus two armies,” Titus states. He turns, trying to hide his eyes from me, to mask any doubt.
Pressing elbows to knees, I lean in. “Soon you’ll have an army.”
“Killing Galen will be easy compared to trying to convince his kingdom to follow me,” Titus murmurs. His words are nearly lost in Tristen’s shadows.
“They see you as a hero,” I remind him, my voice firm and resolute.Why can't you see yourself as one, Titus?
“Because I ended a war. Now I must start a new one.”
“I have to have faith that Everett knew this and planted seeds.”
“Let’s hope flowers grow instead of weeds,” Tristen grunts. “Okay, we have a semi-formed plan.” Tristen nods with a showman’s grin. “There is one other problem we will have to solve. Titus has a big head, all the men in my family do,” he winks at me, barely containing his chuckle.
“Why is that a problem?” I ask, playing into his banter.
“We’re gonna need to resize the crown.”
“I’m not wearing a crown, idiot.” Titus shoves his brother. “If you have such a big head, why don’t you think before you speak?”
“Never gotten complaints. Just more requests for my large unfiltered charm,” Tristen laughs.
“Shut it.” Titus ruffles Tristen’s hair.
“So we steal a book, master runes, keep it safe, and save the world,” Tristen grins. “Then you both live happily ever after—stuck with me and the rest of the fam, of course.”
I wish I could smile at the picture Tristen painted. But instead, I hear the fate Everett spoke of.
“How do we steal the Vitalis from Sable?” Titus asks. I sense their eyes on me, awaiting a reply.
We’d need… “Time!” I gasp. Everett, you gave us all the ingredients! Heck, you even gave us the recipe. We just had to figure out how to bake the cake and ensure it didn’t burn. The clarity of everything has my feet jolting up.
