I was a challenger in a dangerous, deadly tournament meant to pit the provinces against one another. I was away from home in a city I barely knew, surrounded by strangers. My uncle was cursed. Myotheruncle was the ruler of the Veridian Empire. Nightmares of my past, of blood and loss and darkness, crept on the edges of my mind whenever I bothered to look close enough. And I was keeping secrets from the only man I’d ever let into my heart.
Past me would have laughed. I had no reason to be this happy. Noright.
But…while I hated what the Decemvirate stood for, it had brought some unexpected friendships into my life. The twins, of course, and Lark and Horace—who I’d reconciled with after my outburst from the second trial. I knew they were simply doing their jobs and that they’d had no idea what the dreamscape would entail. Nobody had. And it’s not as if I could stay angry with Horace for long. He was like a big, grumpy teddy bear, trailing me throughout the palace, always watching over me and making me laugh.
I’d spent more time with Nox and, surprisingly, Arowyn over the last few days—or rather, Nox and I had forced her into our company, and she seemed to think we were tolerable. Two days after the memorial, Nox and I had been heading to the library when Arowyn stormed through the palace in a tirade, her pale cheeks flushed with anger. Nox had tried to stop her and find out what was wrong, but she used her Strider abilities to disappear from his grip.
Fifteen minutes later, she’d magicked right to our table in the library. I almost had a heart attack. She’d put her finger to her lips in warning, grabbed a book, and acted as if she’d been there the whole time. Mere seconds after that, we heard a very angry Callum marching past the library doors with a small battalion of guards on his heels.
Arowyn picked at her nails with a shrug. “He must be having a bad day.”
Ever since then, she, Nox, and I had formed a tentative friendship.
They weren’t the only ones I spent my time with over the next few days. I had breakfast with Beau and Morgana every morning at Ragnar’s bedside, followed by a walk through the palace gardens. It was getting…noteasier, but more bearable to see my uncle lying lifeless in his bed. Because for once, I had hope.
After I’d seen what blood magic could do, I had hope. I was going to find a way to end the Somnivae cursewithoutsacrificing anyone.
I spent any spare moment I had poring over the pages of my father’s Grimoire or hunting in the palace library for more information on curses and blood magic. All my fear, all my guilt, all my bitterness had melted into resolve. If Leo could change the verymakeupof his body, then surely I could find a way to undo what Theodore’s spell had caused all those years ago.
Having a purpose, agoal, lit a fire in me. It bled into everything I did.
And I was happy. As happy as I could be, at least. My days werespent with friends or with magic, and my nights were spent with Leo.
He’d made a habit of sneaking up to my rooms almost every evening when he didn’t have patrol duty. We had a routine now of casting defensive charms around the space to protect him from discovery. I think he knew without me having to say anything that I was afraid of the night after what had happened in the second trial. The idea of going to sleep, unsure where I’d be when I woke up, haunted me. But the nightmares weren’t as bad when he was by my side. Any time they grabbed me, he was there, holding me through it and bringing me back.
I think he needed me, too. We were so much more alike than I would have ever imagined. Growing up, we’d both been surrounded by people who thought we wereother, who didn’t understand us or feared getting too close. He loved his sister and his friends, that much was obvious, but there were some things he couldn’t talk to them about. Knowing he trusted me, that he wanted to let me in on the darkest parts of him, thatIwas the one he turned to when he needed comfort…it was a desire I never knew I had. Every time I settled into his side and he stroked my hair, our whispered stories and confessions filling the space between us, I felt more at home than I ever had in Feywood.
It pushed my determination to find an answer for the curse to a whole new level. The idea of losing him wasn’t an option.
I just needed to be strong enough. I needed mymagicto be strong enough.
So I practiced.
When Leo left before dawn in the mornings, I studied my father’s Grimoire. I relearned my old spells without the aid of herbs and charms, relishing the release and thrill of practicing magic based in my very blood. They were simple spells, ones that didn’t require much, but even that was enough to unlock a new part of me. Power soared and coated my veins, unchaining me. I’d been living my life with one hand tied behind my back.
But now, I was free.
One way or another, I would find a way to end this curseandkeep Leo safe.
Five days had passed since the last time I’d seen Theodore. I was becoming restless, wondering if he’d forgotten about his promise to teach me. Only nine days remained till the masquerade ball and soon after, the third trial would follow. And then…I would have to go back to Feywood. A desperate longing gripped me when I thought about it. I couldn’t believe half my time here in the capital had already gone by; it felt as if I’d only just arrived, and yet I could hardly imagine what my life was like even a month ago.
As I grabbed a fourth book from the shelf and carried my growing pile to the table Nox, Arowyn, and I had claimed at the library, I shoved thoughts of masquerade balls and trials andgoodbyesfrom my mind. There was still time—I didn’t need to worry about that yet.
“You know, if you’d told me we’d be spending all our time in the library, I never would’ve agreed to hang out with you two,” Arowyn drawled, twisting her near-white hair around her finger and throwing her legs onto the top of the table.
“Yes, you would have. You can’t resist our charm,” Nox countered, smacking her feet with a book. “Feet off the table.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and moved her feet to his lap instead. “Remind me again why we’re here?”
“Because I don’t have access to this many books on magic in Feywood and I want to take advantage of it while I can,” I responded, flipping throughAlchemy Index Volume III: Blood Rites. I’d been feeding them half-truths; thereweren’tthis many books back home. But my search was focused on a bit more than general magic. “And Nox thinks he looks good in reading glasses,” I added and nodded to Nox, who readjusted said glasses.
“It’s true; I do.”
“Well,I’mbored.” Arowyn kicked her legs off Nox and stood. “I’m going to go sneak some wine from the cellars. Maybe see if I can find Callum and make him piss his pants again.”
“Did you notice she always seems to have alcohol in her hands?” Nox whispered loudly to me.
Arowyn rolled her eyes. “And didyounotice you have an incredibly small?—”
