“We’re here now because there was no other way I could think of to finally bring this to an end,” I finished.
“And here I was, thinking it was for my wedding,” Clarissa said with an exasperated sigh. She looked exhausted. Shame wormed even further into my chest.
“Of course, it’s for you too, Rissa,” I said gently. “You know I love you both. And Marigold. I didn’t want to ruin this time for you. But…I saw my sister.” Her lips parted. “Scarven has some sort of compulsion on her. She’s completely lost. Things are escalating, and I don’t know what he’s planning. But we think it could be related to a new herb he’s been importing from Mysthelm.”
“FromMysthelm?” Thorne repeated, brow furrowed at the mention of his home kingdom.
I nodded. “It started a little over a year ago. We saw strange ships arriving in the middle of the night, but were always too late to find out what they were carrying. Until Devora showed up.” I shot her a quick look. “She snuck onto one of their ships and discovered it was an herb called fatesprig. She stole some of it, and our Alchemist already went through it all trying to run tests. But there are even more compounds we don’t have access to that he’s also using. Things Devora found out he’s getting from other lands. Rissa, have you had contact with anyone outside the empire and Mysthelm?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, we monitor the borders, but haven’t seen any sign of foreigners trying to make contact.Lark?”
Lark, her best friend and royal advisor, nodded swiftly. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
“I just wish we knew what he’s using to brainwash my sister.” I licked my lips and faced Rose. “That’s actually why I wanted to talk toyou, Rose.”
Rose let out a long breath. “There’s no telling what combinations of charms he’s using. The possibilities are endless.”
I shifted in my seat. This was the tricky part. “You’re right. We don’t know what exact ingredients his Alchemist has. But I think it’s pretty obvious one thing heisdoing.”
Leo understood first. “Absolutely not, Duma.”
I sighed.Here we go.
Rose looked between us. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re not asking her to practice again,” Leo continued. His furry tail came out from behind him and wrapped around the leg of his chair, a habit I’d seen from the half Shifter when he got agitated. Which happened often around me.
Rose’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
“You know how dangerousblood magicis,” Leo said to me. “There’s always a consequence. Always a price to pay.”
“Don’t you think those people Scarven has tortured have been paying for long enough?” I snapped.
He gritted his teeth as he stood to face me, a short lock of dark brown hair coming to rest on his forehead at the motion. “There’s always another way. You don’t know what blood magic can do. It ruins people’s lives. My fatherdiedbecause of it!”
I jumped to my feet, my dragon half raising its head in irritation. “You don’tknowthat, Leo! That’s your fear talking. I don’t have time for this.”
Shadows danced between us, solid enough to hold us back before we pounced on each other. “Settle down, boys,” Lark said from the side, shadows billowing from her outstretched hands.
I took a breath and scrubbed a hand down my face, claws pulsing beneath my fingers. This was what I was afraid of. Blood magic was forbidden in the empire because some Alchemistsbelieved it brought dark consequences for taking what was natural and making itunnatural.
Leo had used it once when he was young. He cast a spell to try and turn his Alchemist blood into that of a Shifter so he could be like his sister. It worked, to an extent. He gained some Shifter qualities. But the instant the spell was cast, his father dropped dead.
Leo blamed himself ever since. Himselfandblood magic. He said it was the consequence for upsetting the balance of nature.
“I’m sorry, Leo,” I said, lowering my voice. “This was my last resort. I wouldn’t be asking if I thought I had other options. And, Rose…” One side of my mouth rose in a sad smile. “Viper, I’dneverforce you to do something you’re not comfortable with. You don’t even have to technicallyuseblood magic. Even just talking us through the basic principles might help spark an idea.”
Her emerald gaze fastened onto Leo with that sharp look she always had—the one that earned her the nickname “Viper” in the first place. But it was a tad softer when she looked at him, as if already full of an apology.
“I’ll do it,” she finally said, facing me again.
Leo reached for her. “Rose?—”
“I have to try, Leo,” she said, forehead pinched. “If this is something that can help all those people, then what choice do I have?”
From his corner of the drawing room, Chaz let out a grunt. “Well, we’re all just a bunch of martyrs, aren’t we?”
Leo rubbed the back of his neck, and Rose took his other hand. “I don’t like this,” he murmured to her.
