Every truth has its price. Every desire its cost. The more you deny yours, the steeper it becomes.
I’ll pay. Whatever it costs. I told you, I’ll do whatever it takes to win.
A beat of silence, then:Because you refused your truth, the price is set: one hundred souls. You will walk this path whether you wish it or not. And only through darkness will your true desire become undeniable.
The laugh that echoes in my mind is terrifying.
My stomach drops. Ice floods my veins.
I sense I may have made a grave mistake.
But there is no way back now.
Daegel’s face in front of me twists as an unnatural smile spreads across his features. It’s all sharp teeth and danger. It whispers words into my mind, I know that. Yet, I can’t comprehend any. Each word slips past and away from me.
Darkness that surrounds me presses into me, and it hurts. When I can’t take the pressure any longer, I open my mouth to scream. No sound leaves my lips. Instead, the darkness pours inside me through my mouth, nose, and ears.
It fills every part of me I refused to face.
I can’t breathe.
A sinister laugh echoes in my mind, and finally I can make sense of the last words whispered in my mind.Phoenix Wildarrow, the voice croons,Lorca deems you…worthy.
V. TRIAL OF TRUTH
Old Ekiosh: Thren’vael Nox
Often translated as:The unmasking of the soul.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
PHOENIX
“What the hell happened?!”
I can’t see Vera’s face, but from the tone of her voice it’s clear she’s furious.
I purse my lips and shrug my shoulders. “Once again—I don’t remember. The memories of that trial…they’re all hazy, covered in dark mist. They’re there, but I can’t access them.” I tap my left temple. “I know I passed it, but I have no idea how or why I can’t fucking see.”
I hug myself to stop the tremble of my muscles. Inside my mind there is a black hole as deep as the ocean. It’s so disorienting to not remember a whole fucking night.
Yet, I’m certain I have passed the Trial of Truth.
“Your eyes…” Jax trails off. I whip my head to the side where his voice comes from. “Your eyes are all white. No pupils.”
“Oh dear gods,” I whisper, touching my face. “What the fuck.”
The skin in the valley between my breasts burns. It has been burning all this time, but only now my mind registers the pain.
“It burns here,” I say, looking down as if I could fucking see it. “My skin burns.”
With trembling hands, I find the buttons of the linen sleeping shirt I wear and I undo them. Someone in the room gasps.
“What is it?” I look around.
“A new tattoo,” Jax says. “A very nice piece of work, I must say. I would love to know the name of the artist.”
There’s humor in his voice, but I’m not fooled. My senses are raw after the trial, and I feel the cool fear coming off in waves from him without even trying to read him.
