“You can’t be talking about…killing someone, Des. That’s not what you mean, right? Your father isn’t an evil man, is he?”
He smiled down at her but made no attempt to answer her question. “Thank you, Emy. You’ve helped me so much. I’ll return home to Father next week and tell him what you’ve told me. It has to be enough for him. It will be. Whether in this world or in El’Ara, my fatherwillbecome Morkaius.”
Emylia’s throat bobbed as something like fear settled in her dark eyes.
The image froze, and Teryn faced the real Emylia. His heart hammered, mind reeling to comprehend everything he’d witnessed. If this was supposed to have been about Cora…
About the reason Morkai cursed her to die childless…
His voice came out with a tremor. “Are you trying to tell me that Cora was supposed to be the mother in this…this prophecy? Are you certain it’s truly her?”
Emylia looked even more hollow than she had before, eyes distant. “Blood of the witch, blood of the Elvyn, blood of the crown. That means the prophesied mother is part witch, part Elvyn, and royal.”
“Cora never said anything about being of Elvyn descent.”
She shrugged. “She likely doesn’t know. But this clue will convince you.The unicorn will signify her awakening.”
Teryn’s heart sank. “Valorre.”
She nodded. “Her relationship with Valorre is the final piece that makes me certain she’s the mother. Yet Morkai acted long before he saw the first sign of a unicorn, long before he even knew who Princess Aveline was. Instead, he followed my prophecy to find the Heart of El’Ara, as it and the mother were connected by the black mountain over the field of violets. It took him years to find the place he sought, but it shouldn’t take you nearly as long to figure out.”
He closed his eyes, but the closest image he could conjure was the cliff Cora had taken him to. Beneath it, the wildflower meadow stretched out before the Cambron Mountains. If only the flowers were fully purple, then?—
“Seven devils,” he said, opening his eyes. “It’s not a place. It’s a sigil.”
The vision came to him now—the silhouette of a mountain over a purple background. The symbol of Khero.
“Yes,” Emylia said. “Because of the words I spoke, Morkai sought to end Cora’s life.”
A spike of rage shot through him, but he was too fatigued to hold on to it. “Morkai didn’t kill her, though. Why? Why did he curse her instead?”
Emylia rubbed her brow. “Mother Goddess, there’s…so much more to tell you, but—” She froze, eyes widening.
“But what?”
She nibbled her lip before answering. “He’s awake.”
Dread filled every inch of Teryn’s ethera. He needed to know the rest of Emylia’s tale. Needed to understand the full truth of Desmond, Morkai, and the prophecy.
But just as badly, he wanted to see how Morkai would react now that Cora had escaped his clutches. What would the sorcerer do now that the marriage alliance—his one link to royal power—was compromised? If Teryn’s body was beginning to shut down, then Morkai was running out of time.
They both were.
“We follow him,” Teryn said, tone resolute, “but as soon as he’s asleep once more, you’re showing me the rest of your memories.”
She gave him a sad smile that almost looked relieved. “And finally my sins will be laid bare.”
43
Cora had no time to feel awed over the sight of the three Elvyn males, for the anger on their faces was second only to the rage in their tones. If that wasn’t enough, she couldfeelit. Their shock, their ire, their…fear. Or was that her own? Before she could so much as gather her bearings, they charged across the meadow. Her gaze fell on the swords they carried at their hips. Though each had a hand resting upon the hilt, none drew their weapons. Even so, Cora found her hands flinching toward her waist, her shoulder, seeking weapons that weren’t there. Only then did she recall what she was wearing—a thin linen shift and velvet robe. She didn’t even have her apron and paring knife.
They were nearly upon her now. With every step they took, they shouted at her in a language she couldn’t understand. The golden-haired Elvyn at the fore of the group lifted a hand, pressing his thumb to the center of his ring finger and turning his wrist slightly.
Cora didn’t know what the gesture meant, but it sparked within her enough urgency to mount Valorre and make an escape.
Only…she found her body frozen.
And it wasn’t fear that stilled her, nor any other internal source.
