As soon as I was through the wards, I called on my twilight magic. For four years I’d been forcing it down, not using it on campus in case someone might recognize my family’s particular flare or power. But now it didn’t matter. I let the purple energy crackle around me as I reached out through the mate bond, enhancing my senses with magic.
There was a faint but unmistakable connection. I felt a flicker of Ash through the bond, distant but alive. The bond was threadbare, stretched so thin it barely registered, but it was thereand that’s all that mattered. My heart leapt even as relief and terror warred in my chest.
He was still in the mortal realm. That was good. But the bond felt wrong somehow, muted in a way that made my stomach clench with dread.
I took off running toward the academic buildings, my feet pounding against the cobblestones. Students scattered out of my way, their eyes widening as they caught sight of the purple energy crackling around me. I didn’t care about the attention anymore. Let them stare. Let them gossip. None of it mattered if I couldn’t reach Ash in time.
The bond pulled me toward Professor Blackwood’s office. Of course. If anyone knew where Ash was, it would be her. I burst through the building’s entrance, taking the stairs three at a time. My lungs burned but I pushed harder, faster, the crystal from Caldwell still warm in my pocket.
I rounded the corner to her office and nearly collided with the door as it swung open. Professor Blackwood stood there, her expression grim but unsurprised.
“Mr. Erestolal,” she gasped, stepping aside. “H-How…”
“Where is he?” I demanded, not bothering to let her finish. “Where’s Ash?”
Professor Blackwood’s eyes widened, and she glanced past me down the hallway like she was checking for pursuit. “He’s with Confiance. The real Confiance Eveninglight—not the apprentice who performed the examination.”
My heart stuttered. “Where?”
“I don’t know exactly,” she admitted, her hand gripping the doorframe. “But Mr. Vale, you need to understand something. Confiance went to find him to bring him back for?—”
“For the severance,” I finished, my voice hollow. “I know. My father gave the Council three days.”
Her expression shifted to something like pity. “Then you know what they’re planning. Ash agreed to it, Silver. He’s willing to sever the bond to save you.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. My knees nearly buckled, and I had to catch myself against the wall. “He what?”
“Confiance told me before she left. She found him in China, and when she explained the situation, he agreed immediately.” Professor Blackwood stepped closer, her voice dropping. “He’s doing this because he loves you. Because he thinks it’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“No.” The word came out strangled. “No, he can’t—he doesn’t understand what that means. It’ll kill him!”
“He knows,” she said quietly. “Confiance was very clear about the consequences.”
I couldn’t breathe. The hallway seemed to tilt around me, and I felt my magic surge wildly in response to my panic. Purple energy crackled along the walls, making the lights flicker. Ash was going to die. He was going to sacrifice himself, and I’d never even gotten the chance to explain, to apologize, to tell him that none of the lies mattered compared to losing him, and that, most of all, I wanted to remain his mate.
“Where are they?” I demanded again, pushing off the wall. “Professor, please. I have to stop this.”
She hesitated, conflict clear on her face. “If I tell you, I’ll be defying the Elder Council and your father. There will be consequences?—”
“I don’t care about consequences!” My voice echoed down the empty hallway. “I don’t care about the Council or my father or the Twilight Realm or any of it! Ash is about to kill himself because he thinks that’s what I need, and I have to stop him before it’s too late!”
Professor Blackwood studied me for a long moment, then sighed. “They’re at the Council chambers. It’s a neutral ground between realms.”
“How do I get there?”
She let out a long sigh. “Come on. It’s accessible through a portal in the Dean’s office.” She pulled out her wand and headed down the hall. I followed her without question. “I assume your father is right behind you?”
I nodded. “Most likely. Probably with a small army.”
“Then we’ll need to be quick.”
We rushed through the corridors, Professor Blackwood’s heels clicking rapidly against the stone floor. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of how little time I had. The mate bond pulled at me, that thin thread connecting me to Ash feeling more fragile with every passing second.
When we reached the Dean’s office, Mr. Thornfield was already there, looking haggard and worn. His eyes widened when he saw me.
“Prince Erestolal,” he said, standing quickly. “I thought you were?—”
“Doesn’t matter,” I cut him off. “I need to get to the Council chambers. Now.”
