He exchanged a glance with Professor Blackwood, then nodded slowly. “The portal is behind my desk. But Silver, you need to understand—if you interrupt a Council proceeding, there could be serious repercussions.”
“I understand.” My voice came out steadier than I felt. “But I’d rather face the Council’s wrath than live without Ash.”
The Dean moved behind his desk and pressed his hand against what looked like a solid wall. Purple runes flared to life, spreading outward in intricate patterns until a shimmering doorway appeared. Through it, I could see a massive circularchamber with towering pillars and a domed ceiling that seemed to capture starlight.
There was a loud ping as one of the gems on the Dean’s desk began to glow.
“Sir, this is security at the front gate. King Erestolal and his guards are demanding entry.”
The Dean looked at me before grabbing the stone and lifting it to his lips. “Prince Erestolal must have escaped. Let them in and do everything you can to help them.” As soon as the stone went dark, he lifted his gaze to me once more. “They’re coming and this academy cannot be caught harboring a fugitive of the Twilight Realm.”
“I understand.” And I truly did. The mortal realm didn’t need a war with my father.
“Go,” Professor Blackwood said, her hand on my shoulder. “And Silver? Don’t let them intimidate you. None of them agree with what your father has threatened, but they don’t want to cause tensions between the realms. Use that to your advantage.”
I nodded and stepped through the portal before I could second-guess myself.
The Council chambers were even more imposing up close. Thirteen thrones arranged in a semicircle dominated the space, each one occupied by a member of the Elder Council. Their combined magical presence pressed down on me like a physical weight, making it hard to breathe.
And there, in the center of the chamber, stood Ash.
He looked small surrounded by so much power, his shadows pooling at his feet in anxious swirls. But even from this distance, I could see the determination in the set of his shoulders, the way his chin was lifted defiantly despite the fear I felt bleeding through our bond.
Confiance stood beside him, her white robes pristine and her expression unreadable. She was speaking to the Council, her voice carrying easily through the vast space.
“—agrees to the willing severance. The ritual can begin immediately, minimizing risk to Prince Erestolal and the Twilight Realm.”
“No!” The word tore from my throat before I could stop it.
Every head in the chamber turned toward me. I felt the weight of thirteen ancient gazes, felt their magic probe at my defenses. But I only had eyes for Ash.
His face went pale, his blue eyes widening in shock. “Silver? What are you—how did you?—”
“I’m not letting you do this,” I said, striding forward even as magical barriers rose to block my path. “I’m not letting you die for me.”
“Silver, you shouldn’t be here,” Ash said, his voice cracking. His shadows surged toward me instinctively, like they wanted to reach for me even as he held himself back. “Your father—the Council—they’ll?—”
“I don’t care.” I pushed against the magical barriers, my own twilight magic flaring in response. Purple energy crackled against the translucent walls separating us. “Ash, please. Just listen to me.”
One of the Council members—a stern-looking vampire with silver hair—leaned forward on his throne. “Prince Erestolal, you are interrupting official Council proceedings. This is highly irregular.”
“Everything about this situation is irregular,” I shot back, still pushing against the barriers. They were starting to give way under the force of my desperation. “You’re about to let an innocent person die to appease my father’s political maneuvering.”
“We are trying to prevent a war,” another Council member said, this one a witch with eyes that glowed like embers. “Your father has made his position quite clear.”
“My father is wrong!” The barriers shattered under a surge of my magic, and I stumbled forward, catching myself before I fell. Several Council members rose from their thrones, but Confiance held up a hand.
“Let him speak,” she said quietly. “I believe we should hear what the prince has to say.”
I didn’t waste the opportunity. I crossed the remaining distance to Ash, stopping just short of touching him. The mate bond sang between us, that thin thread suddenly blazing with renewed intensity now that we were close again. I could feel his emotions bleeding through—fear, love, determination, and underneath it all, a bone-deep exhaustion.
“Ash,” I said softly, forcing myself to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I lied to you. You were right about everything. I should have told you who I was from the beginning. I should have been honest about my father’s plans, about the arranged marriage, about all of it.”
“Silver—” he started, but I shook my head.
“Please, let me finish.” I took a shaky breath. “I told myself I was protecting you by keeping it secret. That if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t get hurt when I eventually had to leave. But that was just me being a coward. I was protecting myself, not you.”
Tears were starting to blur my vision, but I pushed on. “I came to Widdershins because I wanted to know what it felt like to be normal. To be just Silver, not Prince Silver Erestolal. And then I met you, and you made me feel more than normal. You made me feelalive. Like I finally understood what all those stupid love songs were about. Like I actually had something to live for besides my father’s expectations.”
