“Or make a mistake,” Cordelle added quietly. “Because the king doesn’t have time for us to wait around.”
I exhaled, slow and deep, my fingers tightening around the edge of the table. “So the elixir is a cure, but only if we eliminate the source.”
Cordelle nodded. “We’ll know more once we test the ritual. If the spell resists… we’ll feel it.”
Zander’s hand brushed mine beneath the table. “Then we find whoever cursed him. And we end it.”
I nodded. “No matter who it is.”
ChapterForty
Igot up sluggishly, my limbs heavy with exhaustion and the weight of everything still spinning in my head. The sky beyond the window was barely lit, hints of lavender and ash-gray brushing the horizon.
It was almost dawn by the time I’d finally rolled into bed.
Riven stood at the edge of my bunk, a pair of biscuits in her hand. Her copper-red hair was still damp from what must have been a cold wash, strands curling at her jawline.
“Long night?” she asked, passing me the food as I sat up.
“You could say that.” I took one and bit into it, still warm, surprisingly buttery. “But productive.”
She motioned toward the door. “Remy said you need to meet him and Zander at the castle entrance. You’re going to visit the king.”
I blinked. “Now?”
“Cordy thinks you should give him a couple of drops of the elixir,” she added. “It won’t heal him completely, but it might help keep him stable while we locate the rest of the ingredients, and the spell caster.”
I stilled, then gave a short nod. “Cordy filled you in.”
“He did.” Her gaze softened. “He’s worried. We all are. But you’ve got this, Ashe.”
My throat tightened around the last bite as I stood and grabbed my armor from the trunk at the end of my bunk. “Thanks.”
As I began strapping on the plates, Riven leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching like the warrior she was, steady, protective, lethal.
“Just be careful in there. Even dying kings have teeth.”
I smirked and nodded, buckling the last strap. “Noted.”
And with that, I grabbed the vial and tucked it into the hidden pocket inside my chestplate, the soft glow of the elixir pulsing faintly against my skin. Then I followed her out into the rising light.
The courtyard buzzed with quiet tension as the squads gathered behind their designated banners. Colors fluttered in the wind, steel caught early morning sun, and the murmur of command filtered through the chill air. But I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact, and moved steadily toward the castle steps.
Zander stepped out just as I approached. His armor gleamed in the dark, but his eyes were weary, threaded with the same exhaustion I felt tugging at my limbs.
“How was your sleep?” he asked as he fell into step beside me.
I huffed. “It feels like I barely got any.”
A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. “I know how you feel.”
The castle loomed over us, heavy with silence and stone. When we reached the hallway outside the king’s chambers, Remy was already there, arms crossed, back against the wall like he’d been pacing only moments before.
He straightened as we neared. “Did you bring the vial?”
I nodded and slid a hand beneath the plates of my armor. The vial was warm against my fingers, like it remembered the power it carried. I pulled it free and held it out.
The liquid inside shimmered, iridescent and otherworldly. Even sealed, it vibrated with soft, living energy.
