She snapped her head towards him. “Who do you think gave Livia the amulet? I couldn’t have the princess breaking the curse and ruining all my plans, now, could I?” To me, she said, “Now, do as I ask.”
I locked eyes with Tarben. He shook his head.
The Crow seemed to be losing patience. “Do it now,” shescreeched. “Or I’ll have them tear out the little one’s throat first.”
Fear gripped my chest and squeezed the air out of my lungs. “No!” I cried. “I’ll do it—I’ll do as you ask. Just don’t harm them.”
“Go on then. I won’t ask again,” she said impatiently, motioning for me to hurry.
The clearing descended into darkness as patches of cloud passed over the moon. Closing my eyes, I ignored everything—the darkness, the sound of cries and snarls, the feel of the dagger in my hand. I blocked it all out and reached for the power in my core.
My magic felt the same. Warm. Comforting. Strong.
Reaching deeper into my power source, I burrowed and burrowed and burrowed. Sweat beaded on my forehead, my breathing became ragged, but I kept burrowing until—
I gasped.
My elevated power leaped with such exuberance it was as if it had been waiting a lifetime for me to discover it. So I summoned it.
Like spring water surging to the earth’s surface, power rushed through my veins. Then I felt it. A humming vibration like a swarm of wasps. The wards.
Reaching out, I could feel the pulse of the wards surrounding us. In my mind’s eye, I saw them. A luminous mass of silver lines. It was like being entangled in a complex spider’s web, with the cottage as the hub. Unraveling it would be difficult, though not impossible. I just needed to sever the right thread.
With a single thought, I directed my power. It purred, eager to bend to my will.
My eyes snapped open. “It’s done.”
“For your friends’ sakes, it had better be,” the Crow warned. She rippled, like a reflection in a lake. And then she vanished.
Almost instantly, a new figure replaced her. A figure who was wearing the same black robes; only now, her hood wasdown.
The Crow had long, thick, unruly black hair and too-pale skin, as if she had not seen the sun in years. She was plain-looking with a heavy-set brow, a heavy-set jaw and a pair of loamy brown eyes that seemed to occasionally twitch. The whites of her eyes had a yellow tinge to them, giving her the overall appearance of someone sickly. What surprised me most of all were the glass-like wings on her back—she was of Sylph heritage.
When she spoke, her voice was even higher in pitch than it had been before. “Excellent work, daughter of Sarina. Now, hand me the grimoire. It’s time we get going—we have such exciting things to do together.” She extended her bony hand towards me.
My breath was tight in my chest. I was out of options. Unless I wanted to witness my friends being mauled to death, I had no choice but to go with her, and we both knew it. Dread coated my skin like a cold sweat.
With one final glance at Tarben, I bent down to retrieve the grimoire.
“The curse is broken. You cannot claim her,” came a familiar voice.
I jolted upright at the sound—it was impossible. And yet, sure enough, when I spun around, there she was.
My grandmother.
Chapter 50
I felt like the earth had moved from under my feet. The mermaid queen of Vantillios should not be in the clearing of a forest in the mortal kingdom of Solvardunn.
“My granddaughter has fulfilled her end of your agreement—you will let her go.” The command in her voice boomed across the clearing. Clad in a gold suit of armor, intricately designed to mimic the look of fish scales, she looked primed for battle.
Flanking her were her most formidable warriors. Armored in teal fighting leathers, gold scale breastplates, and matching gold bracers, each warrior wielded a trident—both a weapon and a conduit of magic. The shark teeth necklaces around their necks marked them as Vanoran warriors, the most fearsome legion in all the seas.
After two long decades of captivity, the fierce resolve in the warriors’ gazes spoke volumes. They were ready and eager for a fight.
I was overcome with emotion at the sight of them. The most prominent being relief that threatened to rip tears from my eyes.
The Crow dropped her hand and offered my grandmother a serpentine smile. “Come now Callianassa, you of all beings should know I have no intention of letting her go.”
