“Reign sensed magic in me, remember? He said it was the purest energy he’s ever felt.” I tried for a smile, but it fell short. The air felt too heavy. “After breaking the treaty, my dad sailed back to Haran to try to propose new terms. My mom went with him. It’s how all of this started. A seer from King Silas’ court sensed that same energy coming from her. Well, from me. She was pregnant with me at the time.”
“Makes sense.” Duke nodded. “The story claims that Prince Elias stole a treasure from Haran after he broke the treaty. King Silas then sent Nocturne to find him.”
“The truth is they weren’t after my dad,” I said softly. “He never stole anything. He was protecting me. I was the target from the very beginning.”
Briar took his glasses off and rubbed at the lenses, visibly shaken. “I’ve done a lot of reading in my years, researching all types of magic and associated abilities. Children of light and dark are legendary among magical scholars, but they’re more commonly known by another name.”
“Lord of the muffins?” I asked, going for humor because I was nervous. “I knew it.”
“The mage Lupin more than likely kept the more well-known name a secret to protect you.” Briar gave me a tight smile. “You’re the Hallowed Saint.”
“I’m thewhat?” The wires in my brain sparked and sputtered out. Lupin hadn’t mentioned that. “Sorry, but did you just saysaint?”
“Yes,” he answered, more apprehensive now. “Though I wish I were mistaken, love. Because if you truly are the Hallowed Saint, you are in more danger than any of us realized. Not only from King Silas but from every other kingdom who learns of your existence.”
Now I really felt like I’d been dropped into an isekai anime plot. Not only had I been whisked away to a fantasy world, but I was some type of magical holy saint character too, defeating bad guys with the purity of my man-boobs or whatever.
“What do you mean by him being in danger?” Maddox asked, crossing his arms.
Briar slowly exhaled. “Legends claim that saints arise in times of great conflict. They’re believed to possess immense power and can turn the tide in war. For this reason, when a saint appears, every nation wants control of their power.”
“A power that helps fight wars?” I rubbed at my eyes, feeling a headache forming behind them. “This is all so crazy. What evenarethese so-called powers?”
“I wish I had the answers, love.” Briar offered me a small smile, his hazel eyes glassy. “Alas, all I know comes from what’s been recorded in books. To my knowledge, there have only been five other saints before you. Each one was used in war.”
A sobering expression crossed Maddox’s face.
“Could this be the reason the demon lord wishes to imprison Ev?” Callum asked, his shoulders rigid. “He knows of his rare power and wishes to keep it for himself?”
“Possible, but unlikely,” Briar answered. “If Lord Onyx knew the truth, he would never have allowed us here. Too great a risk. He would’ve locked Evan away the moment he learned of it and forbade any of us from seeing him again.”
That was reassuring at least. But what would happen if Onyx everdidlearn the truth?
“So, our little thorn prince is supposed to be a hero of old?” Duke scratched at his jaw. “A champion who leads armies to victory and brings peace to the world?”
“Me? Heroic?” I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Not all heroes fight in battle.” Lake smiled back at me from his place in front of the hearth. “You’ll bring peace to the realms one muffin at a time.”
Rowan snickered. His hand shook, though, as he played with my hair.
“Now that I think about it….” Briar stood and walked back and forth in front of the hearth. He got restless when on the brink of a big revelation or when explaining something that excited him. “Yes. It all makes perfect sense.”
“Mind sharing with the rest of us, Specs?” Rowan said.
Briar spun around to me. “Your powers are still dormant, I presume, but signs of them have already appeared. It lies in your food.”
“My… food?”
He looked at the others in the room. “How many of you have felt a surge of warmth when eating or drinking something he prepared?”
The trio of knights raised their hands. Callum and Maddox nodded. Rowan’s fingers trembled again in my hair.
“Baking muffins?” I dryly asked. “That’s my superpower?”
Why couldn’t it have been the ability to move things with my mind? A self-cleaning kitchen would be a dream. Mops that cleaned the floors on their own and dishes that washed themselves.
“No, love.” Briar’s nose scrunched in that boyish way I found cute as hell. “Your power comes from within your heart and is represented in your will. You put love into your food when cooking for us, so that’s how we feel when eating it.”
