“If we find Jonah, we’ll find Vanguard,” Lucian says.
“There’s one more thing,” I say, peering at my brother and hoping he has answers. “What do you know about the way our father controls light magic?”
“That was a surprise to me, too,” Lucian replies. “I don’t know how he’s doing it. It shouldn’t even be possible. All I cantell you is that it’s a recent development. Even two weeks ago, he didn’t have that power. I’m certain of it.”
I was hoping for more, but for now, that will have to be enough.
“Okay, then. We have a month to prepare,” I say. “Anarchy, I need you to teach me your combat skills, and Lucian…” I swallow my pride. “Can you show me how to fly?”
I could ask the keeper—and I will if Lucian can’t help me—but it seems like a good chance to spend more time getting to know my brother.
“Gladly,” Lucian says.
“Thank you.” I give him a nod. “In the meantime, the keeper can turn the panthers back into elves.” I turn to the keeper, a little more hesitant now. “Yes?”
“Tomorrow,” he says with a low snarl before he turns and strides from the hall. His cloak swishes across thetatamiflooring until he reaches the porch, where it retracts as his countenance changes yet again, his clothing becoming simple blue jeans and a gray T-shirt.
As he crosses the porch and disappears down the stairs, I catch sight of the face he showed me when he was healing me back in the forest.
Seeing him like this fills me with shivers. Of fear or anticipation, I’m not sure.
His eyes are the gentlest green, his jaw cut and chiseled, his shoulders broad, his arm muscles defined, and his hair catches the sunlight. The silver strands gleam so brightly, I’m forced to look away even with my blindfold on.
When I open my eyes again, he’s gone, his quick footfalls down the beach fading from my hearing.
The rest of my family has remained around me and now Anarchy’s arms tighten again.
“The keeper disagrees with your plan,” she murmurs.
“It seems so,” I whisper.
“He’s right to be concerned.” Lucian tilts his head. “You remember what Dad said about loving you and Galeia before his ‘eyes were opened’. Well, one guess as to what might have opened his eyes.”
“The book,” I say.
“It turns love to hate,” Anarchy whispers, tears sparkling on her eyelashes.
I freeze at the sight of them.
“It’s rare for dark creatures to find love,” she whispers, holding my gaze. “To lose that love is a tragedy. But tochooseto destroy it is truly monstrous. Even the vilest dark creature can recognize that.”
I lift my arms around her, trying to reach for Lucian at the same time, wishing I had more arms to pull the panthers closer too.
“It won’t change me.” I hold on to them tightly. “Do you hear me? That book won’t change me.”
I fight the possibility that I’m speaking a lie.
For a few horrible moments, when Lucian was recounting what he saw and I thought the book might be telling the truth, it turned me cold. It washed through me and took all my warmth and left me empty. Even a few days ago, I would have told myself it didn’t matter how many empty pits opened up within me on my path to revenge, but that, too, has become a lie.
It does matter. These dark pits matter.
I remind myself that I’ve touched the book’s darkness before. On that torn-out page, I saw the image of a family that never existed: my father standing beside Galeia, his black wings curving around her, both of them smiling down at the baby in her arms. It was the dream of a family that was never true. That moment never happened.
And now, that knowledge only strengthens the fact that everything in the book is a lie.
And maybe, that’s what the woman in the cell wanted me to know.
Everything was a lie.
