We both turn to stare at her. “What?!”
“You know that the Sovereign Alpha has the ability to shadebend, too,” Siegrid says. “Because of our family’s powers, Stark will be protected. He cannot be endangered by your strength.”
A dark look comes over Stark’s face. “How do you know that for certain?”
“I just do,” Siegrid says snippily.
Another terrible thing about Siegrid: She deliberately withholds information from Stark. I’ve had enough of secrets and information withheld for a hundred thousand lifetimes.
“While Meryn wields her shadebending,” Siegrid continues, “you will keep an eye on the Siphon movements. If you sense that the queen is outmatched, you will protect her and bring her back to our camp immediately.”
“Ofcourseshe’s going to be outmatched,” he barks at her. “One woman against an entire regiment of Siphons and their immensely powerful general?”
I hold up a hand, stilling him.
While the foresight visions are hard to parse, Iknowwhat I saw. And I know I’ve barely dipped a toe into the deep, spiraling pool of darkness that lives inside me. It’s begging to be unleashed, whispering at me to open myself up to it and let it take control.
“I can do it,” I say quietly.
His jaw ticks. “Or you die.”
“Or I die,” I agree. “Maybe we both do. But if I don’t attempt it, our deaths are a certainty.”
“In that case,” Siegrid says, now fully won over to my side of the argument. “Shall we discuss details?”
Stark shakes me awake before dawn, just as planned. The tent is dark and cold; the fire in the brazier burned down to just coals. He heads out to ensure that Cratos and Anassa have everything they need, and I dress hurriedly, pulling on layers to ward off the chill.
I slip into the other room of the tent, stoking the fire there with extra logs, then turn to wake Saela.
I can’t go to battle without saying goodbye.
And there’s something else I need, too.
“Saela,” I whisper, lightly touching her shoulder. “Wake up, sis.”
Her eyes snap open, and she yawns, sitting up. “Meryn?”
“I want a hug before I go,” I say, keeping my tone light and refusing to let my fear or my nerves about the upcoming battle show. Not to her. “I have to go fight. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
Venna and I had a long talk last night, and she promised to look out for Saela, however she can, should the worst happen.
Saela nods, and in the dim light, I can’t quite make out her expression.
I pause before my next question, wishing I didn’t need to ask it.
“Saela, can I borrow Mother’s necklace? Like with the crown, I’ve felt it amplify my powers before. I think it would be helpful for today.”
Saela nods and slips the teardrop gem out from under her shirt. She wraps her hand around it once as if for luck before unclasping it and handing it to me.
As it settles around my neck, my hands twitch with an electric burst of energy. The shadows surge in my veins, ready to be directed. With the necklace and crown combined, I’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
Saela gets out of her nest of blankets on the couch and stands. Then she moves quickly to our pile of bags and scrabbles through them, casting things to either side.
“Saela?” I ask, brow furrowing. “What are you doing?”
She doesn’t stop, just says in a monotone voice, “I must go to him.”
“Go?” A chill runs down my spine. I cross to her in two big steps. “Go to whom, Saela?”
