Reginbani—Duke slayer.
The blade flashed in Daigen’s hands and his gaze fell to the snow. “I started with the Conqueror’s sons. No Hyton sons, no bargain—but eight dead heirs did not persuade the Conqueror to release the collar.”
I stared down at the blade, picturing drops of blood rolling off its edge.
“Then when the fucker turned ninety, I thought drawing a quick line across his neck would have been the last of the Hytons…and that horrible deal would be over.” He scowled. “Imagine my surprise when a son, young and spry, appeared out of nowhere and claimed both the crownandmy wife.”
The biting wind circled around him as he looked down at his blade. “Before I could strike, he stole our blood bond.” The wind twisted faster as his voice dropped. “It wasours,and the Alastaryou call ‘the Good’ turned into a weapon against us. If I killed him, I took an innocent woman with him. I was stuck…”
His harsh voice broke through his teeth. “But I was still an ever-present threat. I haunted their days in their halls and then their nights in their dreams. The fifth Alastar bribed us with that damned golden palace to end the terror. I only stayed my hand because they tortured her less if she was away.”
His voice broke and I held my breath. Torture. An iron box underground. Chainmail blindfold. A perfectly-fitted iron gag.
All of it would soon be mine.
The blue-tipped flame wrapped around my heart, encasing my chest in a shield of ice. My panic pacified, but still my vision fogged with cold tears.
Daigen’s voice dropped but shook with rage. “This was the only way out. Hate me all you want, but youhaveto trust me. I can still kill that damn Alastar.”
“Sera?” Riyan called. “Are you all right?”
I sucked up my tears and turned. Riyan had emerged from the fog, the gifted cloak wrapped around his hips. He must have sensed my panic through our bond.
Daigen’s face smoothed into a smile. “Just taking you back to the fortress, big fellow. No need to break a boulder over my head or whatever it is your dear General taught you to do.”
Riyan’s brow hardened and his gaze turned deadly. I bit my tongue and turned to Daigen. He had hiddenReginbaniaway and held out his hand.
Even though I did not want to touch him, I could not change the terms of my bargain. I had to take his power too.
I leaned into the icy calmness of my blue flames and sent Riyan a message: “Take Daigen’s hand and I will explain later.”
Riyan’s eyes were still hard, but he stepped through the snow and grabbed Daigen’s wrist.
Magic dragged against my skin, but instead of the normal white light, dark purple flooded my vision. Screams of men and animals filled my ears. Violet flames twisted around my veins and slithered into my chest. The dark flame wrapped around the diamond in my heart and danced with its blue and white counterparts.
Daigen had just given me all his power.
My feet found grass. The air around me was warmer.
I let out a cool, easy breath and my vision returned. We were outside the Bloodstone Fortress gates, right where we had left. Daigen’s hand released mine and I turned.
If I had not known the dark violet eyes and white hair so well, I would have thought a stranger stood in front of me. The lavender glow from his skin was gone. The sharpened edges of his face had rounded.
Nothing but a mere nineteen-year-old alchemist’s apprentice stood before me.
Riyan jumped back as soon as he noticed Daigen’s smoother, more pallid appearance. “The fuck was that?” He looked around. “How did we get here?”
“And to think I will never get that reaction again.” Daigen may have looked younger, but his voice had the same seasoned edge.
“Se-ra!”
I turned my head and violet light from the dark flame coursed through my veins. A small black ripple burst through the trees, his outline barely visible against the night sky.
A smile tugged at my lips as I whispered, “Endre.”
Endre flew closer. “Se-ra!”
Riyan appeared at my side. “What did you just say?”
