He took a deep breath. “I was one of the first soldiers hired on. We were all fresh out of the military academy, so we thought the House of Bloodstone just wanted some men with weapons training to defend against the giants. Nikkolas made me captain after a few months once he realized I was one of the few soldiers who could read.”
A moment of uneasy silence fell over us as Evereon looked over the wall. “I was too old to be considered a Bloodstone son, so I didn’t even go up the mountain when all those boys went to fight the giants seven years ago. None of the soldiers did.”
My stomach twisted. I could not imagine how my brothers must have felt hearing Evereon’s confession. They had led thousands of Northern sons up the mountain, seen the horrors of slain boys just as Riyan had, spent seven years asravens…and there was a whole army sitting around nearby?
What was the point of an army if not to fight the giants?
Evereon took a long drag from his parchment. “Then I noticed giants never came around the fortress. We spent most of our time stockpiling weapons and food. We were just…preparing.”
I slid my hand into my pocket and pulled out the golden House of Ravenwood and House of Bloodstone pins. I stared at the snarling bear and cautious raven on the pins as I recalled the last conversation I had with Nikkolas Bloodstone.
He had stressed that I had to consummate my marriage with Riyan because the Hytons would take control of the North if Bloodstone had no heirs.
His gravelly voice wove through my mind. “They cannot have access to our magic—not after what happened to Ilsa Ravenwood. The Hytons are monsters.”
I ran my thumb over the wing of the raven pin. “He was preparing for the Hytons to take the North.”
Evereon nodded and glanced at my letter. “I grabbed that as soon as it arrived at the gate so I could check it for a threat. I wondered if Duke Hyton was going to make a move after merging Bloodstone and Ravenwood.”
It always came back to the Hytons. Every conversation, memory, or threat all led to the royal House of Hyton and their desperate need for control—control of the provinces, of Fraleigh, and of how everyone perceived their legacy.
Even if it meant letting the sword fall on one of their own…
All at once, every directionless thread in my mind wove itself together. My white flame awoke and danced circles around my heart.
The Hytons were stubborn, unyielding, and had triumphed over every challenge in history. With the Great Sorceress of Nordingaard in their arsenal, they were seemingly untouchable.
In truth, a single person had cracked their foundation so deeply that they had to cover up her existence. Made her nameillegal. Erased her from history. Crafted lies about her. If the Hyton legacy was a grand tapestry, all I would have to do is pull a single thread for it all to unravel.
The Hytons had cast out the memory of Duchess Ilsa for a reason, I just had to find out what that reason was.
I pulled out the invitation for the Darkest Night ball. The calligraphy was perfect, detailing a lavish masked ball to take place during the new moon—only seven days away.
Derrick had just handed me the key to the palace…but who would look after the North in my stead?
Exhilaration spoiled into worry in an instant, but I swallowed my feelings and kept calm. I weighed the two pins in my right hand before I held them out to Evereon.
He leaned away slightly from the pins. “You know I can’t—”
“I promised Riyan I would take care of the North.” I put on a small smile and pushed the pins closer to Evereon. “Someone needs to run the fortress while I am gone.”
His brows furrowed. “And where are you going?”
“The ball, it would be quite rude to ignore the invitation.” I cleared my throat as the backs of my eyes burned. “Besides, the longer the Hytons believe Nikkolas and Hilda are still alive, the longer the army can merely…prepare.”
Evereon swallowed. He stared at the pins as if they were coiled serpents, ready to strike.
“Just until the next full moon, at most,” I reassured.
He let out a long breath. Slowly, he gathered the pins in his hands, accepting full control of the Northern provinces. “I…I heard too many stories of what goes on in that palace. Even my father didn’t like it.” His eyes flicked up to my face. “I’ll keep up communication with you, just to make sure you don’t get…lost.
He gave me a tight-lipped smile and turned away, the House pins clinking as he shoved them in his pocket.
I gently stroked Erik’s back with my fingertip. Endre hopped down from his perch and nudged Erik out of the way with a croak. He greedily nuzzled my palm with his feathered head.
I could not hold back my smile, even though despair seeped through my chest. “I cannot bring you with me. Walking into Hyton as a sorceress is dangerous enough. Having ravens at my side would instantly raise suspicions.”
The trapdoor creaked open and Daigen appeared. “Talking to birdies is a great way to get yourself killed.”
