The wild magic of the forest—Viri had experienced it herself. If that was only atrickleof the Hallow Stream’s power, then she didn’t want to imagine it at full strength. She wondered why it wasn’t accessible anymore, and nearly asked, before realizing it was irrelevant if she had no connection to it.
“So I’mnotbound to this Stream?” she clarified, just to makesure.
“Elders, no,” the Guardian said with an incredulous laugh. “No one could survive that. But Ididbind you to something else, something arguably as powerful, in a different way.”
His luminous blue gaze held hers, waiting to see if she would figure it out.
Her own eyes widened as she breathed, “The obelisks.” The wards they produced were powered by generations’ worth of ellixen; there was nothing else that could compare.
He inclined his head in confirmation. “To save your life, the magewish created a connection between you and the obelisks, allowing their concentrated ward magic to flow into you—which had the added benefit of purging any remaining blackmist from your body, not just returning you to life, but enabling you to remain alive.”
Ward magic.No wonder Viri was so perceptive to them, her lifelong sensitivity making so much more sense.
“Unfortunately, that kind of deep, ancient magic has a sentience about it,” the Guardian went on. “It’s unpredictable, even volatile. As far as the obelisks were concerned, you took something from them. Something that didn’t belong to you. And they weren’t happy about it.”
Viri shuddered as she remembered pressing her hand to the obsidian stone and hearing the dark voice whispering,“Mine. Mine. Mine.”
“I told your parents there would be a steep cost to bringing you back.” Sorrow touched the Guardian’s features. “I even warned them to keep you away from the obelisks, to never let you Impart. But they became anxious as the years passed, fearing the unfamiliar magic brewing in you and what it might mean for your future. They ignored my warnings, hoping that if you gave your ellixen back to the obelisks, then the danger would no longer exist.” His sorrow deepened. “They knew the risks, yet they did it anyway. And the moment you touched the obelisk, they tragically paid the price.”
Viri had to take a moment to breathe deeply and swallow back fresh tears, her voice coming out croaky and full of accusation. “You said you warned them, but why didn’t you juststopthem? You’re an all-powerful mage—you froze me with a wave of your hand earlier, so why didn’t you do the same to them that day? Why appear after they were dead, not before it ever happened?”
She knew she wasn’t being fair, but her grief felt raw, like a reopened wound.
The Guardian wasn’t angered by her outburst. If anything, he seemed even more compassionate. “I wish I could have. But as Itold your younger self, I broke some very strict rules by coming to you, and I was only able to do so by using your magewish as a loophole. The Guardian of Elverdine Isle isn’t supposed to leave Nevarnost Tower, nor is he or she supposed to interfere in the lives of the isle’s inhabitants, aside from those who make their way here and earn a wish.” His solemn eyes held hers. “There must be a balance in all things, Viridia. When the balance is disturbed, the consequences are dire, not just for me, but for all who live on this isle. I risked coming to you that day only because—” He stopped suddenly and looked into the fire, as if reconsidering what he’d been about to say.
“Because what?”
The Guardian sighed loudly and turned back to her, his handsome face tinged with shame. “Because I felt partially responsible for what happened to you. Not just the deaths of your parents as a direct result of their wish, but also…” He sighed again. “Also how you lost your brother to the Reaper Lord.That’swhy I appeared, so I could grant you the means to alleviate your pain and guilt, if only for a while.”
“Why would you feel responsible about the Reaper Lord?” Viri asked. But then she remembered something he’d said earlier that night—something that had meant little to her at the time, since she’d barely believed in the Reaper Lord’s existence, butnow…
“You taught him how to use ellixen,” she whispered in horror. “The power he has is because of a magewish, because ofyou.”
The Guardian’s eyes flickered a few times while she spoke, but he didn’t deny her allegations, just rubbed a weary hand over his forehead. “It’s more than that. I’m the reason the Reaper Lordbecamethe Reaper Lord.” Viri jolted, but he wasn’t done. “Myguilt goes beyond what happened to you, though the rules I must abide as Guardian of this isle mean I’m unable to correct my past mistakes. I stated before that I can’t interfere, and unfortunately, that includes anything involving the Reaper Lord.” He inhaled deeply. “You, however, I was able to help, since you’d come to my tower as a babe and had therefore earned your magewish. Like I said—it was a loophole, and a perilous one at that, since I also told you I’m not supposed to leave Nevarnost. But magic granted us both some leniency that day, and while I did suffer for my actions, the isle, thankfully, did not.”
The shadow that passed over his face was enough for Viri to keep from prying into how he’d suffered. Instead, she asked, “You said you can’t interfere when it comes to the Reaper Lord—does that include telling me who he is and why he wants my magic?”
The green flames sizzled and popped while the Guardian considered her question, but when he spoke, it was in a tone full of regret. “I’m afraid so. And before you ask, I can’t tell you anything about the star-crossed comets or the Aurora sacrifice, either.”
Viri slumped in her seat. “Is there anything youcantell me? We know we can’t kill him without risking the magical surge, but is it evenpossibleto stop someone with the kind of power he has?”
The Guardian’s steady gaze held hers. “I’m of the opinion that nothing is ever truly impossible. Don’t lose heart, Viridia Solace. All is not yet lost.”
His words were encouraging, but not exactly helpful. Still, they gave Viri the smallest ray of hope.
“There’s one more thing you should know,” he added, his face serious. “You’re already aware that the Reaper Lord intends todestroy the obelisks, but with everything I’ve explained tonight, that now means something more specific to you.”
Realization slammed into her. “If I’m bound to the obelisks, then—then—”
He nodded gravely. “If they fall, you’ll no longer have their magic keeping you alive.”
A sudden, impending sense of doom had Viri rubbing her arms, but she shoved her fear away, having already known she wouldn’t survive long if the obelisks were destroyed. The only difference now was that her death would be instant, rather than drawn out underground with the rest of the city.
“Can you share anything else?” she begged. “Even a hint about where the sacrifice is taking place?”
The Guardian looked as if he were warring with himself, like there was some unknown force keeping him from speaking. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you. But I can say this: You already have everything you need to succeed. Trust yourself. Trust your friends. Trust your magic.”
Viri blew out a resigned breath at the finality in his voice. She glanced toward the door, anxious for Braedan and Reeve to appear so they could head back to the city, meet up with their friends, and discuss next steps. With any luck, Wynter and Jonas would have learned more about the comet by now, and Soren, Sage, and Ardin would have found Jessalyn and the other missing kids. And if not…well, they still had two full days until Aurora arrived. A lot could change in that time. Elders, Viri’s entireworldhad shifted within the last few hours, so anything could happen between now and the sacrifice.
