Chronomir narrows his gaze. “She’s in a place where time is not... fixed. It moves slow, but it’sstill here.The mage was the leader of his circle for areason.To hide from a Primordial? That’s no small feat.”
“I will have my vengeance,” I whisper, teeth bared. “And first—hisdescendants.”
They gasp. Plead. I don’t listen.
I alreadydecided.
The first house burns in seconds.
Their blood coats the walls, their screams swallowed by shadows.
The second house—Europe—crumbles beneath the weight of my wrath. Wards shatter. Children cry. My mercy does not exist.
The third, North Africa, is sacred ground no longer.
The fourth—Mediterranean—is silent before the wind catches my cloak again.
By the time I return to her home, night clings to the air like a mourning shroud. It’s too quiet. I step through the threshold like a ghost of war. Her scent still lingers—barely. Roses and something warmer. Soft. Human.Hers.I walk to her bedroom, silent as death, and bury my face into her pillow.
She’s thickest here.
My arms tremble, and Ishredthe pillow in two with a vicious snarl, feathers flying like ash. My chest heaves. “I will find you,” I whisper to the shadows, to the scent of her. “And nothing—not time, not traps, not mages or ghosts—will stop me.”
And when I do?
The mage willwishfor death, my mercy depends on my anger, and I am seething with it.
Chapter thirty-one
Once Upon a Time
Ione
Idon’tknowwhatI expected from a mage who traffics in stories older than memory, but Ambrose speaks like a man who carries the dust of centuries in his lungs. Actually, now that I think about it, he does. How old is he? Centuries? A millennia? He looks good for his age. Oh god, Ione stop doing that. Looks aren't everything.
No, but they help. I hear Orlaya in my mind.
Orlaya.
"My sister," Her name comes out choked. "You have to at least let me contact her." Realization begins to swirl in my brain and my chest rises and falls quickly. "How long has it been? How many days?"
"Nine," He answers simply. "Athanasius has taken care of it. One of his powers, well with Luciara's help. Don't worry, she's none the wiser."
My eyes narrow."What?"
"Magic is the easiest way for me to explain it." He swirls his index finger in the air and dark green sparkles swirls around it. "The human mind is easy to trick, Orlaya is fine."
Can I believe him? She's going to kill me when I can speak to her again. When? Anxiety grips my chest. I have no idea where I am, where I'm going, who I'm with. I can't be so calm about this situation. Pushing the covers off, the dishes sweep on the floor.
"Hey!" Ambrose cries."I let you borrow my favorite cup, that's rude." He darts forward to pick up the pieces.
As soon as my feet hit the floor, I try to stand and fall to my knees.
"Where are you going, Ione?" Ambrose chuckles. "Get in bed, pretty girl, we don't have time for this."
"Nine days," I mutter, as pain stabs through my body. "This was supposed to be simple and fast." I groan. "Break the staff, get out of there, get back to my life."
"Well," Ambrose stands over me, following me as I drag myself to the door. "I could have told you that wasn't the plan."
