“Opal,” I say steadily. “You can’t be from Penyth.”
She laughs again, the sound sickeningly sweet. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m fromPenyth.”
My heart stills. “What are you saying?” I breathe, almost afraid of the answer.
Because if she isn’t from Penyth and she isn’t from Crea…
“The Vale is home to many creatures,” Opal says with ashrug. “I may be biased, but I think a kitsune is the most extraordinary.”
The word scratches something in my memory, bringing to mind a lesson from Ellerry when she was teaching me about Penyth’s history and creatures:
A kitsune is a particularly stunning creature that hasn’t been seen in centuries…
But that’s all I can remember, my thoughts too jumbled to think of more.
“But you’re human,” I whisper hoarsely. “Your brothers are human—your father.”
Her left eye twitches. “And humans are so very weak, wouldn’t you agree?” She smiles, smoothing out her face. “The opportunity came for me not to be weak any longer. You can hardly fault me for wanting that.”
“What did youdo?” I demand.
“I became a kitsune.” Opal cocks her head to the side. “And all I had to do was give over the remainder of my humanity—which was the plan for me all along, a burden I was eager to bear. It wasn’t much of a loss, really. But marrying the duke?” She shivers. “I could’ve done without that man, but Vidaris promised he would only be around for a short time.”
I press my lips together, if only to stop them from trembling.
Adrian lies dead at my feet while my closest and oldest friend still has speckles of his blood on her hand.
“Besides, Vidaris needed your Essence to be unlocked before she could have use of you.” Another sickly sweet grin. “And you just wrapped it up in a pretty bow inside of Nightfall for us.”
Vidaris has been orchestrating this entire thing. From Moros becoming Duke Wyman and convincing Reichardt why he should bring me to Crea, to placing the pieces just right so I could escape to Penyth… All the way to now, and getting me here. To use Nightfall and put my magic into it.
“Think of it as safekeeping while we prepare you,” Opal adds.
My hands begin to shake—being up against Moros was one thing. He was evil inside and out, corrupted by his own greed. But Opal? She’s my oldest friend—at least I thought she was. This isn’t her; it can’t be.
Maybe this kitsune has twisted her, stolen what goodness was inside of her.
“But your body… You can’t withstand thisthinginside of you—the magic will kill you, Opal.” My voice strains. “Please—it isn’t too late.”
This woman in front of me isn’t the girl I learned to use a sword alongside. Isn’t the child who ran with me by the creek or did chores with me during the day.
Opal lets out a shrill laugh, nothing of the friend I once knew remaining. Or…thoughtI knew.
“Have you heard of what happens when a fae and a human mate?” Opal smirks. “I’m sure you were educated on it while in Penyth.”
I think back to what I was told when I first arrived, when I thought I had a human father and fae mother.
“It isn’t always guaranteed the offspring will have magic,” I whisper hoarsely.
Opal pats my head like I’m a good little student, and I fight back a cringe at the chill from her hand. Her smile is feline as she watches me. “If I had it my way, I wouldn’t claim my father’s blood. Unfortunately, it runs through me just as my mother’s does—strongerthan my mother’s, in fact.”
Warning bells clang in my mind.
“For years, I grew up between worlds—fully human in Crea, but pulled into another space by my mother.” Opal watches me—waiting for me to piece it together—but my brow wrinkles, the story not clicking. She sighs and runs a delicate finger down a curly strand of her golden hair. “The Vale is a bit warmer than Crea, wouldn’t you agree?”
My blood turns to ice. “You’ve been to the Vale?” My voice comes out hoarse as my chest tightens.
Not only is she implying she’s been to the Vale, but that she knowsI’vebeen there, too.
