An eerie calm settles around me like a warm blanket, promising death as it whispers in my ear what I’m about to do.
“No.” The word is even—strong. Loud enough that it pauses the chatter around me. I look to Leda first, knowing she isn’t going to like what I’m about to say.
Graylen’s pain still lingers in my chest, mixing with the empty ache of my magic’s silence.
I should’ve never agreed to wait—should’ve left the others here and gone to get him. Even if he wants me to stay away, Ican’t. Not anymore. He may think he was buying me time to get away, but we’re stronger together.
My gaze falls to the ground. The shard glows as if begging me to pick it up again.
Nightfall can pierceanydarkness.
Nothing is darker than the Vale, and I’m to put what Nyx said to the test.
“I’m leaving Kauri as planned.Tonight.” I slowly take a deep breath, holding Leda’s gaze as I say, “But not before I get Graylen back.”
I’m getting Graylen out of the Vale, and Divine helps me, I’ll do anything to make that happen.
Twenty-Four
Heliotrope
Vidaris holds her arm out,and her ruby-red lips stretch across her face, offset by her pearly teeth.
“I’ve been told you were once called the Prince’s Snake.” Her shrill voice grates against my ears. “A lovely name.”
Unease swirls in my gut as a piercing hissing noise echoes from her body. With her arm still stretched out, her eyes gleam with pure joy. The skin of her forearm ripples, and a slithering line winds its way toward her hand—pulsing beneath her flesh. Once it reaches her palm, a spool of shadows snakes out and spills onto the ground.
They leak out of her as if she opened a faucet in her black and vile soul and was pouring them into this realm.
The hissing grows louder as the shadows morph into something new. They spin together, writhing and pulsating until the shape becomes distinctly animal. My blood runs cold as the last of the shadows clicks into place.
A snake—onyx in color, but with every catch of light, its scales shimmer maroon to match its deep red eyes.
It slithers toward me, slowly growing in size until it’s nearly the length of my body. A forked tongue slips out of its mouth, tasting the air around it.
The unease in my stomach roils into dread.
“It’s been a while since I’ve created something so inspiring,Prince’s Snake.” She says the name with pure delight, all while her eyes shine like a child about to receive a gift they’ve eyed for winter solstice. “I wonder how the nickname started.” A sharp smile. “Sneaking into places you weren’t supposed to, or for the fear you instill in people.”
Except not all people are afraid of snakes.
Lunaria didn’t cower once she figured out who I was. I’ll never forget the way her eyes sparked with a challenge—fire in her gaze as she lifted her chin and straightened her spine.
She didn’t have to pretend to be strong—she was strong.Isstrong. Even with the stories that circulated the castle, she never once showed fear when I was in her presence. Only unyielding defiance.
Snakes are just misunderstood.
I huff out a laugh—one dead of any emotion.
Vidaris pauses. The snake is nearly to my feet.
“Something funny, Aegis?” Her head tilts to the side, assessing me as her grin slowly falls.
My nostrils flare, and I clench my teeth together to stop from flinching as the slimy creature grazes my bare feet—slithering against my ankles in a circle.
“Someone once told me that it’s often the men who flaunt their masculinity the most who are the biggest cowards.” I cling to the memory of her voice as the snake begins to wind up my right leg. “She was right, except next time I see her, I’ll tell her we need to add a goddess to that list.”
Vidaris snarls, her teeth bared at me.
