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“If we have any other questions, we will be in touch. Thank you for your time, Miss Winters.”

With that, she was dismissed. Obryn stayed behind, continuing their meeting. Mira walked down the hallway to the convoluted map of the council building she had spotted earlier. The in-between floor was right below her.

She walked down a flight of stairs. At the end of the crooked hallway was only one door.

As she predicted, the door was locked, protected by a fingerprint spell. Mira dusted the copying powder from her hand, which had transferred the Primemage’s fingerprint when they shook hands. She cast a spell to reconstruct the fingerprint and another to hold it up to the doorknob.

The door unlocked.

Quickly, she made her way inside and closed the door behind her.

The room was oddly shaped with too many corners, and so small that she had to duck on one side while the ceiling towered over her on the other.

Even the windows weren’t the same shape or size.

She didn’t expect Mercer’s amulet to be in Corvin’s office. Aidric had said he never parted with it. But perhaps she could find something else helpful or incriminating?

Piles of paperwork sat on his desk, which seemed to bend under the weight of it all. She opened drawers and rummaged around, looking for any hidden crevices, but found nothing.

She checked books and scrolls scattered around. How was Corvin able to find anything in here? The only thing neatly organized was the tea pot and several cups arranged on an ornate serving tray. A vast collection of tea leaves from all different spheres was contained in glass jars.

Just as she picked up a jar to read the small label, the door clicked. She dropped to the floor, hid under the desk, and held her breath. If Corvin went to his desk, he would find her. She couldn’t coin travel away because the council was shielded against it.

She heard determined steps, followed by the door closing. She recognized the shoes instantly and stood.

Aidric stared at her in disbelief. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Just looking around. What are you doing here?”

He snatched her by her elbow, pulling her to the door. “Corvin summoned me here, which is why you need to leave now. Get back to the estate. The fastest way out of the council building is—”

Suddenly, his hand on her tightened and he groaned in pain. His eyes flashed with panic.

“Hide. Now,” he choked out.

“What is it?”

“He’s coming and—” He bit his teeth together, and his knees almost buckled.

With horror, she realized what was happening.

“Hide,” he bit out. “I can’t control what I’ll do.” His face went pale. “Hide,” he rasped, and she rushed behind a large ornate chair in the corner.

Seconds later, Corvin walked through the door. Mira dared a peek and then she saw it. Unmistakably. Mercer’s amulet. Black metal with a red center. It hung around the Primemage’s neck on a silver chain, but it was Aidric who was in its shackles.

Aidric fell to his knees under agonizing screams. It was a guttural sound that vibrated through every fiber of her being as Aidric’s enthrallment spell was activated.

37

“Iknow you vowed to kill Rakkley willingly,” Corvin said as he stepped closer to Aidric. “Apologies, but I can’t take your word for it, even if I were to give you truth elixir. After all, this is your former superior we’re talking about.”

Corvin stared down at Aidric, who remained on his knees, his head bowed in agony, his chest rising with rapid breaths.

“You see, part of me thinks it was you who brought Rakkley back.”

“It wasn’t me,” Aidric gasped. Mira could see his fingers dig into the carpet as another wave of pain rolled through him. Corvin had activated the incantation but not the full spell yet, keeping Aidric in suspended torture.

“I cannot trust you, Wielder. Especially since I know it was you who ensured I wouldn’t get the Relic of Death. If you hadn’t intervened, I would have my army of Wielders. Now, I must constantly rely on you. A pity. It must be hard for you to go from one of the most powerful Wielders during Mercer’s reign to a nobody, shunned from the magic society that once welcomed you with open arms.” He leaned against the desk and watched Aidric wither in agony below him.