Morgana jerked her head, motioning for me to go to her. Her voice lowered to a whisper. The howling winds coated our conversation for the most part, but I still didn’t trust him not to find a way to listen in. Wait, I mouthed. “Cast a spell to block anyone from listening.”
She nodded, pride shrouding her features. “Good thinking, Winter.”
I couldn’t help but smile. She cast the spell, both of us wincing as she used her staff. Now that I was aware of it, the magic felt more like a suction rather than a peaceful breeze. We were taking it, not being given it as I’d been led to believe. Everything about it felt unnatural.
“I will take care of Licia,” Morgana stated. “Once the necromancer has been brought back, I will go to him. The Sword and Dagger being a blind spot in his own sight should give you ample opportunity to strike the necromancer with it. You will only get once chance.” Warning laced her gaze. “He will be watching me, expecting me to go against him.”
I inhaled sharpy. “I can do this. I’ll take the Sword from the carriage once the necromancer’s back.”
She inhaled sharply, standing tall. She removed the spell shielding our voices from being overheard, then spoke. “It is time.”
The empty ritual ingredient pouches trembled under my grip. A shiver snaked along my spine. It wasn’t from the cold, which had already numbed parts of my body, but from the simple fact that I was about to bring back one of the most dangerous creatures to ever walk the earth. If I didn’t succeed in killing him, we would be responsible for bringing a plague upon our world.
Morgana forced her staff into the air, and Licia jumped out of the carriage. “Aserum, mortima. Mortise, elchante, ferum.” She chanted words in an ancient language I didn’t know. The moonlight with the snow illuminated the large area. Barely visible on the horizon were the snow-peaked mountains towering in the distance, lost in the layers of sky and cloud. Fields of white stretched as far as my eye could see, and we had left any shred of civilization behind an hour ago.
As she spoke the words, louder this time, the air around us thinned. Gusts of winds ripped through the area where I’d placed the ash and sage around, and the temperature dropped a few degrees. My toes were lost to freezing. Fortunately, my thick socks and hard-capped boots would save them from frostbite. I flexed my gloved fingers and sucked in a breath, dizzying myself as illusory wisps of spirits danced up through the snow, rising upward. Ghostly faces screeched as they disappeared into the sky. Morgana dug her staff into the ground and struggled to keep her grip on it as she spoke more incantations from the old grimoire, willing the energy to bond with the battlefield. The bones of those who’d died trembled and turned to powder as they shot above the ground, turning to dust in front of our eyes.
Licia’s golden eyes were alight as a figure formed. The pain of those who’d died for me echoed around us, forcing tears from the corners of my eyes. It took all I had not to cry out with them, to beg for their forgiveness.
The figure darkened with each shuddering moment. The energy thinned the air so much, I could hardly breathe. Pressure banded around my head, causing a loud ringing in my ears. Pressing my hands against them, I stared at Morgana, tight-lipped. I stood close to the carriage, where the Sword was a simple grab away, the luggage compartment already unlatched. The air fogged in front of my face, as a breath tinkered from my lips and the necromancer formed. He howled, pain tearing through the energy field. It broke as he dropped to his knees, and the energy dissipated. The souls were gone, sucked into the magic that breathed life into him. He turned, his dark eyes finding ours. He was back and a man once again. His talons were gone, as were the scars and decay. He was tall and slim, with slicked black hair and a small mouth. His nose was pointed, the lack of empathy in his expression terrifying.
Shock erased all my feeling as he approached us. Every micro-movement was calculated. Morgana hunched over. I’d never seen her so weak. The necromancer was draining her of her energy. I looked from her to Licia. She wouldn’t be able to stop him in her state.
Licia hurried forward and bowed at the necromancer’s feet. I clenched my jaw, looking at Morgana, whose hand slipped off her staff.
“Where is the Berovian princess?” His voice, while coming from a man, was hollow and otherworldly. I gulped, pointing at the carriage. He reached out his senses. I wasn’t sure how I knew what he was doing, but I think it lay in the gift Morgana was intent I was suppressing. I allowed it to consume me, filling me up. Invisible arms reached from him and into the carriage. He could hear her breathing, sense the elemental magic lingering on her. Her heartbeat sounded in both our ears. As he retreated, so did I. “You are a seer,” he said deadpan, then looked at Licia. “You are responsible for my return.”
“We are.” I spoke for the first time since seeing him. “Not him.”
“He orchestrated the plan,” he stated, “giving Morgana the spell to bring you back, allowing me to enter your minds.”
I swallowed thickly. As I edged closer to the compartment where the Sword remained hidden, my fingers trembled. The necromancer approached Morgana, sneering as he looked her up and down. He radiated anger, and I feared for her. I could sense how he was feeling, perhaps because he shared a similar magic as seers. Or so I’d read. He hated that she had kept him at bay for so long when he’d attempted to possess her. She’d bested him in moments when he thought she’d weaken and give in. She was his strongest resister, and for that, admiration flowed with his rage.
I reached out slowly and grabbed the hilt of the sword. My hand was shaking, and my bottom lip shook as I pulled it from between two cases. It glid out of its scabbard. The cold wasn’t the only reason I wore gloves. I didn’t want it to burn me, as the curse was still upon it. I was glad Morgana had the Dagger. She possessed the strength to resist its allure into madness through sheer willpower alone.
I inhaled deeply and held my breath as my grip tightened around the hilt. I had one chance. Morgana couldn’t stop Licia from interfering. I only hoped I was quick enough to dupe them both. I had no other choice, not with Morgana drained of her energy.
I held my next breath, my fingers firmly gripping the hilt of the Sword. Charging at the necromancer, I forced every ounce of strength I had into my legs, getting to him as quickly as I could. The Sword cut through the frostbitten air to where the necromancer stood.
Fingers gripped my wrist and wrenched me back as the Sword reached his neck. My eyes widened as the necromancer turned to face me. I glanced to my side.
Licia.
Anger warped the necromancer’s emotionless features, sharpening them into something deadly. My heart pounded. Morgana let go of her staff and ran at him with the Dagger in her other hand.
He forced a magical blast her way before she could reach him. When his back was turned, I went at him with the sword again, but Licia intervened.
“I’m going to kill you!” I screamed at Licia, wishing I had done it while I’d had the chance. If he wasn’t there, I would have killed the necromancer. That truth hurt the most, that we’d actually had a shot at this.
The necromancer’s eyes locked onto mine, sending shivers through my soul. Morgana went at him again and was thrown back by another magical blast. Growling lowly, he rushed to the carriage with impossible speed, thrust open the door, and grabbed Neoma.
“No!” I screeched, but it was too late. She was in his arms, unconscious, unable to even fight back. We should have awakened her. We should’ve done something. He was meant to be dead by now. Neoma’s being there was meant to be just a show of good faith so he trusted our presence, enough so we could reach him with the Sword or Dagger. Licia had ruined everything. The necromancer was poised to fight, and we were no match for him.
Licia joined his side. The necromancer spoke loudly, incantations whispering into the night, taking on a life of their own. Morgana grabbed her staff and pointed it at him, muttering her own spell.
His was more powerful.
We were both knocked back. S
now powdered up and around us, burying us under an icy blanket. I grappled for the surface and tried to stand but was kept down by an invisible barrier. The air was knocked from my lungs when he pushed me farther into the ground with his magic, until I couldn’t breathe. I was going to die in the same place twice.
The thought pushed energy through me. Gripping my fingers into the frozen ground, I forced out a breathless cry and winced as I sat up through the thick magic. I felt as if I were pushing through deep waters. The pressure and thickness evaporated as fast as it had come. I grabbed the Sword, which lay several inches from me, and rushed forward, but as I emerged through, he was lost to a flurry of snowflakes. Licia and Neoma were gone too.
Morgana fought her way through the snow too and caught her breath as she stood. Disbelief parted my bluing lips. We’d failed. I’d lost Neoma to be sacrificed, which would only anger Kiros into going back on the treaty we needed, and our small chance to take down the necromancer had gone. He could wreak havoc on all the kingdoms. The Objects of Kai were still cursed, and unless I was planning a murder spree to match the energy we’d just used, they would remain so.
My tears fell thick and fast. I turned toward Morgana, who’d paled. “We’re doomed.”
THIRTY-SIX
My dreams were an ocean of layers, sinking me further into darker nightmares where the necromancer walked the earth, killing anyone who got in his way, and the forest of our land burned to the ground. Jolting awake, I gasped, catching my breath. Morgana’s orb-like eyes regarded me. The carriage wasn’t moving, and she looked pensively out the curtainless window. The pale-blue sky brightened with arrows of orange and yellow light. I must have been out for hours. Glancing down at the drool-stained, red-cushioned seat, I sighed. “How did it take us so long to get back?”
“We’ve been here for a few hours,” she said, tapping her finger against her knee. We waited just past a large gray building with bars on the windows. Blaise had had it converted to house more of the feral fae in his bid to clean up the kingdom.
“What are we going to tell them? Blaise… Kiros?” I sat upright, huddling my fur coat around me.
She pressed her lips together until they whitened. Finally, letting out a tense breath, she moved her gaze to meet mine. “I’ve been attempting to formulate a plan. I want to offer up an idea of how to solve this before we explain what happened.”
“Have you come up with anything?”
She looked at the ceiling of the carriage. “I may have something, but I have no idea if it will work.”
“What is it?”
“I can track Licia, who will lead us to the necromancer, but we will need to act fast. Once Licia gets what he wants from him, he’ll leave. That, or the necromancer will kill him.” She pressed her fingers against her temples. “My sight has been unclear. The necromancer is cloaking them, but I have a way of reaching Licia. It’ll be difficult, but I believe I can do it.”
I leaned forward, pushing my elbows against my thighs. “I have every faith in you. What do you need me to do?”
“If I need help, I will ask.” Concern etched her features, making my breath hitch.
“What do we do when we find him?”
“I—”
The door was wrenched back, stealing her next words. I was faced with a wild-eyed Adius. Snow coated his traveling cloak, which was red to match his uniform. He blinked off snowflakes. “Your Majesty. We rode here as fast as we could.” The sun rose behind him and Lepidus, glimmering the snow settled around the obsidian castle and towers. “You were not in your room when we arrived half an hour ago. A stable hand told us there was a carriage waiting here, so I thought I’d check.” He gave a quick nod to Morgana, then looked back at me. Had the necromancer already caused enough havoc to have Adius race to me in the night? He must have not stopped.
“What’s happened?” I rubbed the sleep from my bloodshot eyes.
“The attack on Lepidus was no coincidence. One of the lords was behind it.”
Morgana interjected. “They were feral faeries, not lunas.”
“I know.” He gripped the edge of the door tightly. “They had no organization in their want to attack Blaise, until one of the lords helped them. He gave them a way in, and they took it. The lords Louis and Gregoir believe King Kiros behind Vahaga’s disappearance. He’s still missing, and there is much disarray at the castle.”
“What evidence do they have?” I knew they weren’t behind it, but I couldn’t say as much without having to explain my knowledge.
“They have none, only timing. They think Kiros’s visit to Niferum is too well-timed with their high priest going missing.”
“Timing is not enough to accuse a king and kingdom.”
“It’s enough to start a rebellion. Louis has gathered his men at court, and Gregoir has sent for his from Redwinter Province.”
“To what? Come after Kiros?”
“I believe that’s why they were initially called upon, but their plans have changed.”
Anxiety coursed adrenaline through my veins, making my hands shake. I sat on them, but my teeth were chattering.
Adius continued. “Their men now protect the sacred area of Ash Forest. Someone let slip about your plan to destroy the spirit realm and everything you said about the ancestors and how our magic is draining all of them but the ancestors, priests, and kings.”
The cards had been right. “Who?”
“It was not me or Nissa. She rode with me, as did Florence. Your mother has been imprisoned for hearsay. She actually sided with you on this one.”
Morgana nodded along, listening carefully. “We must strategize before going back.”
“We need to handle our problem here first.” I gave her a look. Everything was falling apart on both ends.
“Magaelor needs you first. Let me handle finding them,” Morgana said.
The conviction in her tone calmed me. Adius puffed out his cheeks, hunching over. “It must have been the lady Penelope.”
I should have just told Nissa and Mai. I knew Penelope was far too quiet. “She’ll regret that.”
He licked his lips, and fear laced his green eyes. “We went to the river. Nissa, Florence, Mai, and I went directly back to the castle. We thought Penelope would come, but it seems her mind was already made up. We all saw the truth. Your brother spoke to Florence, and Nissa’s dead aunt confirmed it.” He was without his staff for the first time. “However, I fear many at court will not be so easily swayed to believe the truth about the ancestors. More so, Louis is calling your legitimacy into question. He has been saying that a queen who does not serve the ancestors cannot be the head of a monarchy whose roots are based upon those teachings.”
“Of course he is.” I tsked. “He’s next in line.”
“He’s grasped the opportunity, and with them guarding the forest, those who are curious will not be able to go and find out for themselves. You must return home, Your Majesty, before Magaelor revolts.”
“We will leave now. I need to tell Blaise.”
Adius and Morgana both watched me incredulously. “There is no time. You could lose your crown and your head. We must go. Now.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Ready the horses. We’ll ride without a carriage. We can get there faster.”
He nodded. “Nissa and Florence are waiting with the horses. They were feeding and tending to them. We had some bread and apples. Have you eaten?”
“I’ll eat when we arrive.” My stomach grumbled in protest, but I didn’t have time to wait. I glanced back at Lepidus one last time and sighed. The peace treaty would surely be lost with Neoma missing and me leaving with no notice. Blaise would be upset for me taking the Dagger and Sword and not breaking the curse, and with the necromancer on the loose, I felt as if we were fighting a losing battle.
Adius helped me out, and we hurried to the stables. Nissa and Florence looked at me, fear pinching their features. Florence’s blonde waves looked frozen at the tips, and her eyelashes were dotted w
ith spots of white. Nissa shuddered under her thick jacket, and both of my ladies were holding the reins to gray horses.
“Did you tell her?” Florence asked Adius, who nodded and took the reins to his small black horse.
Nissa cleared her throat, pointing at a small white horse. “These horses are the fastest. We need speed if we’re to get you home before…” She trailed off, looking at Florence and Adius.
Morgana climbed on the back of another horse. She carried the Dagger and Sword and her spell book. She placed the Sword on her belt and the rest in her satchel, then gripped the reins. “Hurry, Winter.”
“You’re coming?”
“I can look for him from Magaelor.”
The others looked quizzical as I footed the stirrup and heaved myself onto the white horse’s back. We took off, trotting through the gardens, then rushed out the gates. Guards called after us, but the crown on my head halted them. Racing against the winds and snowfall, we traveled blind for most of the way. The skirt of my dress snagged on a passing thorn bush, cutting my leg. Morgana still had her staff, and I guessed we’d need it in case we ran into any feral fae. We’d relied on magic too much in our lives, and it would be hard to imagine a life without it. Many would fight for it. It would be foolish to think otherwise.
The road narrowed out of the tree line from the forest and led south. We’d made it past Enchante and along the narrow road through the snowy peaks with surprising ease. The pine-laced air pinched into a manure-lingering smell as we rode past a farm up on a hill. We emerged from the last of the sparse trees on the forest’s edge. It veered left and into an inky evergreen against the horizon, opening us to the dark buildings of Imperia.
Hooves thudded against the dirt roads as we galloped into the city and through the streets of neighboring villages. I could see men gathered by the entrance to the sacred part of the forest. They were tiny against the backdrop, and ahead of them, the castle stood gray-stoned and weathered, beckoning me back to my throne and a crown I wasn’t sure I held any longer.
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