THE LADY THIEF

LIGHT AND FIRE SERIES- BOOK 2

GINGER LI

The Lady Thief

Book 2 in the Light and Fire Series

(c) 2020 by Ginger Li

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be used in articles or reviews. For permission requests, write to the author at ginger.li.writes@gmail.com.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-7334522-1-2

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any similarities or resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or places is entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Story Wrappers

Editing by Liz the Error Eliminator

CONTENTS

Thank you!

1.  Stirring

2.  Kieren

3.  Lia

4.  Kieren

5.  Lia

6.  Kieren

7.  Lia

8.  Lia

9.  Kieren

10.  Lia

11.  Kieren

12.  Lia

13.  Kieren

14.  Lia

15.  Kieren

16.  Lia

17.  Kieren

18.  Lia

19.  Lia

20.  Kieren

21.  Lia

22.  Kieren

23.  Lia

24.  Kieren

25.  Lia

26.  Kieren

27.  Kieren

28.  Lia

29.  Kieren

30.  Lia

31.  Kieren

32.  Lia

33.  Kieren

34.  Lia

35.  Kieren

36.  Lia

Sneak Peek- Book 3: Haven of Smoke and Shadows

Also by Ginger Li

Care to help an author out?

About the Author

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of my readers. I’m so grateful for your support. To help spread more good in the world, a portion of all profits will go to non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking.

Also, a huge thank you to my super talented cover designer and editor. You made my book shine!

Finally, lots of hugs and kisses to E, F, and M. Thank you for being my number one fans. ILY!

1 STIRRING

“Where is she?”

The woman lay sprawled on the floor of the empty circular room. Smooth, black stone walls towered overhead. Beside her, a fireplace crackled, sending flickering shadows dancing across the ground. Rocks cut through the thin material of her dress as the heat from the fire crawled uncomfortably up her arm.

She reminded herself that this was all an illusion. Her surroundings weren’t real. Nor was she lying on the ground. At the moment, she was asleep in her tent, her Watchmen resting nearby.

“I grow impatient,” her captor snapped. “Tell me, where is the girl?”

“Locate her yourself! Our deal is at an end.” Beneath her bravado, she trembled. After years of nightmares, she could no longer feign confidence. The sleepless nights. The unbearable pain. She was posturing, and they both knew it.

He’d already made her do horrible, unmentionable things. Images of screaming boys filled her mind. So many lives lost in his quest for a dragon shifter.

The woman shivered. She’d completed the task. And she’d promised herself that once one of her experiments succeeded, there would be no more. No longer would she bend to this monster’s will.

A strong gust of wind swept past her. “You still dare to defy me?”

The woman closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable assault. In her mind, an image flashed of her captor, at that point a mere child, hovering over Adalia’s dead body, his hands covered in her blood.

Holding on to the real-not-real stone wall in her dream, she forced herself to stand. “Finding the new girl was never part of our agreement.”

The shadows by the fireplace grew.

“Then we settle on a new deal. Same conditions as before?” Pure energy surged forward, stinging the woman’s face.

She tore herself away from his painful touch. “I should have killed you when I had the chance,” she hissed.

“Too late for that now. How does it feel knowing that the boy you searched for all those years ago ended up being the World Eater?”

Guilt washed over the woman. After taking Adalia from her, now he was after Lia.

“I want her. This new girl is powerful. I felt her potential. Bring her to me, or you and your villagers will suffer.”

An icy blast whipped across her face and tears stung her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath. “No. We are done. Find her yourself.”

“We both know that’s not possible,” the voice snarled. “I cannot cross the portal.”

The woman arranged her features into an expressionless mask. She would never betray Lia. But inside, she grew afraid. How could she stand against an opponent formidable enough to reach across worlds? She hadn’t been powerful enough to go against his will before.

As the shadows swirled, the woman braced herself for his touch.

Would this be it—the time when the World Eater finally killed her? What would happen to the village if she no longer held the veil in place? Would Amma and the others be strong enough to protect the rest before they were all exposed?

Her captor chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’ve developed a conscience. Why would the fate of a Solairan girl matter more than that of those boys?”

The woman didn’t respond. No more. She owed it to her friend and her people to protect Lia. The girl was the only way to stop the World Eater from hurting anyone else ever again.

Great bursts of wind buffeted her and the room’s dark shadows coalesced. A distinctly male body stepped forth from the writhing black cloud. Six feet tall and lean, with a shaven head and ashen skin, he clearly hadn’t seen the sun in ages. A predatory stare haunted his pale blue eyes.

When his sinewy hand whipped out and tightened around her neck, true fear set in. Who was she fooling? She was as helpless as an insect trapped in a spider’s web. She could never break free.

A beam of energy pulsed from his body and struck her with full force. Tears streamed down her face as a silent cry choked in her throat.

This was it.

He was absorbing her energy. Her body screamed for relief as the room around her faded. The man sighed in satisfaction before relaxing his grip, finger by finger. She fell to the ground, gulping in air, desperate to cool her burning lungs.

Blood-red eyes fixated on her, a sign her captor had recently fed. His gaunt face stretched into a horrific grin. “I only took a couple of days this time. But never forget that I can always take more.” He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her neck closer to his mouth. Bursts of blue light swirled through his skin, like tadpoles in water.

She twisted and kicked but, as before, found herself powerless in his hold. Her vision dimming, she gradually lost feeling in her arms and legs. As coldness enveloped her, the woman sensed her body being placed carefully on the ground.

How strange that death should come after such a tender act.

“Find the girl.” The World Eater’s hot breath brushed against her ear. “Bring her to me, Minerva, or the next time, your villagers will pay.”

2 KIEREN

“Did Reina say why she wanted to see us?” Kieren asked Griffith as they walked through the castle halls.

His friend cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Kieren looked over, hating the invisible wall that had sprung up between them. When he awoke several weeks ago, the first things to greet him were Griff’s goofy smile and Soren’s tired unshaven face. All too soon, his friends’ relieved expressions had turned to confusion when they realized Kieren’s memories from two weeks prior to the accident were erased.

Kieren couldn’t remember a thing. He had no recollection of working with a once mage. Or killing Solair’s last dragon. He didn’t remember finding his brother’s body. And he had no idea who Lia was or why Griffith and Soren kept asking him about her.

So while his body healed, his mind didn’t. He felt broken and fragmented. He’d struggled to adapt. The dragons had been defeated, and his hunters disbanded. But despite playing a pivotal role in this new world’s creation, Kieren could take no credit for his deeds.

It was infuriating. Most of the time he successfully kept his emotions tightly bottled up, but sometimes his anger flitted so close to the surface that he felt like he was going to explode. Despite feeling this way, Kieren never shared his struggles with anyone. He remembered his friends’ worried faces and couldn’t bear the thought of putting them through any more pain.

Griffith cleared his throat. Again. “Soren mentioned something about reports. It seems there have been several strange things happening around the kingdom. I’m assuming the queen wants us to investigate.”

The queen? Of course. Reina was no longer a princess. She was now their queen. The title still took Kieren by surprise each time he heard it.

It appeared that their previous ruler had lived a double life. While King Cedric had publicly supported the magic ban, he’d secretly been hoarding illegal items and even attempting to perform magic himself. According to Griffith, the contents of the king’s collection had been horrific. However, Solair’s previous monarch had not acted alone. Kieren’s cousin Rhyland had partnered with Cedric, but for some unknown reason, their relationship had soured. When Rhyland betrayed and murdered the king, Kieren, in turn, killed his cousin, somehow losing his memory in the process.

Out of habit, Kieren reached into the deepest recesses of his mind, trying to remember something more. Like the other times, all he found were wisps of smoke. But what Kieren lacked in memories, he made up for with several new scars. The largest being a thick patch of burned skin in the middle of his chest. Griffith said that it was from a dragon, but Kieren could have sworn that he heard a note of hesitation in his friend’s voice.

What was Griffith hiding? What exactly had gone on all those weeks ago?

His friend glanced over.

“You don’t have to be so nervous around me. I won’t bite,” Kieren grumbled.

Griffith grinned. “That’s not what the barmaids at the taverns say.”

Feigning exasperation, Kieren rolled his eyes. But secretly, he was grateful. The small moment of humor made things feel almost normal.

Together, they walked through the large wooden doors leading to the Great Hall. The stone gargoyles still stared down imperiously from their perches. But now the ceiling panels had been painted white, covering up the old violent images from before.

Soren looked up as they entered, his stern expression softening. “Good to see you, lads.”

In place of his usual black tunic and brown leather body armor, Kieren’s mentor now wore a long purple robe. Reina had forgone tradition. Instead of relying on one of her father’s trusted circle of friends, she’d asked Soren to take on the role of her key advisor. From what Kieren had seen, the decision had earned her several enemies in King Cedric’s old court. Fortunately, her instincts had been spot-on. Soren had taken the new role in his stride, commanding the other advisors as easily as he had the dragon hunters.

Reina’s gaze rose to met Kieren’s. Her red lips pursed.

He bowed. “My Queen.”

Green eyes studied Kieren for a moment before she tilted her head, acknowledging his greeting. “Thank you for attending. I realize you’ve not yet fully recovered from your injuries, but I’ve requested your presence because we need your expertise.”

Her serious tone surprised him. Where were the suggestive comments and uncomfortable innuendos? Was this change the result of being thrust into a position of responsibility? Or was this just another of Reina’s masks?

“Of course,” Kieren proceeded with caution. “I look forward to serving you as loyally as I served your late father.”

A look passed between Reina and Soren. Kieren watched their silent communication, trying to discern its meaning.

“Before we start, how are you doing, son?” Soren asked.

“Fine.” If you excluded his missing memories, the still-painful injury to his rib cage, the two unexplainable scars on his back, and the large patch of scarred flesh in the middle of his chest, Kieren was just perfect.

“Has there been any improvement?” Soren asked.

With his memory? “No.”

“Well, the offer still stands. If you want to take a break, everyone would understand.”

Kieren shook his head. Without work he would have nothing to block out the deep, bitter ache in his soul. “I’d just like to get back to work.”

“That’s what I thought. Now, I’m sure this goes without saying, but everything we are about to discuss must remain confidential.”

Griffith and Kieren both nodded.

Soren flipped through several sheets of parchment. “We’ve received numerous reports of unusual events occurring around the kingdom. Animals ignoring migratory patterns. One village receiving continuous rain for three weeks, while neighboring towns remain perfectly dry. Unusual circular designs appearing in farmers’ fields. Prey animals hunting other larger beasts. The list of oddities goes on.” He handed Kieren the reports.

Skeptical, Kieren leafed through the pages. “There have always been occasional reports such as these. But I agree, it is strange to have so many across the span of a month. Have you sent anyone out to check the claims?”

The queen shook her head. “Not yet. We thought that you and Griffith would be perfect for the task.”

Kieren continued scanning the complaints. An entire field of corn disappearing? This had to be some sort of bizarre hoax.

“As honored as Griffith and I are to be held in such high regard, it’s impossible for us to check the validity of every report. Perhaps we could rope in some other ex-hunters?” Kieren tentatively tested the new queen’s openness to suggestions. If she were anything like her father, he would have to tread with care.

Reina let out a brittle laugh. “That won’t be possible. I need the rest of the men here to keep an eye on things. My other advisors are still struggling to adjust to their female sovereign ruler.”

It was only then that Kieren noticed the firm set of her jaw and the shadows under her eyes. As a young unmarried woman, Reina couldn’t have had an easy time securing the throne. That she’d remained uncontested ruler for this long without any bloodshed was impressive. But the real test was yet to come. To keep the throne, she would have to be cunning and strong. Loyal guards and advisors were essential.

“Well, this sounds a great opportunity,” Griffith enthused. “I’ve always wanted to travel more. See a bit of the kingdom. It’s far too cramped inside the castle walls for my taste.”

Soren raised his brows. “Before you start planning your next vacation, let me clarify a couple of points. You’re not to investigate all of the incidents. We only ask that you to follow up on a particular one in the small farming town of Umbra. And while you’re up north, we want you to visit the city of Rosetta.”

“Rosetta? Isn’t that under Lord Roth’s rule?” Kieren asked.

Soren nodded. “Several merchants have reported goods disappearing during transport originating from that city.”

This piqued Kieren’s interest. “Why not let the their law enforcement handle it? We’ve never sent men to deal with local matters before.”

“They’ve tried, but their investigations haven’t turned up anything,” Soren explained. “It seems items are accounted for at the beginning of the trip, but then fail to reach their destination. Our merchants have questioned all the traders. They’ve even hired mercenaries to travel with the goods. But it’s always the same. Items disappear, and no one knows why or how. It’s imperative that we put a stop to this now.”

Kieren understood. This mission wasn’t just about checking out these odd reports; it was also to safeguard Reina’s rule. The merchant lords wouldn’t lend their support for long if their profit margins were to dwindle.

“The merchants are threatening rebellion. They are questioning my ability to rule.” Reina’s eyes flashed in anger. “I’ll not have my kingdom torn apart.”

“Don’t bother speaking to Lord Roth,” Soren added. “Cedric’s already tried that. You’ll have to do things differently if we’re to find out what’s really happening.”

“Seems like you’ve thought of everything,” Griffith said. “What’s the plan?”

“Hire yourselves out as mercenaries,” Soren said. “Ride with the cargo. Keep your eyes open. Track down who’s been stealing from our people.”

“Investigate a reported incident and track down some thieves. Will that be all?” Kieren asked.

“Aye, lad.” Soren gave him a pat on the shoulder. “It’s good working with you again.”

Once they’d left the Great Hall, Griffith shot Kieren a curious look. “So, who do you think is behind it?”

“The thefts? My guess would be the men hired to transport the items.”

“Workers stealing from their bosses?”

As Kieren was about to respond, someone walked past and brushed against his arm.

A short servant girl with a headful of curly brown hair curtsied to him. “Begging your pardon, my lord.”

“It’s fine,” Kieren said. “Do not trouble yourself.”

The girl glanced up at him, her eyes wide. Blushing, she bowed again before hurrying toward the guest quarters.

Kieren watched as the young woman unlocked one of the suites and entered.

“Something the matter?” Griffith asked.

An odd feeling of nostalgia crept over Kieren. “I’m not sure.”

3 LIA

“Again,” Eldric commanded. His long scar, the one imperfection on the watchman’s otherwise handsome face, lent weight to his commanding tone. He pointed his Verduran blade at her.

Lia pushed her aching body up off the ground. On the outskirts of the village, they stood in the middle of an enclosed dirt field where Verduran Watchmen typically gathered and trained. Above the noon sun shone down mercilessly. Lia wiped her sweaty brow and wished for a breeze to cool her heated skin. Gripping her sword tighter, she dug her boots into the dirt and adopted the beginning stance that Eldric had previously taught her.

The Verduran waited for a moment, and then, in a flurry of motion, they began the exercise again.

Block. Block. Strike. Watch your footwork.

Block. Block. Strike.

Eldric’s arms moved faster than expected, and she found herself knocked to the ground. Again.

Lia moaned. The side of her ribcage throbbed in pain, but the blow to her ego hurt even worse. One would have thought that after this much practice, she would have been stronger and quicker.

Nope. Not even close. It was almost comical how much effort it took to do so poorly.

“Pay attention,” Eldric barked. “Where is your head? Stay focused. Keep your mind in the present.”

Lia brushed the dirt off her pants and assumed the stance again, determined to do better. When Eldric attacked this time, she responded by swinging her sword to deflect his. The sound of metal striking metal rang in the warm afternoon air. With a quick twist, she dodged Eldric’s sweeping leg. He gave a grunt of approval and Lia allowed herself a moment of pride. Maybe she wasn’t as incompetent as she’d thought.

However, her celebrations were cut short when he picked up the pace. Struggling to keep up, his unrelenting attack forced her to stumble backward. Each sharp rap against her training harness highlighted her deficiencies. As her arms burned and her footwork became sloppier, Lia grew increasingly frustrated.

All too soon, Eldric knocked the blade from her hands. “Without your weapon, you’re as good as dead. Pick up your sword. We’ll do the exercise again.”

They’d been going like this for hours. Her arms and legs felt like rubber, and a thick layer of sweat coated her body. Who was she kidding? She was a failure. Not only was she terrible at fighting, but she also failed at magic wielding as well. The last time she’d successfully cast a spell had been the night of the ball—the last time she saw Kieren.

Sighing, Lia did as instructed and took up the beginning stance again, despite the protests of her worn out muscles. On the positive side—so far, transferring Kieren’s curse into her body hadn’t affected her at all. She still looked and felt the same. No claws, no wings, and no scales.

Eldric’s blade rapped her harness. “What are you thinking about? Focus!”

Lia forced her attention back to the task at hand, but doubts kept creeping in as they repeated the sequence once more. Why wasn’t her Verduran lineage helping? Why couldn’t she cast spells? Why wasn’t she stronger or faster? Had her father’s nerdy human genes somehow neutralized her mother’s Verduran super blood?

A flash of metal caught her attention, and Lia stumbled ungracefully aside. But Eldric’s sword still struck her. She clutched her ribs, tears in her eyes. Great. Another bruise for Ariadne to heal.

Eldric lowered his weapon. “Why don’t we stop for today?”

Embarrassed, Lia sheathed her sword and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. Prophesied saviors weren’t meant to cry.

His expression softened. “It might not feel like it, but you are improving. It takes time for muscles to learn. But once they do, they’ll never forget.”

“It’s not just these exercises,” Lia blurted out in frustration. “It’s everything. Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”

“It’s only been a couple of weeks. You didn’t even know how to hold a blade properly when we started. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re progressing.”

Unable to meet his gaze, Lia kept her eyes on the ground.

“Still have to work on your charm, don’t you, Eldric?” a familiar voice interrupted. Azriel leaned against a nearby fence pole. He pinned Lia with a heated gaze.

She looked away, uncomfortable with how his golden eyes seemed to undress her. “Don’t blame Eldric,” she snapped. “It’s not his fault that I haven’t gotten any better.”

Azriel swaggered over to them in the training ring. “Perhaps I could offer a solution?”

Eldric’s eyebrows raised. “What do you have in mind?”

“Why don’t I teach Lia?”

Was he serious? She took one look at Azriel’s smug expression and perfect physique and shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. Eldric’s a great teacher. I’m sticking with him.”

“Really, princess?”

Lia glared and didn’t respond. The strange pull between herself and Azriel made her uneasy. Plus, there was no way she’d be able to concentrate when her teacher looked like a freaking male model.

“What I’m proposing makes sense,” Azriel continued. “You’ve seen her, Eldric. She’s struggling. Give me a chance. I have ways of bringing out the best in people.”

“No way.” Lia placed a hand on her hip. “Don’t I get a say in this?”

“He has a point, Lia.” Eldric appeared thoughtful. “You’re here, but mentally, you’re elsewhere. Perhaps another teacher could bring out something more.”

“Traitor,” she hissed.

“I think it’s a good idea. Let’s give it a try.” Eldric shot her an apologetic look before leaving the fenced area.

Lia pretended not to see the golden warrior’s smile widen.

“Princess, do you know what your problem is?”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“You think too much. Instead of planning and dissecting your movements, you need to let your body respond. Eldric’s done a good job of teaching you the motions. Now you have to let go and trust yourself. Stop overthinking it.”

He took a step closer and a wave of masculine charisma threatened to swallow her whole. For an instant she was brought back to the Remembrance festival all those weeks ago. She’d fallen for his smooth moves then. But that had been a lifetime ago and Lia was no longer that same naive girl.

She’d seen two people murdered before her eyes. She’d fought a dragon. She’d lost someone she loved. And she was certain now that nothing was going to happen between her and Azriel. He was just a friend. A very flirty friend. Sure he had a body carved out of living, breathing marble. And yeah, his perfectly symmetric face would probably make an artist weep for joy. But none of it meant anything.

He wasn’t Kieren.

Lia crossed her arms. “Great. So you’re saying I’ll defeat the World Eater by just letting go and not thinking?”

“Do you remember when we last danced?” His words caressed her warm skin like a cool breeze.

She shivered, hating the effect his words had over her. Of course she did. She remembered the shimmery silver dress, the bubbles of elderflower drink popping delicately in her mouth, and the heat of his body pressed against hers. Annoyed, she pushed the memories away. “Sorry. I don’t.”

“Liar,” he purred.

“What does it matter anyway?”

“You didn’t think then. You just responded.”

Azriel stepped forward, closing the narrow distance between them. His lips, equal parts soft and demanding, pressed against hers.

Like a surge of electricity, a huge wave of desire traveled through her body, starting from her core and radiating to the tips of her fingers and toes. He pulled her closer as his tongue invaded her mouth. The sensations bombarding her tempted to her to give in. She almost did, but one nagging truth kept her from surrendering.

Kieren. She loved Kieren.

No!

Anger boiled within her. Freeing her mind from the onslaught of emotions, Lia placed her hands against Azriel’s chest and shoved him. Hard. “What are you doing? Get away from me!”

She didn’t want this. Not with him.

Azriel’s eyes widened as he flew through the air and landed several feet away.

The fire inside instantly vanished. What just happened? Lia stared down at her hands in shock. “I’m so sorry.” She ran to him. “I mean… I’m not sorry I pushed you away. You shouldn’t have done that, you jerk. But I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay?”

He shot her a rakish smile. “I knew I could bring out the best in you.”

Lia’s face heated. “The next time you kiss me, you’ll get much worse than a shove.”

Azriel’s eyebrows raised. “So there will be a next time?”

“Bravo, Lia.” Eldric clapped loudly. “Where have you been hiding all that strength?” He smirked at Azriel. “Seems you’ve got as much to learn about charming women as I do.”

Azriel gave Lia an appraising look. “It would appear so.”

“I can’t believe you kissed me just to get a rise out of me.” Her voice shook with embarrassment.

“It worked, though, didn’t it? Like it or not, princess, my methods get results. Looks like I’ll be joining you two for training from now on.”

Lia groaned, but inwardly she worried. Where exactly had all that heat and power come from?

4 KIEREN

After several hours of hard riding, Kieren and Griffith reached Solair’s northern grasslands. Sadly, tornados plagued this area year-round, making the land uninhabitable. But it hadn’t always been this way. Kieren remembered his tutors describing times before the Great War when the land was fertile and the weather pleasant. No one knew why, but all that changed after the portals between the worlds closed. Tornados began appearing, forcing the farmers from their land.

They stopped by a small stream nearby the Culver Mountains to give their horses a break. Kieren’s gaze wandered along the base of the nearest mountain, noticing the way the sun hit certain rocks to create elongated shadows.

“What do you think we’ll find when we get there?” Griffith asked.

“Not sure.” Pulling his attention away from the mountains, Kieren mentally reviewed Soren’s report. A flock of blue hawks was said to have been seen circling above a farmer’s field. Birds flying above fields wasn’t an odd phenomenon. But blue hawks were predators; they preferred hunting alone. It was unheard of for them to be seen together.

“It’s not just this report that’s got me thinking.” Griffith gave Kieren a sideways glance. “You saw the pile of papers. There must have been well over fifty reports this month alone. Doesn’t that number feel high to you?”

“Sounds like you might have a theory. What are your thoughts?”

Griffith tapped his fingers against his thigh. “You’ll probably think I’m crazy, but hear me out. I think the incidents might have something to do with magic.”

“That’s impossible.” Kieren frowned. “There’s no such thing as magic anymore. The ban prevented mages from practicing. And you know what Cedric did to anyone who expressed even a remote interest.”

A memory fluttered in the soft grayness of his mind. Kieren tried to catch it, but like all his ties to the past month, it disappeared before he could.

Griffith’s violet eyes studied Kieren. “For a moment, just forget about what they taught us about the ban and the war. What if magic, real magic, still exists? Cedric dies and strange, inexplicable events start happening in the kingdom. I mean, this can’t just be a coincidence.”

How could his friend speak about the topic so cavalierly? “Magic is evil. Those who wielded it opened the portals, ushering in the monsters that killed thousands of our people. How could you even imagine such atrocities happening today?”

“Of course.” Griffith let out a quiet sigh. “Come on. Just forget that I said anything and let’s go. The horses seem well-rested now.”

They rode in silence to the outskirts of Umbra. An enormous dark cloud hovered over the distant farmlands. Its menacing black shape stood in contrast to the surrounding clear blue skies.

Kieren and Griffith followed the aberration until they reached a small farmhouse in the middle of a wheat field. Up close, the strange cloud revealed itself to be a large flock of black birds, flying synchronously overhead.

Griffith eyed the mass of frenzied birds. “Something tells me this is the place.”

They dismounted and walked their horses toward the farmhouse. Hearing light footsteps approaching from behind, Kieren whipped around, his sword drawn. A young boy with a face covered in freckles froze mid-step.

Kieren sheathed his sword. “Hello there. My name is Kieren and this is my friend Griffith.We’re guards sent here by the new queen. We’re here to see your birds.”

Not uttering a single word, the boy pointed up to the sky.

“Yes. Those birds,” Griffith murmured. He and Kieren exchanged confused looks.

“If you’re waiting for Joshe to answer, you’ll be standing there forever.” A tall red-haired girl with a basket in her hands approached them. She walked up to the boy and tapped his shoulder. “Joshe, get Father, would you?”

The boy nodded before shuffling over toward the house.

“My name’s Philippa.” The girl’s soft doe eyes studied them with curiosity. “I heard you talking to my brother. I take it you’re here to investigate?”

“Yes. My name is Griffith.” He gave her a broad smile. “I’ve never seen blue hawks act like that before. They’re intelligent and can be quite territorial. I’ve known men to capture and train them for hunting. But these birds look like they’re content just to circle.”

Philippa returned Griffith’s smile, revealing a wide gap between her two front teeth. “Seem to be. They’ve been circling our home for about a month now. They even take turns, so there’s always a flock overhead. Some birds rest over there while others fly.”

She pointed to where a nearby tree stood. Its branches dripping with dozens of black birds. Motionless, they perched like black shadowy leaves.

“Came to check up on the reports, have you?” An older man with unruly red hair and a face full of freckles followed Joshe out of the surrounding fields. He studied Kieren and Griffith before continuing, “Glad to have you here. None of us are quite sure what to do. A while back we brought in neighbors to shoot a couple of the birds, thinking that would frighten the rest of them. But Joshe got mighty upset by that. He hated the killing, so we stopped. It wasn’t much of a solution, anyway.”

“How so?” Kieren asked.

The farmer rubbed the back of his sunburned neck. “Well, for every bird we managed to kill, two more joined the flock. I’m not a schooled man, but I learned my lesson quickly. For now, we try to ignore them. Thankfully, they aren’t too noisy and don’t seem to have a hankering for our crops. Although I could do without shoveling the excrement.”

“Any thoughts as to why this is happening?” Griffith asked.

“If we had, we wouldn’t have gotten the crown involved, would we?” Philippa interjected.

“Hush, daughter, please.” The farmer’s face reddened. “My apologies. My boy isn’t a big talker, but Philippa’s got more than enough sass in her to make up for her brother’s silence.”

“Please accept our condolences on your wife’s passing, sir,” Kieren said.

The man’s eyes grew misty. “Thank you. It’s been two months since my Marie passed. I still miss that woman dearly.”

It had been two months since the boy last spoke? A sense of camaraderie came over Kieren as he looked at the child. “Joshe isn’t it? I’m sorry you lost your mother. I know how it feels to lose someone close to you.”

“How long ago did your person pass?” the farmer asked.

“About a month ago.” Kieren paused. Wait. No. What had possessed him to say that? Silas passed away long before that. “My brother disappeared four years ago. We only recently discovered what happened to him.”

“My condolences to you then as well.” The farmer shook his head. “Pain never quite goes away, does it?”

“No. It never does,” Kieren agreed. “With your permission, Griffith and I’d like to take a walk around your property. Just to see if anything jumps out at us.”

The man eyed him curiously. Kieren knew that the farmer didn’t own his home or the surrounding farmlands. Lord Roth owned it all, allowing peasants to live on and work the land as long as they paid hefty taxes in crops and coin. Judging by the poor condition of the family’s clothes, they were barely scraping by. Kieren’s asking for permission to tour the grounds was akin to showing respect, something he suspected the farmer didn’t often get.

“Of course.” The man bowed. “You’re free to look around.”

He led them inside his home. Kieren scanned the clean and sparsely decorated one-room cottage. Nothing seemed amiss inside. He and Griffith left the house and walked through portions of the surrounding farmlands. The crops appeared untouched, and again, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

When they made their way back to the front of the house, Kieren was at a loss. They were no closer to figuring out what made the birds swarm.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Griffith whispered to him as the farmer and his family approached.

“I know,” Kieren whispered back. “But it seems a shame we can’t help them somehow.”

A small, dirty hand slipped into his. Joshe tapped the back of Kieren’s hand and mouthed something.

Kieren knelt down so that he was face to face with the boy. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

Joshe took a stick and scratched something in the dirt before running away.

“The lady thief means well,” Kieren read.

“Seems my brother likes you.” Philippa eyed the ground. “Gave you one of his fortunes.”

“Fortunes?” Griffith asked.

“Like a funny note or a prediction.” She shrugged. “You should feel honored. Joshe only gives them to people he trusts. Like Pa and me. We figure it’s just his way of talking to us now.”

The farmer gave an uncomfortable laugh. “My apologies. My daughter’s prone to using colorful language. Joshe’s fortunes aren’t anything special. They’re just notes written by a child. We’re simple folk.”

“Simple folk who’ve taught their children to read and write?” Griffith asked.

The man wrung his hands. “That was my late wife’s doing. Please, we’re law-abiding folk. We don’t believe in magic of any sort. Our family has always supported the ban. But it’s not against the law to teach your child to read and write, is it?”

“No. Of course not.” Kieren smiled. “We’re just here to investigate your birds. That’s all.”

“Go ahead, Philippa,” Griffith encouraged. “We’d like to hear what you have to say.”

The girl gave her father a pointed look. “Sometimes Joshe’s messages come true, and sometimes they’re just kind of funny.”

Kieren eyed the boy who’d removed himself from the conversation and seemed content just to stare up at the birds. “The lady thief means well?” He paused, trying to make sense of the words. But nothing came to mind.

“So you’ve got a lady friend, have you?” Philippa asked.

“Hush, girl!” The farmer’s face turned a bright shade of red.

Griffith slapped Kieren on the back. “Just one lady friend? Certainly not. My friend here has many lady friends. He’s quite the rascal.”

“Really?” Wide-eyed, Philippa studied him with new interest.

The farmer coughed loudly. “Well, we don’t want to be taking up any more of your time. Now that you’ve seen our situation. What will you be doing next?”

“Nothing seems glaringly wrong,” Kieren replied. “We’ll make a note of what we’ve seen and report back to the queen. From what we’ve observed, the birds seem little more than a visual nuisance.”

The farmer nodded. “Aye. To be honest, it would almost be a shame to force them to leave now. My boy’s grown rather fond of them, haven’t you, Joshe?”

The boy pulled his attention from the birds and grinned at his father, revealing a gap-toothed smile.

“Thank you for your time. I think we have enough information here to get going.” Kieren turned to leave.

“Wait,” Philippa called out. Blushing, she glanced in Griffith’s direction. “Maybe you’d like to stay for a bite to eat?”

The tips of Griffith’s ears grew red. “Sure do appreciate your offer, miss. But we have other business to attend to. In nearby Rosetta, in fact.”

“Rosetta?” The farmer frowned. “Pardon me, my lords. I don’t want to overstep my boundaries, but seeing as you’re not from these parts, maybe I could give you a word of advice?”

“Of course,” Kieren responded. “We’d appreciate it.”

“Be careful. I realize you two lads can take care of yourselves, but the city’s gone downhill since Lord Roth died a year ago.”

Rosetta’s lord had passed away? Kieren didn’t recall hearing about that.

The man continued. “Although Roth was a tough man, he ran the city well and kept his citizens safe. Even us folks here in Umbra. But his eldest son, Lord Canon, seems more interested in filling his personal treasury than in ensuring the safety of his people. I got a cousin who lives there. He says the authorities turn a blind eye to most things if their pockets are lined with enough cash.”

“Thank you for the warning, but you won’t have to worry about us.” Griffith motioned to Kieren. “I’ll be sure to take care of this one over here.”

The farmer chuckled. “Moons, I hope that’s true. Take care of each other and safe travels.”

Kieren left the farm, lost in his thoughts. Swarming birds. A message about a lady thief. The unmentioned passing of a lord. A sliver of excitement trekked its way into his heart. What else would they uncover during their trip?

5 LIA

“Is that the best you can do?” Azriel taunted. “What happened to that scrappy girl who came to me all those weeks ago? I thought you wanted to learn how to fight.”

Lia grunted and pushed against him, trying to escape his hold. Nothing happened. She shifted her body and elbowed him in the ribs.

Laughter rumbled against her back. “If you want to injure me, you’ll have to do better than that, little princess.” Azriel released her, and with inhuman speed, his blade descended close to her arm, slicing through her sleeve.

She pulled her arm away and glanced down at the damage. Cut cloth but no blood. Gripping her sword tighter, they continued to circle each other.

“If you’d just stop using your freaking Verduran super speed for a moment and slow down, I could show you how much I hate you.”

“Freaking? I assume that is some sort of Solairan term meaning ‘amazing’?” His lips quirked into a teasing smile. “No. That will not be happening. You need to learn how to wield your blade.”

“Fine.” She lunged in Azriel’s direction.

The Verduran easily dodged her attack while landing another blow, this time to her ribs. As heat and anger surged within, Lia exploded into action. Thrust after thrust, she attacked, determined to wipe the cocky grin off his face.

Finally, her blade swept in one glorious arc and slashed through the sleeve of Azriel’s tunic.

His eyes widened. “You cut me.”

Ignoring her aching arms and Jell-O-like legs, Lia gave a dramatic bow. “What can I say? I learned from the best.” She deliberately looked past Azriel’s astonished face to address the watchman standing at the edge of the training ring, “Thank you, Eldric.”

“Remarkable,” Azriel murmured. “Who would expect to find such power hidden behind this beautiful facade?”

As always, the Verduran’s words had a way of disarming her. Warmth crept over her cheeks and Lia stared down at the ground, scowling at her own reaction.

“Well done!” Eldric ran over. “Practice is officially over for today. Tomorrow we’ll work on building your stamina with some additional physical training.”

Recognizing the terms her PE teacher used, Lia sighed. “Let me guess. Running?”

When neither Verduran replied, she groaned loudly. “I take that as a yes. Here’s a crazy idea, why don’t we celebrate my victory with a well-earned day of rest?”

“No complaining,” Eldric reprimanded. “Your sword skills are certainly improving. And you’ve gotten lucky with this newly discovered strength. But that isn’t enough. We have to build your endurance. Remember, your opponent will never allow you time to rest.”

Lia couldn’t argue. Eldric was right. If she was to go toe-to-toe with the World Eater, she’d need all the help she could get.

“I’ll be taking charge of the additional physical training as well.” Azriel smirked. “It looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other from now on.”

Struggling just to stand, Lia eyed his relaxed stance with jealousy. Here she was, exhausted and covered in sweat, while Azriel merely looked dewy. How could a man even be that pretty?

“Go get cleaned up. We’ll meet you at Minerva’s when you’re done.” Eldric gave her a genuine smile. “You did good today, Lia. Despite my friend’s rather unorthodox training methods, there’s something about him that brings out the fighter in you.”

Ignoring Azriel’s smug expression, Lia skulked away.

By now, the midday sun sat high over the bustling Verduran village. Several of the colorful inhabitants stopped what they were doing to watch her walk by. Eager to get away from their curious eyes, she walked back faster to Ariadne’s tent. But she couldn’t ignore the overheard snippets of conversations.

“They say she’s the Light, but she can’t wield any magic.”

“Looks too scrawny to be capable of anything.”

Although Minerva had told only a handful of trusted villagers about Lia’s call to be the Light, the entire community had somehow discovered her secret. Much like high schoolers, Verdurans seemed notoriously bad at keeping secrets.

Lia kept walking, not acknowledging any of them, but like barbed wire, their words still stung. Secretly, she worried they were right. Sure, she landed some blows, but that was just during training. The World Eater was the prophesied enemy. A destroyer of worlds. How could she possibly stop such a powerful opponent?

A blast of steamy air and the strong smell of medicinal herbs welcomed her inside Ariadne’s cozy tent.

“Those two had better look just as bad as you do.” The green-skinned potion maker eyed Lia’s ripped sleeve and frowned. “Here, this should help.” She handed Lia a small glass container of sweet-smelling balm.

Lia rubbed the medicine on her arm. “It’s not fair that a man can be so annoying and good looking at the same time.”

The corners of Ariadne’s mouth curved upward. “Interesting that you notice.”

“You’d have to be blind not to notice.” Lia laughed and then grabbed her stomach, grimacing in pain. Carefully, she unbuckled her harness and lifted the hem of her shirt. Luckily, the apparatus had taken the brunt of most hits. And thanks to Ariadne’s skills, most of the bruises would be gone by nightfall.

“Is Amma still sick?” Lia dabbed the balm on her ribs.

Ariadne’s smile fell. “She’s getting worse, although the stubborn woman won’t admit it. This morning she was in so much pain that she wasn’t even able to get out of bed. And that’s not the worst part.”

Lia winced as she rubbed the ointment over a particularly sensitive spot. “Why, what else has happened?”

“Other villagers are complaining of similar ailments.” Ariadne sprinkled dried herbs into her pot. “It’s puzzling. I’ve never encountered anything like this. We rarely get sick in Solair.”

“Do you have any idea what’s making everyone ill?”

“None. The villagers are calling it the Paling Illness. It starts off with a cough and a slight fever. Then a couple of days in, their skin takes on a gray tone. The ones who are further along, like Amma, soon become bedridden with full-body pain.”

“Where’s Lilith?” Lia asked, suddenly acutely aware of the quiet. Ever since she had moved into their tent, Ariadne’s daughter had always been underfoot, constantly showering her with questions. Now the tent seemed suspiciously silent.

“She’s out delivering medicine.”

Ariadne coughed, and Lia noticed the dark shadows under her friend’s eyes. “Do you want me to take over watching everything here? I have to meet with Minerva, but I can help out afterward.”

The potion maker gave her a grateful smile before stifling a yawn. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“I HEAR CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER.” Minerva greeted as Lia walked into her tent.

Lia eyed the village leader in surprise. “For what?”

Sage came up and gave Lia a hug. “Azriel and Eldric tell us you’re making steady progress in your training.”

Lia leaned into the older man’s embrace. “Yeah, I’ve managed to get in a few hits.”

“Don’t be so humble, child.” Sage chastised. “You’ve worked hard for this. It’s important to celebrate the wins, especially when times are difficult.” His piercing blue eyes studied her face. “How are you doing?”

Something about his concern tugged uncomfortably at her insides. It had been weeks since she made it out of the castle and while her body was whole, her heart was fragile and still-mending. Lia typically just tried taking her mind off her sadness by throwing herself into training. But now standing before the man she considered as close as family, Lia couldn’t help but feel her guards stripped away. She shifted awkwardly.

“I’m fine.” She looked around Minerva’s tent, eager to change the subject. “So, what are we doing today? Should we try the simple fire spell again?”

“No, child.” Sage gave her hand a brief squeeze. “Minerva and I both think you should put off your magical training for now.”

“Is it because I left the journal behind?” She had been so desperate to escape the castle that fateful night; Lia had never even thought about returning to her bedroom to collect her belongings.

“Of course not,” Sage soothed. “No one blames you for leaving the book at the castle. What matters is that you got out safely.”

Lia felt herself grow warmer. “Then it’s because I haven’t been able to do anything magical or had a single vision since—”

The older man touched her arm reassuringly. “Having visions is an ability that comes upon mages early on, but very rarely is that power kept. Plus, you used a lot of power to transfer the curse to yourself. It’s understandable that you take time to heal. The missing book won’t be a problem. I’m visiting Magnus and Cade tomorrow to see if I can obtain a new copy from them.”

A trip out of the village? It sounded like the perfect way to get her mind off of things. “Great! When do we leave?”

Sage cleared his throat. “I’ll be making this trip by myself. But don’t worry. I’ll be back in a few days.”

“No doubt Azriel and Eldric will keep you quite busy here,” Minerva added.

Lia stared at the pair in frustration. “I can’t just stay here and keep training. We have no idea who Cedric was working with to spell his victims. Boys might still be disappearing. And we know nothing about the World Eater’s whereabouts. I need to be out there doing something! Or, at the very least, trying to build my magical abilities. Because, frankly, I don’t care how good my sword skills are. They’ll never be enough to stop the World Eater.”

Silence greeted Lia when she finished.

Minerva gave her a sad smile. “It appears that horrible series of experiments ended when Cedric died. They’ve found no further bodies. And you’re right. Eventually, you will learn to tap into your magical powers. But for now, why don’t we focus on improving the physical ones?”

“The dragons are all gone, so they’ve also disbanded the dragon hunters,” a new voice joined their conversation.

Azriel stood at the tent’s entrance. Next to him, Eldric watched Lia with a concerned expression.

“That’s the real reason you’re so keen to get out there, isn’t it?” Azriel’s tone was biting. “To find a certain hunter?”

Lia’s heart fluttered like a bird in a cage and her hands fisted by her sides. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Besides Minerva and Sage, no one in the village knew about Kieren’s curse or what Lia had sacrificed to save him. The villagers just thought she’d escaped a dragon. No one knew that the monster was Kieren.

“Oh, don’t I?” Azriel took a step forward and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know that the whole time the boy was with you, he never treated you as anything more than a friend. I know you left him that night and came to us, bloodied and burned. And I know enough to see that you are still broken by whatever happened all those weeks ago.”

The words threatened to squeeze the air out of her lungs. Lia swallowed. “You don’t know everything.”

“I saw you that night. You defeated a dragon and you were two steps away from entering the next world. And that boy allowed you to fight and travel alone? Tell me. Where is Kieren now? What could that coward possibly have done to deserve your loyalty?”

No. No. No. The pieces of her glued-together heart began to crack apart and she struggled to keep her voice steady. “But I’m better now.” She held out her forearms. Once raw and blistered, the burns caused by Kieren’s dragon fire had faded to a web of pale pink scars thanks to Ariadne’s medicine.

Within a couple of steps Azriel crossed the tent and took hold of her wrists. “Wounds will heal.” His voice turned soft. “But there is no balm to heal a broken heart.”

Lia tugged her arms away.

“Azriel is right,” Eldric spoke up. “We’ve all seen you these past weeks. It’s like some light went out inside. You only come alive, really, truly alive when you’re training.” He gestured to everyone in the room, “Everyone in this room is worried about you.”

“We’re the ones who brought you back from the brink of death.” Azriel scowled. “Not the boy who doesn’t even care enough to find you.”

“That will be enough.” Sage spoke quietly, almost as if he were afraid of Lia breaking apart. “We don’t want to send you out before you are ready. Surely you understand?”

Lia’s lower lip trembled. Her heart pounded in her chest and and her skin felt like it was on fire. “Yes,” she forced out.

“Perhaps I have a compromise that will work,” Minerva remarked. “What if we sent you on a mission? A practice one to give you a little freedom and an opportunity to test your newly acquired skills.”

A chance to get out of the village? To see the outside! Lia leaped at the opportunity. “Yes. I’d appreciate that.”

“Good.” Minerva smiled. “Then it’s settled. As you know, several of our villagers have fallen ill. We need you and Azriel to collect two ingredients, cassava and ginger root powder, to increase the potency of Ariadne’s medicine.”

Lia was about to agree, but an image of Ariadne working by herself in her tent made Lia hesitate.

“What’s the matter?” Azriel teased. “Do you not find the prospect of being alone with me thrilling enough?”

“No. It’s Ariadne. She’s been looking tired lately. Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I shouldn’t leave now.”

“What if I helped her?” Eldric offered.

Lia stared at the warrior in surprise.

Minerva’s expression softened. “Yes. That’s a wonderful idea.”

Azriel nudged Lia with his elbow. “Don’t look so surprised. In Verdura, Eldric and Ariadne were both apprentice potion makers.”

“This will be a good training exercise for you,” Minerva concluded. “The next shipment of items is due to leave Rosetta in two days. Work hard and prepare yourself.”

Rosetta? The name brought up a memory of a conversation between Kieren and Azriel many weeks ago. The Verdurans had been surreptitiously stealing items from Solairan traders. Now they were asking Lia to join them. The thought of being a thief unsettled and excited her in equal measures.

“Alright.” She grinned. “Let’s do this.”

6 KIEREN

“Looks like you enjoyed that visit,” Kieren commented as they stepped out of earshot of the farmer and his family.

Griffith arched a brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really? I think Philippa took quite a liking to you.”

Griffith chuckled. “She seems like a nice girl, but she’s not my type.”

Both men mounted their horses and headed along the dusty path leading to Rosetta.

“Kieren?” Griffith knitted his brows.

“Yes?”

“Do you ever miss being a dragon hunter? I mean, I know you don’t remember the last few weeks. But overall, do you miss what we used to do?”

Kieren took a moment to consider the question. “I enjoyed it at first. Being a hunter got me out of my father’s house and allowed me to come to terms with Silas’s disappearance. But to tell you the truth, in the past year, it began wearing on me. The killing. The fighting. A man’s not meant to live his entire life like that, I think.” A whisper of a memory brushed against the walls of his mind.

“Well, I miss it. I miss the hunting and the camaraderie. I’m glad we’re out here doing this together. Kind of reminds me of the good old days. Except instead of dragons, we’re hunting people.” Griffith eyed Kieren with an assessing look. “And I’ll have to be brutally honest with you. You may have been the star dragon hunter, but I’m not sure how good you’ll be at catching criminals.”

“Is that so?” Kieren asked, amused. “I can kill a fire-breathing behemoth, and yet you doubt my skills in hunting down human thieves?”

“It’s not your sword skills I’m worried about. Only a fool would question that. It’s your manner. You’re a Solairain lord. You’ve been in court your entire life. This mission will require us to interact convincingly with less-fancy folk.”

Kieren was about to remind Griffith that they’d both grown up in the same household. But then it occurred to him that Griff’s upbringing as the son of a servant differed from the life Kieren had endured as Lord Riehl’s illegitimate son.

Perhaps his friend had a point. “It sounds like you’ve given this some thought,” Kieren acknowledged. “Let me guess—you’re going to give me some advice?”

Motioning for Kieren to follow, Griffith pulled his horse to the side of the path and dismounted. “Over the years, you’ve taught me proper court etiquette. Now it’s time for the student to become the teacher. And here’s your first lesson in passing yourself off as a commoner.”

Kieren watched in amazement as his friend picked up a palmful of dirt and rubbed it over his horse’s flank.

“Our animals appear too well fed and groomed. We’re supposed to be mercenaries.” Griffith pointed to Kieren’s stallion. “Their shiny coats scream of money and comfort.”

Kieren eyed Griffith’s handiwork with appreciation before following suit. They soon hid the bodies of both animals beneath a thick layer of dirt. Unless anyone looked closely, no one would believe them to be anything more than common beasts of burden.

Griff’s smile widened. “We’re off to a good start, but this is just the beginning. Here’s my second suggestion—let me do all the talking once we enter Rosetta. I’ll be the brains. I’ll advertise our abilities and negotiate rates.”

“And what will my role be?”

“You’re the brawn. You just sit there and look deadly. Otherwise, you’ll give us away with your speech and manner.”

Kieren’s lips twitched. “Agreed. I won’t speak a word until you tell me to.”

“Excellent.”

“Is there anything else we need to do?

Griffith eyed Kieren’s clothes. “Get changed.”

Kieren looked down and immediately understood. They were both wearing their old dragon-hunter attire. Everything about their outfits announced the crown’s authority.

“There’s just one problem, Griff. Unless you packed extra clothes, I’m not sure what we can do.”

Griffith mounted his horse. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve already reached out to my contacts. They’ll provide us with resources and connect us with the merchants.”

“In all these years, I never realized you were a keeper of so many secrets.” Kieren eyed his friend with new respect. “I feel as if I’m seeing you for the first time.”

“Who me? I’m still the same as I was before. Besides, who doesn’t have a few good secrets tucked away? Come on, strong, silent one. We’re almost there.”

The well-trodden dirt path soon led them to two wooden towers and a wall surrounding the outskirts of Rosetta. A long line of visitors waited to enter.

“Put on your cloak. Cover as much as you can,” Griffith murmured.

Kieren took his cloak from his satchel and did as told.

“Now, hunch over and keep your sword well hidden.” Griffith demonstrated.

The transformation was almost immediate. Where there had once been a proud warrior sitting atop a dirty steed, now there was an unmemorable traveler on a tired-looking workhorse.

Silently, they joined the queue. The hum of chattering and nervous animals filled the air as everyone patiently awaited their turn.

The loud wail of an infant rang out. Kieren’s eyes darted to the young couple riding in the wooden cart in front of them. Appearing unfazed, the woman leaned over and whispered something to the howling baby in her arms. The crying instantly stopped, replaced by a happy, giggling sound. The young man beamed lovingly at the pair.

Something tugged at the back of Kieren’s mind. He tried grabbing the phantom memory, but it disappeared through his fingers like moonbeams.

“State your business,” a portly man with beady eyes and an obscene amount of facial hair demanded. Beside him stood a handful of other guards, each one with a similar suspicious expression on his face.

“Travelers,” Griffith responded in a gruff voice.

Kieren stiffened as the weight of the guards’ gazes fell upon them. Several drawn-out moments passed before one of the men grunted, ushering them past the wooden fence and into Rosetta.

The atmosphere inside the walls was noticeably more welcoming. Kieren and Griffith now found themselves entering an outdoor market. Bright, colorful flags fluttered over wooden carts selling produce and various handmade wares. The smell of smoky meats and roasted nuts wafted through the air. Everywhere vendors called out over each other, beckoning patrons to check out their dazzling array of deals, while red-faced farmers tempted customers with deals on fresh produce. Every so often a pair of barefoot young women wearing simple cotton gowns walked by. Carrying small bunches of fresh flowers in woven sweetgrass baskets, the bells on their ankles jingling as they passed. Older men with leathery, tan skin and thatches of shockingly white hair pawned various shiny trinkets, cookware, and cutlery from smaller carts.

Although Rosetta was smaller than Cairn, Kieren still found himself energized by their bustling surroundings.

Griffith soon dismounted and Kieren did the same. Clutching his cloak, he followed Griffith while taking in every new sound, sight, and smell. And that’s how Kieren noticed the silent men standing just steps away from certain merchants. Dressed from head to toe in black, they watched the crowds, appearing to almost blend into the shadows.

Pushing through the sea of people, Griffith and Kieren made their way closer to the metal artisans’ section. All of a sudden, one of the vendors screamed out, “Thief, thief! Stop him!”

A dirty-faced boy ran by. Kieren reached out to grab him, but Griffith held his arm back. One of the shadowy warriors sprang to life and sprinted after the child. Cries rang out as the tower-of-a-man dressed in black tackled the young thief to the ground.

To Kieren’s surprise, the giant warrior let the boy go. Wasting no time, the child dashed back into the safety of the crowd. Kieren took this moment to take a good look at the warrior. If the man’s height alone wasn’t enough to make him stand out, the intricate swirl of black tattoos covering one side of his chestnut colored face was.

Without speaking, the man returned the stolen metal bowl to the merchant.

“Why did you let him go?” the peddler shrieked. “You should have brought the thief back to me. He ought to be punished. A hand for such a crime.”

Kieren frowned. A minor crime like that didn’t warrant such violent punishment, especially when the thief was a child.

The warrior stood taller. “If you want justice, inform the authorities.” He lowered his voice to add, “And when they’re here, I would be happy to tell them about your relationship with the captain of the guard’s daughter.”

“Y-you wouldn’t.” The vendor’s face paled and he shrank back. “Fine. I’ll let this one go, since you returned my bowl to me. But if anything else gets taken, your ugly hide is on the line. And you can bet I’ll dock your pay accordingly.”

The warrior grunted in understanding. Then the tree-of-a-man glanced in their direction and Kieren could have sworn that the man’s eyes narrowed when he saw Griffith. Placing two fingers in his mouth, he released a piercing whistle. Another, shorter figure dressed in black and bearing similar tattoos emerged from the shadows and took his place guarding the vendor.

The giant man made his way out of the marketplace. In silence, Kieren and Griffith trailed behind, passing the food and fabric sellers and into a shadowy alleyway. Although it was a tight fit, they convinced their horses to walk through the narrow, winding maze of passageways between buildings.

The noises of the market transactions faded and the stomach-curling odors of rotten food and human waste soon replaced the delicious aromas of roasted food. The warrior in front of them hopped over a large puddle of fetid water before turning to face them.

The man shot them a gold-toothed smile. “Hello there, Griff. It’s been too long, you dirty cheat.” He pulled Griffith into a tight embrace before eying Kieren. “Is this Silver Spoons?”

Kieren raised his eyebrows.

Griffith placed an arm around Kieren’s shoulder. “He suspects you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

“Because using your hands isn’t good enough.” The warrior chuckled again and pretended to curtsy. “I’m Asher, but friends call me Ash. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my good Lord Kieren.”

Kieren broke into a surprised smile. “Is it that obvious?”

The warrior nodded. “Griffith’s told me all about you. I know you’re a good fighter and dangerous with a sword.” He scrunched his face in disgust. “But you’re far too pretty. We’ll have to take care of that if you’re going to pass as one of the Hands.”

“The Hands?” Kieren asked.

“That’s what they call themselves,” Griffith explained.

“Those with deep pockets hire us to watch over them,” Ash added. “We do a bit of this and a bit of that. All in accordance with the law, of course.”

Right.

Ash pulled two strips of cloth from his bag. “Are you ready to meet the boss?”

Griff groaned. “Come on, really? Even me? How long have we known each other?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t trust you any more than I trust him.” The warrior motioned to Kieren. “And I just met him. Rules are rules. No one can know all our secrets unless they join the brotherhood. And I suspect neither of you is too keen in changing your line of work.”

Wordlessly, Kieren took the cloth and bound it over his eyes. Griffith followed suit, grumbling about trust and friendship the entire time. Feeling a brief movement of air in front of his face, Kieren imagined Asher waving his hands to ensure they really couldn’t see. Moments later, he heard a whistle, and a pair of rough hands pulled his arms behind his back.

“Hey, hey, easy with the arms,” Griff called out. “I know it’s not often that you see such fine specimens as mine. But still. No need to be so handsy.”

Their captors remained silent. Someone shoved Kieren forward, causing him to stumble. Taking the not-so-subtle hint, he began to walk.

Several dozen turns later, they finally stopped. Kieren unobtrusively rubbed his foot against the ground. It wasn’t dirt anymore; instead, they were standing on some sort of tile. Warmth radiated over his right side. Was that a fireplace? That had to mean they were in a room.

“You may remove your blindfolds now,” a deep voice commanded.

The hands holding his arms released, and Kieren pulled the cloth from his eyes.

Crammed into a tiny empty room, a dozen or so men and women dressed in black with various swirling facial tattoos stood watching them. An older man with salt-and-pepper hair and a face that was mostly nose sat before them. Intricate black tattoos covered the lower half of his olive skinned face.

“Was that enough of a journey to keep this location a secret?” Curiosity tinged the man’s deep voice. “Or is it true what they say about hunters? Were you trained to track even while blindfolded?”

Griffith took a step forward. “You do realize we couldn’t tell you even if we were? Rules are rules, you know.”

“Well, damn.” The older man barked out a laugh and slapped his knee. “I knew the rumors were true. Good thing we didn’t take you to our real meeting place. It would be like handing the keys to the queen herself. Hello, Griffith.” The man turned a sharp eye on Kieren. “Good to finally meet you, Lord Kieren.”

“Just call him Silver Spoons,” a familiar voice called out from behind them.

“Of course, you’ve already met Ash.” The older man smirked. “You may call me Chance. Imagine my surprise when Griffith contacted me about this unique opportunity to help our new queen. Let me see if I understand everything. You want to hire yourselves out as Hands to the traders who deliver items south?”

“Aye,” Griffith replied.

Chance rubbed his scruffy chin. “Feed the pigs and make the farmer happy,” he concluded. “It makes sense. The throne won’t be secure until Reina has the merchant lords’ support. But I’m not sure how I feel about the crown knowing our business.”

“The queen appreciates your willingness to work with us and your discretion.” Griffith tossed Chance a leather bag.

The man caught the bag and peered inside. “Looks like you caught me on a good day, lads. Alright. We can disguise you as Hands. But there’s just one potential bump in the road. The traders you’re thinking about hired us before, and I’m embarrassed to say that my people failed to capture the thieves. So we aren’t exactly on the best terms with them.”

“Tell them that you’ll do the job for free,” Griffith said. “And to make up for previous mistakes, you’ve chosen your best men for the job.”

Chance narrowed his eyes. “I’ve heard what you boys are capable of but pardon me if I don’t sign up right away. You hunt giant, lumbering beasts. Man is a different opponent. I won’t be putting our reputation out there just for it to be trampled on. Can you promise me you’ll be able to protect the goods?”

“Without a doubt.” Griffith gestured to Kieren. “This one here guarantees it.”

Chance appeared to give this some thought. “Alright,” he eventually answered. “But you won’t be going alone. I’m sending Ash to keep an eye on you two.”

“Why me?” Ash complained. “I hate babysitting.”

“Babysitting? Consider this a free educational experience,” Griffith shot back. “Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”

“From you and Silver over there?” Ash scoffed. “Doubt it. I’d learn more from my five-year-old nephew, I suspect.”

The other Hands laughed.

Chance groaned. “Come now, Ash. You can’t keep bringing your sister’s child into business conversations. We have a reputation to maintain here. Five-year-olds don’t exactly conjure images of fear and menace.”

“That’s because you haven’t met my nephew,” Asher retorted. “Kid’s a real monster. Stronger than a bear and more stubborn than a wild badger when he wants to be.”

Chance shook his head and chuckled.

“I’m glad we could all come to an agreement. But there’s still one final issue.” Griffith gestured toward his face. “How are we meant to blend in as Hands? I don’t have any wish to mark my face permanently.”

Chance shot Ash an amused look. “He thinks these are real.”

“Course he does. My Matilda does a good job with the paint,” Ash boasted.

“They’re not real?” Griffith sounded as surprised as Kieren felt.

“Course they aren’t.” Chance laughed. “What kind of ninny would walk around with a huge face tattoo? They’re just paint that Ash’s sister applies for us before jobs.” He nodded in Asher’s direction.

The hulking mercenary walked over. “Alright, boys.” He held out the two strips of cloth. “You heard what the man said. It’s babysitting time.”

7 LIA

“Is that all?” Lia paused to catch her breath after their fifth round of sprints. “I could have kept going,” she panted.

“Really?” Azriel raised an eyebrow. Lia tried to ignore how the morning sunlight highlighted the brighter shades of gold in his hair. “Well, we could always do a couple more laps around the training ring to accommodate your wishes.”

“Sorry!” she said, knowing she sounded anything but. “I’d love to keep torturing myself out here with you, but I can’t. I promised I’d help Ariadne. She and Lilith are swamped at the moment.”

“So I heard. More villagers are getting sick.”

Lia’s smile fell. “Yeah. I’m worried about Ari too.” She sank to the ground, exhausted. “She’s not looking too good. If she doesn’t slow down, she’ll get sick as well.”

“Ari?” He sat beside her. “You’ve given Ariadne a nickname?”

Lia took a sip of water, trying to ignore the sweat dripping down her back. “Yeah, I guess so. It’s not a big deal though. Lots of people have nicknames. Why?”

“Nothing.” But his tone suggested the opposite. “I just never imagined Ariadne would agree to it. She’s always been a bit guarded with newcomers.”

“What can I say? Maybe you’re not the only charmer around here.” She stuck out her tongue at him.

He inched closer. “So you find me charming?”

Lia rolled her eyes before sliding away. “Everyone finds you charming. And you know it. But this isn’t about you. I just want some time to help Ari out since we’re leaving tomorrow.” A nervous, fluttering sensation filled her stomach. “How long will the mission take, anyway?”

“One or two days.”

She waited for him to say something more. But he just sat there, peering into the surrounding grasslands. The lengthy silence between them unnerved her.

“Are you okay? Because you’re not doing, you know, your flirty Azriel thing.”

He flashed her a dazzling smile. “Oh, princess. I’m touched by your concern.”

“I’m just being a good friend, that’s all.”

She froze as he reached over and brushed a finger down her cheek.

“That’s very sweet,” he whispered. “But I’m fine.”

His hand dropped and his gaze grew dark and distant again. Lia couldn’t help but feel like he’d placed some sort of barrier between them. She absentmindedly played with her braid. “Maybe you can just remind me how everything is supposed to work. The pendants will keep us invisible while we’re outside the village. We ride west, and when we locate the caravan, we sneak in and steal the items before heading back?”

“More or less.”

“Great. That doesn’t sound too difficult.” It was just a simple case of breaking and entering. Easy peasy.

Lia’s stomach flip flopped nervously.

“Don’t get too cocky,” Azriel cautioned. “You never know what might unexpectedly pop up. I remember one night when we were doing a simple perimeter check. Everything seemed fine until we spotted a small group of strangers a little too close to the village.”

“What did you do?”

“We brought them in. One was a mage, the other a boy, and the third one ended up being a particularly difficult princess.”

“Seriously?” She shook her head. “Me? Difficult? Pot, meet kettle.”

He shot her a confused look. “I’m not sure why we’re talking about cooking vessels, but you are the definition of difficult. You’re lucky Minerva placed you under her protection. Otherwise, you would have met a very different end.”

“What do you mean?”

“We don’t usually allow trespassers to live.”

Oh. Lia swallowed hard. “Well, I’m here to stay, and you don’t scare me. I’m not the same girl who came here weeks ago.”

His gaze now held hers, all signs of mirth gone. “For all of our sakes, I hope so.”

FOR THE FIRST time in weeks, Ariadne wasn’t leaning over her pot of boiling liquid when Lia returned to their shared tent. Instead, the village healer sat in a chair, her back to the entrance of the tent. Lilith stood nearby. Her arm rested around her mother’s shoulders.

Every muscle in Lia’s body tensed. “Ari? Lilith?”

“You’re back!” The child ran to Lia, tears in her eyes. “You have to check on Mama. Something’s wrong with her. She looks sick.”

No. It couldn’t be. “Ari?” Lia placed a hand on the potion maker’s back.

The woman looked up. Her yellow eyes seemed watery and overly bright. Her normally mossy-green complexion was a pale green-gray.

Lia let out a small gasp. “What’s happened?”

The potion maker responded with a hacking, phlegm-filled cough. “I’m just tired. That’s all.”

“That’s not true,” Lilith piped up. “Mama felt dizzy and started coughing after you left. I told her to sit down and rest.” A tear slid down the child’s cheek. “I don’t know what to do. She never gets sick.”

“It’s alright, my sunshine,” Ari soothed. “I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go gather some more spirit berries?”

Lilith eyed Lia, her expression unsure.

“Go ahead,” Lia encouraged. “You’ve done a good job of caring for your mother. Let me take over now.”

The young girl hesitated before giving her mother a tight hug. “I’m going to get you a whole bunch of berries.” She grabbed a basket and ran from the tent.

Ari coughed again, this time sending a series of racking shudders through her body. The dark circles under the woman’s eyes seemed too pronounced, and her breathing noticeably labored.

Ari’s yellow eyes met Lia’s. “I didn’t want to say anything while Lilith was here, but I’ve caught the illness.”

No! Lia fought to keep her voice calm. “Why don’t we go lie down for a bit?”

She helped bear some of the woman’s weight as the two hobbled toward the bed together. Lia had just settled her friend into a comfortable resting position when Lilith returned. But this time, the young girl wasn’t alone. She was holding Eldric’s hand.

“Aria!” The warrior rushed to the bedside and kneeled. “Lilith told me everything. Why didn’t you fetch me? I would have helped.”

The potion maker avoided his gaze. “I didn’t want to worry you. You were so busy.”

Used to Ariadne bossing Azriel around, Lia was surprised to hear such softness in the woman’s voice.

Eldric’s expression grew stormy. “No. No more. I’ve given you the space you wanted. I thought that’s what you needed. But it’s been years. Please don’t shut me out anymore.” He took the potion maker’s hands in his. “Do you recall the words I said to you when we were children?”

Ariadne gazed up at the handsome warrior.

He smiled. “You are mine, and I will always be yours. Heart of my heart.”

How had Lia not suspected before? Eldric had often visited Ariadne with Azriel. But while the golden-haired warrior had constantly teased and poked fun at the mother-daughter duo, Eldric always stood there looking uncomfortable and out of place. Lia hadn’t even suspected that he and Ariadne were friends. But one look at their shared smile and Lia saw the truth. The two of them cared for each other.

A small part of Lia’s heart ached when she saw the way Eldric stared at Ari. Kieren had once looked at her like she was the most important thing in his world.

Ariadne turned to Lia. “Could you please do me a favor and deliver those two bottles on the table to Amma? She was doing worse the last time Lilith visited. Hopefully, this new batch of medicine will help.”

Lia forced a smile on her face. “Of course.”

“AMMA?” Lia lifted the tent flap. “It’s me, Lia. Can I come in?”

No response.

“Amma?” She called again, louder this time.

Someone inside coughed. “Come in, child,” a frail, scratchy voice responded.

Lia approached the figure hidden beneath a pile of blankets. “I brought your medicine. Where should I put it?”

“Thank you. You can put it here.” A thin hand emerged from the bedding and weakly gestured to a side table.

Lia could hardly recognize her friend. Amma’s complexion had grown noticeably paler, and she’d lost patches of hair. But that wasn’t the worst of it. Amma’s normally smiley, round cheeks had sunken in, making her gray eyes appear enormous.

“I look like a corpse, don’t I?” The woman feebly licked her chapped lips.

Lia’s smile faltered for a moment before she declared, “No! Of course not.”

Amma let out a hacking cough that rattled her skin-and-bones body. “I know you’re lying, but I appreciate you trying to lighten my spirits. Come, child. Help an old woman sit up.”

Lia carefully propped Amma into a seated position.

“Thank you. Medicine, please,” Amma rasped.

After removing the lid, Lia handed the woman a bottle. Amma barely managed to swallow its contents before letting out another series of foul coughs.

“Good to see that Ariadne took my advice. This one tastes slightly better than muddy bog water.” Amma’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

“How are you feeling today?”

“Better now that you’re here.” Amma patted Lia’s hand before closing her eyes. “Now that I’ve been forced to rest, I find my thoughts wandering in all sorts of ways. Come girl, humor this old woman. What do you think is the most important thing in life?”

“That’s an awfully big question. I wouldn’t even know how to begin answering that.”

Amma’s translucent eyelids fluttered, but her eyes remained closed. “Take your time, child. I’m not going anywhere.”

At first, Lia struggled to come up with an answer. But then she remembered the steadfast love of her parents, Gabby’s hugs, and Holly’s endless energy. She thought about Azriel’s flirty attempts at making her smile and Lilith’s inquisitive nature. And then Lia recalled that moment all those weeks ago, when she finally defeated Kieren’s curse and he told her he loved her.

Lia looked back on these things, and her heart felt both full and lonely at the same time. “I guess it’s relationships. At the end of the day, what matters most is how we love others and how we are loved.”

Amma opened her cloudy gray eyes and smiled. “And don’t you ever lose sight of that, even when times seem impossibly dark.” Another fit of coughing interrupted the woman’s words. This time, a small spray of blood stained one of her blankets.

Panicking, Lia grabbed a nearby towel and dabbed at the crimson spots. But they refused to come out.

“Leave it, child. I won’t be here much longer anyway.”

It felt as if the air had been sucked from Lia’s lungs. “No. Don’t say that.” She dabbed at the stains again and again while wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. “Azriel and I are leaving the village tomorrow to collect more ingredients. Minerva thinks they’ll help. So you have to keep fighting until we get back, ok?”

A wrinkled hand took hold of hers. “You’ve got a good heart, child. But you needn’t worry about me. I’ve already made my peace. Death is not my enemy. He’s my teacher and constant companion. I’ve lived my life in the light, and I’m not afraid to take this final journey.”

Cheeks wet with tears, Lia leaned over and gave the woman a hug. “You’ll get better soon. I know you will.”

Amma let go and broke out into another series of hacking coughs. She gave Lia a small, tired smile. “I hate to cut our visit short, but I’m afraid I must rest.”

“Of course.” Lia stood and searched for a clean blanket. When she finally found one, she saw that the village elder had already fallen asleep. Lia quietly replaced the stained blanket with the clean one. “Rest, well. I’ll come visit you when we get back,” she murmured.

The only response was the steady rise and fall of Amma’s chest.

Determination settled deep within Lia’s bones. Whatever doubts she’d held about their mission before vanished. No matter what, she was getting those ingredients. Nothing would stand in her way. There was simply too much at stake.

8 LIA

Lia awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. A stack of well-worn leather books and a lone sword rested atop a nearby table. With its dark wooden furniture and deep plum-colored draperies, the place exuded a decidedly masculine feel.

She sat up, letting the silky purple sheets fall to her waist.

How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Ariadne’s tent, beside Lilith’s small, snoring form.

This place couldn’t be real. She had to be dreaming.

Lia stood and crossed the cold stone floor to the pair of wooden chairs sitting in front of a giant fireplace. Breathing in the pleasant smoky aroma, she took a seat and wrapped a cozy woolen blanket around her shoulders. Staring at the dancing flames, a sense of peace filled her weary bones.

The creaking sound of a door opening caught her attention. Lia reached for the sword at her hip but panicked when she found only flimsy cotton instead. Why was she wearing a barely there nightgown?

“Show me your face, intruder,” a male voice commanded.

Lia slowly stood and turned around.

A pair of familiar silver eyes, framed by long black eyelashes, curiously took her in.

“K-Kieren?”

He was still as handsome as ever, but there were more angles and edges to his face than she remembered.

Kieren tilted his head as if studying her, a curious expression in his eyes. “How did you get into my room?”

Unable to bear looking at him, Lia turned away. A part of her was ecstatic to have him near. But being this close threatened to shatter her newly pieced-together heart. Desperate to wake up, she squeezed her eyes shut and pinched her arm. Hard. She peeked one eye open. He still stood there, watching her.

So much for that theory.

Kieren crossed his arms. A small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth, causing her insides to curl.

No. No. No. What was she doing? She ought to wake up and get out of here. They couldn’t be in the same room. The curse. The spell. She had to--

Wait, the more rational part of her brain argued. Wasn’t this just a dream? This Kieren wasn’t real. None of it could possibly be real. Lia was in the Verduran village. And the real Kieren was back in Cairn. Safe. The boy standing before her was nothing more than a figment of her imagination.

“Who are you?” dream Kieren asked. His gaze burned through her, fraying and snapping the thin bindings holding her heart together. Of course he wouldn’t remember her. Even in her dreams, Lia couldn’t escape what she’d done. A familiar hungry ache settled in her heart.

No longer able to hold herself back, she dropped her blanket and ran over to him. Wrapping her arms around his chest, Lia rested her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his smoky scent. The comforting warmth of his body and the strength of his embrace were everything she needed right then.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to do it. But I hope that one day you’ll understand and forgive me.”

Kieren’s arms tightened around her waist before he gently pushed her away.

Lia became acutely aware of the empty air between them.

“It’s alright, miss. You don’t have to apologize for being here. I’d just like to know how you got in. The door was locked. I won’t report you.” There was a faint smile on his lips. “Unless you happen to be a criminal of some sort.”

Lia found herself mirroring his smile. “You know what? I don’t care if this is just a dream. I’m still so happy to see you.”

An image of him transforming into a dragon flashed through her mind, causing her to flinch.

Kieren took a step forward. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m fine.” Placing a hand on his cheek, she stared up at him, trying to memorize all the details of his face. “I wish we could have had more time together. I miss you.”

“More time? We’re here now. You don’t have to leave.” His voice was lethally soft and he looked down at her lips.

Before the rational part of Lia’s brain could talk her out of it, she leaned in. Their lips met and Kieren wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Now the warmth of his touch filled her everywhere as their bodies aligned, soft against hard. The kiss deepened and she clung to him, desperate for more.

And that’s when Lia felt it—like an invisible string tugging at her heart. A delicious sense of love and belonging enveloped her. Every cell of her being came alive. Every beat of her heart was in sync with his. She was completely his and he was hers.

Then, just as abruptly as the connection had begun, it severed apart. Lia’s body cried out, her skin suddenly cold where his touch had been. But Kieren and the surrounding bedroom were gone. She found herself all alone, surrounded only by a cloud of swirling shadows.

A bald, shirtless man stepped out of the darkness, his skin so pale he almost appeared to be glowing.

Lia pulled back. “Who are you?”

The man’s icy blue eyes flashed a vibrant red and invisible blades jabbed at her insides. She fell to the floor, curling her arms over her stomach to ease the pain that threatened to rip her apart. Shifting streaks of blue light now covered the stranger’s bare chest and arms.

“I’ve found you.” He reached down and touched her forehead, causing a bright, painful light to explode in the darkness.

She awoke to find herself back in Ariadne’s tent. Beside her, Lilith still snored. What had just happened? And who was that man?

9 KIEREN

Kieren sat up with a jolt as the wooden wagon lurched around him. His fingers brushed against his lips as he struggled to recall the fading details of the dream.

There had been an intruder in his bedroom—a beautiful girl with soft blue eyes and a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. He smiled, remembering her silhouette against the flames and the feel of his arms around her waist. She’d tasted like sunshine and felt like home.

Strangely enough, the girl seemed under the impression that they knew each other. And a part of Kieren wanted so desperately to believe her. But now that he was awake, he had to face the truth. It had all been a dream. The mysterious girl had just been some wonderful creation of his imagination.

“Go back to sleep,” a nearby voice mumbled. “It’s Ash’s turn to guard the items.”

Kieren peered jealously over at Griffith’s still-resting form. He wished he could, but his mind was too active.

Outside, Oberon and Kandra paled in the brightening sky. For the past handful of hours, they’d traveled in the back of the wagon, hidden amongst the goods being transported from Rosetta. If not for the lone window and door, the ride would have been unbearably stuffy. Slips of cloth loosely covered both openings, allowing a cool breeze to drift inside.

Initially, the traders had wanted Griffith, Ash, and Kieren to travel up front, taking their place beside the drivers. The men claimed that visible bodyguards would help deter any thieves. Ash and Griffith disagreed. The logic hadn’t worked last time. Instead, his friends convinced the traders that an element of surprise was needed to get the upper hand on their mysterious thieves.

“Bad dream?” Ash asked from across the wagon.

Kieren peered over at the mercenary.

“I heard you moaning,” Ash explained.

A loud snore came from Griffith’s direction.

Asher threw a balled-up leather glove at him. “Aw get up, you sod. We all know you’re faking.”

With one, deft movement, Griffith caught the glove. He peered out from underneath the cloak that he used as a blanket. “A glove? I’m honored. Such chivalry is rare these days.” He sat up and yawned dramatically before throwing the glove back at Ash. “Course I was awake. How could anyone sleep with you two chatting away?” Griffith’s eyes fell on Kieren, and he shook his head. “I still don’t know how you convinced Matilda to paint your tattoos like that. Mine are all over my face. I look terrifying. But you look like you’re wearing some sort of fancy eye mask.”

Kieren smiled and shrugged.

“Matilda’s always had a soft spot for pretty boys.” Asher grinned. “Said she wanted Silver Spoons to look like a masked prince.”

“And what about me?” Griffith gestured toward his face. “I’m just as beautiful, but I’m the only one with a full-face tattoo. What does that say about me?”

“You talk too much.”

Griffith glared at Asher and muttered something under his breath about good conversation skills not being appreciated these days.

Daylight now rapidly approached, lighting up the sky with shades of pink, orange, and yellow. Kieren eyed the surrounding fields of sprawling wild grass, wishing he was out there instead of cramped inside.

Ash crossed the wagon and folded his massive body into the small space beside Kieren. “We’ll pass the Culver Mountains soon. From there, it’ll be about two hours till we reach the capital.”

“Good,” Griff muttered. “Morning’s my least favorite time of the day. Just wake me up when it’s my turn on guard duty.” With a sigh, he lay back down and pulled his cloak over his face.

Kieren tugged the material down and shook his head.

“How is it that you’re still able to communicate even when you’re silent?” Griffith’s violet eyes narrowed. “Fine. I’m up. But honestly, I don’t think we’ll catch anyone. I mean, look around.” He gestured at the piles of boxes surrounding them. “We’re three highly armed men sitting in a wagon filled with goods. Who could possibly get by?”

As if on cue, the wagon lurched to a halt. Someone pounded on the wall. Seconds later, one of the traders appeared at the window. “Boss says to keep your eyes open. If anything goes missing, it’ll be the Hands who reimburse the lords, since Chance forced your ugly tattooed hides on us.” The man disappeared, and the wagon jolted forward again.

“I guess that means I’m awake now too.” Griffith yawned. “But I stand by my previous statement. Mark my words. Nothing is getting stolen today.”

10 LIA

“Tell me again why we’re wearing these outfits?” Lia tugged the loose brown fabric that covered her body and then adjusted the thin material covering her mouth. “Don’t the pendants prevent anyone from seeing us?”

Azriel’s eyes squinted into a smile. Or maybe it was a grimace. It was hard to interpret his emotions when the lower half of his face was covered too.

He handed her a sword. “The pendants are typically sufficient. But we still ought to ensure that our identities remain hidden at all times. The masks guarantee that. No one can learn who we are.”

Lia sheathed the sword and adjusted her outfit again. Nope. It still didn’t fit. Jealous, she peered over at Azriel. Somehow, the Verduran still managed to look like a dangerous warrior while she looked like a kid wearing her older brother’s ill-fitting ninja costume. Lia flapped her arm, watching the excess material billow.

Azriel handed her a clear crystal dangling from a thin leather cord. “Eldric wasn’t able to spell another batch of pendants in time, so these will have to do. They’ve already been used once but should still be fine for this trip.”

Lia placed the glowing stone over her head and watched Azriel do the same.

Nothing happened. They were both still clearly visible.

She stared down at her hands. “How do we know if they’re working?”

“We won’t. Not until we see the Solairans.”

That was the check? Lia fingered the glowing crystal, trying to ignore her uneasy stomach.

“Why don’t you tell me the plan again?” Azriel said. “It’ll help settle your nerves.”

She let go of the crystal necklace. “The caravan will consist of three wagons. Each will have three traders guarding the items inside. Two sitting in front and one sitting in back. After they pass the Culver Mountains, we wait for the traders to take a break near the river. Then we slip into the third car. That’s where we’ll find the cassava and ginger root powder.”

“And how will we know which box to look for?” Azriel prompted.

“It’s a small wooden box marked with a red R. We grab the box, and then we get out.”

“And if they catch one of us?”

He wanted her to recite the contingency plan. The one Lia didn’t like but had memorized anyway, hoping they would never have to actually follow it. “The other fights and attempts a rescue, but only if there’s a certainty of winning and keeping our identities hidden. Otherwise, the other takes the box and leaves. It’s more important that the villagers are healed.”

“Because the lives of many are worth more than the life of one,” he concluded.

Lia swallowed. “Yeah. Right.”

His eyes narrowed. “Lia, promise me you’ll follow the plan. There’s too much at stake.”

“Of course. I know what I need to do.” She just hoped that it would never come to that.

“Good.” He mounted his horse.

Lia walked over to the giant stallion that she was expected to ride. “Hello there, Sutara.” She carefully stroked the horse’s neck. “Remember me? I’m Eldric’s friend. I gave you those delicious carrots a couple of days ago.”

Intelligent black eyes met hers.

Interpreting this as a good sign, she continued. “Today, we’re going for another ride. Be a good boy and let me ride you, okay?” She patted the horse’s neck again before awkwardly mounting.

“Once you’re done cooing sweet words into the animal’s ear, I suggest we head out.”

Lia didn’t answer, thankful that the mask hid her embarrassment from the seasoned warrior.

AFTER RIDING FOR A FEW HOURS, they finally spotted the caravan.

Azriel halted his horse and studied the wagons. “The last time, they hired mercenaries. They were ugly brutes with tattooed faces. But today it appears to only be traders. Either they’ve given up on the idea of guarding the goods, or they have something else up their sleeves.” He turned to Lia. “Either way, we have to remain alert. And don’t forget—we stick to the plan. No matter what.”

Right. The plan. Lia nervously adjusted her hood and mask. “I can do this,” she whispered to herself. “I am a ninja. I am a ninja.”

“Pardon?”

Oh shoot. She’d said that louder than she’d intended. “It’s nothing. Just chanting a mantra to get me in the zone for stealing.”

Azriel raised his brows. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Not trusting herself to speak, Lia nodded.

“Then let’s go.” Without a glance back, he urged his horse forward. Nervously, Lia followed.

All too soon, they caught up to the three closed-top wagons. Now in plain sight of the traders, their outfits practically screamed ‘unfriendly thieves up to no good.’ Or, in Lia’s case, ‘strange boy dressed in masked pajamas.’

Please let the pendants work. Please let the pendants work.

Thankfully, none of the traders appeared to notice them.

“They can’t see us!” she exclaimed.

“Did you doubt Ariadne’s skills?”

She ignored Azriel’s jab and studied the men on top of the wagons. One trader appeared to be around her age, but the majority of them looked middle-aged. Their tan faces appeared rough and weathered, as if they were used to being outdoors in all elements. Most had colorful turbans wrapped around their heads, and dangling off each man’s waist was a particularly large scabbard.

Seeking reassurance, Lia touched the lightweight Verduran blade on her back. This was it. Everything was going according to plan. The pendants worked. No one would see them stealing the items. These men were nothing more than obstacles standing in their way.

The knowledge settled like rocks in the pit of her stomach.

11 KIEREN

Kieren counted the boxes in the wagon. Twenty-six. Just like the last time he’d counted. And the two times before that. Although nothing had happened so far, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that they were missing something. How did the thieves get their hands on the items without anyone noticing?

Across the wagon, Asher sat staring at the floor. Despite the man’s impressive height, he didn’t seem all that bothered by their cramped surroundings. Griffith, on the other hand, was a different story. Twitching and tapping, it seemed like one part of Griff’s body had to be moving at all times.

“This is turning out to be one of our most boring missions ever.” Griffith tapped his fingers against his knee. “No offense, Ash.”

The Hand smiled. “Sorry this isn’t up to your usual levels of danger. Remind me again, where did you typically hide when hunting for dragons? Piles of mud? Scratchy bushes? Itchy grass?” The man shrugged. “Me? I’m grateful. Don’t mind the wagon one bit. A chance to see the world? Moments of peace and quiet without having to listen to my mother go on about finding a good girl to marry? Doesn’t seem too bad at all.”

Griffith huffed. “Okay. How about you rest now? Remember, you’re the brawn. And I’ll keep thinking, since I’m the brains of this operation.”

Asher shook his head. “Remind me again why we’re friends?”

Griffith continued, completely ignoring the warrior’s question. “If I were the thief, when would I go after the goods? Beginning? Middle? Or end of the trip?”

“I know when I’d do it,” Ash offered, his eyes now closed. “I’d wait till the traders stopped for a break. Fewer eyes paying attention to the goods. Plus, it’s easier to hit a stationary target than a moving one. But that’s just off the top of my muscle-filled head.”

Without warning, their ride jerked to a stop. Kieren sat up. Both Griffith and Ash became alert as well, all pretense of relaxation gone.

“Fifteen-minute break,” one of the men announced outside. “Tamar, you guard the wagons.”

That was an interesting choice. A round and friendly-looking man, Tamar was always joking and smiling; he certainly wouldn’t act as much of a deterrent for any would-be thieves. Unless talking someone’s ear off was considered a deadly skill.

“Tamar? They chose Tamar? They’re practically begging to be robbed.” Griffith glanced over at Asher. “Are you ready to test your little theory?”

“I don’t just have big muscles, you know.”

The piece of cloth covering the doorway lifted and Asher’s eyes whipped open.

“Did you hear the boss? Break time.” Tamar grinned, revealing several gold teeth. “You’re free to take a walk and stretch your legs. Just make sure you get back before we head off again. We don’t want to forget anyone on this trip. Not like last time, when we—”

Asher let out a growl and Tamar’s smile fell.

“My apologies,” Griffith said. “What my good friend here meant to say is that we heard the announcement. We’re fine. Thank you for your concern.”

The trader nodded before dashing off, leaving the cloth curtain to flutter in the breeze. Snippets of outside conversation drifted inside.

Ash cleared his throat. “Might not be the best timing, but I’ve got to take care of some personal business.” He flicked a glance at the open entrance.

Griffith let out a soft chuckle. “You might look like a monster, but inside, you’re just a man like the rest of us.”

Beneath the painted tattoo swirls, the giant man’s face redenned. With a grunt, he turned and climbed out.

Griffith shot Kieren an admiring look. “I’m proud of you. I didn’t think you could actually do it. You know, play the strong and silent type.”

Kieren was mid-smile when a slight movement outside the window caught his attention. He shifted his body to get a better view, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Empty grassland sprawled out all the way to the horizon. Just as he was about to turn away, something blurred on the right of his field of vision. Kieren narrowed his eyes.

Two blurry, translucent figures approached their wagon. One was noticeably larger—male, by the looks of it. The other was also tall but had a feminine way of moving. Kieren shifted his foot, trying to get Griffith’s attention. But his friend continued staring at the open doorway.

Kieren watched the silhouettes until they disappeared in front of the wagon. That was it! He had solved the mystery. No one realized the traders were being robbed because no one saw anything happening. The thieves were invisible.

His initial excitement over uncovering the truth quickly died down as reality set in. How was this even possible? Magic? Here? Solair had banished the practice decades ago. Kieren couldn’t help but think back to his previous conversation with Griffith. What if his friend’s hunch was right? What if magic still existed?

Before he could wrap his mind around that thought, the two indistinct forms appeared at the wagon’s doorway. Griffith stared straight through them, not realizing what was about to happen. The cloth curtain slid to the side as the larger figure slipped inside. The slender one paused for a lengthy moment before following.

Kieren’s heart raced as he watched them out of the corner of his eye. Every so often, they’d stop in front of one box before moving on to another. What were they searching for?

Kieren knew he should keep an eye on the larger thief. Moving with purpose and confidence, he was obviously the leader. But for some reason, Kieren’s attention kept drifting to the second thief. Watching her move, he recalled Joshe’s prediction.

The lady thief means well.

His chest tightened in anticipation. What did it all mean?

12 LIA

All the ninja chanting in the world couldn’t have prepared Lia for what they found inside the wagon.

Everything had seemed to be going according to plan. They’d waited until the caravan stopped for a break. After selecting one man to watch the three wagons, the rest of the traders stretched and chatted outside. Although the designated guard gave the wagons an occasional cursory glance, it was obvious he was more interested in smoking and talking than safeguarding the items. But Lia didn’t mind at all. That just made their task easier.

After tying up the horses, Lia and Azriel approached the caravan. Her confidence grew with each step forward. It was going to soon be over. The task appeared to be relatively straightforward. Get in. Grab the box. Avoid the smiley guard. Get out. No one was going to get hurt. And the villagers would get the ingredients they so desperately needed.

Unfortunately, her hopes shattered into a thousand pieces when they reached the back of the third wagon.

Griffith caught her attention first. With his boyish face covered in a pattern of black swirls, he was almost unrecognizable. Once she’d reassured herself that he couldn’t see them, Lia turned and found herself staring at another familiar face. One she could never forget.

Kieren sat next to the window. The intricate tattoos inked around his eyes made it appear as if he were wearing a black mask. He briefly looked in her direction before turning back to the window.

She stood there, frozen by the wagon’s entrance. Seeing him this close broke her heart all over again. “It’s Kieren and Griffith,” she hissed.

Azriel turned to her, seeming unfazed by the unexpected presence of the two hunters. “We knew that the king had plans to guard the goods. Seems like the dragon hunter has found a new line of work.” His expression hardened when he gazed at Kieren. “Don’t lose your focus, Lia. This changes nothing. The pendants clearly work because neither one can see us. Once we find the box, it will disappear, and we’ll slip out with no one being any the wiser.” Azriel strode past Griffith.

Right. Get in. Stick to the plan. Get out.

Except, the plan hadn’t included this. The spell she’d put on Kieren would only work as long as they remained separate. Being in the same wagon felt far too close for comfort.

Her breathing grew shallow and Lia fought to hold her fear in check. Kieren needed her to stay away. But the villagers—Amma, Ariadne, and all the others—were relying on them. She just had to make it through the next couple of minutes and then everything would be ok. They would have the herbs. And Lia would never see Kieren again.

Avoiding looking in Kieren’s direction, she followed Azriel in. Neither Kieren nor Griffith seemed to notice.

For a couple of minutes, they worked in silence, Azriel searching the boxes near Griffith while she examined the boxes near Kieren.

With a sigh, Kieren stretched his arms.

Lia quickly stepped aside to avoid his fingers brushing against her leg.

“Careful,” Azriel warned. “The pendants prevent them from seeing and hearing us, but they won’t prevent him from touching you.”

Trembling, Lia nodded. Right. She tried checking more boxes, but found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. The wagon felt too small. Everything about her outfit suddenly seemed too warm and constraining. She was tempted to rip off her mask so she could breathe easier, but she didn’t. Although neither guard could see them, Lia couldn’t bear to look at Kieren without the mask’s protection.

“Found it.” Azriel held up a small box, his expression triumphant.

Kieren shifted slightly.

Lia froze. That couldn’t have been a coincidence. “I think Kieren knows we’re here,” she whispered.

“That’s not possible.” Azriel placed the box in his bag. “Only people with magical abilities can see past the pendants’ glamour. And the boy has no powers. Let’s go.” He winked. “If we hurry back, we can celebrate with the others tonight.”

Lia tried to ignore the nagging feeling that something about their situation felt off. Azriel was probably right. Kieren hadn’t been able to see the Watchmen before.

But what if that wasn’t the case any longer? What if something inside him had changed when he underwent the transformation?

“Although, wouldn’t it have been interesting if he could see us?” Azriel arched a brow. “I doubt the young man would recognize the warrior now standing before him.” He slipped through the wagon’s entrance.

Lia gave Kieren one last glance before making her way to the exit. But as she passed him, an arm hooked around her waist and a pair of bright silver eyes stared into hers.

“Azriel, run!” she screamed.

13 KIEREN

Her.

Kieren was definitely holding a female.

The thief elbowed him in the chest. Her partner climbed back into the wagon and pulled her away.

“Get up, Griff!” Kieren yelled, all pretense abandoned. “They’re here and they’re about to get away.”

Griffith jumped to his feet and whipped out his blades. “What are you talking about? I don’t see anyone.”

Kieren scrambled over the boxes that the fleeing thieves had knocked over.

“Okay. Randomly falling boxes. I see what you’re saying.” Griffith leaped out of the wagon behind Kieren.

The thieves raced away.

Kieren hurried to follow. “There are two of them,” he called back to Griffith. “A female and a male. The male’s carrying a stolen box.”

“Right. And how do you think they plan on escaping?”

Kieren could make out two shadowy horses in the distance. “Over there.” He pointed. “We have to stop them before they reach their horses. Otherwise, they’ll be impossible to catch.”

Something whizzed toward them.

“Move to the left!” Kieren shouted.

Griffith responded a moment too late, and something nicked his arm. He grabbed his sleeve. “What was that? It flew out of nowhere.”

“A blade, I think.” It made sense that their invisible adversaries would have invisible weapons.

“You left without me.” Ash raced past Griffith and gave him a small smirk. “Looks like you still need to work on your speed.”

“Not the right time,” Griffith panted as he struggled to keep up.

Asher didn’t respond. Instead, he took his bow and arrow and aimed in the thieves’ direction.

Interesting. So, Ash could see them too?

The larger figure easily dodged the arrow.

Kieren grew uneasy as the distance between them steadily grew. The invisible outlaws were faster than he expected. If this kept up, they were never going to stop the bandits in time. “Shoot the horses,” Kieren commanded.

Asher stopped running and fired off several more arrows, all of which struck their targets. “Pity about the animals. But three against two? It hardly seems fair.”

“The three of us against two invisible criminals? Seems equally matched to me.” Gasping for air, Griffith finally caught up. “By the way, I still have no idea what you two are looking at. This had better not be some grand plan just to get me running.”

“I’ll bet it’s the necklaces,” Asher yelled back. “Their glow practically screams magic.”

A memory fluttered in Kieren’s mind like a moth trapped in a jar. “So, if we take off their necklaces, we should be able to see them?”

“Makes sense,” Asher said.

Good. Feeling the blood roar in his veins, Kieren pushed himself to run faster. He was ready to fight.

14 LIA

“Get to the horses,” Azriel called out.

Lia couldn’t respond. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and her legs kept screaming for her to stop. But she pushed herself to keep going, trying to forget how close that last arrow had come to almost hitting her.

“Keep to the plan!” Azriel shouted.

Really? He was still harping about that? She had already tossed their plan out the window. Neither of them had anticipated this. They’d never imagined that anyone would see past the pendants’ glamour.

Or that they’d shoot their horses.

“Promise me you won’t hurt them,” she blurted out when they finally reached the horses.

Azriel took one look at the injured animals and let out an angry snarl. “Why? Because of your feelings for that boy? I don’t think you understand the severity of our situation. They just shot our only means of escape.”

“Kieren’s my friend.” Lia eyed the approaching men nervously. “And the shorter one is Griffith. He’s another friend. Please, promise me you won’t hurt them.”

“So only the giant man is free game? Sorry, princess. But this isn’t a training exercise. They don’t know who you are, and they won’t hesitate to stop us. Fighting is my only option. Here.” He tossed her the small wooden box. “Take this and ride back.”

Lia stared at him, surprised. “I’m not going to leave you here to fight alone. That would be suicide. There must be another way.”

“Stick to the plan.” He nocked another arrow and released it. Lia sighed in relief when Kieren knocked Griffith out of the arrow’s path.

“Go,” Azriel insisted. “Leave me. The horses won’t be able to carry me in their injured state. But they might be able to carry you. Take our people the ingredients they need. I’ll hold them off.”

“No. I’m not leaving you.”

Azriel’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t think I can handle three Solairans?”

“Of course not.” It wasn’t that Lia doubted his abilities; she just didn’t want to see any of her friends get hurt. Azriel’s plans didn’t work for her. Not anymore. There had to be another solution.

An idea loosely formed in her mind and she slipped the wooden box into the leather satchel on Sutara’s saddle.

“Go. Take care of each other. Find your way back,” she commanded. Both horses whinnied as if they understood and then galloped off toward the Verduran village.

“What are you doing?” Azriel stared at her in obvious disbelief.

Lia’s heart fell as she watched their only means of escape depart. Not that she regretted what she’d done. When the horses delivered the ingredients, hopefully, Minerva would realize what the return of riderless animals meant: Lia and Azriel had run into trouble. The village needed to move to stay hidden.

Azriel scowled. “Why didn’t you follow the plan?”

“I guess I’m not that good a student.” She shrugged.

Azriel pursed his lips. “You sure aren’t. That was a stupidly brave thing to do.”

“No word of thanks?” She purposely kept her tone light. “What’s happened to your characteristic charm?”

He unsheathed his sword. “Today, we fight as brothers-in-arms. I will show you the same respect I show to all my brethren.” He stared at her for a moment before winking. “How’s that for charming, princess?”

Tossing back her head, Lia laughed.

“My apologies,” he said, sounding anything but. “Old habits die hard.”

Lia followed his lead and unsheathed her sword too. By now Kieren, Griffith, and the mysterious third man were almost upon them. With the box safely on its way to Verdura, her mind worked on trying to prevent the carnage about to unfold.

The hulking man reached them first. Without waiting for the other two, he swung an enormous blade in Azriel’s direction. There was no style or grace to the warrior’s movements. Wielding the sword more like an ax, the giant hacked at the air. Azriel easily leaped out of the way.

Kieren arrived and joined the fight; his silver eyes ablaze with the hunt. Startled, Lia ducked aside just in time.

“Get your head in the fight,” Azriel yelled as he fought the giant man and Griffith. “Or do I have to kiss you again?”

Seriously? That was his idea of motivational words? Lia gripped her sword’s handle tighter and circled her opponent.

Kieren regarded her, his expression deadly. Even though she hated what they were about to do, she couldn’t help but let her gaze fall appreciatively in his direction.

“Under orders of the queen, we order you to give yourselves up. Put down your weapon,” Kieren commanded.

Lia gripped her sword tighter.

“Then you leave me no choice,” he growled.

Gritting her teeth, Lia blocked his swinging blade. Her entire body shuddered from the effort. Worry gnawed at her insides. What was she doing? How could she fight him?

When he lunged again, Lia tried angling her sword to defend herself, but this time, she wasn’t quick enough. She screamed as his blade sliced down the length of her arm.

“Give up,” Kieren called out. “Turn yourselves in, and your lives may be spared.”

Lia gripped her arm, trying to ignore the blood—her blood—that now stained her fingers.

A small ray of light appeared in the center of Kieren’s chest, catching her attention and distracting her from the pain.

No. She staggered backward, trying to put more space between them. It couldn’t be. The last time she had seen that light was when he’d carried the curse.

Kieren slowly lowered his sword. “I speak the truth, thief.” He kept his voice quiet, almost as if he were calming a wild animal. “You can take me at my word. Come with us, and we will let you and your friend live.”

“No!” Azriel cried. “I hope you’re not seriously considering his offer. Don’t give up. Fight.”

Lia heard a loud grunt. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Griffith hunched over, a red stain blossoming through his shirt.

“Griffith!” Kieren yelled.

Lia’s heart broke seeing Kieren’s shocked face. She gripped her injured arm even tighter. This was it. This was her nightmare come to life. Azriel had hurt her friend. She had to do something. She only hoped she had the strength needed to make it all right.

“I’m sorry,” Lia whispered.

Sword in hand, she turned her back on Kieren and ran. Bursts of pain left her wincing with each step. But her heart pushed her to keep going. She ran past Azriel and his giant opponent and straight to the injured violet-eyed Solairan crouched on the ground, who Lia hoped still considered her a friend.

The solution was clear. She knew how to keep everyone safe.

Lia grabbed Griffith by the neck and roughly pulled him up. She held her sword across his neck.

“No!” Kieren cried out, fear and anger etched in his features.

Griffith struggled against Lia’s grip. But her blade didn’t budge.

“You fight well for a girl,” Griffith grunted.

Lia hesitated for a moment before pulling off her pendant. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she spoke into his ear. “Girls can do anything boys can.”

He stilled. “Lia? Is that you?”

The surprise in Griffith’s voice gave her hope. “Listen up, Griff. I need your help. I’m in a terrible situation.”

“I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes right now. You only have a couple of seconds before Kieren comes after you.”

Lia flicked a glance in Kieren’s direction. He’d moved closer, but there was no sign of the light anymore. She breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this horrible situation could still be salvaged.

“I’m going to ask that you to trust me,” she began. “My friend and I stole a box for some people. They’re sick, and the box contains items that will make them better.”

“What was inside?”

Lia paused and considered lying. But she quickly changed her mind. The only way out was to tell him the truth. “Verduran herbs.”

Griffith whistled. “Moons, Lia. For a country girl from Rosetta you seem to always be in the midst of everything. Or is that even where you’re really from? Because I had some friends dig around for you and they couldn’t find anyone knowing you or Sage.” His voice held an uncharacteristic edge.

“I’m sorry, Griff. I did what I had to do to keep Kieren safe.”

“I don’t understand. Why are you even fighting us? Why don’t you just use your magic to blast your way out of here?”

“Put down your sword,” Kieren commanded. “Let Griffith go. You’re making a huge mistake.”

Lia tugged Griffith closer. “Back off,” she yelled at Kieren. “Or I swear I’ll do something we’ll all regret.”

Kieren scowled, but he kept his eyes on her.

“Your hand is shaking,” Griffith whispered. “I could easily break free of your grip. But I’m going to give you the opportunity to win back my trust. Why don’t we just cut through the lies? What do you want from me?”

“My magic’s not working,” she responded. “It stopped after that day. And that’s the truth. Please, Griff. I’ll tell you everything later. I just need you to let us go.”

Kieren took a step forward.

“Give us a moment, Kieren,” Griffith hollered. “She’s giving me the terms of my release.”

“She’s in no position to negotiate,” Kieren snapped.

“Tighten your grip on me,” Griffith whispered.

Lia tugged him closer and tried not to wince at the pain in her arm.

“Kieren, you have to trust me. I can handle this,” Griffith called out.

Although Kieren looked unhappy, he said nothing more.

“Thank you.” Lia winced. The pain in her arm made holding her sword almost unbearable. Griffith was right. She couldn’t keep this up for much longer.

“I won’t let you go,” Griffith murmured. “The queen has to hold someone accountable for the thefts.”

“Please, Griff.” Lia’s injured arm trembled. “Help me out. You know me.”

“Do I? What exactly happened between you and Kieren in the jail cell? You left without telling anyone. And when Kieren finally woke up, he’d lost a chunk of his memories. What did you do to my best friend? Why should I trust you?”

“I did everything for him.” She felt light-headed from the pain, but she forced herself to keep going. “I needed him to stay away from me. If we get too close, he’ll only get hurt. I had to make him forget. It was the only way.”

When Griffith failed to respond, worry upon unspoken worry piled up in her heart. Lia felt hope slipping through her fingers.

This was it. They weren’t going to make it.

Finally, he spoke. “Here’s what I can offer. You return to the castle with us.”

“I can’t.” Lia’s heart fell at the thought of going back. So many horrible memories happened there and she’d be too near to Kieren. Unshed tears prickled at the back of her throat.

“It’s the only way. You’ll tell us everything about the thefts,” Griffith continued. “I promise that Reina will deal with you fairly. Take my offer. It’s the best option that you have.”

Lia glanced at Kieren’s angry face and her grip on Griffith loosened. “Fine,” she conceded, scrambling to make it work. “But I have two conditions of my own. You can’t call me Lia. Call me…” She pulled out the first name that came to mind. “Adalia. Everyone must use that name from now on.”

“Alright. What’s the other condition?”

Lia licked her lips. This was perhaps the most important condition of all. She had to ensure Kieren’s safety. “Promise me that Kieren and I will never be alone together. I must always keep my face covered, and no one reveals to him who I am or what I did.”

“Done.”

Relieved she lowered her arms. Griffith whirled around and pointed his weapons at her.

“It is you.” Griffith’s eyes widened. “Were your eyes always two different colors? And what in the moons are you wearing?”

Seriously? They were discussing clothing now? Lia ignored his questions. “I surrender.” She dropped her sword to the ground.

With a loud grunt, Azriel twisted around and swept out his leg, causing his opponent to fall flat on his back. He sprinted over to her. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “You cannot do this.”

“It’s already done.” Lia whispered, “I’m sorry. I’ll explain it all later. But please trust me.”

A storm of emotions flashed in his golden eyes. “Fine. We’ll see just how trustworthy your friends truly are.” He too removed his necklace.

Lia eyed Azriel’s sword.

The Verduran rolled his eyes. “And I suppose I surrender as well,” he announced before placing his sword on the ground.

“Now that’s not something you see every day.” The giant tattooed man jogged over, an eager smile pasted on his face.

“What exactly just happened?” Kieren stared at Azriel and Lia in disbelief.

Lia eyed Griffith, hoping he would keep up his end of the deal.

“Hello, young whelp,” Azriel took off his mask and hood, allowing the full weight of his golden gaze to fall upon the Solairan hunter. “We meet again.”

“What are you talking about?” Kieren scowled. “Who are you? We’ve never met before.”

Azriel flicked a curious glance at Lia. “The boy doesn’t remember me?”

“No,” Lia hissed. “He doesn’t.”

“Oh, you have been naughty.” Azriel’s smile widened. “This should be good.” He reached for Lia’s mask.

She pushed his hand away. “Don’t do this, Azriel. And call me Adalia.”

Azriel appeared surprised.

“I suggest you keep your hands off her.” Kieren stepped forward. “It’s clear your partner doesn’t like that.”

“Fine.” Azriel sneered. “I don’t need to remove her mask to do this.” Before Lia knew what was happening, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Lia’s mind reeled. What was he doing? She pushed him away.

Azriel’s eyes fell on Kieren. “No reaction at all. Interesting indeed.”

Griffith scowled. “Let me repeat Kieren’s warning. Step away from the lady. She doesn’t seem to appreciate your advances.”

“My apologies. I must have mistaken you for another silver-eyed whelp I once knew.” Azriel smiled. “So, what exactly did my naughty partner promise you?”

“You two will accompany us back to the castle,” Griffith replied. “In return for information about the thefts, you’ll be allowed to stay there, under careful guard, as guests of the queen.”

“Guests?” Azriel’s eyebrows raised and he turned to Lia. “Well, isn’t today just full of surprises?”

15 KIEREN

The traders’ triumphant cheers soon turned to disgruntled complaints. Despite Kieren’s insistence that Adalia and Azriel were now under the crown’s jurisdiction, the traders demanded punishment. When Kieren refused their request, unsurprisingly, violence ensued.

Still on edge after seeing Azriel kiss Adalia, Kieren welcomed the fight. Although he had no reason to feel such a strong sense of protection toward the female thief, dealing with the merchants’ rebellion gave him a great outlet for his pent-up aggression. With little effort, he defeated several men at once, imagining that they were all a certain annoying golden-haired criminal. The spontaneous uprising was soon quashed; the traders tied up and forced to ride inside their wagons for the rest of the trip.

Before they began their return trip to the castle, Kieren made it a point to check on everyone’s injuries. No one looked seriously hurt, but he wasn't going to take the chance of infections or worse. Kieren made his way to Asher and Griffith first. Fortunately, the giant’s wounds were minor. Azriel’s blade had only grazed his arm the once. Griffith’s wounds were a great deal more severe. After removing his friend’s leather armor, Kieren could see that Griff’s cut was clean but deeper than it had appeared at first. He would need additional care from the castle healers.

“I’m not too worried. Ladies love scars. It makes us look more dangerous and sexy.” Griffith wiggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

After cleaning and bandaging his friend’s wound, Kieren approached the two thieves.

“Not a single scratch on this body.” Azriel lifted his shirt to reveal a sliver of chiseled torso. “I’d show you more, but, well, it’s a little difficult.” He held up his wrists, which they’d bound together.

Kieren snorted.

“Too bad.” Azriel shrugged. “Adalia loves seeing me shirtless.”

When the female thief rolled her eyes and walked away, Kieren couldn’t fight back a grin.

“It’s not me she runs from,” Azriel remarked before joining Asher and Griffith.

Kieren watched as she sat by herself on a rock, gripping her right arm and staring into the surrounding fields of wild grass. Because of her injury, they’d decided not to bind her hands together just yet. He hesitated to approach her. Something about the sadness in her expression touched him.

The lady thief means well.

Joshe’s words kept replaying themselves in Kieren’s mind. Was this who the boy was referring to? Adalia had stolen an item from Solair’s merchants. She had also fought him with a deadly ferocity and threatened his best friend’s life. How could she possibly mean well?

After a few moments of indecision, Kieren finally walked over. “I’m here to check on your injuries.”

Not giving any indication that she heard him, she continued to gaze out into the field.

Somehow her silence felt like an acute rejection. Kieren cleared his throat and tried again. “Look, I’m here to help. I’m sorry I hurt you.” He motioned toward her injured arm. “I mean, I’m not apologizing for doing my job, but I am sorry I injured you in the process. May I look at your injury? Please?”

Her mismatched eyes assessed him. “No thank you. I’d prefer Griffith to examine me instead.”

Kieren stiffened.

She looked away.

He tried again. “I’m more skilled. You don’t have to worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Without responding, Adalia got to her feet and walked over to where the others stood. Kieren watched as she leaned over and whispered something in Griffith’s ear. His friend shook his head and gave her a gentle push back in Kieren’s direction. Still avoiding Kieren’s gaze, Adalia came back and held out her injured arm.

Kieren reached out and he instantly heard her sharp intake of breath.

He sighed. Why did the girl dislike him so much? With great care, he gently pulled the cloth away from her injury. A weepy cut ran from her wrist to her elbow. Kieren’s heart fell. Even with the healers’ poultices, the injury would still leave a scar.

He felt overcome with remorse. He’d done this. He’d hurt her. A strong feeling of having experienced something like this before almost knocked him over. Like always, Kieren failed at grasping the memories that always sat just out of reach.

Why had this injury affected him so much?

Adalia winced, drawing his attention back to the present. As he cleaned and dressed the wound, Kieren couldn’t help but notice that this wasn’t her first injury. A thick band of faint silvery-pink scars covered her forearm. Not sure what compelled him to do so, Kieren took hold of her other arm and pushed up the sleeve.

Both arms were covered in a matching net of scars.

He gently traced his thumb over the patch of burned skin.

Adalia yanked both arms away.

A beautiful pair of mismatched eyes now glared back at him. Kieren wanted to reach out and touch her skin again, but this time, he restrained himself. “What happened to you?”

A shadow of fear passed over her face.

“Don’t be scared,” he murmured. “I have burn scars too—one particularly bad one right here.” He pointed to his chest. “You never completely heal from injuries like those, do you? It’s like they’re branded into your soul.”

Adalia looked away. Silence stretched between them like a vast ocean and it became infinitely clear that she wanted nothing to do with him.

Griffith headed toward them, whistling softly. “Asher is going to ride back with Azriel to keep an eye on him. If it’s alright with you, Adalia can ride with me.”

The female thief didn’t say anything, but her look of relief at the suggestion said it all.

“Of course,” Kieren answered with a tight smile. Her acceptance of Griff hurt him more than he cared to admit. “Sounds great.”

The pair walked away. Frustrated, question after question piled up in Kieren’s mind. Why was the thief so cold with him, yet so keen to spend time with Griff? And, perhaps more importantly, why did that affect him so much?

16 LIA

“Thanks for getting me,” Lia mumbled to Griffith as they walked away.

Logically, she knew that putting distance between herself and Kieren was the right thing to do. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t tempted to look back. She’d forgotten how good he smelled, how kind he could be. A shiver traveled down her spine as she remembered the sensation of his thumb caressing the sensitive skin around her wrist.

The memory of it was like delicious torture.

Griffith climbed onto the wagon bench and held out his hand. Grateful for the assistance, Lia pulled herself up and sat beside him.

He showed her a piece of thick brown rope. “I hate that I have to do this, but we have to keep up appearances. I promise to be careful of your injury.”

Lia held out her wrists and tried not to wince when the rope scraped against her bandaged arm.

Griffith shot her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.” He gently rested her hands in her lap and took the horses’ reins. With a creak, the wagon began moving. Asher and Azriel followed in the wagon behind, with Kieren bringing up the rear. Lia kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, determined not to look back at the warrior with the silver eyes.

Never-ending fields of grass and the wagon’s jostling movement soon eased her into a more relaxed state. Gradually, the tension coiled in the pit of her stomach relaxed.

“Listen, Lia,” Griffith began, “I like you. I really do. And I hope you know that I meant what I promised back there.”

“But you want me to answer some questions.”

Griffith shot her a sideways glance.“You left Kieren, well, quite frankly all of us, in a pretty bad state. He’s my best friend, and I hate what’s happened to him. Please tell me truthfully—what’s going on? Why doesn’t he remember anything that happened?”

Although Lia had anticipated the onslaught of questions, that didn’t make answering them any less difficult. She told Griffith as much as she could without betraying where she and Azriel were really from. She spoke about Kieren’s curse and their mutual feelings. And then she explained how she’d removed the curse by taking it on herself, which was why they needed to remain apart.

Griffith’s expression was somber. “I can’t believe you dealt with all of this on your own.”

“Well, I had Sage. And some of the villagers helped too.”

“The ones you stayed with after you left us?”

Lia nodded, hoping he wouldn’t ask anything more.

Griffith eyed her with curiosity. “What’s the name of this village again?”

Lia bit her lip, not saying a word. Griff was her friend, but she wouldn’t betray the Verdurans’ secret.

“I take it from your silence that you can’t tell me.” He tipped his head in Azriel’s direction. “What’s the story behind your handsome partner back there?”

“He’s just a friend.”

“Right.” Griffith gave her a gentle nudge with his shoulder. “I let all my friends kiss me like that, especially the handsome ones.”

Lia’s cheeks flamed beneath the mask.

“So, after you left the castle, you ran to this mysterious village full of handsome men who helped you to heal from your injuries?”

She nodded.

“Well then, I’m glad you found a safe place to stay. But I still don’t understand why you’re in that getup. Or why you learned to fight.”

Purposely choosing not to tell Griffith about the prophecy, as it overlapped too much with the Verdurans’ secret, Lia tiptoed around the truth. “I had to protect myself after what happened with King Cedric. I never wanted to be helpless again.”

Griffith expression softened. “None of us knew that we were serving a monster. Is that why you partnered with Azriel to steal items? Was it some sort of retaliation for what happened to you?”

“This has nothing to do with Cedric. It’s just that I…” She stopped herself before revealing too much. “I’m sorry, Griff. I want to tell you, but I won’t talk about this without Azriel.” It wasn’t her secret to tell.

“What have you gotten yourself into? Whatever it is, I can help, you know. You just have to trust me.” He shot a glance back at the last wagon, where a lone driver rode. “Even Kieren would help. You do know that, right? Even though he doesn’t remember you, he would help you. Because that’s the sort of man he is.”

Lia’s heart fluttered and she gave a small, sad smile. “I know.”

He placed an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I’m not blaming you for what happened. But you’re also not the only one hurting. We’re all still recovering. Kieren. Soren. Me. Even Reina. In one horrible night, I found out that my best friend is a dragon, magic wielders still exist, and Solair’s king is crazy enough to curse children in his attempt to create a dragon army. Moons, Lia. I almost lost my best friend that night.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not trying to blame you. My point is that we’ve got to start trusting each other and working together; otherwise the crazy Cedrics of this world win.”

Griffith gave her shoulder one more squeeze, and they sat in silence as they made their way back toward the castle. Lia’s mind wandered again as snippets of Azriel and Asher’s conversation fell upon her ears. Curious, she leaned back to listen.

“Do the pendants make you invisible?” Asher asked.

“They do. I’m impressed that you were able to even see us,” Azriel responded.

“I knew it! That’s amazing. I’ve never heard of such magic before. And I’ve never seen someone pull off those moves. Have you always been that fast?” Asher remarked.

Lia let out a quiet chuckle.

“What is it?” Griffith asked.

“Your friend Asher seems rather captivated by Azriel. And Azriel doesn’t seem to mind humoring him. There’s a bromance blossoming between those two.”

“Bromance?”

“Bromance. You know. Brotherly romance?” Seeing the confusion on Griffith’s face, she explained, “I’m not talking about a romantic love between two guys, but more like an intense admiration. Ash seems completely taken by Azriel.”

Griffith tilted his head, now clearly paying attention to the pair behind them. After a couple of moments, his eyes met Lia’s, and they both burst out laughing.

17 KIEREN

The small kernel of irritation Kieren had felt when Adalia chose to sit with Griffith grew to the size of a boulder as they rode back to Cairn. For the past hour, Kieren had been forced to listen to Azriel dazzle Ash with epic tales of adventure. The mercenary’s usual gruff tone had transformed into utter awe as he listened with an eagerness akin to a young child meeting their childhood hero for the first time.

Kieren sat behind the pair, annoyed.

“You know that move you did with your leg?” Ash’s voice boomed over the wagon wheels. “The one where you hooked around and tripped me. Maybe you can show me how to do that sometime? It’s just that I’ve never fought anyone as strong or as fast as you before.”

Kieren tried not to roll his eyes. As much as he disliked the golden-haired warrior, he couldn’t deny the man’s skills. Both Azriel and Adalia were surprisingly strong and quick. Even with all of Kieren’s training, he’d still struggled to catch up with them. If Ash hadn’t shot their horses, the two thieves would have undoubtedly escaped with the box.

Ash laughed again. Not wishing to hear any more, Kieren urged his horses faster and passed the two men. A distinctly feminine giggle drew his attention to the lead wagon, where his best friend and Adalia sat as thick as thieves. Kieren watched as Griffith casually placed an arm around Adalia’s shoulder. To Kieren’s surprise, she not only let Griff’s arm stay there, but she also rested her head on his shoulder. The pair stayed like that for a few moments before Griffith said something, sending Adalia into another fit of giggles.

An enormous wave of jealousy crashed over Kieren as he imagined what it would be like to have that laughter belong to him. This was even worse than listening to Asher fawn over Azriel. In the short span of a wagon ride, Griffith had developed a remarkable degree of familiarity with the girl. If Kieren hadn’t known better, he would almost think they were old friends.

When Griffith motioned for everyone to stop, Kieren parked his wagon and marched up to his friend. “Hello, Griffith.” He paused before stiffly addressing the female thief. “Hello, Adalia.”

“How’s it going back there?” Griffith asked.

“Fine.”

“Is that so?” Griffith looked amused. “And what are your thoughts on the budding bromance between Ash and Azriel? It’s touching, isn’t it?”

“Bromance?” Kieren frowned. What sort of term was that?

“It’s short for brotherly romance. Adalia taught it to me. It’s a term they use it in her village.”

The female thief made a sound like a muffled squeak and cast a meaningful look at Griffith.

Kieren barked out a strained laugh. “Yes. I suppose I find it surprising anytime a thief and a guard express an interest in each other.”

Griffith’s eyebrows raised. He shifted closer to Adalia. “Interesting. So, what brings you to our wagon?”

Our wagon? Kieren scowled, acutely aware of how close his friend’s hand was to the thief’s leg. “Just thought I’d check on you two since you sustained the worst injuries. How are your bandages holding up?”

“We’re fine. Kieren did a great job, didn’t he, Adalia?”

The masked girl nodded, again not looking in Kieren’s direction. Griffith slid even closer to the female thief. Now their legs touched.

Kieren could barely keep himself from slapping his friend’s hands away. “Well, Griff, if you ever want a break from watching the prisoner, I’d be happy to take over. Just want to make sure you don’t overexert yourself.”

Griffith appeared to mull over his suggestion. “Come to think of it, I could use a bit of a rest. What do you think, Adalia?”

The female thief shook her head in emphatic refusal.

Kieren’s heart sank. What had he been thinking? Of course she wouldn’t want to sit with him. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at him. Without another word, he headed back to his wagon. As he was about to climb aboard, he heard a set of faint footsteps behind him. Someone tentatively tugged on his sleeve.

Feeling his heart skip a beat, Kieren turned around.

18 LIA

Lia had no intention of riding back with Kieren. But apparently, Griffith had other plans. Instead of supporting her decision, Griffith threw her under the bus. Or in this case, pushed her off the wagon bench.

Lia landed with a stumble.

“What are you doing?” she mouthed.

“Sorry. But not sorry.” Griffith smirked as he pointed to Kieren, motioning for Lia to follow.

She glared at him. “The curse,” she mouthed.

Cupping his ear, he shrugged. “I can’t hear you,” Griffith mouthed back.

Jerk. Seriously, what was he trying to do? She’d just finished explaining why she and Kieren couldn’t be near each other. All of this—the mask, the hiding, the secrets—was to keep Kieren safe.

Griffith pointed at his friend’s retreating form again. Against Lia’s better judgment, she glanced over, noting the slump of Kieren’s shoulders.

“So far, nothing’s happened when he’s nearby,” Griffith whispered. “You’re wearing a mask and a burlap sack. There’s no way he’ll remember who you are. Plus, he seems a bit sad. You don’t want to see him sad, do you?”

And that’s how Lia ended up sitting next to the boy she loved, determined not to look at him. She stared at the ground, the sky, the passing farmlands, anything to avoid looking in Kieren’s direction.

Ash’s laughter from the wagon in front broke their uneasy silence.

Kieren let out a soft chuckle. “Bromance.” He shook his head. “I’ve never heard that term before, but it certainly captures the relationship between those two.”

Of course he’d never heard it before. It was one she’d brought over from her world. Still, a part of Lia was pleased by the knowledge that she’d made him smile.

“Can I ask you a question? Why do you continue to cover your face when your partner doesn’t?” Kieren asked.

Lia tensed, but she didn’t respond.

“Azriel is over there chatting away like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Yet here you sit, completely the opposite. You’re rigid. Quiet. You can’t even look at me, but I’ve seen you talking to Griff. Why is that?”

Keeping her eyes averted, Lia said nothing.

“Since I caught you in such a chatty mood, why don’t you tell me how you convinced my friend to agree to your terms. What makes you so special?”

She shifted her body farther from his.

“So, you’re an only child?” Kieren continued. “Really? And you collect cats? Fascinating. And you actually have twenty toes? Extraordinary!”

Startled, Lia peered over at him.

He flashed her a charming grin. “Me? Why, thank you for asking. I’ve never owned any cats, and I have only ten toes, I’m afraid.”

He studied her face and Lia looked away again.

“I had a brother,” Kieren continued, this time more subdued. “His name was Silas. When we were younger, we used to play this game where we would try to make each other laugh. The rules were simple. First person to laugh lost. We couldn’t touch the other person or enlist anyone else’s help. But anything else was allowed.” He chuckled. “Can you guess who always won?”

Lia pretended like she wasn’t listening, but truth was, she hung on his every word.

“I did,” he answered. “Every single time. It didn’t matter what face Silas made, or how he threatened me, or how many jokes he told or stupid things he did, I never laughed. I always kept a straight face the entire time, every time.”

Kieren fell silent, and Lia shivered, imagining his stare traveling along her backside.

“But perhaps today I’ve met my match. You sit there quietly, shrouded in mystery, but your reticence doesn’t fool me. I have no doubt that your mind is always working.”

Lia kept her eyes glued to the passing scenery. Kieren said nothing more the rest of their journey back to the castle. When the sprawling farmlands gave way to the first gate leading to Cairn, Kieren sighed.

“Well, I guess our adventure is over.” There was a hint of melancholy in his voice. He drove their wagon to the front of the caravan.

The guard surveyed them warily. “State your business.”

“Lord Kieren, along with Griffith and Asher. We have business with the queen.”

The guard’s eyes widened. “Apologies, my lord. I didn’t recognize you.” He bowed and let them pass.

Instead of riding directly through the city, Kieren led them on a roundabout route through the city outskirts, past another guard, and into the castle courtyard.

Although Cedric was no longer on the throne, Cairn Castle appeared just as intimidating as before. Memories of the king’s betrayal and her last shared moments with Kieren flooded her mind. Her hands began to tremble.

What if something were to happen to Kieren? Or Griffith couldn’t keep his promise? What if the herbs didn’t reach the villagers in time? Everything felt like it was just seconds away from crashing down around her.

Clutching her shaking hands, she struggled to keep her breathing steady.

Their wagon jerked to a halt and a large, warm hand rested on the small of her back.

Lia sat there, frozen. While part of her wanted to lean into Kieren’s touch, another, more rational part urged her to pull away.

“I don’t know who you are or who’s hurt you in the past, but you’re not alone. I’m also figuring out what it takes to heal. Whatever the queen decides, I will be there for you.”

The warm hand withdrew, leaving Lia with damp eyes and a familiar ache in her heart.

19 LIA

An audience of servants, guards, and nobles gathered in the courtyard to study the arriving caravan. Kieren, Asher, and Griffith, still sporting tattoos on their faces, drew the most heated whispers and glances. The loud complaints of the traders as they left the wagons only added to the spectacle. Nearby, a couple of stable boys whispered, pointing in Lia’s direction.

She glanced down, realizing that her tan ninja pajamas would be a rarity in Solair, where females and males wore such distinctly gendered clothing. The boys’ attention put her on edge and for a moment, she wished the earth would open and somehow swallow her up. But then she imagined Holly standing beside her, cheering her on for wearing pants and ‘going against the man.’ The ridiculous image gave her a boost of much-needed confidence. It also made her homesick to see her friends and Gabby again.

Griffith left to report to the queen, leaving Kieren and Asher to guard Lia and Azriel.

Emboldened by the crowd in the courtyard, one of the traders stepped forward. “We are free, law-abiding Solairan citizens,” he addressed the surrounding crowd. “Why then are we being treated no better than common criminals?” He pointed in Lia and Azriel’s direction. “These are the two thieves who have been stealing from our country. They’re the ones who should be punished. Not honest working folk.”

The crowd shot Azriel and Lia looks of disgust. She strained against the ropes binding her wrists, mentally preparing herself for a possible fight.

Kieren glared at the trader. “These two thieves are meeting directly with the queen. She will dole out punishment as she sees fit.”

Another trader stepped forward. “That’s all well and good, but why keep us here? We have nothing to do with their crimes. Please, just return our goods and let us go. We still have deliveries to make. This delay will displease our customers.”

“You can wait,” Kieren replied, not seeming the least bit concerned. “After we’ve checked your ledgers for any evidence of suspicious activity, you too will be given the opportunity to air your grievances with the queen.”

The traders muttered to themselves, their turbaned heads bobbing animatedly as they did so. Lia couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it was obvious the men were nervous and angry.

A smiling round trader approached Kieren and bowed. “My name is Tamar. With utmost respect, great lord, we are honest men. We transport legal goods. We don’t involve ourselves in the slave trade, and we definitely do not deal in Verduran items.” He wiped his sweaty forehead with a yellowed handkerchief. “Please. Check the ledgers now, and we will be on our way. There’s no need to bother the queen.” He shouted some orders in another language, and an older man handed Kieren a thick leather book.

“Every item we transport is recorded inside,” Tamar noted. “Check the ledger.”

The other men bobbed their heads in agreement.

Kieren took the book but didn’t open it. “I will present your evidence to the queen.”

“Did you tell your friends about our village?” Azriel whispered to Lia.

“I left it to you to decide how much to tell them,” she responded. “Queen Reina is not her father. She may prove herself to be an ally.”

During Lia’s darkest moments, Reina had stepped in to help, even though it had required killing her own father. Surely anyone who had the inner strength to stop a psychopath and claim the throne could also handle the knowledge that magic-wielding Verdurans still lived in their midst.

“I’m not sure your queen is that keen to meet us.” Azriel pointed to Griffith.

The ex-hunter wore a grim expression. “The queen will see you now.” He didn’t meet Lia’s worried gaze.

She and Azriel were ushered into a small, intimate room, vastly different from the Great Hall, where she’d met with Cedric before. Inside, Reina sat in a tall-backed golden throne, flanked by two golden dragon statues. A sizable crown, dripping in sparkling jewels, rested on her upswept red curls.

Soren stood beside her, dressed in a simple dark blue robe. The ex-captain’s eyes met Lia’s, and he gave her an imperceptible nod. Relief washed over her. Griffith must have told them.

Reina’s green eyes studied Lia’s face before giving Azriel a lingering look. The Verduran warrior held her gaze, a small smile playing on his lips.

“So these are our elusive thieves?” Reina’s voice dripped with disbelief. “Hard to believe that two people could cause so much trouble. Tell me, Azriel and Adalia, where do you come from, and whom do you work for?”

Azriel stepped forward and bowed gracefully. “My good Queen, we come from a small nomadic village near Rosetta. Many of our villagers are sick. We stole a small wooden box containing powdered cassava and ginger root because we believe they will help our people get better.”

“Those plants are native to Verdura, making them contraband,” Soren explained. “Your father banned them from being grown here.”

“I see.” Reina’s words were clipped. “We shall speak to the traders to track down their source. And just so I am clear, what village is this? I’ve never heard of a nomadic village such as yours.”

Lia waited for Azriel’s response with bated breath.

“Please, dear Queen,” he apologized, “we ask that the name of our village remain a secret. We do not want our people punished for our indiscretions.”

Reina shot him a look of icy disdain. “Your actions have caused my lords to lose property and money. I’ve received complaints of lost rugs, precious jewelry, bolts of cloth, metal and porcelain bowls, and various spices. In total, they claim to have lost thousands of gibbons’ worth of items just this past month. What do you have to say to this accusation?”

Azriel’s easy laugh echoed through the small room. “You really have no idea what’s going on in your kingdom, do you?”

Reina’s eyes burned with the heat of a hundred suns. Her cheeks flushed. “How dare you speak to me like that?”

“You would do well to watch your manners and remember that you’re addressing your queen,” Kieren warned.

“I mean no disrespect, my liege,” Azriel explained. “I only speak the truth. My people may have taken some bolts of cloth or bowls, but there is no way our stolen items total to that amount. Perhaps your lords are not being as truthful as you’d like to believe.”

Reina frowned. “What exactly are you implying? I grow tired of your games.”

“Check the ledgers,” Azriel replied.

Griffith and Kieren flipped through the pages of the leather book. Lia watched, desperately wanting to see what they were looking at.

“I can see nothing out of the ordinary here.” Griffith looked up. “Most of the items being delivered today were for merchants living in Lord Cassius’s and Lord Riehl’s villages.” He flipped to the front of the book. “It appears those two villages are the ones mainly receiving deliveries from these particular traders.”

Lord Riehl? The name stirred something in Lia’s memory. Wasn’t that Kieren’s father?

Kieren shut the ledger. “That makes sense. My father has quite a few merchants living in his village.”

Lia thought back to the box they’d just stolen. “The box we sent back had a letter R on it. Could the R stand for Riehl?”

Kieren gave her a look of disbelief. “Are you accusing my father of purchasing Verduran items?”

“Almost all of the boxes we’ve stolen were marked with a red R.” Azriel’s voice was lethally soft. “Your father has been receiving magical items for quite some time.”

Kieren’s eyes flashed silver. “Then we open them all. I have nothing to hide. As Lord’s Riehl’s heir and delegate here in Cairn, I grant you permission to check the contents of any boxes marked for my father.”

For a moment, the room fell eerily silent.

“Are you sure, Lord Kieren?” Reina asked. Lia could have sworn that she heard an uncharacteristic note of compassion in the queen’s voice.

Kieren nodded, his expression hardening. “If it is acceptable to my Queen, I would like to oversee the examination of the items now, while the accusation still stands fresh.”

“I’d like to accompany him,” Griffith added. “If that is acceptable to you, of course.”

“Me too, Your Majesty.” Asher performed an awkward move that Lia could only describe as something between a bow and a curtsy.

“Of course.” Reina shot Azriel a look so sharp that it could have shattered glass. “You’d better be right. I’ll not have you slandering one of Solair’s most loyal families. If your accusation proves false, we will punish you and your partner severely.”

Azriel shrugged, seeming unaffected by it all. The room instantly felt quieter once the three warriors left.

The queen turned her attention on Lia. “So, Adalia.” She enunciated each syllable in the name. “How does a girl like you get involved in crime? Did this man lure you in?”

“How do you know it wasn’t the other way around?” Azriel smirked. “How do you know I wasn’t seduced by this female criminal mastermind?”

Reina pursed her lips. If Lia hadn’t known better, she would have sworn the queen was struggling not to smile. Solair’s sovereign monarch stood and picked up a velvet pouch from a nearby table. She reached in to reveal a familiar golden blade. “Let’s take these off, shall we?” Reina cut the ties that bound Lia’s hand. “And I believe this belongs to you.”

Taking the lightweight golden blade in her hands, Lia shot Reina a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“You two know each other?” Azriel watched their exchange with a look of surprise.

Lia stifled a laugh. “We go way back.”

Soren wrapped his massive frame around her. “It’s good to see you again, lass.” He gave her one final squeeze before letting go. “This one seems a handful. Are you sure we can trust him?” He peered at Azriel.

“Yes,” Lia responded with utmost conviction. Azriel might be a shameless flirt and utterly dangerous with a weapon, but she trusted him.

When the queen nodded, Lia used her dagger to cut the ropes binding his arms together.

“Now, I am free to be a real handful.” Azriel’s eyes lit up with amusement.

“Tell me, Azriel, how many of your people are still here?” Reina asked.

He seemed caught off guard by her question. “Are you asking about the size of our village?”

Reina shook her head. “I’m talking about Verdurans. How many of you are here? And why did you choose to remain all these years?”

“How did you know?” Azriel asked.

“While I may be new to this position, I have spent my entire life learning about my kingdom. My father kept horrible secrets, and I expect that Kieren will soon learn that his father was the same. So, you must pardon my growing impatience. Tell me, how many Verdurans remain in Solair? And why did your people stay here?”

Lia looked at the queen with newfound respect. Whatever happened to the whiny princess who’d only seemed interested in dresses and balls? Had she died the same night as her father? Or had that just been a mask Reina wore to hide the brilliant woman underneath?

“Your Highness, please forgive my impropriety.” Azriel bowed. All hint of his previous playful banter were gone. “I am a Verduran warrior under the leadership of the Lady Minerva. We live in a small village of almost a hundred. We are not a militant group. Our people chose to stay here after the portals closed to locate and rescue loved ones who went missing during the war.”

“So the rumors are true.” Soren’s tone was hushed.

“And now with evidence of Lord Riehl’s involvement…” Reina’s voice faded.

“What does Kieren’s father have to do with it?” Lia’s mind swam as she struggled to connect the dots.

Reina and Soren shared a knowing look.

“After you left, Griffith and I disposed of the king’s collection.” Soren grimaced. “I don’t care what anyone believes about magic or Verdurans. There’s no excuse for torturing people or creatures like that.”

“My father took a perverse pride in knowing how each item was procured,” Reina added. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. He collected some of the items himself. Over the years, he took part in the torture and imprisonment of dozens of Verdurans.”

Azriel’s mouth set in a thin, angry line. Had he already suspected?

“Griff and I searched every inch of the castle for any evidence of torture.” Soren shook his head. “But we found nothing.”

A snippet of a remembered conversation sprang to Lia’s mind. “The king mentioned working with a partner.” She paused as the dots began connecting themselves. “You think Kieren’s father might have worked with Cedric.”

The moment the words left her lips, Lia wished she could take them back. But the identical serious expressions on Soren and Reina’s faces told her that they, too, had already come to the same conclusion.

“Cedric’s official records show that he and Lord Roth met several times this past year.” Soren held up a large leather-bound book. “But Lord Roth has been dead for over a year, and that leads us to wonder—who exactly was Cedric meeting with?”

“What do you plan on doing with this information?” Azriel asked.

Reina gave him a commanding glare. “I will do what I must, to ensure that all of Solair’s inhabitants—no matter where they are from or what magical abilities they possess—can live here with dignity and respect. And this includes your people too, Azriel.”

Next to Lia, Azriel appeared lost for words. She smiled inwardly at this rare occurrence.

“Which now brings us to the final issue I’d like to address.” The queen wrinkled her nose. “Lia, do you actually enjoy wearing trousers?”

Lia nodded, unsure what the queen was inferring.

“You may have received my royal pardon, but rest assured, I will monitor you both closely until we sort everything out. I assume neither of you packed a change of clothes; therefore, clean shirts and pants will be sent to Azriel’s room. But, Lia, if you insist on covering your face and dressing like a man, then I will have to find you some better-tailored options. We can’t have you walking around in that dirty, rumpled outfit. There are certain levels of decorum we must uphold.” Although Reina sounded serious, there was a definite twinkle in her eye.

Lia bowed. “Of course, my Queen. I defer to your expertise, both in stately matters and in fashion.”

20 KIEREN

Thankfully, the castle’s courtyard had almost emptied by the time Kieren returned with Griffith and Asher. The traders had just left to speak with Reina, and the crowd of nobles and servants who’d assembled to gawk at the spectacle had now dispersed.

“The crown claims the right to search all items,” Kieren announced to the handful of men left guarding the wagons. “Pull everything out, by order of the queen.”

“So you really had no idea your old man was buying illegal items?” Asher asked as they began unloading the boxes.

Griffith elbowed Ash in the stomach. “You do realize you have the absolute worst sense of timing, don’t you? Moons. Ignore him, Kieren. Clearly, his mother dropped him on his head as a baby.”

Annoyed, Kieren didn’t say anything. Instead, he kept his head down as he helped the guards carry boxes out. It wasn’t Ash’s comment that bothered him, but the fact that there was yet another piece of information that he couldn’t remember. Griffith had told him about the items they’d found in Cedric’s extensive collection—the tails, the wings. It seemed unbelievable that the king could have kept such a secret for so long. But now, to discover that his own father may share the same perverse interests? Kieren racked his brain, trying to remember anything that would hint at such an indiscretion. But like always, nothing came to mind.

Lost memories, illicit trade, magical necklaces that rendered their wearers invisible—it was frustrating that less and less seemed to be as it appeared.

The piles of items quickly grew. Once they’d removed the last box from the wagons, Kieren dismissed the tired guards.

“Now we separate them,” he instructed Griffith and Asher. “Pull out any box that has a red R and bring it to me.”

As they got to work, Kieren hoped they wouldn’t find anything more. Maybe the lone box had been an anomaly. Or perhaps the R didn’t stand for Riehl. Although he and his father were far from close, Kieren couldn’t stomach the thought of him engaging in such activities.

“I’ve found something.” Griffith held up a long, narrow box.

“Me too,” Ash added, lifting a small wooden crate.

Kieren was about to investigate their items when he spotted a faded R painted on a large decorated crate nearby.

“This is it.” Asher placed his box beside Griffith’s. “We’ve checked them all.”

The giant man’s words slid over him. Transfixed by the enormous box, Kieren wondered what sinister items might lay inside. He whipped out one of his smaller blades, and pried the top off Griffith’s narrow box, determined to see this through. A bundle of straw rested inside. Kieren reached in, and his fingers brushed against a hard, rigid object. Cool to the touch, its smooth surface reminded him of the inside of a clamshell.

“What is it?” Ash asked.

Kieren pulled out the knobby object. A creamy, translucent horn rested in his open palm. Alarmed, Kieren glanced around the courtyard. Had anyone seen what they just discovered?

“Is that a unicorn horn?” Ash’s voice was almost inaudible. “I thought they only existed in children’s stories.”

“We found a similar one in Cedric’s room.” Griffith shook his head. “Only a monster would hurt such a noble, innocent creature.”

Kieren carefully slid the artifact back underneath the straw. Bile rose in the back of his throat. Azriel was right. King Cedric and his father shared the same terrible fascination with Verdurans. He reached for the small crate Asher had found and set to work prying it open. Several glass vials and jars rested underneath a pile of straw. Each one was labeled and filled with a different colored powder.

Griffith examined the labels. “Any idea what it says?”

Kieren stared at the elegant lines and curves. He had never seen such writing before; it was impossible to read.

He now turned to the last crate marked with an R. The box was so big that it could have easily contained a sizable animal. Unlike the other two boxes, this one was heavily decorated. As he ran his fingers along the swirls and dots covering the crate’s sides, Kieren noticed something strange. While the swirls were painted on, some of the dots were actually holes drilled through the wooden slats.

Why would this box need holes? Was there something living inside? Panic set in as he banged the hilt of his sword against the lock.

It wouldn’t budge.

“We have locksmiths who could do that,” Griffith joked.

Ignoring his friend, Kieren continued his efforts.

“Perhaps I could just pry the top open with my sword?” Griffith pulled out his blade, ready to jam it underneath the lid.

“No!” Kieren seized his friend’s arm, horrified. “We can’t risk damaging what’s inside.”

Griffith shot him a confused look, but Kieren refused to elaborate. Until they had proof, he wouldn’t voice his nightmarish guess of what the box held.

“In that case, let me.” With a grunt, Asher broke apart the lock with one well-aimed hit of his sword. The men pried off the tightly fitting lid.

Only one item lay inside the crate. A very still and undernourished blue-hued child with a mop of curly hair and webbed fingers and toes rested on top of a dirty blanket inside.

“Is he…?” Griff slapped his hand to his mouth, unable to finish his thought.

Kieren removed his cloak, lifted the child out, and wrapped it around the boy. When he rested his head on the child’s chest, a faint heartbeat filled Kieren with relief.

“He’s breathing,” Kieren whispered. “Thank the moons, they must have given the child something to keep him asleep during transport.”

“They were trafficking children?” Ash’s eyes never left the child in Kieren’s arms.

Griffith looked fearful. “This is worse than we expected. What are we going to do now?”

Kieren held the boy tighter, fighting to control his spiraling emotions. “No one else can know. We take the child to Reina and Soren. Then, we confront my father.”

“My nephew’s about this boy’s age,” Ash murmured.

Griffith placed a gentle hand on the giant man’s back. “You’ve done your service. Go home. Be with your family.”

“No.” The giant warrior’s mouth tightened. “I’m not leaving until we see this through. We’re going to make these sick bastards pay.”

21 LIA

As Lia left the meeting, a handful of healers cloaked in long black robes swept her away into a large room filled with open windows and rows and rows of empty beds. The infirmary was nearly empty, with no patients and only a handful of healers quietly moving about.

A tall, female healer with a round, pleasant face walked over to the bed Lia was sitting on. With slow and deliberate movements, the woman undid the bandages that Kieren wrapped and examined Lia’s arm.

“Lord Kieren did a good job,” the woman remarked. “But I’m afraid it will still leave a scar.” She then covered the wound with a smelly green paste before wrapping it in a set of clean bandages.

Lia wrinkled her nose at the medicine’s pungent smell. “Thank you. Can I go now?”

The woman shook her head and motioned to a short, stocky servant who just entered the room. Red-faced and panting, the newcomer bobbed a hurried curtsy to the healers before setting her sights on Lia.

“My name’s Bilba. I’m the seamstress.” The servant eyed Lia’s bandaged arm warily. “Do you think you could stand up, miss, so that I can see what I have to work with?”

So this is what Reina meant about making sure that Lia had proper fitting garments. Lia stood awkwardly and allowed herself to be turned this way and that.

“Been making clothes since I was a wee lass, but it’s my first time making pants for a woman,” Bilba prattled as she measured Lia’s arms and legs. “Although I can’t see why it should be any different from making trousers for men.” A smile spread across the maidservant’s face, causing her brown eyes to sparkle and her crow’s feet to deepen. “Well. Except for that part. Not to worry, I’ll just pretend you’re a very young male.” She tucked a strand of graying hair back into her bun before reaching over to measure Lia’s chest and waist.

Lia tried to ignore the view of the woman’s ample, freckled bosom.

“Well, you’re just a tender thing, aren’t you?” Bilba cooed. “And now let’s take a look at how this works.” She reached for Lia’s mask.

Without thinking, Lia slapped the woman’s hand with her uninjured arm. “I’m so sorry,” she quickly apologized. “But the mask stays on.” Even though Kieren wasn’t in the room, Lia had already decided to keep the mask on at all times. She wasn’t taking any chances.

Bright pink spots colored the seamstress’s already ruddy complexion. “Oh. Right. Sorry, miss. That’s what they told me. But I didn’t think you’d mind.” The woman eyed Lia. “What’s a young lass like yourself doing hiding behind a mask anyway? You have a giant birthmark? A hairy mole? Wickedly crooked teeth?”

“No.”

Bilba’s eyes widened. “No teeth?”

Lia shook her head.

“Then I don’t understand why you would cover your face. Your eyes seem pretty enough, even though they are a bit odd.” The woman tutted her disapproval. “But there I go again, speaking my mind before thinking things through. I hope I don’t offend you.” She glanced at Lia’s sword on the bed. “Just never seen a sword-carrying-pants-wearing girl before.”

Bilba pulled out some ready-made shirts and pants and pinned the pieces around Lia’s body. The woman continued chatting, mostly about her eldest daughter, who apparently needed to find a good boy to marry. Several times the healer sitting near the infirmary’s entrance looked up from his reading and frowned in their direction, but Lia welcomed the noise that filled the all-too-quiet room. Much like listening to a jukebox, she found she only had to contribute a little to get a whole stream of entertainment.

Unfortunately, Bilba was a much more heavy-handed seamstress than Keldi. Thousands of pinpricks and apologies later, Lia had picked up several new injuries along her waist and her thighs, and a few novel Solairan phrases—‘Oh, turkey waddle!’ and ‘By moonwort’s veins!’ being two of her favorites.

When Bilba was finished, a pair of guards escorted Lia back to her old bedroom. Neither man said anything to her, but both shot her several curious glances. She imagined that she must have looked rather odd to them—a strange girl with a covered head and face, wearing an oversized tunic and pants.

Once inside her room, Lia dropped onto the bed with a sigh. Her surroundings were grander and her bed was softer than the sleeping mat in the village, but it felt lonely without Ariadne’s company or Lilith’s constant chatter. Lia even wished she could speak with Azriel, but the healers had given her strict orders to rest. Besides, she doubted the guards stationed outside would have allowed her to leave.

Dinner—a bowl of soup and a crusty loaf of bread—was sent up to the room. Both were delicious, but even the most mouthwatering food couldn’t keep loneliness and boredom from setting in. Lia’s mind kept drifting back to Kieren. What had they discovered in the boxes? Was Lord Riehl involved in transporting other illegal items?

When someone tapped on her door, Lia retied her mask and pulled up her hood before checking to see who it was.

“Evening, miss.” A familiar maidservant with curly brown hair curtsied. “May I come in?”

Lia’s heart leaped at seeing Keldi. “Of course.” Quickly, she ushered her friend inside.

“So you just couldn’t stay away?” The Verduran spy smiled as she took in Lia’s outfit. “Don’t see too many women wearing men’s clothes around here. The fashion suits you.”

“I’ve missed you.” Lia ripped off her mask and pulled Keldi into a tight hug, wincing when a twinge of pain shot up her right arm.

“The bastard lord did that to you, didn’t he?”

Lia pulled away. “It’s not too bad. Honestly, it was partially my fault. My mind wasn’t completely on the fight.” Lia sat on her bed and motioned for Keldi to join her.

“Is that so?” Keldi glared. “Since when do we blame victims for their injuries?”

“Please? Can we not talk about this right now?”

Keldi sighed. “Fine, I didn’t want to waste my break talking about him anyway. I came up here to see you and pass along some information.” She made a face. “They assigned me to kitchen duty a couple of days ago, so I’m not your official maidservant. Yet. I’m working on it though. I also stopped by Azriel’s room earlier. Seems like he’s already made himself at home. Even found some new friends to show him around Cairn.”

Lia groaned at the unfairness of it all. Why was he allowed to go out while she had to stay locked inside her bedroom? She crossed her arms in protest, but another shock of pain forced her to uncross them immediately.

“Don’t be upset. Azriel wanted you to join them, but he’s trying to respect the queen and follow the healers’ orders. It’s bedrest for you tonight. But he’ll see you bright and early for breakfast and then training. Apparently, his new ex-hunter friends have already given him permission to use the training room.”

Lia groaned even louder. “Seriously? And just how did he manage that? That man could charm the pants off anyone.”

“No doubt you’re feeling a little antsy being stuck inside, but it’s probably for the best that you make yourself scarce for now.”

“Et tu, Brute? Why would you want me to stay in hiding?”

Keldi stared at Lia in confusion. “Brute? I don’t know who Brute is. But I do know that Azriel will do a fine job of blending in.”

“Yeah. Somehow, I don’t think ‘blending in’ is something Azriel’s ever done.” The man had the physique and bone structure of a fashion model, for heaven’s sake.

The corners of Keldi’s mouth lifted in a smile. “Just hear me out. Sure he’s good-looking. And we all know he’ll catch the eye of a few women.”

An arched eyebrow from Lia made Keldi giggle. “Alright,” she acknowledged, “A lot of women. But Azriel knows how to handle himself. No one will suspect that he’s anything other than a handsome, too-cocky Solairan man. It’s better that you stay here until you’re stronger. You’re… different.”

Lia’s stomach lurched. “Maybe my eyes are different. But I don’t have any magical abilities. Not anymore.” She hadn’t cast a spell since that night in the castle.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. Just look at yourself. You’re a masked woman who fights and dresses like a man.”

“But pants are more comfortable!”

“Doesn’t matter. Solairan women don’t wear pants. The moment you walked into the castle dressed like that, you stood out. Even the kitchen maids are talking about your great exploits.”

That was news to Lia. “What exploits?”

“You mean you haven’t heard? Everybody is talking about the masked lady thief. They’re saying that you fought the great Lord Kieren himself and held your own. That you defeated the traders single-handed while blindfolded and with one arm tied behind your back.”

“You know none of that’s true, right? Well, I did go toe-to-toe with Kieren, but I got this as a result.” Lia held out her injured arm. “And the rumor about the traders? Completely untrue. I didn’t even fight them.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s what the people believe. I also heard rumors about a giant man with a tattooed face.” A pretty blush covered Keldi’s cheeks. “Is it true he almost killed Azriel?”

More like Azriel almost killed him.

“Half-true,” Lia replied. “His name’s Asher. He’s a good fighter and the tallest man I’ve ever seen. Oddly enough, he was able to see us even with the pendants.”

“But that makes no sense. Is he a mage like you?”

“I don’t think so. I haven’t seen him wield any powers. But he is impressively strong and fast.”

Keldi looked thoughtful. “I wonder…”

“What?”

“What if he’s a half-blood like you? That would explain how he could see past the pendants’ glamour. Could he have Verduran blood running through his veins and not realize it?”

Could it be possible? She had never met anyone like her.

“If this Asher is as interesting as you say, I’ll make it a point to look into him.” Keldi gave her a sly wink. “Check out his background. Maybe see how big he really is.”

Lia stared at her friend in open-mouthed amazement.

“Come now,” Keldi teased. “I’m in my thirties and one of Minerva’s best spies. I’ve used my feminine arsenal to obtain information before. And if this Ash is as big and strong as you claim, I won’t mind questioning him at all.”

Lia studied the woman’s unlined face. “You don’t look like you’re in your thirties. I assumed you were a little older than me.”

“Well, thank you. We Verdurans age differently. Many of us look much younger than our actual age. Eldric’s almost forty now. Speaking of my brother, I hear that he’s working with Ariadne now.”

“Yeah. Ari contracted the illness and Eldric was great with her. I’d never seen him that gentle before.”

“They were once betrothed, you know.”

With that, everything clicked into place. The shared, hushed tones. The familiarity. The tenderness. “Is he Lilith’s father?”

The air between them turned brittle and icy.

“No,” Keldi replied.

Her friend’s response confused Lia. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”

“I think it’s time that you know the truth.” Keldi’s mouth tightened into a thin, angry line. “Just before the war between our two worlds broke out, my father decided to bring us to Solair. Eldric was eleven and I was five. Father called it our great family adventure. He was always a dreamer like that.”

Keldi’s voice caught for a moment and a look of vulnerability crept over her features. But then her expression hardened again. “Mother wasn’t keen on the idea. She’d heard about the instances of fighting between our two worlds. But Father convinced her and we made plans to cross the portal. At that time, Ariadne and Eldric were already betrothed, and my brother begged Ariadne’s family to allow her to come. He was so happy when they finally agreed.”

“It was nighttime when the five of us stepped into Solair. At Mother’s insistence, we all slept in the same room at a nearby inn. I was just falling asleep when they came upon us. The first thing I heard were my parents’ cries. Somebody pulled me out of bed. They blindfolded me and bound my hands behind my back. Eldric and I were forced into a dark room. Unable to see the sun, we lost all track of the time. No one came to get us, and we heard and saw nothing of our parents or Ariadne. Then, what felt like days later, a man came into our room and told us that we were never going back to Verdura. We now belonged to a Solairan lord.”

“Our master kept us as slaves for years before Minerva and Azriel rescued us,” Keldi continued. “We found out that our parents died during the kidnapping, but my brother never gave up hope about Ariadne. Eldric was like a man possessed. When he finally found her years later, she was in really bad shape. And by then, she was pregnant with Lilith.”

Lia wiped the tears from her face and reached out to take her friend’s hand. “I’m so sorry for all that you went through.”

“Don’t be.” Keldi pulled away. “As bad as it was me, at least I had Eldric. We watched out for each other. But Ariadne went through her torture alone. Eldric’s never forgiven himself for bringing her to Solair and not saving her in time.”

“But he was a slave. You were both children. There was no way you could have found her.”

Keldi’s expression turned stormy. “That’s where you’re wrong. The same lord who purchased us also purchased Ariadne. Eldric and I worked inside the house and on the grounds. But our master kept Ariadne locked up somewhere underground. We were near her the entire time, but never knew it.”

Lia eyed her friend in shock. “Who would do something so horrible?”

Keldi’s gaze fell on Lia’s injured arm. “You’ve already met him and his son.”

“Lord Riehl?” Lia’s mind instantly brought up an image of a smiling green-skinned child.

Lilith was Kieren’s half-sister.

22 KIEREN

Kieren did his duty and reported his findings to Reina and Soren. But even with everything out in the open, he struggled to face the horrible truth staring him straight in the eye. Not only was his father buying illegal Verduran items, but he was also involved in trafficking people.

Kieren couldn’t shake off the lingering feeling that perhaps he was also to blame. Perhaps if he had said something or done something, Kieren could have prevented his father from hurting all those nameless, faceless victims.

Ignoring the insistent knocking on his bedroom door, he lay in bed trying to escape his own guilty conscience. All too soon, he sank into a troubled sleep.

Kieren crouched low, hoping he wouldn’t be found. Once again, another tutor was angry with him for not completing his homework. What was the man called again? Finn? Thomas? With so many of them coming and going through his eight years, Kieren had stopped bothering to learn their names.

This current tutor was the youngest he’d had by far. Kieren had hoped the man might take a more lenient approach to teaching, but he was wrong. Eager to get in Lord Riehl’s good graces, the new tutor often lost his temper, using a thin reed switch to beat the lessons into his pupil’s memory.

At the moment, Kieren was hiding behind a wooden chair in his father’s study because he hadn’t finished his readings about the Great War. He knew he was safe as long as he stayed inside. The tutor wouldn’t dare look for him here. Everyone knew that Lord Riehl’s office was never to be disturbed.

The door creaked open, and Kieren’s heartbeat spiked. For a brief, horrible moment, time stood still. Thankfully, the person entering the room didn’t seem to notice Kieren’s huddled form. Curious, he peeked past the legs of the massive wooden desk. Recognizing his father’s riding boots, an inaudible gasp escaped Kieren’s lips. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for what would inevitably come next.

No doubt Father’s punishment would be even worse than the tutor’s.

Lord Riehl now hovered directly over his desk. If he looked toward the fireplace, he would have certainly seen Kieren’s hiding place. But Lord Riehl didn’t. Instead, something clinked and rustled above. It sounded like his father was searching for something in the metal bowl sitting on his desk.

Kieren curled himself up even smaller and watched with bated breath as his father walked over to the wall on the opposite side of the room where an enormous tapestry depicting a fearsome dragon hung. Kieren shuddered. He didn’t have to look at the cloth weaving to see the beast’s yellow eyes and sharp fangs. The image always seemed a bit too real for his liking.

Lord Riehl lifted the tapestry, exposing a plain wooden door underneath. Holding a small golden key, he unlocked the door and silently walked through.

For several lengthy moments, Kieren stayed crouched behind the chair, waiting for the man to reappear. But Lord Riehl never returned. Taking advantage of this good fortune, Kieren scrambled from his hiding place and ran toward the room’s entrance. He’d almost made it when the door opened again.

This time, with nowhere to hide, Kieren braced himself for a beating.

A young woman with wavy black hair and the most startling blue eyes stepped inside.

She smiled. “Oh hello! I didn’t expect to see you here.”

An odd sense of familiarity and safety washed over Kieren. Where had he seen the woman before?

“We’re not supposed to be here.” He grabbed her hand without a second thought. “Come on; we have to leave before he comes back.”

Outside his father’s study, a beautiful green field and cloudless blue sky greeted them in place of the drafty stone corridor. The warm air around them hummed with all the wonderful promises of spring.

Relieved to have dodged his father’s heavy hand, Kieren flopped down on the grass. He gave a sideways glance at the woman sitting beside him, noting the fullness of her lips and the faint constellation of freckles across her nose. She turned and gazed at him with such affection that his cheeks grew warm.

“Who are you?” he asked, trying to sound older than he was.

She tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear. “My name is Lia. And who are you?”

He sat up, feeling the sudden urge to make a good impression. “My name is Kieren.”

The woman’s mouth curved into a small smile. “Ah. I have another friend named Kieren. Same silver eyes as you, but he’s much older.”

Jealousy snaked through his stomach. “Well, I’m tall for an eight-year-old.”

She studied him for a moment. “Yes, I believe you are.”

Kieren smiled shyly. He liked this woman. She listened to him. Took him seriously.

“What were you doing in that room, Kieren?”

He bit his lip, debating whether to tell her the truth. But she seemed trustworthy. “I was hiding,” he finally admitted. “Tutor said that I had to do homework, but I didn’t want to. I’m tired of learning about the war. Too much killing. I ran away before he could punish me. But it doesn’t matter. Father will eventually find out, and I’ll have to face the consequences. His beatings are always worse.”

Her expression grew sad. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not always going to be like this, you know.” He scowled, unhappy that he had made her upset. Father’s bigger than me now. But one day, I’ll be stronger than him. Then I’ll belong to no one but myself.”

Lia reached out and squeezed his hand. “I believe you. You are strong and brave and kind. You will be a better man than your father. I know it.”

Kieren jolted awake as bits and pieces of the dream faded from his mind like soft, curling puffs of smoke. But he managed to hold on to two very important details. The woman in tonight’s dream was the same one from his dream before.

And her name was Lia.

23 LIA

Lia lay sprawled across her bed, the details from the dream still lingering vividly in her mind. Kieren had never shared the specifics of his relationship with his father. But last night, her imagination had gone wild, painting a picture of a scared boy determined to survive.

“It’s about time you woke up.” Keldi piped up from the corner of Lia’s bedroom. “You missed breakfast, and you’re almost about to miss lunch as well.”

Was it really that late in the day? “Geez.” Lia wiped her cheeks, which, surprisingly, were damp. “How did you get in here?”

The Verduran woman’s face broke into a smile. “A maidservant is always allowed access to her mistress’s room.”

Lia couldn’t believe their luck. “You got out of kitchen duty?”

Keldi grinned. “Poor Bilba was clearly in over her head. So I hinted that I could help make your new outfit if she convinced her daughter to take my job peeling potatoes. Cooking just isn’t my thing. The poor overwhelmed woman happily agreed, which freed me to be your maidservant.” Keldi eyed Lia and grimaced. “And I see I came at the perfect moment.”

Lia touched her tangled hair self-consciously.

“Come on; we’ve got a bit to do before you eat. Go take a bath, and then we’ll get you dressed. If you want to pull off this new, mysterious persona, you’ll need to look your best.”

Lia sighed, but she had to admit that a luxurious warm bath did sound wonderful. After a relaxing soak, she left the tub feeling cleaner and ready to face whatever the day threw at her.

A very pleased-looking Keldi waited impatiently by the closet. Spotting Lia, the maidservant waved her closer. “Due to time restraints, I convinced Bilba that instead of sewing something from scratch, we should just tailor an old uniform to fit your body. And that’s how we came up with this.” With a dramatic flourish, Keldi threw the closet door open and pulled out two tailored black pieces of clothing.

Lia stepped closer to take a better look. The shirt and pants were a similar design to the light tan outfit she’d previously worn, but the fit of these clothes was definitely designed with a female in mind. And instead of a piece of cloth that covered her mouth, now there was a stylish black mask to cover her eyes.

“This way your face can still remain hidden while you eat,” Keldi explained. “The old design was flawed because it always covered your mouth.”

Lia nodded and her gaze dropped appreciatively to the brown leather breastplate similar to the harnesses that Kieren and Griffith wore over their tunics. A shiver rippled across her body, and that’s when she knew. This was it. This was her modern-day ninja outfit.

“Do you like it?” Keldi could scarcely contain her excitement. “The leather smith was terrible to work with. He kept harping on about females not needing harnesses. In the end, I just told him that the outfit was for a boy. That seemed to shut him up.” Keldi ran her hands over the leather. “Dense as he was, the man does excellent work. He also made you these braces to protect your lower arms. Goodness knows they’ve suffered enough.”

Lia instinctively glanced down at her wrapped arm.

“You should uncover it and see how it looks,” Keldi said. “The healers aren’t as skilled as Ariadne, but I’ve seen them do good work.”

Lia unwrapped the bindings. The wrinkled patchwork of mottled skin remained, but her newest injury had faded to a silvery puckered scar.

“You’re lucky,” Keldi said. “I’ve seen scars heal badly.”

Lia wondered if her friend was talking about Eldric.

“Well, come on,” Keldi urged. “Rewrap your arm and try it all on!”

Lia slid on the tunic, pants, and forearm bands. It took both of them several moments to tighten the leather harness and fasten the mask and hood over her head.

“Take a look at yourself.” Keldi tugged her over to the mirror.

A mysterious and undoubtedly feminine warrior smirked back at her. The pants fit Lia’s legs as snuggly as a pair of yoga leggings. The leather chest piece and the eye mask made her look dangerous. She wasn’t just dressed to fight, she was dressed to kill.

“Out of curiosity, why don’t you want Lord Kieren to know who you are?” Keldi asked.

“Things didn’t end very well between us last time.”

“Was that when you got the burns on your arms? And when he lost his memories?”

Lia swallowed. Unshed tears prickled at the back of her throat. “I can’t…”

“Never mind,” Keldi said gently. “I won’t push you anymore.”

Lia shot her friend a grateful, wobbly smile. “Have you heard anything about the villagers?”

“Nothing yet.”

A wave of homesickness came over Lia. Magic was great to have, but cell phones and text messages would have gotten the answer quickly.

“Come on,” Keldi murmured. “Healers’ orders are now officially over. Why don’t you go downstairs and get some lunch with Azriel? Let’s see if he can’t charm a smile onto that face of yours.”

24 KIEREN

It was still dark when they left. Fortunately for Kieren, neither Asher nor Griffith were in any mood to talk. The three of them rode hard to reach his childhood home by mid-morning.

Upon seeing the familiar stone building, a miniature replica of Cairn castle, a great and terrible anger coursed through Kieren’s veins. While his body would forever hold records of his father’s ‘lessons,’ he no longer had to endure Lord Riehl’s capricious moods. His dream last night had emphasized that fact. Kieren now belonged to no one but himself.

He led Griffith and Asher past the towering stone walls and dozens of bowing guards. After handing their horses to the stable boys, they headed straight to the manor’s main entrance. No one dared try to challenge them. As a child, Kieren may have been mocked as Lord Riehl’s bastard son, but his status now as heir and ex-dragon hunter gave him quite a breadth of power.

“You really are a Silver Spoons, aren’t you?” Asher muttered as he eyed the lavish surroundings.

Kieren wanted to tell his new friend that he hated everything the building stood for and would have preferred to have a more humble upbringing. But he didn’t. Asher would never have understood. And Kieren knew why.

While all lords inherited generational wealth, Lord Riehl was one of Solair’s merchant lords: men who weren’t content just to live off family money or taxes collected from the back-breaking labor of their villagers. His father was a new class of nobility who worked to expand their wealth with a keen business eye.

The manor was evidence of his father’s success. It boasted a dozen bedrooms, a giant library, and a stable full of magnificent horses. His father’s sphere of influence also extended far beyond the stone walls. Hundreds of farmers worked on the surrounding sprawling lands. The town under Lord Riehl’s protection may not have been as large as Cairn or Rosetta, but it was still bustling and industrious. The villagers here were well cared for, but they also paid dearly for the honor.

The guards stationed at the manor’s main entrance bowed deeply. One of them arched a curious brow at Asher.

“He’s with me,” Kieren growled.

The man nodded and allowed the three of them to pass. A familiar servant greeted them inside the manor’s entryway.

For the first time that day, Kieren broke into a genuine smile. “Claes!”

The servant smiled in return, but it didn’t quite reach his violet eyes. “Lord Kieren.” The man bowed before eying Griffith. It was then that his shoulders visibly relaxed. “Good to see you, son. You’re looking a bit thinner.”

“Is that any way to greet your favorite child?” Griffith pulled his father into a hug.

“Favorite and only.” Claes grimaced and pulled away.

Griffith’s face fell. “What happened, Father? Are you unwell?”

“I’m just getting old, is all. Probably hurt my back lifting something. You can’t expect me to be as spry as I once was.”

Kieren’s and Griffith’s eyes met. The man was lying. Claes had always been in optimal health. Something was clearly not right.

“Forgive my manners.” Griffith’s father glanced at Asher. “I have not yet met the third member of your party.”

“This is Ash,” Griffith said. “He’s a friend of ours from Rosetta.”

Claes allowed himself a small smile. “At such a size, I’m thankful that he’s not your enemy. Glad to meet anyone who befriends my son and the young lord.”

Kieren peered past Claes and down the manor’s main hallway. “Is Father in? The queen wishes to speak with him. We’re here to escort him back to Cairn.”

The servant cleared his throat. “Yes, he’s in his study.” But I fear Lord Riehl may not be in a particularly talkative mood at present. He lost an expensive shipment of goods yesterday.”

“Speaking ill of me?” A figure stalked from the shadows.

Fear flitted across Claes’s face, and he took a small step back. “Apologies, my lord. I should not have spoken so frankly.”

Kieren bristled, taking in the clues before him. The terror in Claes’s eyes. The servant’s sore back. Was his father treating his workers the same way he’d treated Kieren? Judging by Griffith’s angry expression, his friend had come to the same conclusion.

“Good morning, Father,” Kieren kept his voice level. “The queen requests your presence in court. She sent us to escort you there personally.”

“The queen?” Lord Riehl’s handsome face transformed with a bitter scowl. “That girl is not my sovereign ruler.”

The heady smell of mead hit Kieren’s nostrils. It was only mid-morning, and his father was drunk. In all his years, he’d never once seen his father in any state other than controlled.

Something was definitely amiss.

Kieren took a step forward. “Despite your opinion, Reina is now queen. And she commands your presence in court.”

“May Cedric rot in his grave,” Lord Riehl spat out. “And may his daughter soon follow a similar fate. I, for one, would have more respect for a talking pig than that girl.”

“Father, you cannot speak this way.”

“She shouldn’t be ruler of Solair.” Riehl pounded his chest. “My heir should have sat on the throne. My blood should have been bred into the ruling lines.”

“There’s still time for that,” Kieren said grimly, thinking of their arranged engagement.

“You, idiot.” His father’s silver eyes flashed with that look, the one that always came before a fist struck.

But Kieren was no longer a child. He held his father’s gaze, challenging him to try something stupid.

Lord Riehl pointed an accusing finger at Kieren. “You messed it up. I knew that you detested Reina, but I thought I’d beat enough smarts into you as a child that you’d manage to hide it. Seems I should have given you more lessons. You’re just as worthless now as you were then. Clearly, that power-hungry whore saw right through you because she broke off the engagement.”

Kieren stood there. Dumbstruck. Could it be? Was he actually free? He’d barely had enough time to process this information before his father continued.

“I had no wish to hand my lands over to you. Never wanted to name you as my heir. But I had to. Cedric wouldn’t honor our agreement unless I did.” He shot Kieren a look of pure hatred. “It should have been Silas. He was my true son. You’re nothing more than an aberration.”

Kieren had heard all the insults before, but he’d be lying if he said they didn’t still hold a certain sting. A tight, brittle laugh escaped his lips. “I’m not here to rehash our loving family history. I’m here to take you to our queen.” He turned to Asher and Griffith. “Bind his arms. Lord Riehl rides with us now, whether he likes it or not. And if my father keeps arguing, bind his mouth as well.” Kieren’s tone was commanding, but his insides churned uneasily. Despite being stronger than the man who’d once tormented him, Kieren found himself only a few teetering steps from returning to his childhood self.

“I’ll never go with you!” Lord Riehl drew his sword and lunged.

With one smooth motion, Kieren pulled out his blade and knocked the weapon out of his father’s hand. “Even though you are a villain of the worst sort, I will ensure that you receive a fair trial with the queen.”

As Asher and Griffith placed Lord Riehl’s wrists in manacles, his father thrashed about and spat in Griffith’s face. “Don’t act so high and mighty, servant. You may live in the castle, but you will always be beneath me.”

White-hot rage overtook Kieren and he grabbed his father by the neck and pushed him against the wall. He raised his other arm, prepared to bash his father over the head with his sword’s handle. But a wisp of a dream stopped him in his tracks.

You will be a better man than your father. That’s what Lia had said when she’d looked into his eyes. And at that very moment, Kieren wanted to believe her.

So instead, he released his father into Asher’s hold. Pulling out a strip of cloth from his satchel, Kieren wrapped it tightly around his father’s mouth. “Now we won’t be forced to listen to such vitriol. Take him away.”

Asher hauled Lord Riehl toward the manor’s main entrance.

Kieren turned to address his friend. “Griff, I’m sorry for what he said—”

“Never apologize for that man,” Griffith interrupted. “His words mean nothing to me. Anyone who beats their son and their servants is no true man.”

“You should watch your tongue, son.” Claes eyed Kieren nervously. “Apologies, my lord, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

It pained Kieren to see the gentle smiling fixture of his youth reduced to the broken man now standing before him. He placed a hand on Claes’s shoulder. “There’s no need to apologize. Your son speaks the truth. I think we’ve all known what my father is for a long time.”

Another foggy snippet from his dream sprang to mind. The wooden door behind the tapestry. Did it actually exist? For some reason, Kieren felt compelled to find out. “Before we head back, there is one thing that I wish to examine in my father’s study.”

“Of course, my lord,” Claes replied.

The office was just as Kieren remembered. Neat. Organized. Boring. A large wooden shelf sat next to a window, filled to the brim with books, and a giant fireplace spanned an adjacent wall, dousing the room in warmth. Kieren walked over to his father’s desk. Spying a metal bowl, he dug his fingers through the bric-a-brac inside until they finally wrapped around a slim key.

It was the same one from his dream. So that part was true. He approached the tapestry and carefully lifted a corner to reveal a plain wooden door hidden underneath. So the other part of the dream was true too.

What did it all mean?

“I’ve never seen this door before.” Griffith’s eyes caught Kieren’s. “Where does it lead?”

“I don’t know,” Kieren replied, his tone grim.

“Do you know, Father?”

Claes shook his head slightly.

Kieren gripped the key. “It’s time to find out what secrets my father kept hidden here.”

The key slipped easily into the lock. Kieren’s hand felt cold and clammy as he turned the handle to reveal a dark hallway and a set of narrow, descending stairs. A lone, unlit torch hung on the wall.

“Here, let me.” Griff lit the torch in the fireplace and returned it to Kieren. “Nothing good ever lies at the bottom of creaky old stairs. You sure you want to go down there?”

Kieren nodded. His father kept the door locked for a reason and Kieren had to know why. After propping the wooden door open with a chair, they descended into the inky darkness below.

The winding steps led to another wooden door. Kieren held the torch to the door’s handle and saw that, like the first door, this one also had a keyhole. Carved into the wood above the metal knob was a small scratch resembling an X. He traced the carving with his finger.

A faint whisper of a memory appeared in the recesses of Kieren’s mind. But before he could grab it, the memory disappeared.

A sense of foreboding filled him. For a moment, Kieren debated turning back. They had captured his father and completed their mission. He didn’t need to do this. But something important lay behind the wooden door. The desire to find out the truth drove him to keep going.

The door led them into a dimly lit circular room. Several beams of light from a scattering of windows shone on a pair of dusty shelves filled with glass jars. Determined to get a better look at their surroundings, Kieren lit the torches on the walls.

Now he could see that the room was mostly empty except for a large wooden table in the middle of the room and a huge metal cage sitting against a wall. The table was about the length of a full-grown man, with leather belt straps nailed into both ends. Portions of it were stained a dark, rich brown. Were they wine stains? Kieren brushed his fingers over one and sniffed. It didn’t smell like alcohol.

He rubbed the red flecks off his skin before turning to investigate the metal cage. “Claes, do you have any idea what my father used this room for?” He peered through the bars. The cage was about the same height as Kieren was and just wide enough for someone to lie down. Like the table, brown stains ran along the wall and the floor.

The servant remained suspiciously silent.

Kieren reached through the bars and rubbed his finger on the ground. Dark red flecks, identical to the ones he’d found on the table, appeared on his skin.

Moons. This wasn’t wine. It was blood. “Claes, what did my father do?”

The servant’s eyes darted from Griffith to Kieren. He wrung his hands, clearly distraught. “This is your father’s personal prison. He tortures people in here.”

“What people?” Kieren’s voice was strained.

“Verdurans, my lord.”

The response sent a shiver down Kieren’s spine. No. This couldn’t be. He thought back to the child they’d found in the crate. Was this meant to be the boy’s fate as well?

“How many people did he hurt?” Griffith asked.

“I’m not sure,” Claes confessed. “I only know of two.”

“Who were they? And what happened to them?” Kieren asked, although, judging by the blood, he suspected he already knew the answer.

“They were both women. One was named Ariadne. She escaped.”

Thank the moons, whoever this woman was, she’d found a way to outsmart his father.

“And the other woman?” Kieren prompted.

Claes lowered his head. “She died on that table.”

Kieren stared at the stains on the giant piece of furniture, fighting a wave of nausea. “My father killed her?”

“No, my lord. She died giving birth to you.”

Kieren’s heart fell. His father had lied about this as well. Kieren wasn’t the son of a random peasant woman. He was half-Verduran, and the dried blood on his fingertips belonged to his mother.

25 LIA

Lia followed Keldi to the dining hall. The few servants they passed stared, but this time, Lia felt no embarrassment. A small smile played on her lips. Emboldened by the anonymity the uniform provided, she walked with confidence.

The last time she’d walked these hallways, she’d been a prisoner of the king. Powerless. Defeated. But now, the tables had turned. Reina was an ally. And with Azriel’s and Eldric’s training, Lia was no longer at the mercy of others.

“This is where you will eat.” Keldi pointed to a pair of heavy wooden doors. “It slipped my mind to mention this before, but you’re not only eating with Azriel. The queen’s guards are dining with you as well.”

“So I’m walking into a room of dangerous, blade-wielding men?”

“Where else would a dangerous, blade-wielding woman belong?” Her friend winked. “It’s time to take ownership of your power. Enjoy your meal, m’lady!” With that parting shot, Keldi waved her fingers and left.

Lia’s stomach rumbled. “I am a ninja. I am a ninja. I am a freaking-strong-and-deadly ninja.” She smoothed her hands over the leather harness and braced herself for the possible confrontation inside. This was more than a Halloween costume and she was no longer the helpless and naive girl from before. She was a warrior. And she could do this.

Shoulders back, she opened the door and sauntered in. Tables of men dressed in various shades of brown and black fell silent as she walked by. Unused to the attention, Lia’s cheeks burned beneath her mask, but she kept her head high. If she could handle a high school lunchroom, she could certainly handle this.

“Adalia,” a familiar voice beckoned. “Do join us.”

From across the room, Azriel shot her a sardonic smile. Surrounded by a handful of dangerous-looking men, he still managed to look utterly at ease. Lia took a deep breath and strolled over, hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt.

Whispers trailed behind her, but she was determined to ignore them.

“Good to see you’re finally up,” Azriel commented. “I missed you at breakfast. Fortunately, these fine gentlemen kept me company on my morning run. Please, join us.” He patted an empty stool next to him.

She eyed the table’s other occupants, young men who all appeared to be in their twenties. Two had olive complexions with dark brown hair and brown eyes, and one was a freckle-faced blond with bright blue eyes.

“Nice to meet you, Adalia.” One of the men with dark hair leaped to his feet and shot her an easy smile. “My name is Seth. This is Leo and Charles.”

The other men remained seated and grunted their greetings.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Lia eyed the table’s communal platters of roasted meats, creamy cheeses, crusty bread, and fresh fruit.

“It’s all delicious, but I particularly recommend the cheese.” Azriel popped a wedge into his mouth.

Without thinking, she reached out to sample some, but then she changed her mind and tore off a hunk of bread instead.

Before she had a chance to take a bite, Azriel placed his hand on hers and leaned in close. “Come now, Adalia.” His breath warmed her cheek with every emphasized syllable. “Why eat the bread when the cheese is so much tastier?” He stroked his thumb across her arm.

Lia scowled at the invasion of space. Around them, the other men at the table watched, clearly interested in what was going to happen next.

“No, thank you. And I suggest you move that hand unless you want to lose a finger.” She jerked her hand from his and chomped down on the piece of bread.

Azriel blinked and withdrew his hand. The tension in the room soon dissipated and the other guards around the table relaxed and resumed eating.

Scowling at the Verduran, Lia proceeded to nibble on every item on the table except for the cheese.

Azriel smirked. “You still refuse my suggestion?”

“I suppose you’re charming enough, but your words hold no sway over me. I’ll eat what I want.” And to prove her point, Lia bit into a ripe strawberry.

“Point taken.” Azriel sat there, with an amused look on his face. “After you’ve finished, I’d like to invite you to the armory. We need to keep up our training.”

Lia thought about denying his request just to get a rise out of him. But then she thought better of it. This wasn’t the time to be playing mind games. Azriel was right. It would do her good to keep practicing.

“Okay,” she agreed. “But I’ll need to first get my sword from my room.”

“Excellent. Why don’t I escort you back there and then we’ll head to the training room together?”

“No, thanks.”

“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want you to get lost in the maze of halls.”

Lia held his gaze. “I don’t need your help. I already know my way.”

“You do?” A slow smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “You truly are a woman of secrets, aren’t you?”

Lia smiled sweetly at him before popping another strawberry into her mouth.

26 KIEREN

What had started as a slow, simmering anger when he’d returned to his childhood home exploded into full-blown fury when he realized the full extent of his father’s depravity. Lord Riehl had not only been involved in human trafficking; he’d also imprisoned Verduran women in his own private torture room. And one of those victims had been his mother.

Kieren stormed out of his father’s study with Griffith and Claes following close behind.

“Wait.” His friend reached out. “What exactly are you planning on doing?”

He shrugged off Griffith’s hand without answering. In all honesty, Kieren didn’t know. He’d always prided himself on his controlled, calm demeanor. Nothing ever outwardly affected him—not his father’s beatings, not his brother’s disappearance, not even waking up to discover he no longer had access to parts of his memory. Kieren had experienced so many difficult things in his life; the scars on his body were evidence of that. But he’d survived by keeping every ounce of fear, pain, and sadness tightly bound inside.

This newest discovery had broken him. It was like a burning, uncontrollable fire ignited beneath his skin, threatening to consume him.

“Hand him over.” Kieren stormed outside where Asher stood waiting with Lord Riehl.

The warrior’s eyes narrowed. He took a deliberate step forward and placed himself between Kieren and his father. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“What do you mean?” Kieren forced out. “As one of the queen’s elite guards, I order you to step aside.”

The mercenary crossed his arms and flicked Griffith a questioning glance.

“Do as he says, Ash.”

Asher’s jaw flexed, but he stepped aside. Kieren grabbed his father by the tunic and ripped off the cloth that bound his mouth.

“What are you going to do to me now, boy?” Lord Riehl’s red eyes regarded him with disgust. “You’ve already got me tied up like a pig for slaughter.”

Kieren tightened his grip. “Tell me about my mother.”

His father stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. “Why would we talk about her? The woman was nothing but a common peasant whore.”

“You sick bastard. She was my mother!” Kieren whipped out a dagger and pressed the blade into his father’s throat. “I’ve seen your secret room and every disgusting thing inside. Do you enjoy torturing people smaller and weaker than you? Why don’t we see how you fare against someone your own size?”

Lord Riehl’s haughty expression fell and he blanched at Kieren’s words. “Cedric gave the Verduran to me as a gift. Probably thought I would study and butcher her as he did to so many others. He was the monster, not me. I took care of her.”

Did his father honestly think that Kieren would believe the lies spewing from his mouth? He jabbed the blade harder, now breaking Lord Riehl’s skin. A small bit of blood trickled down his father’s neck. “You’re a monster! You kept her down there, forced yourself on her, and then killed her.”

“I killed her?” A hard glint appeared in Lord Riehl’s eyes. “No, boy. That’s where you’re mistaken. The only monster here is you. Your mother died giving birth to you. I didn’t kill her. You did.”

His father’s cruel words pierced through Kieren’s haze of anger. With trembling hands, he withdrew his dagger. Guilt twisted his insides, and Kieren thought he might be sick. His father was right. She died giving birth to him. What would have happened if his mother had lived? Could she have escaped like Ariadne?

“Don’t tell me you’re seriously entertaining his lies,” Griffith said.

Asher placed a hand on Kieren’s shoulder. “I’m not sorry.”

“For what?” Kieren blinked, not understanding.

“For this.” The man’s fist slammed into Lord Riehl’s face. Kieren’s father collapsed into an unconscious heap on the ground.

“Apologies, my lord,” Asher growled. “My hand slipped. Happens sometimes.”

Griffith peered down at the unconscious lord. “If you hadn’t done that, I would have done something similar. Not as dramatic, of course, but something equally heroic.” He studied Kieren with serious eyes. “Remember what I said before. Nobility or not, your father is no man.”

Claes stepped forward. “If you must place blame, let some fall on me as well. I helped deliver you, but I couldn’t save her.”

“You were more of a father to me than he ever was,” Kieren said to the man who’d watched over him his entire life. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to do more for her. Or you.” Claes looked up and Kieren could see that the man’s eyes were filled with unspoken regret. “Her name was Kaida.”

The name rang in Kieren’s ears. Kaida. At last, he finally knew his mother’s name.

“Come on,” Griffith said. “We should ride back and hand the prisoner over to the queen. Your father will soon receive the punishment he deserves.”

Kieren hoped so. Then perhaps his mother’s spirit would finally get some rest.

27 KIEREN

“Halt! What do you think you’re doing?”

Asher, Griffith, and Kieren stopped in their tracks as one of Lord Riehl’s guards rushed toward them.

Asher shot Kieren a questioning look. “Should I put him down?” He motioned to the unconscious lord in his arms.

Kieren shook his head. “My father is wanted for interrogation by the queen for his role in the trading of illegal Verduran items.” He scowled at the guard. “Unless you wish to be charged with obstruction of justice, I suggest you get out of our way.”

The guard shot Lord Riehl’s unmoving body a nervous look, obviously debating what to do. Finally, he lowered his gaze. “My apologies, my lord. I did not realize.”

Word must have gotten out, because no one else stepped in to stop them after that.

When they finally arrived back at Cairn Castle, Asher ‘accidentally’ dropped their captive into the horses’ drinking trough. Lord Riehl woke up red-faced, angry, and howling louder than a newborn. Ignoring all rules of courtly decorum, they dragged the unhappy flailing noble into the throne room and dropped him unceremoniously in front of a seated, unsmiling queen and a bewildered Soren.

Reina’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the spluttering man.

“What is the meaning of this?” their former captain asked. “It looks like Kieren’s father has been manhandled and dumped into a tub of water.”

“Trough, actually,” Griffith clarified.

Their ex-captain silenced him with a look.

Lord Riehl clambered to his feet, wiping the water from his face. “Is this how the kingdom is run these days?” An angry, darkening bruise over his right eye marred his ordinarily handsome features. “I am a respected and powerful lord of Solair, and your men have treated me abysmally. The late king was a good friend of mine, and I supported Reina’s ascendency to the throne, hoping that she would follow in his same great footsteps.” Lord Riehl shot Kieren a look of utter loathing. “But after today’s gross mistreatment, I would question how the kingdom’s affairs are run.”

Kieren arched a brow. His father sounded surprisingly proud for someone who was dripping dirty horse water onto the castle’s pristine floor.

The queen’s steely expression morphed into a disarming smile. The sudden transformation was quite jarring.

“My apologies for the rough treatment. You are right. Lord Kieren and Griffith should set an example for the others. Guards!” She called to the two men standing by the door. “Please fetch some blankets and a cup of hot tea for Lord Riehl. You are relieved of your posts. Advisor Soren, Griffith, and Lord Kieren can protect me in your absence.”

“Yes, my Queen.” Both men bowed and left.

She returned her attention to the soaking lord. “And you are quite right, Lord Riehl. My men shouldn’t have treated a loyal Solairan this way. Rest assured that I will speak to them later about their behavior.”

His father took a step forward. “Personally, I would recommend that they be severely punished. You must set firm guidelines during your early days of rule. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Make an example of them. Especially that one.” He pointed to Asher. “That monstrosity of a peasant was particularly rude. Time on the racks or even a beheading would be an appropriate punishment for his crimes.”

Asher bared his teeth at the lord.

“Do not disrespect me, dog!” Lord Riehl snapped.

“I thank you for your advice,” Reina interjected. “Out of curiosity, did any of these men that you accuse of mistreatment tell you why I requested your presence in court?”

“No, Your Majesty. They did not.”

Liar.

“Really?” Reina’s smile widened. “Then allow me to fill you in on the details. These men recently guarded a routine merchant caravan originating from Rosetta. Unfortunately, a box went missing in transit. We seized the others as evidence, and in doing so, discovered three wooden crates marked with the letter R.”

Relief washed over Lord Riehl’s face. “Yes, those were mine. Wonderful that you prevented them from being stolen. Your father would be proud. I always knew you’d make a fine queen and a good wife for my son.”

His father’s comment stung like a slap to the face.

“Now, now, my good Lord Riehl.” Reina shot him another disarming smile. “Let’s not rehash old arguments. You already know my thoughts regarding our engagement. While I respect my father’s wishes, I still do not believe Kieren and I would make a good pairing. Which is why I ended our betrothal.”

Lord Riehl opened his mouth as if to comment and Reina interrupted him with a raised hand. “I won’t hear another word on the matter. I am confident in this decision. And it is well within my right as queen to choose whom I wish to marry.”

Kieren’s father’s face turned surly, but he said no more on the subject.

“Now, back to the matter at hand—the reason for your invitation here,” Reina continued. “Lord Riehl, you are charged with breaking one of the kingdom’s most enforced laws—transportation of illegal magical items.”

“No,” Kieren’s father sputtered. “That’s impossible. That can’t be.”

“We searched your boxes and found several incriminating items inside.”

“Who gave you the authority? Those were my private belongings.”

“I am the queen.” Her tone was final. Absolute. “That is authority enough. But being the fair and just ruler that I am, I also sought the permission of your son, who, as you know, currently acts as your representative in court.”

“What have you done?” Riehl leapt toward Kieren, but Asher grabbed the man just in time and held him back as easily as one would an unruly child.

“Solairan laws prohibit any and all trafficking of illegal Verduran goods,” Soren calmly stated, as if seeing lords disciplined was something that happened all the time. Then again, judging by how well Reina was handling this situation, perhaps this wasn’t such an uncommon occurrence.

Reina glared. “The crown does not support the trafficking of people, no matter what their backgrounds may be.”

Appearing contrite, Lord Riehl lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. But this is all a huge mistake. Those items were gifts. I had no idea what was inside the boxes. Surely you cannot punish me for my ignorance. I am innocent.”

“Oh, he certainly is ignorant if he thinks that’s going to work with Reina,” Griffith whispered.

“Kieren?” Reina turned to address him. “I think now would be a good time to present your report.”

Kieren deliberately avoided looking at his father. “Lord Riehl may claim innocence and deny his awareness of what was inside those boxes. But evidence we uncovered in his home speaks of a history of illegal Verduran-related activities. During a lengthy examination of his study, we discovered a secret underground room.”

Disgust and anger threatened to overwhelm him again, but Kieren kept his head clear and tone level. His father was going to be punished, and Kieren would ensure the facts sealed his fate.

“Inside, we discovered jars filled with substances similar to those discovered in the traders’ cargo. We also found a large table and a metal cage. We have evidence backed up by eyewitness reports that Lord Riehl used the room as his own torture chamber. He kept at least two Verduran women there against their wills. One managed to escape. The other died giving birth within that hidden chamber. That woman’s name was Kaida.”

Kieren paused. By now, his heart was beating so loudly it threatened to explode out of his chest. “Kaida was my mother.”

“No.” Soren’s eyes widened.

“I can confirm the report,” Griffith added. “I was there during the examination of evidence. We can also bring in a willing eyewitness for questioning.”

The queen turned the full weight of her formidable gaze on the now silent and pale lord. “In light of the evidence presented to me, Lord Riehl, you are hereby stripped of your title and lands. Your son and sole heir, Lord Kieren, will receive both land and full title immediately. I also sentence you to the cells below, where you may contemplate your actions and await my final punishment.”

A large, ugly vein throbbed in the middle of Lord Riehl’s damp forehead. “If your father were here, he would have understood,” he yelled. “You are nothing like him. Soon the other lords will see that as well. And their retribution will be swift. You’ll have a revolution on your hands. Mark my words.”

“How dare you threaten me in my own home!” Reina’s expression turned deadly. “If I allow you to live long enough to learn from your mistakes, let this be my first lesson to you. I am nothing like my father.”

The two guards returned to the room, one holding blankets and the other a steaming cup of tea.

“Ah.” Reina beamed at the returning men, all anger instantly evaporating. “Excellent timing. Will you please wrap those blankets around Riehl and escort him down to the prison cells? They should help keep him warm during the drafty night.”

If it surprised the guards to hear of Lord Riehl’s fate, they concealed it well. Kieren’s father spluttered in disbelief as the two men flanked him and led him to the door.

“And thank you again, Riehl,” Reina called after him. “I will certainly heed your unsolicited advice. You were absolutely right. I should be firm with my punishments.”

Kieren stared at the young queen in awe. And judging by Asher’s and Griffith’s identical open-mouthed expressions, he wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Cedric’s pampered pet was gone. In her place stood a brilliant queen.

At least Cedric had done one thing right: He had raised his daughter to rule.

28 LIA

Lia was in the middle of putting on her sword when someone knocked on her bedroom door.

Keldi! She covered her face and leaped to open the door, excited to tell her friend about lunch. But instead of her maidservant, a familiar violet-eyed ex-dragon hunter stood outside.

“Griffith!” She said in surprise as he pulled her in for a hug.

He pulled away first. “You don’t have to worry. I told the guards I’d watch you for a bit.”

Lia dragged her friend inside and watched as Griffith paced the room, clearly agitated.

She untied her mask. “Did something happen?”

“Turns out that Azriel was right. The boxes belonging to Kieren’s father held illegal items. He was transporting powders and a unicorn horn. But that’s not the worst of it.” Griff’s eyes met hers. “One of the boxes held a Verduran child.”

“Lord Riehl was trafficking children?”

“Not just children. Women too.” A weary expression had settled on Griffith’s face. “Moons, Lia. When we went to bring him in, Kieren found a hidden room off his father’s study. Riehl imprisoned two Verduran women inside. One of them was Kieren’s mother.”

Feeling as if the ground had been knocked out from under her, Lia collapsed onto her bed. She remembered what Keldi had told her about Ariadne. The other woman must have been the village potion maker. “How’s Kieren taking all of this?”

Griffith sat beside her. “I’ve never seen him so angry. We brought his father back here, and Reina sent Lord Riehl to the cells after hearing the evidence. Afterward, Kieren didn’t talk to anybody. Just said he had a headache and went back to his room to rest. I’m worried about him.”

Griffith tapped his foot on the ground. “He’s always been so good at holding everything, his emotions and even his relationships, at a distance. I used to be able to get through to him, but I’ve never seen him like this. It’s like there’s a wall. He’s completely shut down.”

Lia wrapped her arms around Griffith and placed her head on his shoulder. For a moment, they sat there in silence.

“I know you’re already sacrificing a lot to keep him safe,” Griffith said. “But maybe there’s something else you could do?”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he spoke first.

“It’s just that Kieren could really use you right now. Please, Lia. He’s not talking to Soren or me. You can hide behind the spell all you want. But it’s obvious you still love him, and he loved you.”

Concern and worry twisted Lia’s insides. “Don’t you understand? There’s nothing I can do. I shouldn’t even be here. What if he remembers me? The spell only works if we stay apart. I couldn’t bear it if he turned back into a dragon.”

“Maybe he could meet other people like him? Do you think there are other half-bloods living here in secret? Or maybe among the Verdurans in your village?”

Lia pulled away. “How did you know about the village?”

“Reina and Soren told me.” Griffith gave her a sheepish grin. “Given what I’ve seen these past few months with mages and magic, a secret Verduran village is not that big of a stretch for my imagination. Come on, Lia? What do you say?”

There was no doubt in her mind that his idea was a good one, and that made Lia hate what she was going to say. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. The Verdurans won’t respond well to him, being a dragon hunter and all.” Kieren couldn’t visit the village, not if she was going to keep her identity hidden from him.

“But won’t it be different now? Kieren’s mother was one of them. Aren’t they here to find and rescue their people?” His eyes lit up. “Maybe they know the other woman Lord Riehl kept hostage. She escaped. Perhaps she could somehow help provide Kieren with some closure.”

That seemed unlikely, given Ariadne’s less than warm reaction to Kieren. Lia bit her lip, nervous.

“What is it?” Griffith studied her face, his eyes narrowing. “You know something, don’t you?”

“I know who you’re talking about. The woman’s name is Ariadne. I met her in the village. She’s a friend. And she has a daughter—Lilith.”

Their eyes met. Griffith covered his mouth. “Kieren has a half-sister?”

“So this is what you were doing this whole time?” a husky male voice interrupted. “Entertaining guests in your room?”

Lia hastily retied the mask and glared at Azriel. She peered out the door, wondering if anyone else had seen her.

“Oh, don’t worry.” Azriel gestured behind him. “The queen has allowed me a much, much greater leeway now. The guards are waiting further down the hallway.”

Griffith stood up. At least a half-foot shorter than the Verduran, Griff stood a little straighter and held his ground, glaring at the intruder.

“Sorry, boy,” Azriel chuckled. “But you’re not my type.”

Griffith’s cheeks grew rosy. “You’re not my type either.” He crossed his arms. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to enter a lady’s room without her permission?”

The Verduran rolled his eyes. “It’s not my fault that I have sensitive ears and you left her door unlocked.”

“How much did you hear?” Lia asked.

“Enough to know I was wrong about Kieren. I would keep the mask on at all times if I were you, princess.” Azriel then addressed Griffith, “Tell me. What does your queen plan to do with the boy you found?”

“I don’t know,” Griffith answered after some hesitation. “Soren took the child away. I haven’t seen him since.”

Azriel’s jaw clenched. “Nothing better have happened to the boy.”

“Soren would never hurt the child,” Griffith insisted. “Both he and Reina were genuinely upset to discover that people were being trafficked in Solair.”

“Your queen knows very little about what’s really going on in her kingdom.”

“Well, if you already knew about the boxes, why didn’t you do anything to stop it?”

Azriel’s expression was somber. “We rescue the ones we find out about and take them to the village. Unfortunately, we cannot save them all.”

“Do you have any idea how they’re bringing these children in?” Griffith asked. “Or where they’re getting them from?”

“Even if I knew, why would I tell you? Why do you even care? We’re the enemy.”

“Fine. Keep your secrets.” Griffith shook his head. “You can believe what you want. But given what’s happening, you might want to consider sharing your information—especially if you’re serious about stopping whoever is doing all of this.”

Trafficked women and children. Villagers mysteriously falling ill. Worry after worry weighed on Lia’s heart.

“You alright, princess?”

Lia’s cheeks warmed. Right now Azriel’s concerned gaze felt too much like an unwanted caress.

“I’m fine. I was just thinking about the village. Do you think everyone’s okay?”

The Verduran shot a pointed look in Griffith’s direction.

Griffith let out a loud sigh. “I already knew about your secret Verduran village and the herbs you stole to help your people get better. You know, you and Kieren have more in common than I first realized. Both of you need to learn to trust. We can help each other.”

“Well, if you’re so keen on cooperation, how about we work out an arrangement?” Azriel smirked. “I’d like to meet with the queen one-on-one. I want to talk to her about the child. He ought to be with his own people.”

“Is that it?” Griffith rolled his eyes. “Arrange a private meeting with the sovereign ruler of Solair? Anyone ever tell you that you think too small?”

“You’re the one that said we should share information and resources. Well, how about you set up a meeting so that your queen and I can indulge in some private exchanges?”

How did Azriel make everything sound so suggestive?

“Are you being serious?” Griffith asked.

“Certainly,” Azriel said. “And while we’re on the topic, I’m also going to ask that Lia and I be immediately allowed to leave. We must get her as far away from Kieren as possible. Unless you want a winged monster loose in the castle.” He flashed Griffith a disarming smile. “So, what do you say, my new friend? In the spirit of cooperation, will you help us?”

Griffith drummed his fingers against his leg. “I suppose I could set up something.”

“Excellent.” Azriel motioned toward the door. “Well then, shall we? No time like the present when it comes to meeting royalty.”

Lia stood to follow them.

“Hold on.” Azriel held up his hand. “If you leave now, you might run into Kieren. It’s better for everyone if you stay here and wait for us.”

“I should be fine,” she snapped, annoyed that she would have to stay in her room again. “What are the chances of us bumping into him? Besides, I sat next to Kieren during the ride back. Nothing happened. And I’ll be wearing my mask, so there’s no way he’ll remember me.”

“Maybe Azriel’s right.” Griffith shot Lia an apologetic look. “Maybe we weren’t taking your spell seriously enough before. Stay here. It can’t hurt to be safe. I promise to be right back afterward.”

Easy for him to say. Griff hadn’t been locked in his room for what felt like forever. Feeling irritated and helpless, she slammed the door behind them.

A dull ache settled in the back of her head and she rubbed her temples. What gave Azriel and Griffith the right to order her to stay in her room? She wasn’t a child. The healers had cleared her to walk around. Cracking the door open, she peeked out into the empty hallway.

There were no guards stationed outside, and Kieren was in his bedroom. Lia would be fine going down to the armory by herself.

Rules be damned.

29 KIEREN

Kieren had been staring at the same discolored spot on the wall for what felt like hours, trying to forget everything that had happened in the past couple of days. But it was no use. The terrible, unchangeable truth still loomed before him: He was half-Verduran and the son of a flesh-and-blood monster.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to sleep. Somewhere in the gray space between wakefulness and slumber, a giant beast with shimmering black scales loomed larger than life. The dragon roared, releasing a ball of fire.

Kieren’s eyes fluttered open. Great. Thanks to the dream dragon, he was now awake and once again held captive by his thoughts. Every truth he knew about himself was unraveling. According to Solairan law, his half-Verduran heritage made him an abomination. So far, Reina hadn’t punished him, taken his title, or removed him from his role as an elite guard. But how much longer could he count on her support? Once the other lords discovered Kieren’s ancestry, they would cry for blood.

No longer able to dwell in the company of his thoughts, he got out of bed and strapped on his sword. He needed to get out of the room and clear his mind.

The armory. Why hadn’t he thought of it sooner? It was the perfect place: his own private sanctuary in the castle.

Any sense of relief was short-lived. Kieren arrived at the entrance to the training room to find it unguarded and the door held ajar by a small block of wood.

Raucous cheers drifted into the hallway. He quickened his step and pulled the door open.

Hot, moist air flowed from the crowded room. Inside, members of the elite and castle guards stood crammed shoulder-to-shoulder. Transfixed by whatever was going on in the middle of the room, no one even noticed his presence.

Months ago, the dragon hunters had used the armory to host challenges between fighters. Kieren thought this practice had ended once the group disbanded. When had the men started arranging fights on their own? And why hadn’t they invited him?

Another wave of cheers went up sending a burst of adrenaline surging through Kieren’s veins. The competitors must be putting on a good show if they were keeping the men so entertained. He searched for Griffith and Asher, but neither man was in sight. Jostling his way through the crowd, he tried to catch a glimpse of the action inside the ring.

As the spectators cheered again, Kieren turned to the man beside him, who he recognized as Maxim, another ex-hunter.

“What’s happening?” he yelled over the noise.

“It’s the female thief,” Maxim responded, his eyes never once leaving the ring. “You know, the one they brought in a day ago. They say she gave Kieren quite a challenge. Even beat him in hand-to-hand combat.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Kieren’s lips. “Really? That’s not what I heard.”

“Well, friend, I got my information from a reliable source…” Maxim fell silent as he turned and saw Kieren’s face. “Lord Kieren,” he spluttered.

“She’s tapped out another man,” someone called from the center of the ring. “Come on, lads. Is that all you’ve got? Who’s ready to show the lady what Solairan men are made of?”

Maxim grinned sheepishly and returned his attention to the ring. Shifting his position to get a better view, he added, “Course, I had my doubts. I mean, she’s good. But nowhere near as good as you. You tapped out seven men, including Soren, that last time.”

Really? Seven? Kieren tried hard to remember doing that, but like all of his memories from that period, he found nothing there. A dull ache settled in the back of his head, most likely brought on by the noise and the number of warm bodies squeezed into the room. “How many has she beaten so far?”

A shout went up from the crowd. Another challenger must have stepped forward.

“Four.” There was an obvious note of admiration in Maxim’s voice. “And not just any men. All were ex-hunters.”

Kieren found himself even more intrigued by the female thief. Dragon hunters were warriors of the highest caliber. “Are you going to take a turn, Maxim?”

The blond man shook his head. “My mother taught me never to hit a girl. I’ll just stick to watching.”

With the number of tightly packed bodies, Kieren could only catch the briefest glimpses of a moving sword. Frustrated, he edged past several more sweaty guards to the front of the crowd.

The audience watched the fight at a respectable distance from the edge of the ring, giving the two circling fighters a wide berth. Adalia’s new, drastically altered uniform immediately caught Kieren’s eye. Her original outfit looked like a sack someone had haphazardly sewed into clothes. But this was no longer the case. His eyes swept across the fitted garments, noting the long lines of her legs and the soft curve of her waist.

He recognized her current opponent as Eric, a vicious ex-hunter who was known for never backing down in a fight. The man stood a head shorter than Adalia. But what he lacked in height, he made up for in muscle and dogged determination.

The two circled each other before Eric made the first move. Lunging forward, he attempted to take control of the fight by hammering away with his sword. To Kieren’s delight, Adalia held her own. Quick on her feet, she fought with grace and power, light and full of fire at the same time. Her sword work was impeccable and she wielded the blade like an extension of her arm. Unable to look away, Kieren cheered along with the others when she tapped out Eric.

“Lord Kieren,” an eager voice greeted him from behind.

“Edward!” Kieren greeted the guard with a wide smile. “I see you’re away from your post.” A flash of movement caught his eye as another opponent, a castle guard this time, jumped in to try his hand against Adalia. “And instead of keeping people out of the training room, you let this one in.”

Edward nudged his way into the space beside Kieren. “Her?” He eyed the woman in the ring. “She’s a scary one, she is. Had to let her in. Would have cut off my head and various other extremities if I didn’t. They’re calling her the Lady Dragon. She’s fierce and definitely not as nice as the other lass you brought here a while back.”

“Other lass?” He couldn’t remember ever bringing a female to the armory before.

“Suppose you wouldn’t remember on account of your injury.” Edward scratched his head. “You brought in a nice country girl weeks ago. Pretty. Tall, with long black hair. Name was Lia, I think.”

Kieren frowned. What were the chances of his dream girl, the girl he’d brought to the armory, and the girl Soren and Griffith asked about all sharing the same name? It had to be more than an odd coincidence.

“She came twice, actually. Not sure why you decided to bring her down here though. I mean, well, I can imagine.” Edward face reddened. “She certainly was pretty, but you were engaged to the princess—I mean, Queen Reina at the time.”

Kieren’s mind worked on putting the puzzle pieces together as another opponent stepped into the ring. This one was a guard who often patrolled the castle’s main gate; the man’s name eluded him.

“It’s about time someone put you in your place, wench!” The man gave Adalia a condescending smile. “Didn’t anyone tell you that women shouldn’t hold swords?”

“Stop running your mouth and fight!” an onlooker called out.

The nameless guard charged. With the grace of a cat, Adalia leaped aside and landed directly in front of Kieren. She was now so close that he could have reached out and pulled off the hood and mask to see what lay beneath. But he restrained himself and watched with amusement as her opponent, unable to stop, crashed into a nearby section of onlookers. The audience pushed him back into the ring.

The man’s thick, squashed face turned an angry shade of red. He barreled toward Adalia again, but this time, he hooked out his leg at the last moment. She leaped backward, out of the way.

And landed in Kieren’s outstretched arms.

A jolt of energy danced across his skin. The surrounding crowd roared, but Kieren’s mind echoed only with the rapid thundering of his heartbeat. Adalia turned and stared up at him with an expression he couldn’t decipher. His arms tightened around her, and taking in a deep breath, he pulled her closer, drawing a sweet shiver from her body.

A delicious warmth spread across Kieren’s skin. The girl smelled like sunshine and something else, something familiar. Moons, but she was tempting. Like a trap. And he’d already stepped into it.

A burst of heat flared in his chest as a memory rattled around in the back of his mind like a caged beast.

“Are we doing this or not?” her opponent in the painted ring yelled.

Adalia’s eyes widened and Kieren knew that whatever intimate moment they’d shared was now over.

“Do you mind letting go?” Pressing her hands against his chest, she spoke so low that only he could hear. “I have a fight to win.”

Stifling a smile, Kieren reluctantly released her. His body protested, immediately missing her nearness.

After adjusting her mask and the leather gauntlets on her wrists, she stepped back into the ring and coolly regarded her opponent. Then, faster than Kieren would have thought possible, she sprang. In two steps, her blade whipped through the air and neatly sliced through the guard’s sleeve.

There was a collective moment of silence as everyone craned their necks to see. How deep was the cut? Had the thief drawn blood?

Her opponent gazed down in astonishment and examined the slashed fabric with his finger. No blood! Adalia had managed a clean cut. The armory rang with the men’s cheers.

A tall, lanky man stepped into the center of the ring. “Quiet down, you beasts!” He raised both hands in mock defeat. “This ferocious female has now bested six of our bravest men. Is there no one in this room who can conquer the Lady Dragon?”

Around him, men whispered and chuckled, but no one dared raise a hand. Adalia’s closing strike in the last round had left quite an impression.

The female thief studied the audience for a moment before her eyes fell on his. Kieren tilted his head and held her gaze, a small smile playing on his lips. She quickly turned away to address the audience.

“Thank you, everyone, for that workout. But I think it’s now time for me to leave.” She bowed and several of the surrounding guards eyed her backside with obvious appreciation.

A low growl escaped Kieren’s lips.

The sea of spectators parted to allow Adalia through. Kieren’s eyes remained fixed on her as she walked by. A part of him kept waiting for her to look back. But she didn’t. An inexplicable feeling of panic rose with each step Adalia took closer to the door.

And farther away from him.

This was it. He wasn’t going to let her get away. Grunting, Kieren pushed his way through the crowd. Her steps quickened, almost as if she could sense his approach. Like a predator locked onto its prey, he lengthened his stride. Just before she reached the door, he grabbed hold of her hand and gripped it tightly, reveling in the feeling of her fingers interlaced through his.

“If you’re still looking for a diversion, I offer myself up for a turn.”

She spun around and eyed their joined hands, surprise registering in her eyes.

Kieren took a step closer.

She tore her hand from his. “Thank you, my lord. I am honored by your proposal. But I am quite done for today.”

“Oh, but I’m not.”

“How about it?” The man who’d announced the earlier matches appeared between them. “Wouldn’t you all like to see how Solair’s most fearsome ex-hunter fares against the Lady Dragon?” he shouted to the crowd.

“What do you say, Adalia?” Kieren asked. “With all these rumors flying around about how you bested me, I’d appreciate the opportunity to defend my reputation.”

A corner of her mouth lifted, and he thought he had her. But then she crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”

The rejection sent Kieren reeling. “What’s the harm in one final fight?” he spoke, louder now so that everyone around them could hear. “Why don’t we give the audience something to really talk about? Or, are you too afraid?”

Her shoulders tightened. “Fine.” Adalia’s odd-colored eyes almost seemed to glow. “I accept your challenge, but don’t blame me when your reputation’s further damaged in the process.”

Her smile brought out his own, and Kieren knew he was in trouble. This lady thief had taken much more than a box of Verduran items.

Somehow, she’d also stolen his heart.

30 LIA

Lia knew she was in trouble the moment those beautiful silver eyes met hers. What was Kieren doing down here? Griffith had said he was upstairs, resting in his room. She’d stayed to fight, but when she fell into his arms, her body greedily drank in his presence and wanted more.

Something about Kieren always drew her in and convinced her to stay. And that’s why she was still here in the armory, about to fight the one person she was meant to avoid.

“You ready, Adalia?” Kieren shouted from across the ring.

She forced herself out of her thoughts and returned her attention back to the predicament at hand. Random shouts of Kieren and Lady Dragon rang in the warm air. She brushed back a strand of hair. Suddenly her hood and mask felt like too heavy a burden to carry. Lia wished she could just rip them off and reveal the truth.

“Come on! One of you make a move!” someone yelled out.

A slow smile snaked across Kieren’s handsome face. “Never let it be said that I wasn’t a gentleman.” He gave a mock bow. “Ladies first.”

Several of the surrounding onlookers laughed.

Lia studied him, noting his powerful stance. A rather distracting feeling curled in the pit of her stomach and she tightened her hold on her blade, trying to coax out her competitive side. The sooner they did this, the sooner she could put some distance between them. She paused for a second before sprinting toward him.

Kieren blocked her attack with relative ease. Lia whipped around, ready for a counterattack.

“You’ll have to do better than that, Lady Thief.”

His eyes flashed silver, and an arc of metal sliced through the air. Lia blocked his attack, and they stood there, arms raised, frozen in a deadly dance. Kieren grinned and pushed down. Her already exhausted muscles screamed with the effort. She wouldn’t be able to hold this defensive position for much longer. Twisting her body out of the way, she kicked him squarely in the chest.

Kieren’s blade sliced downward, barely missing her shoulder. Eyes wide, he staggered back, a look of pure admiration on his face. Lia’s heart leapt with pride, but her elation faded when a thin beam of light shot from the center of his chest.

No!

The light blinked off. But it was too late. Lia stepped backward, rattled. What was she doing? After vowing to protect Kieren at all costs, her need to be near him threatened to undo everything. She eyed the exit, now blocked off by eager onlookers. This had gone far enough. Lowering her sword, she prepared to announce her intention to quit.

He chose that moment to launch a series of fast and furious strikes. Instinct kicked in, and Lia met him, step for step, defense for attack. Everything became a blur of color, force, and movement. She worked her body hard, caught up in their frantic duet.

The crowd gave way and a small part of Lia’s brain noted that they’d stepped beyond the bounds of the ring. But no one called out the infraction, and neither she nor Kieren relented. The sound of their grunts, metal-against-metal, and footsteps filled the room. They kept at this frenzied pace until the heel of her foot unexpectedly brushed against a wall. With nowhere to go, Lia tried sliding out of the way.

But it was too late. Kieren’s blade scraped against her leather harness, striking just above her stomach.

The crowd’s roar was deafening. She had finally been tapped out.

Kieren lowered his weapon and closed the distance between them in a single stride. “I’ve caught you now, Lady Thief. That makes you mine.”

He gave her a look so intense that she had to look away for fear of being swallowed whole. Her body stood rooted there, balanced precariously on the fine line between responsibility and desire.

“I belong to no one but myself,” she eventually managed to reply.

His eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

She met his gaze without flinching. “Just a simple country girl. No one important.”

Lia thought he’d pull away. Instead, Kieren’s eyes roamed over her heated skin. She felt herself laid bare before him and couldn’t shake the feeling that he saw her. Really saw her. And that what he saw was beautiful.

Kieren traced a gentle finger along the side of her mask before trailing it down her cheek. He leaned in close, his breath warming her skin. “We make a good team, don’t we?”

And then, his lips met hers. The kiss, soft and reverent at first, quickly deepened. Unable to hold herself back, Lia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, desperate for more.

An unpleasant stinging sensation tugged at the back of Lia’s mind, but she pushed it away. Nothing mattered to her now except her need to be close to Kieren. To taste more. To feel more. But as the nagging tingling intensified, she pulled away and opened her eyes.

The crowd of onlookers was gone. Now only Griffith and Azriel stood in the room. By their shocked expressions and moving mouths, Lia knew they were trying to tell her something. But not a single sound was coming from their lips.

What was happening? Why couldn’t she hear anything? She turned back to Kieren, but now he too had disappeared. In his place stood a pale man with icy blue eyes. It was the man from her previous dream. The stranger smiled, revealing razor-sharp teeth that appeared to have been filed down to points.

“We have to talk,” a voice spoke in her mind.

A sharp pain stabbed her chest and she screamed.

31 KIEREN

The surrounding men cheered. Kieren had defeated the infamous Lady Dragon. This was the time to take pride in his accomplishments. A time to celebrate. Instead, a darker emotion swept through his heart.

Loss.

Now that their fight was over, Adalia was free to leave. And Kieren realized that he wanted her near. The thief had cast a spell on him and she didn’t even know it

He lowered his weapon and stepped closer to her, wanting to stretch out whatever time they still had left together. “I’ve caught you now, Lady Thief. That makes you mine.”

“I belong to no one but myself.”

He froze at the familiarity of the phrase. Those were the same words he’d uttered in his dream. “Who are you?” He stared at the woman before him, trying to understand why he felt so drawn to someone who was practically a stranger.

“Just a simple country girl. No one important.”

Something inside Kieren broke and the foggy veil holding back his past tore apart. A flood of memories came rushing out.

Flying through the nighttime sky.

A strange tavern with brightly lit signs and red leather seats.

Metal machines racing along hard, black roads.

A mysterious, glowing cavern.

A beautiful girl wearing a dress spun from pure moonlight.

Although he struggled to absorb all the images as they bombarded his mind, Kieren managed to latch onto the one constant through it all: a girl with mismatched eyes.

And that’s when he remembered. The thief standing before him with two different colored eyes was Lia. His Lia. The one who’d braved a portal between two worlds and stood up to evil king. The one he’d sworn would just be a friend, but who’d then captured his heart as something much more. The one who’d saved him from the curse, only to disappear with his memories. And his heart.

Lia was the lady thief. Kieren was sure of it.

He leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “We make a good team, don’t we?”

She opened her mouth as if to reply, and Kieren silenced her with a kiss. She tasted like hope and desire mixed into one. He kissed her reverently and fervently, unable to get enough. They had missed out on so much, and now that he remembered everything, he was never letting her go.

“Get away from her,” someone yelled.

Kieren pulled away and saw Lia staring back at him, her eyes wide with love and wonder. His heart swelled ten times larger. With Lia by his side, he could do anything.

But then her eyes rolled back, and she fell.

He caught her in his arms. “Lia! Lia!” Panicked, he tore off her mask and gazed down at the face that brought calm to his troubled dreams. “Lia, wake up!”

She didn’t respond.

“Someone help!” Fearful, Kieren watched as her rosy cheeks paled and her breathing grew increasingly labored. Her skin felt ice cold to the touch. He placed a head near her chest. Thankfully, her heart was still beating.

Griffith and Azriel ran over with Sage trailing behind. Kieren looked up at the once mage. “What’s wrong with her?”

“I’ll need to examine her.” Sage reached out to take Lia from his hands.

Rage—unlike any that Kieren had ever felt before—poured like molten lava. A warning growl escaped his lips. What did the man think he was doing? Kieren had only just found her. He refused to let Lia out of his sights again.

“Don’t start with this possessive stuff now,” Griffith chastised. “Surely you can see there’s something wrong with her. Let Sage take a look. He’s a healer for moon’s sake.”

Griff’s words filtered through to the small rational part of Kieren’s mind. Awareness snapped into place and reluctantly, he let go. “What’s happening to her?”

Sage nodded to Azriel, who stepped forward and took Lia from Kieren’s arms. No! Anyone but the golden-haired Verduran. “I don’t want him near her,” Kieren snarled.

Griffith drew back. But Azriel paid no attention. Instead, he took off his cloak and tenderly wrapped it around her. Seeing the Verduran cradling Lia’s lifeless form felt like a physical blow. Kieren’s hands fisted as he fought to contain his anger. “Let go of her.”

“Son, you have to calm down,” Sage warned. “Control your transformation. Otherwise, you’re no good to any of us.”

“What are you talking about?” The words came out more forcefully than he’d intended. His arms prickled painfully, as if thousands of needles were simultaneously piercing his skin.

Their concerned expressions said it all. Kieren glanced down—tiny black iridescent scales now covered his arms. “But Lia removed the curse. She stopped me from changing in the cell.” His panic intensified as he shivered uncontrollably.

“Azriel, maybe it would be best if you put her down,” Sage murmured.

“Why should we give in to the whims of this monster?” the Verduran snapped.

Red-hot blades tore through Kieren’s back, and he howled in pain. No. This couldn’t be happening.

Are you sure about that? a gravelly voice whispered inside Kieren’s head. A flash of searing heat coursed through his body, and his vision blurred.

“Remember what I said when you faced the dragon in Hearst castle? Build a wall,” Sage ordered. “Trap your dragon behind it. Now! You must control your beast. Do it for Lia.”

Lia.

An image of his dragon burning her arms sent Kieren reeling. Sage was right. He had to control his beast. He wouldn’t hurt her again.

Open your eyes, the voice inside him whispered.

Azriel clutched Lia and mouthed something to Griffith before motioning toward the door. Griffith looked at Kieren, his features frozen in fear and indecision.

They’ll take her away. They think you’re going to hurt her.

“No,” Kieren yelled, wanting to silence the intruder in his head. “I can do this. Please, don’t take Lia away.”

“Then do it, son,” Sage urged.

Kieren squeezed his eyes shut and clung to Sage’s words as the flames inside him soared, threatening to consume everything. Thought by thought, he began to build a wall.

He was a warrior.

He was a man.

He loved Lia.

He wasn’t a monster.

Angry at being contained, his dragon put up a fight, clawing and raging. But Kieren kept going. Brick by mental brick, he walled the cursed beast inside. Eventually, the dragon’s roars were silenced and the raging fire extinguished. Kieren tore open his eyes. The skin on his arms had returned to normal. He stood unsteadily, staggering under the weighty truth.

He was still cursed.

Still cradling Lia’s body, Azriel eyed him warily. Kieren took a small step closer, desperate to see how she was doing. Surprisingly, the Verduran didn’t pull her away.

Kieren studied Lia’s pale and unmoving figure. A horrible thought crossed his mind. “Did I do this to her?”

An unfamiliar, shivery sensation traveled along his back. Griffith gazed at him, his eyes widening with surprise.

Kieren whipped around and glared at Sage, who stood behind him. “What are you doing?”

“That wasn’t me,” the once mage responded.

Once again, Kieren felt the strange movement ripple across his back. This time, an inexplicable heaviness accompanied it. He peered over his shoulder to see two leathery wings, easily double his arm span, now partially extended from his back. Covered in a stretched, iridescent black skin, they appeared to change color depending on the angle of light. He stared at the new appendages in shock before brushing a finger against one of the wing ribs.

“It’s a good thing we got the men out before this happened.” Griffith gazed at the wings in awe. “A powerful female warrior and a man-dragon all in the same day? They wouldn’t have been able to handle the excitement.”

Kieren’s wings flexed in response.

Griff took a step sideways. “Watch those things. You could poke someone’s eye out.”

Kieren shot his friend a wry look.

“It seems like the curse has returned to you.” Sage studied Kieren. “I’m impressed. You stopped yourself from completely changing. Once you develop some control, you may even be able to shift at will.”

Relief washed over him. “You mean I have the choice? I won’t be a dragon all the time?”

“Seems to be.” Sage nodded. “I assume being half-Verduran has something to do with it.”

So many questions swirled in Kieren’s mind, but one glance at Lia and they all faded into insignificance. “What’s happening to her?”

“Recently, many of our villagers fell ill with fevers and fatigue,” Azriel explained. “As they became sicker, they grew pale, like Lia. She could have contracted the illness, but I’ve never seen the malady progress so fast.”

“Or, perhaps this is a result of the transference spell,” Sage added. “Her body may simply be adjusting to no longer carrying the curse.”

Kieren’s heart tightened. “Is that how she stopped my dragon the first time? By taking the curse on herself?”

“It was the only way, son,” Sage replied.

“Lia shouldn’t have come down here.” Azriel pointed an accusing finger at Kieren. “And you never should have kissed her.”

“Since when have Lia’s affairs concerned you?” Kieren asked.

“Since she returned to my village. Injured, burned, and broken. No doubt, thanks to you.”

Kieren winced at the barbed accusation, but he couldn’t defend himself. Azriel spoke the truth. Kieren remembered singing Lia’s arms with his dragon fire. Even though her skin had healed, the silvery scars were a permanent reminder of the pain he’d caused when he couldn’t control his beast.

Griffith placed a hand on each man’s shoulder. “I think now is a good time to remind you both that we’re all on the same side here. What happened before wasn’t Kieren’s fault; he was in his…” Griff cleared his throat. “Other form.”

Azriel’s expression darkened. “I’ll not coddle the unstable dragon-child’s ego. I promised to work with you. Not some monster.”

Kieren tensed, pushing down the small ball of heat that arose within.

“Griffith is right.” Sage silenced Azriel with a stern look. “We shouldn’t waste our energy arguing. We need to find a solution.”

“Don’t bring her to the infirmary,” Kieren murmured. “The healers would ask too many questions.” And he would never be able to see her, not in his current state. “I suggest letting her rest somewhere private. Like my room.”

“You call that a solution? Send her to stay with a dragon shifter?” Azriel scoffed. “I should take her back to the village. At least there she’ll be safe.” The Verduran gave Kieren a pointed look. Although he didn’t elaborate, Kieren knew what the man wanted to say.

Lia would be safe because she wouldn’t be near Kieren.

Sage appeared thoughtful. “Traveling might make things worse. And we still haven’t heard whether the medicine’s working. Perhaps we should take Kieren up on his offer.”

Azriel gave Kieren a sharp look, but he didn’t argue. Reluctantly, he transferred Lia into Kieren’s outstretched arms.

Kieren held her close.

“Here, take this.” Griffith unclasped his cloak and placed it over Kieren’s shoulders, concealing the wings that now curled against Kieren’s back. “You still look odd without a shirt on, but at least it hides your wings.”

Kieren shot Griff a grateful smile. Any fears he’d had about their friendship being ruined by his new dragon-shifter status had been unfounded. He could see that now.

“Take her up to your room,” Sage said. “Griffith and I will speak to the queen and Soren. They need to know what’s happening.”

“And I will ride back to the village,” Azriel added. “If the medicine’s worked, we could try the remedy on Lia.” He glowered at Kieren. “Take care of her, dragon boy. If anything happens to her, you’ll have me to deal with.”

Kieren nodded. Nothing would happen to Lia.

A flicker of warmth rose deep inside and he swore he could hear his imprisoned dragon roar as if it were in pain.

He tentatively sent it a thought: Don’t worry. We’ll take care of her.

You’d better. Or no wall will be capable of containing my rage.

32 LIA

Lia stood in the middle of a dim, circular room. Stone walls stretched high above her, ending in an inverted cone-shaped ceiling. With no windows, a few hanging torches provided the room with a minimal amount of light.

She looked for a door, but could see none. Where was she? Where was Kieren? Was he okay? Desperate to find a way out, she followed the room’s perimeter and ran her fingers over the smooth walls, hunting for a crack, an opening, anything that would allow her to escape.

But her search proved fruitless. Lia was trapped inside this cylinder jail.

Pounding her fists against the wall, she yelled, “Hello? Can anyone hear me? Please. Can you get me out of here?”

“Welcome,” a deep voice boomed from the shadows.

“Who are you?” She peered around. “Why did you bring me here?”

From the shadows emerged the faint outline of a tall male. Lia reached for the sword at her hip, but her hands grasped only air.

“I couldn’t have you armed when we met again. It might have given you an unfair advantage. What is your name, girl?”

That was strange. Why wouldn’t her abductor know her name?

“My name’s Lia. Where am I? What have you done with Kieren?”

“Is that what you call the dragon shifter? Your Kieren isn’t here. He would have been too much of a distraction.”

“If you’ve hurt him in any way—”

“Was he worth it?” The edges of the shadowy figure blurred. “I might never have found you if it weren’t for that final burst of power. Of course, I sensed an inkling of your potential when you dreamed. But somehow, it was like you disappeared whenever you awoke. Not that any of this matters now. That energy you just released was large enough to bring me to you. So I’d like to know, was being with your dragon shifter worth it?”

“Wow. You sure seem to know a lot about me.” Lia spoke boldly, determined to not let her captor see how much he frightened her. “But I know nothing about you, besides your creepy stalker tendencies.”

“Very well, child. Perhaps it is time for me to formally introduce myself. You may call me the World Eater.”

This was the elusive enemy the Verdurans had searched for all these years? The one they’d foretold would destroy worlds? The one Lia was prophesied to battle?

Her heart rate spiked. “So you brought me here to fight? Hardly seems fair when I don’t have a weapon and I can’t see you.”

“So eager for violence, young one? Perhaps we are not as similar as I believed.”

“I am nothing like you,” Lia shot back.

“Oh, how I wish that were true.”

A pale, bald man in a simple white tunic and pants emerged from the shadows. There was an angry, hungry look in his icy blue eyes. His features were a dizzying array of angles and planes and Lia couldn’t help but think that everything about him seemed too sharp.

He took a step closer. Something invisible tugged at her insides. Lia gasped as she felt herself being dragged—not out of the room, but out of herself. The feeling grew stronger and more painful. It was almost like she was being ripped apart. Unable to bear the pain much longer, she imagined herself pulling back against the invisible intruder. Hard.

The pain instantly stopped. The World Eater gave an unpleasant smile, seeming pleased with whatever had just happened between them.

“What sort of sick bastard are you?” she whispered.

An undecipherable look passed over the man’s face. He reached a hand toward her.

She slapped it away. “Don’t touch me.”

“Place your hands in mine. I promise not to hurt you. I was merely testing you before.”

Was he kidding? “There’s no way I’m going to trust you.”

His eyes flashed red. “Child of Adalia, we are running out of time. I promise to let you go after this. Take my hands. I need you to understand.”

“Adalia was my grandmother.” Lia glared. “My mother’s name is Farrah.”

“Grandmother? How many years have passed?” His eyes darted around the room. “Time is running short. I must show you something important. You must trust me. Please.”

She hesitated before finally taking his cold hand.

A surge of power flowed between their joined palms. The air around them roared as hundreds of silent images flickered through her mind. Overwhelmed, Lia scrambled to make sense of them all.

An angry crowd of villagers chasing her.

A man falling to the ground and convulsing.

Pale hands clawing at the bars of a cage.

Someone covering the cage with a blanket.

A woman in golden armor peering in at her.

Blood seeping along the floor.

The World Eater pulled his hand from hers and collapsed to the floor.

Lia wiped her damp cheeks and stared at her hands. “How did you just show me all that? Why was I in a cage? Who was that woman?”

Her captor looked up at her, his pale complexion now an unnatural gray. “Find me,” he gasped.

“But you’re here.”

The man shook his head. “Find me and stop me,” he insisted.

None of this made any sense. “Stop you? From doing what?”

“From killing again.”

All of the torches simultaneously extinguished, plunging the room into utter darkness. A force pulled at her insides again. Like before, she tried to resist the violation, but the tugging only grew painfully worse. Lia screamed as she felt herself being torn apart, muscle ripped from bone, organ from organ, tissue from tissue.

Atom by atom, she was unraveling and could do nothing about it.

A small tendril of golden light appeared beside her, its comforting warmth stroking the edges of her fragmented mind. Feebly, Lia grabbed onto it and allowed it to pull her in.

33 KIEREN

Kieren remained at Lia’s bedside, desperate for something, anything to change. But the more time passed, the harder it became not to lose hope. She lay in his bed, too pale and unnaturally still. Constantly needing to reassure himself, he’d place his hand near her face just to feel her steady breaths.

Minutes turned to hours. Every so often, Sage or Griffith would quietly enter the room to take turns sitting with him. Kieren suspected it was in part to check up on Lia, but also to see how Kieren was faring. Perhaps they were worried that he would somehow lose control and shift into the dragon that now constantly lurked just below the surface.

Whatever the reason for their frequent visits, Kieren wasn’t offended. He understood they were looking out for her best interests, but whenever they came in, he merely glanced at them before returning his attention to Lia. His Lia. Kieren stayed by her side as afternoon turned to evening, hating the thought of her being alone.

Sometime during the night, he heard a knock at the door.

“Come in,” he called out.

A petite servant with brown curly hair entered, carrying a plate of food. Was it dinnertime already? She carefully placed it on the table beside him before collecting another untouched plate.

“Thank you,” Kieren grunted, his eyes returning to Lia’s face.

The servant walked over to the door but hesitated a moment before leaving. “I hope she gets better soon, my lord,” she whispered before shutting the door behind her.

Moments later, another person entered the quiet, dark bedroom. When the new visitor cleared their throat, Kieren glanced up.

“I heard about what happened.” Asher stared meaningfully at the cloak on Kieren’s back and then at Lia’s unmoving form before pulling up a chair to the other side of the bed. “Look, I know it isn’t the best time, but I wanted to talk to you about the Verduran child we found.”

Kieren’s mouth tasted like sorrow mixed with bitter anger. He’d hated his father but, until now, had never realized the full extent of the man’s depravity. What would have happened to that poor boy if they hadn’t saved him in time?

The trapped beast awoke and swiped at the mental barrier Kieren had built. Why did you let that man live? He planned to hurt a child.

Why do you even care? Kieren responded. You’re no better. You’ve hurt others too. Even now, he could picture Lia’s burned and blistered arms.

Your king was in control at the time. The dragon sounded almost repentant. I would never have hurt the girl. She is the key to everything.

Asher cleared his throat. “I don’t know if you heard, but the Queen granted Azriel permission to take the boy back to his people.” He glanced at Kieren’s shoulders again.

Kieren’s back twitched, but he willed the leathery wings to remain folded.

“Did I ever tell you about my nephew?” The warrior chuckled and rubbed his hands together. “The boy is a complete monster. My sister and her husband—bless their hearts—struggle with him. They have two others, one older and one younger. Both are as docile as lambs. But the middle boy is a handful. He’s different. Has a real way with animals. Can make them do whatever he wants. It’s almost like he talks to them.”

“How different?” Kieren thought back to the circling birds and the silent, gap-toothed boy they’d met near Rosetta.

“Not as different as a man who transforms into a dragon. But different enough.” Asher offered Kieren a small smile. “I heard Lia’s story from Griffith. The girl has powers, doesn’t she? And she used them for good. I’ve always wondered about my nephew but never dared say anything aloud. It would’ve killed my sister to have a magic user in the family. But maybe not all magical abilities are bad.”

The giant man shifted in his seat. “That’s why I had to see all of this through. I needed to know if the law would still protect all people, even different ones.”

“And what can you conclude?” Kieren asked.

“You’re sitting before me, aren’t you? Even being what you are, you’re still here. Says more to me about the queen’s beliefs than any laws do.”

Kieren couldn’t help but feel that they were poised at the edge of change, somewhere between the rigid beliefs of the past and the ambiguous path to the future. A new monarch sat on the throne. A new season for Solair was well within reach. Perhaps people’s prejudices and fears could be overturned?

“There must be others like Lia and your nephew,” he found himself saying. “When this is over, someone ought to look into it. Nothing bad should happen to those children.”

A wide grin transformed Ash’s face. He reached over and slapped Kieren’s arm. “I knew it would be good to have you around, Silver Spoons. Even if you are a pretty boy.”

For the first time since Lia had fallen unconscious, Kieren’s mouth twitched with a smile. He was about to answer when a movement from the bed caught his attention.

“Lia?”

Her eyes fluttered open.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s me—Kieren. I’m here.”

Her eyes met his for one brief, miraculous second before darting to the wall behind him.

Kieren whipped around. But he could see nothing there.

She let out a scream and her whole body began trembling. Kieren seized her hands, unsure what to do. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but her skin seemed to have grown even colder.

“Get Sage,” he ordered Asher.

The giant warrior gave her one last worried look before hurrying from the room.

Lia shut her eyes and let out a low moan as the trembling worsened.

Kieren pulled more blankets from his closet and wrapped them tightly around her body. “You have to make it through this. Please. I need you to get better. I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you.”

She didn’t respond. Kieren’s skin tingled and he recognized it as the feeling he got before the scales emerged. No. Not now. He braced himself to fight the trapped beast again. Heat flared within, triggering a crazy idea.

Lia’s temperature had dropped so quickly. What if he could somehow use his heat to warm her? Could he call that part of himself out without completely transforming?

Dragon. He called the monster. Will you lend me your fire?

The beast snarled, Why should I help you when you keep me trapped in here, away from the sky?

Please. Kieren’s desperation grew. It’s for the girl. For Lia.

His dragon gave a snort. Fine. For Her.

Intense heat rushed to the surface of his body, and Kieren’s skin felt like it was covered in flames. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around Lia’s shaking form. The cloak on his back slid to the side as large, leathery wings attempted to spread out, straining against the closet and the headboard of his bed. Kieren retracted them, and they instinctively wrapped themselves around Lia’s body, effectively surrounding her with heat.

Cradling her in his arms, Kieren pulled her closer, perhaps more for his own benefit than hers. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be alright.” Gradually her shivering lessened, and a rosy hue returned to her lips and cheeks. With a small sigh, she nuzzled against his chest.

“Those are some wicked-looking wings.”

Kieren turned and saw Sage and Asher watching from the doorway.

Asher’s eyes lit up. “Do they work? Can you fly?”

The prospect of flying again brought a shiver of anticipation. “I did, once.” Kieren furled his wings and carefully lay Lia back down before returning the cloak to his shoulders.

Sage gazed down at the figure in bed. A small sigh of relief escaped the once mage’s lips. “Thank you.”

34 LIA

Lia awoke with a gasp. The World Eater. The vision. She peered around the room, but the pale man was nowhere in sight. Had it just been a nightmare? But how was that possible when everything had felt so real?

Nearby, a lone figure slept sprawled out in a chair near the fireplace, his slightly too long hair flopping across his face. Lia smiled at the sight. Kieren looked younger in his sleep.

She sat up and stretched her arms over her head, moaning at how good it felt to move her stiff limbs. How long had she been asleep anyway? And where was she? Rubbing her eyes, she was horrified to discover that her mask was gone. Her search beneath the dark purple sheets came up with nothing. Immediately, she glanced back over at Kieren’s sleeping figure. Had he seen her like this? Nervously, she studied him, searching for the telltale light, but she could see no sign of it.

She pushed aside the silken sheets and tentatively placed her bare feet on the cold stone floor. Strange how much this room resembled the one in her dream. The dark purple drapes. The table stacked high with books. Even the pair of wooden chairs near the fireplace. How could she have gotten all those little details correct? Lia glanced down, relieved to see that she was wearing Keldi’s tailored black outfit rather than the flimsy white nightgown from her dream.

Someone tapped on the door.

Lia turned, feeling as unsteady on her feet as a newborn colt. “Come in,” she whispered, not wanting to wake up Kieren.

Sage walked in and gave her a hug. “Good to see you finally awake, child. How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better.” She rubbed her temples. “I just had an incredibly realistic dream about the World Eater.”

The once mage’s smile fell. “Tell me everything.”

Lia was surprised by Sage’s concern, but she proceeded to share all the details that she still remembered. “He was tall and pale with light blue eyes that sometimes changed to red. He called himself the World Eater and I dreamed he’d trapped me in a room made of smooth black rock. He told me he brought me there to show me something.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I know it sounds crazy. But everything about it felt so real.”

Sage’s frown deepened. “That’s because it was.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been bedridden for almost two days. You were fading before our eyes. That was no ordinary dream.” Sage’s voice caught. “Did he hurt you in any way?”

Lia curled her hand over her stomach. “There was one moment. He didn’t touch me, but something pulled here. It felt like I was being torn from my body.”

“He sounds like a Drainer, a rare type of Verduran who feeds off others’ energy. But none of this makes any sense. After all these years, the World Eater reveals himself, just to hold you captive in a dream? What sort of game is he playing?”

“He wants me to stop him.”

“From doing what?

“From killing more people.” The weight of her words fell heavily in the room. “He also showed me things.”

“Like what, child?”

“I placed my hand in his, and this rush of images came over me. People were chasing me. They locked me in a metal cage, but I couldn’t see anything outside because there was a piece of cloth covering it. Then a tall woman in golden armor lifted the cloth.”

Sage’s eyes widened. “Can you describe the woman?”

“Tall, with green eyes and long brown hair. She had lots of freckles and for some reason she reminded me of Mom.” Lia smiled at that specific detail. “Her helmet looked like it was made of gold. It dipped down like this.” Lia traced an M shape over her forehead. “And she wore a golden breastplate.”

“Was anyone with her? Another woman, perhaps?”

“There was someone else,” Lia recalled. “But it was a man. He was about her height, with long white hair. They were arguing about something.”

“Go on.” Sage’s voice came out as a strained whisper. “What happened then?”

Lia swallowed hard, hating what she was about to say. “The woman bent down to unlock the cage, and then she froze. Her eyes went wide and a sword just ripped through her breastplate.”

Lia’s heart fell. “It was the white-haired man. He must have attacked from behind. There was nothing I could do. The woman dropped to the ground and her blood ran across the floor and into the cage.”

Sage let out an anguished sound. “That was no mere vision. What you saw happened in the past. That woman was your grandmother. Adalia.”

“No. How is that even possible? How could the World Eater know what happened?”

Without saying a word, Sage took Lia’s hands in his. A surge of warmth flowed between them, and like before, images flew through her mind.

Lia stood in a small grove of trees. A woman, who she now recognized as her grandmother, stood in front of her, wearing a white cotton dress and a wildflower crown.

The image shifted. Her grandmother now sat in bed, looking exhausted but smiling down at a baby in her arms.

The image changed again, this time to show a fully armored Minerva standing in the doorway of Sage’s cottage. Nearby, a tall girl argued with Lia’s grandmother. Although Lia could only see the back of the girl’s head, she was struck by how similar the girl’s long, wavy hair was to her own. The only difference was that this girl had brown hair instead of black.

The girl turned.

It was Lia’s mother.

Lia sucked in a deep breath and ripped her hands from Sage’s grasp. “I saw the World Eater’s memories before, didn’t I? And you just showed me yours. That means you’re my grandfather?”

The look Sage gave her was a mix of profound sadness and hope. “I am.”

Lia’s heart expanded almost to the point of bursting. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I wanted to, but the time never felt right. You were so busy adjusting to everything.”

“Did I miss anything important?” Kieren interrupted.

“Just that Sage is my grandfather.” Lia gasped and covered her face with her hands. “No. Turn around. Don’t look at me.”

Kieren chuckled, sending warm shivers down her spine. “It’s good to see you again, Lia.”

“No. It’s Adalia. Wait, you remember me? But how? And why are you not…?”

“A dragon?” he deadpanned. His lazy gaze lowered to her mouth and then back to her eyes again. “Well, that remains to be seen. But as you can see, I’m doing well. As it seems, are you. Good to see that resting in my bed has helped you to recover.”

The temperature in the room grew several degrees warmer. “This is your room?”

His grin widened and Lia’s breath caught. “Has been since I began training to become a hunter. When you fell unconscious, I told them to bring you here. Surprisingly, they agreed. I suppose it’s hard to argue with someone who has the potential to turn into a dragon.”

She carefully studied the room again. “It’s funny. I dreamed about a room just like this.”

Kieren shot her a curious look. “Did you dream about my father’s study as well?”

The comment caught her off guard. “How did you know?”

“The World Eater visited Lia in her dreams.” Sage eyed them both. “Judging by your mutual expressions, it seems my granddaughter shares a similar dreamwalking ability,”

“What?” Kieren’s expression darkened. “Are you talking about the monster from the prophecy? Is that what happened to Lia? He trapped her… in a dream?”

“And that isn’t his only power,” Sage added. “From what Lia described, it sounds like the man is also a Drainer. He absorbs the energy of others.”

Kieren crossed his arms over his chest. “So, essentially, he can kidnap Lia anytime he likes. Moons, what’s to stop him from trying again?”

“Perhaps now would be a good time to show Kieren what we already know,” Sage suggested.

Lia stared at her grandfather, not understanding what he meant.

“Place your hands in Kieren’s. I suspect you might be a Sender as well.”

As Kieren walked over to her, Lia caught sight of two leathery wings curled against his back. Without realizing it, she already reached out to touch them but stopped suddenly when she noticed him stiffen. “May I?”

His eyes silvered and he gave an abrupt nod.

There was a tickle in her stomach as she traced a fingertip along one of his wing ribs. It felt like warm, supple leather.

Sage cleared his throat. Loudly. “Perhaps we should leave the wings alone and catch the lad up.”

Struggling to ignore Kieren’s intense stare and the fluttery feeling in her stomach, Lia placed her hands in his warm, slightly calloused palms.

Nothing.

“Go on,” Sage urged. “Try to remember. Show him what we showed you.”

Lia shut her eyes and tried again. Warmth ignited in her palms as images projected through her mind. The angry mob. The cage. Her grandmother. The blood.

She became aware of Kieren’s fingers interlacing through hers, and Lia knew he was right there, experiencing everything with her. Encouraged, she continued, sharing Sage’s memories too. Once the last image of her mother’s angry face had flashed through her mind, she reluctantly withdrew her hands from his.

“You can travel into other people’s dreams and share memories?” Kieren’s eyes burned with an intensity uniquely his. “I’ve never heard of a mage having such capabilities.”

“They don’t usually,” Sage answered. “As a child of three worlds, Lia’s abilities will always have an element of unpredictability.”

“But what I don’t understand,” she murmured, “is how the World Eater saw my grandmother being killed.”

“Minerva and your grandmother were Verduran Guardians,” Sage explained. “Their job was to protect the queen and uncover the identity of the World Eater.”

He gave them a small, wistful smile. “I loved your grandmother from the moment I first set eyes on her. But because of the uneasy alliance between our two worlds, we kept our relationship a secret. Only a handful of trusted friends knew. When we finally got married, Adalia left her role as a guardian, and I removed myself from the Mage Council. We wanted a quiet life. We’d never expected to have children, so your mother was a wonderful surprise. For a long time, the three of us were very happy.”

Lia tensed, waiting for the inevitable turn of events.

“Some part of me wanted to believe that our life together would last. But then the responsibilities of the outside world landed on our doorstep. One night, when Farrah was about your age, Minerva came to the cottage, asking for Adalia’s help in capturing a powerful and untrained Verduran child. He was a Drainer who had somehow managed to cross into Solair and kill over a dozen villagers.”

“The World Eater,” Lia realized.

Sage nodded. “But we didn’t know that then. Your grandmother agreed to help, but when Farrah learned the truth, she begged her mother not to go.”

“What was your wife’s ability?” Kieren asked.

“She was a Shield. Adalia could block other magic wielders’ spells.”

“So they wanted her to block the World Eater’s abilities,” Kieren mused.

“That was the last time I saw my wife. Minerva told me that the child killed Adalia. They took her body back to Verdura for burial.”

“But that’s not true!” Lia thought back to the World Eater’s memories. “He didn’t kill her. It was the other warrior. I saw it. Do you know who the man is?”

Sage shook his head.

“This changes everything.” She paced the room, trying to fit all the pieces together. “Why did Minerva have you believe that the child killed Adalia? We need to talk to her and find out why she lied to you.”

“No.”

Lia stopped, looking at her grandfather in surprise.

“I don’t think that’s wise, child. You’re not safe here. The World Eater’s already proved he can find you at any time. What’s to stop him from taking you again?”

“What are you saying?” Lia asked.

“None of us has the ability to stop him, nor do we know what really happened to my wife. You’re in danger here. Kieren and I will return to the village to speak with Minerva. Lia, perhaps it’s time you went home.”

She found herself unable to speak. How many times had she dreamed about laughing with Holly or hugging Gabby again? Home was New Jersey. The diner. Her friends. But she couldn’t go back now. Not when everything had changed.

“No. I can’t go back. I have to stay here. I know you’re both worried about me, but let’s be honest—when has it ever been safe for me here?”

Kieren’s glance fell on her arms and a look of pain crossed his face.

She tried softening her approach. “I’m not blaming anyone for what happened to me. I chose to come to Solair. Just like I’m choosing to stay now. The prophecy named me the Light and the World Eater contacted me. This is my battle to fight.”

Kieren shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. Our enemy is too powerful.”

“I can see what you’re saying, but something’s not quite adding up,” Lia observed. “Yes. He dragged me into a dream.”

“And held you there against your will.”

“Yes. But he also revealed what really happened to my grandmother. And for some reason, he’s asked for my help. He wants me to stop him. You saw his childhood. They put him in a cage! What if we’ve somehow got this all wrong? What if he’s not what we thought he was? I don’t believe he was trying to harm me.”

“You weren’t responding,” Kieren shot back. “Your skin was freezing cold. And then you woke up screaming and trembling. The fact is that he kidnapped you. He hurt you and he held you against your will.”

Lia held his gaze. “But I woke up. I’m fine now. And he explained that he only did all that to ask for my help.”

“I can’t believe you’re letting him manipulate your emotions like that!”

“Having sympathy for someone isn’t a weakness. Compassion is what brought me to Solair in the first place. I came here to help you.”

“And look where that decision got you,” Kieren growled.

“I’m fine now. I’ve healed.”

“Just barely.”

“I can do this.”

Kieren’s mouth formed a thin, angry line. Neither he nor Sage responded.

Lia’s mouth fell open. “You don’t think I can, do you? That’s what you’re both really saying. You don’t believe in me.”

“Child,” Sage murmured. “Of course we believe in you. It’s just that—”

“Then let me stay. Let me help. Let me fight.”

A knock on the door stopped her from saying anything more. Griffith burst in and wrapped Lia in a big hug.

“It’s so good to see you.” He pulled away with a laugh. “I can’t believe we came this close to revealing all of your secrets. Luckily, no one realized what you both really are. But everyone definitely witnessed you fighting one moment and then… well, you know. The kiss took everyone by surprise. Not me, of course. I always knew you had feelings for each other.”

Griffith frowned, seeming to finally notice the others’ somber expressions. “Why do I have the distinct feeling that I just interrupted some really important discussion? Anyone care to fill me in?”

Lia wanted to scream in frustration. “Kieren and Sage want me to go home.”

“Right.” Griffith nodded. “To Rosetta.”

Again, no one spoke.

Griffith raised his eyebrows. “Come on. Whatever’s happening here can’t be that bad. Lia’s awake. Kieren hasn’t fully transformed into a dragon. The castle is still standing and no one knows that we have a mage and a dragon shifter in our midst.” His smile faltered. “We don’t have to keep any more secrets from each other. Right?”

“Apparently Lia has no concern for her own well being.” Kieren scowled. “We’re not asking her to go home forever. Just until we decide what to do next. We’re trying to keep her safe.”

“Until you decide?” Lia’s cheeks warmed and her voice rose. “I know you’re afraid that I’ll get hurt again. But have you forgotten that I’m a part of this conversation too?” She pointed at Sage. “You brought me here because you believed in me. And now you want me to run and hide? I can’t go back and live my life, pretending like I’m some normal high school teenager until you deem it safe for me to return. Because, honestly, it will never be safe. I’m the Light.”

“High school? Light?” Griffith blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“And you.” she jabbed a finger in Kieren’s direction. “We’re supposed to be in this together, remember? We make a good team.”

“Is that why you put a memory spell on me without telling me first?”

Kieren’s accusation hit her like a slap in the face. “N-no. I mean, I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have said something before. But I did it because—”

“Because you love me?” His silver eyes glinted like chips of ice. “You took something precious from me without my consent. That doesn’t sound like love to me.”

She struggled to keep her voice steady. “How can you say that?”

Kieren’s expression darkened. “Face it, Lia. Your spell didn’t work and I’m still a monster. Maybe it would have been better if you’d never come to Solair at all.”

All the oxygen seemed to have disappeared from the room and Lia suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. “You don’t mean that.” Unshed tears stung the back of her eyes as she wordlessly pleaded for him to look at her and truly see her. “I love you.”

The look that he gave her was detached and cold. “I don’t feel the same way. Not anymore. Go home, Lia. You can’t fight or do magic properly. You’re not ready to face the World Eater.”

Warm, salty tears splashed down her cheeks and Lia’s heart shattered.

“Fine,” she said quietly. “I’ll go.”

35 KIEREN

Kieren ignored the critical looks Griffith sent his way. He didn’t need his friend pointing out what he already knew: He’d broken Lia’s heart.

But what Griff didn’t realize was that Kieren’s heart was broken too. He still loved Lia with every fiber of his tortured being. Even now the urge to protect her nearly overwhelmed him. She was the light to his darkness, her presence drawing him in like a moth to flame. But he had to keep her out of harm’s way. The memory of her too-still body lying in his bed still haunted him.

So he fed her the lie that she wasn’t strong enough when the truth was, Kieren wasn’t strong enough. He couldn’t prevent the World Eater from taking her and even now, he was only just barely holding on to his human form. He hated the dark and foreign presence that always slithered just below the surface. What if he lost control again and transformed? The memory of Lia’s burned arms singed him with shame.

“I’ll speak to the queen and Soren,” Sage said gently. “Lia, you’ll head home by the end of the day, if possible.”

“What about Azriel? Will I get a chance to say goodbye to him before I leave?”

Kieren gritted his teeth, remembering the Verduran warrior’s annoyingly flirty manner.

“Azriel’s returned to the village.” Griffith shot another meaningful look in Kieren’s direction. “Isn’t there something else you want to tell Lia?”

Kieren looked away.

“It’s fine. I think we’ve all said everything we needed to say.” Lia chuckled without mirth. “Since Sage and Kieren obviously don’t trust me, maybe you should come back with me, Griff. Be my bodyguard.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Although Lia’s world was masked from magic, their enemy was proving to be more powerful than any of them had expected. Having Griffith there could provide her with added protection.

Sage appeared to agree. “Let me speak to the queen about that too.”

“Are you sure?” Griff shot Kieren a surprised, guilty look. “I mean, shouldn’t you go? What with you two being… well, what you are.”

“Friends.” Kieren struggled to keep his expression neutral. “We’re just friends. Griff, you should go. Lia will be safer with you.”

“Is that what you really want?” Griffith’s question lingered in the air.

A blast of painful heat surged inside. What are you doing? the dragon growled.

Kieren ignored his beast. “You are a good friend, and I’d appreciate it.”

“Well then, my lady, it sounds like I’ll be escorting you to Rosetta.” Griff gave an exaggerated bow and extended a hand.

“Oh, we’re going a bit farther than that.” Lia looped her arm through his. “Why don’t we head back to my room, and I’ll tell you everything?”

Griffith leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Lia tilted her head back and laughed. The sound wrapped its way around Kieren’s broken heart.

“Wait,” he called out without thinking.

“Yes?” Griffith glanced back, his expression gloating.

Kieren suddenly felt ashamed. What was he doing? Her return home was the only way to keep her out of the World Eater’s grasp. “Safe travels,” he forced out.

Griffith shook his head, appearing disappointed.

“Perhaps it would be wise if you packed too.” Sage patted Kieren’s shoulder. “Once Lia goes, we’ll head off to speak with Minerva. Whether or not you feel it, you share a kinship with the Verdurans. It will do you good to be around them.”

Griffith whispered in Lia’s ear again. Kieren’s skin prickled uncomfortably as jealousy reared its ugly head. He tried not to let their easy rapport bother him. Griffith was his friend, for moons’ sake, not his enemy.

Lia gave Kieren a tentative glance. “I heard about the secrets you uncovered in your father’s office.” Her tone was soft, careful. “And the two women he kept there.”

The taste of bile coated Kieren’s throat. “One managed to escape. The other was my mother. She wasn’t as lucky.”

“What if I were to tell you that the woman who escaped is still alive? Her name is Ariadne. She and her daughter, Lilith, live in the village.”

An image of a green-skinned woman with yellow eyes sprang to mind. Kieren sucked in a breath of surprise. “I have a sister?”

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Lia said gently. “Do you want us to stay?”

Tell her the truth, his dragon murmured.

“Of course not,” Kieren snapped. “I can handle this on my own.”

Lia’s eyes widened and Griffith wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders.

She should be ours, his dragon roared.

Kieren gritted his teeth as a ball of rage threatened to bubble up and burn him from within. “I see you aren’t wasting any time in moving on.”

Three pairs of eyes now stared at him in surprise.

“Come now, Kieren.” Griffith kept his tone light. “You don’t mean that. It’s obvious to everyone that you and Lia—”

“I don’t care to discuss this any longer.” Kieren could feel his dragon pushing to the surface. “Just leave! All of you, just go!”

Griff’s expression darkened. “You heard him.” Without looking back, he and Lia left.

“Will you ride with us to the portal?” Sage quietly asked.

“No.” Kieren’s heart rate increased and his skin felt like it was on fire. He balled his hands into fists to keep from crying out. “Just go. Please.”

The once mage nodded and then he too left.

A shudder of pain tore through Kieren’s body. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

The girl belongs with us, the dragon snarled. If you aren’t dragon enough to take her back, I will.

No, Kieren commanded as phantom talons pushed against his skin, threatening to rip through. You will stay inside. I won’t hurt her. Not like before.

Muscles tensed, he gripped the ground and fought the transformation. Finally, he forced his dragon back behind the wall. Panting from the exertion, he stared at the door to his room.

She was finally gone. He let out a tired sigh of sorrow and relief. This just proved that Kieren had made the right decision. Griffith would keep Lia safe. Safe from the World Eater.

And safe from Kieren.

36 LIA

As they rode toward the Black Forest, glimmers of pink, purple, and gold faded into an increasingly blue-black sky. Although Cairn Castle was no longer in sight, Lia still glanced behind them, hoping to see a familiar face.

“I hate to say it, but he’s not coming.” Griffith pulled his horse beside her’s. His violet eyes regarded her with compassion. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on in Kieren’s mind, but I know that he still cares about you. Forget what he said in there. This decision is clearly hurting him too.”

Cheeks flaming, Lia tightened her grip on the reins. Griffith could believe what he wanted, but she heard what Kieren said. He no longer loved her. Not anymore. Whatever beautiful, fragile thing they’d shared amidst this madness was gone. A lone tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

All too soon, the Solairan sun withdrew the last of its rays, leaving them in inky darkness. Lia was thankful for this one small mercy. At least her companions would no longer be able to see the hurt so clearly written on her face.

Sage led them past acres of farmland and into the very heart of the woods. The silent, surrounding trees gave way to a familiar patch of grass, where a lone white rock jutted out of the ground. Here, the air felt heavy and still. Without speaking, the trio dismounted.

Griffith waved his torch around the clearing. “This is it? It looks like a patch of wild grass and weeds. I mean, the rock is sort of interesting, but nothing here feels particularly magical.”

“Appearances can be deceiving, young warrior,” Sage said.

“It feels like a normal rock.” Griffith rubbed his hand against the stone’s craggy surface. “How is it even possible for portals to still work anyway? I thought the ban sealed them and bound your ability to do magic.”

Sage handed Griffith his torch and pulled out a piece of white chalk from his satchel. “Lia’s mother, Farrah, created this portal. Because my daughter was born of both worlds, the ban apparently didn’t affect her magic.”

“Did you ever visit her?” Lia asked.

“I managed to cross over once. That’s when I saw her working at the diner.” The once mage gave Lia a small smile. “I missed my daughter tremendously, but it made me happy to see that Farrah had created a new life there and was surrounded by good people.”

He sighed. “I should have tried harder to see her again. Then maybe I would have gotten to meet your father and to know you under different circumstances. I always intended on going back, but with Cedric on the throne, I didn’t dare try.”

Sage’s eyes shone a little too brightly in the torch light. “Will you ever forgive me, Lia? For not telling you sooner who I really was? And for sending you back now? I never had a chance to save Adalia or Farrah. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you too.”

Lia wrapped her arms around her grandfather. Whatever anger she’d felt toward him was long gone. “Mom would have been glad that we found each other.”

“Don’t worry, Sage. I’ll keep an eye on her.” Griffith placed a hand over his heart. “Not one hair on her head shall be harmed under my watch.”

She suppressed a laugh at her friend’s dramatics. “Seriously? I’m not some damsel in distress. I can fight my own battles, you know.” Lia nudged his hip playfully.

Griffith took a step back. “I can also show your granddaughter proper respect and give her all the space and support she wants.” He flashed them a dimpled grin. “So, how does this magic work? Will it hurt?”

“Just follow Lia and you’ll be fine.” Sage pulled out a short blade and sliced it across his hand.

Beside her, Griffith sucked in a sharp breath.

Even though she’d seen this spell cast before, Lia still stood there, entranced. As Sage traced the chalk outline with his blood, a bright light shot forth from the rock. She let out a quiet gasp.

Well. That was new. The last time they used the portal, Lia had only seen a shimmery haze around the stone. This time a thick beam of light reached out and enveloped her grandfather.

A tingling sensation started behind Lia’s forehead and slid down into her extremities. She shook her hands and legs, trying to get rid of the pins and needles feeling.

“That’s it? Just a quick slice? I’m a bit disappointed,” Griffith deadpanned. “Where’s the animal sacrifice?”

Lia’s attention snapped to her friend, and the strange pins and needles sensation faded as quickly as it had started. She swatted his arm.

Griffith chuckled.

Sage walked over to them, his body still wrapped in a soft blanket of illumination. As he drew closer, tiny strands of light, like the gentle tendrils of a sea anemone, stretched out toward her. Hesitantly, she reached out to touch them.

“It’s time,” Sage said, taking the torches from Griffith.

The glowing strands retracted.

“Lia?” Uncertainty flickered in her grandfather’s gaze.

“I’m ready.” She turned her attention from the lights to give him one final hug. “I love you.”

He kissed her cheek. “It doesn’t matter how far apart we are. As one moon is always with the other, I am always with you. I love you too.”

Lia gave him a small smile. “You’ll come back to get me, won’t you?”

“Of course. Once we have some answers.”

“And you’ll take care of Kieren?” Even though he’d hurt her, she couldn’t bear the thought of him having to adjust to his new identity on his own.

“Of course.”

Not trusting herself to say anything more, she turned around and walked toward the glowing portal. Griffith placed an arm around her shoulders.

Lia leaned against her friend, finding comfort in his support. “Are you going to miss Solair?”

“Course I am.” Mischief filled his gaze. “But, I’m also ready for a new adventure.” He winked.

Lia found herself grinning in response. Griff was right. She was going home, but this would be the start of a new adventure for her too. She’d keep working on the problem from her side of the portal and she’d take every opportunity she could to become stronger.

Placing her palm flat against the cold rock, a tendril of light reached out and snaked around Lia’s wrist.

She stepped forward, ready to go home.

SNEAK PEEK- BOOK 3: HAVEN OF SMOKE AND SHADOWS

Want to find out what happens next? Check out Haven of Smoke and Shadows, the third book in the Light and Fire Series on Amazon now!

Sometimes first loves were never meant to be…

Lia reveals her true feelings to Kieren—only to have him break her heart. Now, worlds away, high school and homecoming loom ahead. And somebody new is making a play for her affections.

Kieren almost lost Lia once. Struggling to maintain control over his inner dragon, he believes he’s done the right thing in pushing her away. But when he tries to bring her back to Solair, Kieren realizes he might have made the worst mistake of his life in letting Lia go.

With the threat of the World Eater growing daily, the distinction between friend and foe blurs. Will Lia and Kieren face the destroyer of worlds together? Or will misunderstanding and betrayal tear them and their worlds apart?

Don’t miss this enchanting third installment in the Light and Fire Series. Order on Amazon today!

Want to immerse yourself in Lia and Kieren’s world? Check out The Lady Thief soundtrack playlist and Pinterest Boards for more fun goodies.

ALSO BY GINGER LI

Light and Fire Series

Half-Blood Mage (Book 1)

The Lady Thief (Book 2)

Haven of Smoke and Shadows (Book 3)

A Heart so Dark (Book 4)

CARE TO HELP AN AUTHOR OUT?

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Thank you so much for joining me on this creative journey. I am grateful for all of your support!

~Ginger Li

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ginger loves the color yellow, baked goods, and all things Halloween. When she’s not busy playing with kids, she enjoys reading, listening to sappy pop music, and dreaming up love stories featuring brave heroines, a touch of magic, and hopeful endings. Ginger lives with her husband and two Pokemon-loving boys in sunny California. She has yet to see a soot sprite, but always keeps her eyes open just in case!

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Contents

Thank you!

1. Stirring

2. Kieren

3. Lia

4. Kieren

5. Lia

6. Kieren

7. Lia

8. Lia

9. Kieren

10. Lia

11. Kieren

12. Lia

13. Kieren

14. Lia

15. Kieren

16. Lia

17. Kieren

18. Lia

19. Lia

20. Kieren

21. Lia

22. Kieren

23. Lia

24. Kieren

25. Lia

26. Kieren

27. Kieren

28. Lia

29. Kieren

30. Lia

31. Kieren

32. Lia

33. Kieren

34. Lia

35. Kieren

36. Lia

Sneak Peek- Book 3: Haven of Smoke and Shadows

Also by Ginger Li

Care to help an author out?

About the Author