Page 13 of The Sundered Realms

This close, she could see that his icy purple eyes were gold on the inside, and that fire was flaring now. For her.

Keeping her secrets safe had served her well, but then again, biding her time in obscurity arguably hadn’t.

It was possible this was an elaborate trap for her.

It was also possible it wasn’t, and Jadrhun had already made a move that no one else would be able to counter.

The moment stretched. She might not be able to read emotion in Lord Vhannor’s eyes, but they radiated an intensity she wanted to believe was drive to do something.

She had to risk it. If Lord Vhannor betrayed her—well, it wasn’t like she cared about him, and it wasn’t like he’d be the first.

Liris bent over the papers, and focused.

She compared the shape of the spell, rearranged three sections, performed new calculations on the first connection. Wordlessly, Lord Vhannor started work on the second.

He asked her no questions, just kept up as they worked.

With increasing dread on Liris’ part as it became clear what they were decoding.

Hopefully not demons.

“This is a spell to open a portal to the void, isn’t it?” Liris murmured.

A guard behind her sucked in a breath; her cart guard cursed.

“Yes,” Lord Vhannor said with detachment. “I copied the diagram from an active spell inside the swamp, surrounding what I believe is an unidentified Gate. It’s already eaten enough ambient magic to ping the castle’s sensors, which is why I was here to investigate at all. The portal’s not big enough yet for a demon to fit through, but it won’t be long.”

Liris faltered. “Shouldn’t you evacuate?”

He slashed the thought away with his hand. “There’s no time. I’ve never seen a spell this simple grow so powerful so quickly. If I don’t take it down today, reinforcements will never have time to arrive. No guards or casters present are trained to fight a demon of the size that will be able to enter.”

“Except for you.”

His gaze was glacial, hard and unyielding. “Yes.”

The dour female guard’s voice broke into their bubble. “A language only she can read, and it came from inside the swamp?”

Oh no.

Liris’ gaze flew back to Lord Vhannor. His jaw was clenched, and he wasn’t looking at her.

“I know this handwriting,” Lord Vhannor said, “and it isn’t hers.”

Liris’ heart about stopped in shock.

She blurted, “You know Jadrhun?”

Now he looked at her, his purple eyes spearing into her gaze. “You know him well enough to recognize this?”

“No. I taught him the beginnings of Thyrasel, the language he apparently used to put this together. And then I ran for my life before he didn’t have any more use for me.”

Lord Vhannor blinked.

Her guard scoffed, “No memory?”

Liris rolled her eyes. “Yes, I do remember everything about the demon servant and my own government out to kill me, and certainly the first person I’d trust with that information is a guard who doesn’t even ask who she’s arresting.”

Lord Vhannor lifted a hand and commanded, “Later. Can you focus?”

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