Page 46 of Fading Sun

The amber liquid spills across the cream carpet, the glass rolling to the side.

All eyes go to Damien.

“Do not, under any circumstances, use that quill on my daggers,” he says, the air stilling as he reins in his magic.

Blaze’s brows knit together in confusion—and a hint of anger. “Why not?” he asks. “The spell could give us a major edge.”

“Because these daggers were forged with Viktor,” he says, his fingers brushing over the ornate hilts. “They’re not just weapons. They hold a history. A pact between brothers. I will not have them altered, especially not by magic as unknown as yours.”

The sharpness in his tone makes it clear his words are final.

“Sure,” Blaze says, backing off. “No problem.”

“I’m glad we have that settled.” Damien sits back in his seat, picks up the Astral Compass, and returns his focus to it.

I nearly reach for my own dagger, but stop myself before I can.

“What do you say, Amber?” Blaze leans forward, challenge gleaming in his eyes. “Are you up for having a weapon that can’t be defeated?”

I say nothing for a few seconds.

Because wielding a weapon that could give me an upper hand is tempting. Especially since Blaze’s spell to remove the potion worked miracles for me.

But seeing the firm lines of resistance on Damien’s face, and the unsettled look in Morgan’s eyes, makes me hesitate. Damien’s been around for centuries, and Morgan can see the future. Which means it’s likely a good idea to trust their instincts.

If the spell backfires… well, I don’t want to do something I might regret.

“It’s a good idea,” I say to Blaze, hoping to stay diplomatic about the issue, like a true queen—which I definitely don’t feel like I am. “But maybe we should hold off until we know a bit more.”

He shakes his head in disappointment.

“You can hold off,” he says. “I’m doing this.”

Without leaving time for a debate, Blaze picks up the quill and slices the sharp end across his palm.

His blood wells up, deep red against his skin. Then, with a focused intensity, he dips the quill’s tip into his blood and begins inscribing the word invictus onto the flat side of his blade.

Each stroke is deliberate, each letter infused with the power of his magic. I can feel it crackling in the air from here.

Damien, Morgan, and I sit there silently, our eyes on Blaze, watching him so carefully that it’s like we’re expecting him to get so consumed in the spell that he’ll use his dagger against one of us. It’s a crazy thought, since Blaze has done nothing to show he’s not on our side. But it’s impossible to deny there’s something dark about what he’s doing. Something that sets me on edge.

Judging by the way Morgan and Damien are on guard as well, it’s obvious they feel the same.

When he finishes, Blaze holds up the dagger, the blade glowing with a faint, otherworldly light.

“See?” He turns the weapon in his hand, admiring the effect. “It worked.”

“We don’t know if it’s invincible,” Morgan says. “We just know you infused it with magic. What that magic does… well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“We know what it does,” Blaze says as the glow dims out. “Invictus. It makes the dagger invincible.”

“Just be careful, okay?” she tells him.

“Maybe test it out slowly,” I add.

Damien scoffs, which is all he needs to do to let me know what he’s thinking.

I’m the last one who should be giving lectures about the importance of not jumping into things.

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