Page 47 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

Familiar childlike laughter touches my ear, and I sink against the stone with relief.

“My masters have healed it,” Lucretia says, before quickly correcting, “my old masters.”

Excitement explodes in me. “I have to get Jarek. With these cuffs, I can go in, get the scribes, and bring them back—”

“You cannot,” she interrupts me.

“What do you mean? Why not?”

“There are powerful wards against entering the casters’ realm, uninvited, just as there are powerful wards against entering this realm, uninvited. It will not allow you to pass.”

“It has to.” Even though I know about these wards from Solange and Agatha.

“If you doubt me, try.”

Jarek and Zander will argue over who gets to kill me first if Lucretia is wrong and I end up in Nyos without them. But I have to know. Drawing on my key caster threads, I direct the bound cord toward it, bracing myself for either disappointment or new scenery.

The moment the cord touches, it fizzles as if burned, and my momentary excitement deflates.

“You still mistrust me, Your Highness?”

“What about from the other side? Can I bring scribes here?”

“The Queen of All may always return to her realm.”

Well, that’s something, at least. “What about the one in Argon?”

She gestures to another door carved into the wall.

“Where does it lead?”

“To the jeweled palace, but beyond that, I cannot tell you for I do not—”

I don’t test the engravings this time, channeling into it …

And find myself in utter darkness.

Fear grips me instantly. I wrap an air shield around myself, hoping I didn’t just do something stupid, and ignite a light orb. As it swells, chests of jewels and gold and gilded busts appear around me. I recognize the room for what it is—Argon’s royal vault. My royal vault. It’s not quite as large as the one in Ulysede, but it is undoubtedly impressive.

A heavy door sits at the far end of this vast room. I imagine there are guards outside. Who knows what else is beyond. For now, I have the answer I needed.

In moments, I’m back in Ulysede.

“Another wormhole, Your Highness?” Lucretia mocks.

But I’m rushing up the stairs, desperate to find Zander. “I’ll be back with all the scribes as soon as I can!”

Jarek is waiting at the top of the steps. The Cindrae have stepped back. “What happened down there?” he barks, panic flashing in his eyes as he takes in the blood smears under my nose.

“Long story, but it’s fine. We have more tokens. Useful ones. The golle gave us this.” I hold up the bronze horn.

“For what?”

“I don’t know, but this”—I wave my wrist to show off the gold bracelet—“stops the Prime from binding my affinities.”

“And what is she doing out of her snake pit?”

I turn to where his attention—and scowl—has swung and realize Lucretia has followed me up. “She’s serving me. Lucretia, why do you look so amazed? You’ve seen all this before.” I doubt anyone knows Ulysede better than the sylx, and yet she gapes as she takes in the throne room.

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