Page 88 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

"I worry that Eudora is wasting time refusing to speak to us. She has to have known for years that I would someday come to break the spell. She knows about the Lonely Death, and according to you, has known about Azalea and what she is capable of longer than anyone. Does she not want this violence and reign of death to end?"

The king's face remained neutral. "You know as well as I do that Eudora has little interest in the problems of the Fae,orthe humans. Her magic is different. It is similar to your mate’s in that it belongs to nothing and everything. She is near limitless, but in a different way than Azalea is. While Lea has the sheer power to blow open the door, to bring the walls of the Black King's castle tumbling to the ground, Eudora has the knowledge to learn how to slowly pick the lock. She has pieces of the puzzle none of us understand, has seen things so far into the future that our problems seem insignificant to her. She helps the universe maintain balance."

"So she doesn’t care that thousands of innocent people are being killed?" Gray retorted, his words coming out sharper than he’d intended. "How is that balance?"

Tanad cleared his throat and took a deep, calming breath. "She cares, of course, just as she cares that Brennus’s soldiers will be slaughtered as well if we meet them on the battlefield. She does not see good and evil the same way that we do." Tanad held up his hand as if sensing that Gray was about to argue. "I know you assume she only wishes to take. You see her as similar to your father, gaining power in bargains made in blood for her assistance and knowledge. But it is Eudora who can be credited for keeping your mate alive."

Gray’s mouth cracked open in shock. "Why are you just telling me this now?" Gray tried to calm his temper. He didn’t believe that the king wanted to hide things from him without good reason, but it was frustrating only getting small bits of information as he found it necessary.

"There’s more Azalea does not yet know, but the other night I felt her powers start to grow restless. I worried that learning even more might be harmful to her," Tanad said.

Gray bristled at the insinuation that his mate wasn’t strong enough to handle whatever it was Tanad was keeping from them. "I’d never let anything happen to her. Lea deserves to know the truth."

"She does. But what she deserves and what her soul is ready for are two different things. I don’t think you understand the immensity of what I feel inside her." Tanad pressed a hand to his sternum. "It is pure power, Commander. One can easily get lost within it, overtaken by the allure of the oblivion that comes with complete surrender to it."

Gray considered his words before responding. "My mate did not ask for her powers, nor did she want them. I would even guess that given the chance now, she would give them up to someone else who she felt was more worthy to wield them."

"Which is why she is the one among us who has them," the king agreed. They continued on in silence for a few moments before the king stopped his horse. "Eudora had a vision."

"Yes, the prophecy." Gray knew this already, as did Azalea.Evil will fall at her feet, and death will follow where she commands.Buthow?It explained almost nothing.

"Not only the prophecy. The prophecy, as you know, was spoken at the moment of the Queen’s death. But the next vision? It was the night of your mate's birth."

Her birth?How did he not know about this? There was no justifying hiding anything about his mate from him. Gray’s shadows tried to break free, but he held them at bay. "What did she see?" He asked, his words careful and controlled as he fought against a surge of rage. "And why, even if you don’t believe Lea to be ready, have you not confided inmeabout this?"

"Eudora has stressed that the future's not set in stone. The ending of Lea’s story could change. She insisted that for the good of our kingdoms, her vision was spoken of as little as possible."

"And I insist you tell me exactly what that vision entailed," Gray demanded.

Tanad sighed. "She saw many things. Many possible outcomes to what we’re now facing. But one thing was certain. The Black King was coming for Evangeline, and hewouldfind her. But there was a way to save her daughter."

"To give her away, without anyone ever telling her who she really is?" Gray’s darkness pushed uncomfortably against his ribs.

"To send her to an isolated place where she would be protected, with no information about her true identity. Eudora saw Adelaide giving Azalea the potion that dampened her magic. When Eudora allowed that version to become the truth, it showed Azalea growing up. Living. Thriving. But not only that. Her vision showed your mate being the one who could change everything."

"It showed her defeating my father?" Gray ran a hand through his unkempt beard.

"In one reality, yes. In another, chaos and bloodshed, all in vain. It depends on the choices our dear Azalea makes."

"I don’t understand." Gray rubbed the scruff on his face. He knew his mate to her very core. There wasn’t a malicious drop of blood in her body. There wasn’t a single part of her that wasn’t good.

"All I know, my friend, is that your mate has the power to become the Queen of Flame and Shadows, a kind and merciful ruler, but also a warrior.Thatqueen changes the world for good. Restores peace and magic, and defeats the Black King. Or," the king turned his horse, preparing to begin traveling again, "she has the power to cast the world into darkness and destroy everything that we are fighting for."

Chapter 60

Lea

Insteadofleadingherto the large, bright training room open to the sea air—a common design choice for the entirety of the castle—Erik took her down a winding set of sandstone stairs. It reminded her of when he’d led her into the depths of the Black King’s castle in Auropera, the first time he'd ever tried to teach her about using her magic. But this time, they went even deeper.

The natural sunlight that had lit the halls on the ground floor of the castle disappeared as they continued further into its depths, and Erik created a small flame that floated in the air in front of them as they walked, reminding her of the shadows Gray had sent to show her back to her room. The darkness called to Lea’s magic, twisting in her chest like it was trying to break free and join the blackness all around her. It made Lea feel uncomfortable in a way that was almost painful, and the further they went into the dungeons, the winding driftwood stairs seemingly never ending, the more her shadows scratched at the inside of her ribs to be set free.

Erik finally stopped in front of the broad, golden doorway. There were no fish swimming along the beautiful metal of this door. Instead, there were weapons: axes, swords, daggers, arrows, scythes, and several other things that she couldn’t even recognize or name, but that looked completely barbaric.

"Where are we?" Lea asked.

Erik turned around, cocking his head as he took in the anxiety in her posture. Lea relaxed her hands, attempting to cover up her nerves.

"Now Sunshine, do you really think I would take you somewhere dangerous? Not just because I love you, but also because Gray would kill me, and I loveme,too."

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