Page 78 of The Shadowbound King

“It’s the Edeloak.”

“Anedeloak,” Andrin corrected. “The great tree in the King’s Grove had thousands of offspring. They spread across Autumn, recording the passage of time and preserving the memories and history of our people. Our priests tended them. Every life, however important or seemingly insignificant, was woven into the forest’s record.”

A vivid image of the Edeloak’s family tree formed in my mind, the faces of countless elves shining from its branches.

Andrin’s gaze settled on me. “The edeloaks were a living network, their roots intertwined with the kingdom. When Walto tore out the Kree, the forest couldn’t survive. You’re a healer. You know what happens when a heart stops beating.”

The vibrant leaves around us dulled as shadows crept across the ground. The trunk of the edeloak blackened, rot spreading from branch to branch.

“The edeloaks died swiftly,” Andrin said. “As the rot spread, I went to the King’s Grove and did the only thing I could think of.”

A chill ran down my spine. “What did you do?”

“I bonded with the Edeloak, lending it my heart to keep it alive.”

“It was a doomed plan from the start,” Rane said, stepping into view.

Andrin shot him a sharp look—the kind that hinted at an old argument. “I didn’t have a choice. The edeloaks were dying. The shadows were closing in. I bought us time.”

Rane clenched his fists, tension radiating from him. “Time that’s running out. The Edeloak is killing you.”

Andrin’s jaw tightened. “I’m managing.”

“You’re not,” Rane snapped. “The rot is spreading, and it’s taking you with it. That injury tonight would’ve been nothing a month ago. You’re dying, Andrin. Piece by piece.”

Andrin looked away.

“You’re dying?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He met my eyes. “The Edeloak and I are bound. As it fades, so do I.”

The sunlight disappeared entirely, and the forest plunged into shadow. Leaves withered and fell, and trunks twisted into grotesque shapes. A high-pitched wail pierced the air.

It’s an illusion, I reminded myself, but the chill creeping up my neck made it hard to believe.

Shadows gathered at the edge of the forest, dark tendrils snaking forward like spider legs. Panic seized me, and I stumbled backward into Rane.

The illusion vanished. The bedchamber returned, moonlight slanting over the bloodied bed.

Andrin’s expression was grim. “The shadows feed on despair and pain. And they are insatiable. They’ve consumed most of Autumn. Once the Embervale falls, they’ll spread across Ishulum, swallowing each kingdom and everyone within it. Andulum will be next, starting with Eftar.”

“Eftar?” I couldn’t believe it. The Covenant stopped magic from intruding into the human world. But as I drew breath to say as much, Aedith’s face appeared in my mind, her eyes anxious as she spoke of her missing brother.He strayed too close to the shadows.

Andrin must have seen something in my face because he gave a grim nod. “We have to find the Kree.”

Frustration gripped me. “I told you the truth. I don’t know where it is.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rane said. “Walto has it. He couldn’t have survived this long without it. Get me into Purecliff, and I’ll search until I find it.”

“You’ll lose your magic if you cross the Covenant,” I said.

“Not if you bond with me.”

His words hit me like a slap. “A shadowbond would make me your slave.”

“I don’t want a slave,” Rane said firmly. “I want to save my people. But I can’t risk entering the human lands without my magic. Walto will be expecting me. Magic can’t cross the Covenant without a living anchor in Andulum. You don’t have to bond with me permanently. You could be shadow-touched—connected but not fully bound. If you join with me, even temporarily, you can bridge the boundary.”

“And you can cross it,” I said, bitterness climbing into my throat. Or maybe that was just the weight of the collar around my neck. “Once again, you’d use me. Do I get a choice this time?”

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