Page 350 of Heat of the Everflame

Ophiucae was close.Veryclose.

I bolted to the top of the nearest hill and peered out across the grasslands to see a group of armed men on horseback riding our way. Though there was no glowing man among them, my gut knew it wasn’t a coincidence.

I sprinted down the city streets, heart pounding, shouting warnings at every resident I passed. My voice grew more and more frantic as my efforts earned only confused stares.

Once I reached the inn where we’d tied up our horse, I used Ignios flame to burn it loose from its rope, then pulled myself into the saddle and prodded it into an urgent gallop toward the Ring Road.

I swore under my breath when I got there—a shimmering veil hung over each of the men. Wherever Ophiucae was hiding, he was using his magic to keep them safe.

I called on the stone magic of Montios, and the ground trembled as a thick wall of rock rose high to block the men’spath, stretching as far as my magic would reach. It wouldn’t stop them, but it would buy me precious time.

A sudden crackle ripped through the air as a bolt of lightning shot into the sky from near the library. With a tug on my reins, I raced back into town.

At the base of the library steps, Luther and Doriel were in heated debate while the Sophos Royal Guard began arriving from across the city.

“He’s coming,” I panted, dismounting and jogging to their side.

Doriel nodded somberly. “I can feel him. That much power...” They were forcing a brave face for their guards, but their eyes belied a hidden panic.

“The mortals working with him are just outside the city. He’s shielding them, so he must be nearby.”

Their eyes began to close. “I’ll find him through the Forging magic.”

“No,” I shouted quickly. “Don’t—when I tried that in Montios, he attacked me through it.”

Their brow slowly creased. “How did you access the Forging magic inMontios?” Their eyes dropped to my neck. “And why do you bear his sigil?”

My hand flew to my throat, now exposed after my scarf had fallen in the greenhouse.

Shit.Shit shit shit shit shit.

Doriel stormed toward me in a seething rage. “You’re with him, aren’t you? You brought him here. You’re trying to scare me so I take your deal.”

Luther moved to intervene, but I raised a hand to stop him. “I swear to you Doriel, I’m not. I want to stop him before he hurts anyone else. I’ll fight him here and now to prove it.”

They looked me over, their delicate features gnarling in distrust.

“Think the worst of me when the battle’s over,” I begged. “If we’re going to protect these people, we have to work together.”

The crowd fell silent, awaiting Doriel’s response. The sudden quiet revealed a slow, steady thump in the distance. Through the hazy canopy of grey winter clouds, a small black dot had begun to grow.

My eyes slid over Doriel’s shoulder to see the Sophos gryvern—perched firmly on the ground.

Ice shot through my veins.

“Tell me that’s your gryvern,” Doriel said, their voice unsteady.

I already knew it wasn’t. Sorae’s dark rage at being imprisoned was an ever-present weight on my soul through our bond.

“That doesn’t look like any gryvern I’ve ever seen,” Luther murmured.

The dot became a silhouette: A horned reptilian head. Sprawling, red-tipped wings. A hulking leonine body with fur so dark, it was nearly black. And on its back, a grey-eyed man whose skin gleamed like moonlight.

With a Crown in the shape of a ten-pointed star hovering over his head.

“Blessed Kindred,” Doriel breathed. “The lost realm. The stories are true.”

The approaching gryvern let out a piercing shriek. My Faunos magic tingled, sensing its violent intentions. I shot back a pulse of calm and a plea to the creature to turn away, but my efforts were futile. The beast was as full of vicious rage as its brutal master.

---