Page 115 of The Blood Crown

And even though Aurelia had been sworn to secrecy, she couldn’t help herself from throwing over her shoulder as she left, “The windows—they were Karro’s idea.”

Chapter 59

Asher was in his chambers when Aurelia knocked on the cracked door. He looked up from where he sharpened a dagger, a lock of his copper hair falling over one eye as he smiled at her.

A small collection of ravenstone blades were on his desk, a stack of books teetering precariously on the corner. Hexes were strewn across the surface, the familiar six-pointed disks that Seth preferred.

“I’ve become fond of them,” Asher deflected, seeing where her gaze had fallen. A faint blush spread across his nose, his mouth curving up into a small smile. The contentedness glowing in his eyes made her own smile falter—despising herself for what she needed to say to him.

She blew out a breath, ripping the bandage off. “You need to go back, Asher.”

The words hurt to say—but not nearly as much as the look her brother gave her. He'd joined the blue cloaks when he'd turned seventeen, and selflessness in the name of duty wasall he'd known for nearly half his life. But Asher had always possessed bravery beyond reason.

“What—” Color rose into his cheeks, betrayal darkening his veridian eyes.

She and Ven had spent most of the previous night discussing it—Seth could safely take Asher back, and Asher would be able to pass through the wards into the human realm without interference. Then, at least, if none of them survived this—the human realm would be aware of the threat.

She took a step closer, trying to reason with him. “Not just to keep you safe.” She hated the words—hated herself more for saying them. “You need to warn them of what’s coming.” His expression was incensed, as if she’d just slapped him across the face as she plowed on. “Wellan will listen to you—you’ll know how tomakehim listen to you.”

“My place is here, beside you, beside—” He flung a hand toward the fortress surrounding them, knocking the pile of books from the table.

Aurelia knelt, grateful for the distraction as she reached for the mess with watery eyes. It wasn't just his pride she was asking him to set aside, it was his loyalty, his honor. Everything he was to his very core. And convincing him to leave her before an impending battle wouldn't be an easy task.

Her fingers grasped the edge of the familiar book, splayed open, the pages falling to the sketches of the relics. She could hear anger in Asher's voice, but whatever words he said were garbled as she pulled the book closer. He trailed off when he realized she was still staring at the open pages.

It wasn’t until the book was turned on its side that she saw the familiar shape . . . She’d never given it a second thought—especially once she had recognized the ring. But from this angle, the curved, cruel edge of the scythe almost looked like—

“A crescent,” Asher uttered from where he knelt beside her.

Hidden in plain sight. So innocuous that no one would ever think it possessed such power. Such darkness. And it had been underfoot for centuries.

“Your Majesty—” Nira rounded the corner of Asher’s open doorway, her dark skin flushed with color. Her scarlet eyes passed over Aurelia’s shoulder, wide as they took in whatever she saw behind them.

Aurelia followed her gaze out the window, to the view of the forest falling away below them. The Shades were their usual indigo and emerald at the late hour of the night. But beyond—

She took a step toward the glass, her immortal eyes focusing on the flares of light hundreds of miles away. Well below the mountain peaks and the crowded pines. They must have been massive plumes of fire if they were visible here . . .

“The Capitol,” Asher uttered as he took a step beside her. “It’s the beacons.”

Chapter 60

“It’s a trap,” Ven growled, pacing the edge of the council room. “He can't get to you behind Ravenstone's walls, so he means to draw you out."

Karro, for once, was standing still as death, glowering at the moonstone table. The twins stood side by side, seeming to carry on some silent conversation as they cast glances between each other. Embra stood between Asher and the Allokin prince, the deep green of the female's hair setting off the red of the males on either side of her. Apart from them, leaning against the carved wall of the chamber, was Valea, toying with a silver strand of her braid.

“Of course it’s a trap,” Aurelia threw back, her words clipped short as she abruptly turned to face him. “But we cannot leave the humans to defend themselves."

Ven braced his feet apart, crossing his arms over his chest, readying himself for the fight. “Lanthius’ wards will hold.”

Seth imperceptibly grimaced at his tone.

“For how long?” Aurelia challenged, her voice quiet as death. She slid the book across the table, the pages fluttering withher frustration as it stopped inches from Ven. "How long until Maloch finds a way to break through them and reclaims the relic hidden there for his king?" They both knew the truth of it—the demon princes’ power had been growing. It wasn’t an insult to Lanthius’ ability, but the wards had been threatened once before. What would it take to do it again?

Ven's gaze traced the black ink outline of the scythe, the line of his jaw tightening as he turned to look at the table. Whatever he hoped it might reveal to him, she couldn’t be certain. But they were running out of time.

Aurelia looked toward the window, at the glowing beacons far off in the distance as she uttered, "Maloch will take the King's army and sweep over the human realm. He will destroy them, swiftly and without mercy, and he will take back the relic." Asher's face paled where he stood across from her. "And then there is nowhere I will be safe from him."

Ven's eyes lifted to meet hers, his mouth thinning into a line. She knew the risk she was taking going back, and she would never ask the same of anyone else in this room. But she could never leave Wellan, their mother, the people she'd grown up with in the Capitol to face this threat alone.

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