Page 56 of Daughter of the Darkened City

Hevena nodded. “Of course. Let me get to the point.

“Ages ago, a sect of witches left the teachings of the Holy Mother and followed the darkness. They sought to keep us here, closing the well of magic and destroying the teachings of the Holy Mother by sealing her away in the pit. They unfortunately succeeded, though with their lives, as all fools do.

“There may be a way out, though. The spell they wrought was done on a new moon, tying the people here in place. And they tricked a traveler into helping them, using her powers to shroud the magic well and effectively prevent us from ever being able to harness enough power to open it.

“I won’t lie and tell you that it’s safe,” Hevena said, her voice soft and assuring as she looked at them, her gaze landing on Enid. “But all spells can be undone if they can be performed in reverse, as close to the original as possible. We’ve tried for ages to reverse it by other means, and all the volunteers have died. But all the volunteers in the past were not the same as the traveler.”

“What was the traveler?” Onora asked.

Hevena never broke eye contact with Enid. “She was a demon.”

Chapter 22: Enid

Enid stared at the witch, the knot in her stomach growing tighter. She had never taken pride in her intelligence, but even now, amidst her exhaustion and worry, her mind was frustratingly slow to catch onto the thing her gut already knew.

They needed a demon to break the spell. And it was dangerous.

Enid would have liked to believe she was braver, someone who immediately jumped at the chance to save others in the face of her own destruction, but instead she had to bite back a bitter laugh. She finally met her mate and in order for any of them to be free, she would have to face down death. It felt hauntingly appropriate, as if some phantom creature had been stalking her steps since that day eleven years ago crept close and whispered, “It was always supposed to be you.” She’d cheated death that day and now it was here to claim her.

Her hands shook as she placed the fork down, swallowing.

But before she could say anything, Dryston spoke up. “I’ll do whatever I can to help. Tell me what you need from me to break the spell and I’ll do it.”

It was Enid’s turn to level a glare at Dryston now. Her dark thoughts disappeared in the fear that twisted her heart. Not again. She couldn’t have someone put themselves in harm’s way again. Couldn’t have someone else be harmed so she could walk away. Images of Avenay in the creature’s maw, crushed and bloodied, swirled in her mind, warping to images of her father dead in a pool of blood and her mother, stuck with arrows, begging Dryston to save Enid.

“That is a noble offer, Lord Dryston,” Hevena said. “However, we need to match the spell as closely as possible, and it was a female demon who did the enchantments originally.”

Before Dryston or Kaemon could protest, Enid found her voice. “I’ll help. Whatever you need.”

And she would. Whatever it took to free her brothers and Avenay, whatever it took to save her sister. Even if it meant Enid’s own life.

Hevena let loose a tightly held breath. “We are forever indebted to you.” She turned her gaze back to Dryston, but he was staring at Enid as if he were formulating a way to get her out of this. He couldn’t, though. It was her turn and fate would have its payment. She felt certain of it. “During the ritual, there are creatures in the forest around the temple that will become agitated by the magic radiating. They will come and try to attack. We would greatly appreciate any warriors who would volunteer to protect the temple.”

Dryston and Kaemon spoke in unison. “Count me in.”

Hevena smiled. “I urge you to rest for now, but in a few days, I’ll have servants bring you to the temple and we’ll do what we can to prepare you for the ritual. We have ten days until the new moon, right after our new moon festival. You’ve given our people even more reason to celebrate.”

King Edond walked them back to their rooms after they had eaten their fill. Enid couldn’t believe what she was seeing, and she was desperate to tell Avenay all about it. She’d lose her mind over it. To be proven right after being laughed at by all those scholars? Enid wanted to see their faces when they learned it was all true.

If she could manage to get them all out of here.

“You have free rein in the palace and city,” Edond said. “Though please stay out of the woods. That is where the well is, but being a magical hotspot means that all manner of terrible creatures are drawn to the woods.”

“Do they not come into the city?” Kaemon asked.

Edond shook his head. “The witches have placed powerful wards to keep them out. Promise me you won’t go there.”

He fixed his eyes on each of them with an unnerving intensity, but they all agreed, and he relaxed.

“The servants will show you to your specific rooms,” Edond said, gesturing to a servant who trotted up next to them. “And there is a hot spring at the end of the hall that you’re welcome to use at your leisure.”

With that, he left them, and the moment he turned down the hall, Dryston whirled on Enid.

“That was foolish,” Dryston said, his words biting into the back of Enid’s skull as she walked down the halls, peeking into rooms in search of Avenay.

“Back me up, Kaemon,” she said, waving her hand in dismissal at Dryston.

“I agree with Drys,” Kaemon replied, voice soft.

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