Page 9 of No Greater Sorrow

“You helped develop their weapons,” Nicolas said in a low voice that caused the tattoo on his chest to ache. Astraelis weaponry had always been superior to that of the Otherlanders.

“I was atheoreticalscholar, and no. My main subject of study was the First.”

Taddeas leaned on a small table near the tent flaps while Red searched her pile of books. A sharp note from a horn sounded outside, signaling for the night watch to take over.

“I find it hard to believe that any of you are allowed to study the First. From what I understand that sort of knowledge isn’t shared freely among your kind,” Nicolas finally said.

“It’s not. I was granted special permission because of my previous breakthroughs. I couldn’t do any direct research on the First, of course, though I did learn enough about the nature of our creators to know that killing the Second would not merely be a war crime. His magic is not just tied to this realm, but to that of the humans.” Val’s bottom lip twitched. “There would be a sort of… collapse.”

“Collapse?” Taddeas asked, but Red was already speaking, her owl eyes hidden behind a large leather tome.

“The Hiding Place, the Dark Saints, and the Knowing One would disappear in an instant,” she said. “And that’s not all. Most witches use the Second’s magic.”

“Witches would lose their magic?”

“Worse, sir. The death of the Second would cause a shockwave, you see. Think of a star exploding with one final burst of energy. It would kill every magic user at once,” said Red, flipping the book around and tapping a page with her thin index finger. It was meant to be a polite gesture, but only the librarians could read the shifting letters of their books, let alone the sentences that rearranged themselves continuously.

“I didn’t sign up to take part in a genocide. That’s why I’m here, even if it means betraying my own kind,” Val said. His winged mask sagged.

Nicolas and Taddeas shared a long look, this time not bothering to hide their silent conversation. Eventually, Taddeas gave a small nod.

“You’ll live for now. But make no mistake, you are our prisoner and will be treated as such,” Nicolas said.

“I understand,” Val said with obvious relief. “Thank you. I’ll help however I can.”

“We’ll see,” Nicolas said. He turned to the tent flaps to call for Silmiya. “Prepare a place for our prisoner to sleep. The chains stay on at all times.”

He barely heard her affirmative response or the way Taddeas called after him as he slipped from the tent. It felt like there was something perched on Nicolas’s chest, laughing in mockery as it dug its claws deeper. He wished Aleja were here. No matter what the Astraelis’s plans, Nicolas had no choice but to win this war forher.

He tried to take a breath, found he couldn’t, and stumbled into an empty tent with a dark interior.Focus, he told himself.It’s the only way you can keep her safe.

The pain in his chest was nearly unbearable, like there was a real snake coiled around his heart. It took a few moments before his hands stopped shaking, but when they did, Nicolas waved away the glamour that concealed his sword, tucked his wings against his back and walked out into the camp to command his armies.

2

THE GLASS HEART

“The Otherlanders excel at glamours, concealments, and illusions. Those particularly skilled in the art cause not just psychological distress but physical harm to their targets.”

—Excerpt fromTen Myths of the Otherlandersby Emiel Nasir.

“Lookslike I’m going into this Trial with a vial of water, and you’re going in… with a puppy,” Violet said. She wasn’t exaggerating. As they entered the chamber, Aleja’s eyes were immediately drawn to a small figure huddled atop a stone pedestal. The creature did not resemble a Doberman, but rather a very small version of the hellhound that’d once crushed Aleja’s lungs.

Two glowing eyes blinked open.

“Aleja?” the creature asked.

Tears sprung to her eyes. It was unmistakably Garm’s voice.

She rushed forward, scooping him into her arms. Garm wiggled, trying for a better angle to lick her face with his rough tongue. “Stop, stop!” she laughed.

It had been so long since something purelygoodhad happened—since she’d been able to feel such unguarded joy. A part of her wished she could run back to the cave mouth and show Nicolas that not all was lost. As she placed Garm back on the ground, she watched as he transformed into the Doberman shape she was familiar with. He looked much younger than before. The two brown spots above his eyes rose as he gave another happy yelp.

“He is pretty cute like that. I think we’re supposed to go through there,” Violet said, examining her prize. Red liquid sloshed slowly inside the vial, more like blood than water.

Aleja looked up. The chamber opened into another hall, lit softly from beyond what she could see.

“What is this place?” Garm asked. He circled Aleja’s legs, as if he could barely contain the nervous energy in his bones.

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