Page 53 of No Greater Sorrow

Val.

Val’s magic made the world tremble. Shimmering streaks of gold rushed toward the Principalities alongside Nicolas’s shadows, joining the swathe of darkness.

Astraelis and Otherlander magic, used together for the first time in millennia. He’d never known a time when their peoples were one, but for all that Nicolas wanted to marvel at howwellthey worked together, the stab of pain in his chest almost made him double over. His vision swam with red, and he realized it was Aleja’s hair, pulled out of its braids in the chaos.

Someone took hold of his shoulders, their hands larger than Aleja’s. Soft feathers brushed against Nicolas’s face as the person forced him to straighten. “The Umbramares are gone. Summon them. The Principalities won’t hold back for long,” Val urged.

Nicolas called the last bit of magic from inside of himself, feeling like it was being wrenched directly from his chest. There was a jostle. Nicolas was barely aware of the way he slumped against Aleja’s back as she took hold of the Umbramare’s mane and shouted for them to move.

In the last moment before blackness overtook his vision entirely, Nicolas realized Aleja was right. The Messenger’s hesitance had saved their lives. And, if he died here, at least his people would have their Lady of Wrath to lead them.

7

THE CURSED

“The magic of a bargain is perhaps one of the oldest and deepest that exists in our world. It is inadvisable to light a black candle and summon the Knowing One. It is even more inadvisable to offer him something you know you cannot give.”

—Excerpt fromTen Myths of the Otherlandersby Emiel Nasir.

“You did good,”Orla said. “You saved us more than once.”

“So did you. So did Val and Violet. I just wish it hadn’t gone to such shit,” Aleja said.

She wasn't sure if she had been able to get rid of the smell of herbs and astringent from her hair since her last visit to the medical tent. A bundle of lavender hung from one of the supporting beams to hide the vapors emanating from the dark green bottles on makeshift shelves. Taddeas had greeted their bruised, exhausted group at the camp’s edge, and after a pointed glance from Aleja, shuffled the others away to debrief them.

“What it is?” Bonnie asked, moving aside Nicolas’s torn shirt to show more of the tattoo spreading across his chest.

Gods, it was worse now. Aleja was almost too afraid to cut his shirt off with the scissors one of the medics had left on the bedside table. The snake stretched down to his stomach. The bramble of thorns had not only spread to his shoulders but also begun to bloom blood-red roses the same shade as Aleja’s hair—the only hint of color among otherwise black ink.

“When he met me again, we made a bargain. I offered the heart of the next person to fall in love with me in exchange for Otherlander power,” Aleja said. She knew she was meant to keep it secret, but Nicolas could no longer hide this from them. Soon the poison would climb up his throat and down his arms for all to see.

“Why the hell would he do that?” Bonnie whispered.

“He thought it would keep him from trying to see me again,” Aleja said.

Orla and Bonnie scoffed.

“Can he undo it?” Orla asked.

“In all my time here, I’ve never seen what happens when a bargain goes unfulfilled on the Knowing One’s end,” Bonnie said quietly. “There must be some way to get around it.”

“He’s been trying, but?—”

The tent flap opened and Silmiya’s head poked in. “Merit would like to see you, Orla.”

Orla gave a tight smile, her eyes softening at Merit’s name. “I’ll be there in a moment,” she said, nodding at Bonnie and Aleja as she gave Nicolas’s chest one last sharp look. “I’ll tell the soldiers he’s here because of some heroic bullshit. This doesn’t leave the circle of Saints, understand?”

“I should go too. I’ve been working on our defenses, and the Astraelis are sure to retaliate now. When you’re ready, come join the other Saints. I’m sure everyone will be interested in what Merit has to say.” Bonnie squeezed Nicolas’s limp hand before smoothing her dress. Aleja had seen the massive trees growing around the camp as they’d ridden in, but with Nicolas slumped against her back, she hadn’t questioned them.

“I’ll be right there.”

After one more glimpse of Bonnie’s rye and wheat crown as she left, Aleja was alone with Nicolas’s sleeping form. She leaned in close, breathing in vanilla and woodsmoke, this time mixed with sweat, mud, and the tang of adrenaline.

“Bonnie is right. You are an idiot.” She breathed against his dark hair. Dirt hid the silver streak by his left temple. “But you’re my idiot, I guess, so you’re going to need to wake up now.”

Nothing happened. Nicolas’s breathing was steady, but his eyes didn’t flutter, even as she leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth.

“Come back to me. Come back andstaywith me. We’ve been through too fucking much to lose each other now. I refuse to lose you. Do you understand? Irefuse.”

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