Page 109 of Daughter of No Worlds

Without it, that war would have gone on far longer and far bloodier than it did.

Puzzle pieces scattered across my vision. My mind rearranged them. Slowly clicked them together.

This man is nearly solely responsible for the end of the Great Ryvenai War.

My eyes snapped to Nura.

No matter what they offer you, no matter what they ask you to do, say no.

“Max,” I murmured. “It was Max.”

She lowered her chin, just barely. “Yes. The only one.”

My blood went cold.

“We will train you in the specifics,” Zeryth said. “But most importantly, this will afford you more than enough power to accomplish your goals in Threll. Far more than enough to free your friends, and anyone else you please. Even if it didn’t, we will send support to travel with you. All of this in exchange for your service in our own conflict, of course.”

“But I do not understand—”

“I think the most important thing that you need to understand, Tisaanah, is that I’m giving you everything you have fought so hard for.” He leaned back in his chair. “What else is there?”

In a way, he was right. Support. Power. Resources. Everything I came here to achieve.

I closed my eyes, took in a breath.

Even if they offer you everything you want.Max’s words beat in my ears.Say no. Promise me.

I wondered if he was still outside. I imagined myself standing, striding out of the room. Imagined myself embracing him at the doors, telling him I was wrong, boarding a boat on our own.

Say no.

I opened my eyes to Zeryth’s expectant stare and parted my lips.

Say no.

“I want a blood pact.”

And with those words, my fantasy disintegrated like ash scattering into the wind.

Zeryth arched his eyebrows and let out a short laugh. “Ablood pact?Who’s been talking to you about blood pacts?”

“You know exactly who’s been talking to her about blood pacts.” Nura did not seem to find this nearly as entertaining.

Zeryth shook his head, a bemused smirk playing at his mouth. “Ascended. That man is so relentlessly morbid.”

I forced my voice into something calm and confident — just as I did when I was twelve years old and tried to buy my freedom for fifty pitiful pieces of silver. I felt like that little girl now, even as I would never, ever show it.

“I’d rather be morbid than betrayed,” I replied, coolly. “If I do this for you, I want the terms clear. And I want to be certain they will be fulfilled.”

Zeryth leaned back in his chair, gazing at me with a hungry kind of amusement. Then he opened a drawer in his desk and reached in once to produce a sheet of crisp ivory paper. Again, for a silver pen. And a third time — for a curved dagger. Its edge glistened beneath the sun streaming through the window as he unsheathed it, laying it neatly on the desk.

“Very well, Tisaanah.” His eyes held that same glitter as he pushed the sleeves of his silk shirt up to his elbows. “Let’s make a deal.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

“Wait.” I stopped Zeryth as he placed the pen to the page. “I have not yet defined the terms.”

“I thought our terms were simple. You swear yourself to the Orders for the purposes of bearing this weapon. And once the war is over, you have our support in Threll.”

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