Page 62 of A Fate Everlasting

“It belonged to my mother.”

“It’s called a Lumen,” he said. “It’s a Vestige, an artifact my father wouldloveto collect.”

A Vestige, like the Arcana Deck. My mother had left me something powerful.

“I’m not interested,” I ground out.

“I’m not trying to hurt you.” He didn’t sound cruel, this time. Justtired. “But if you want this card, it has to be a trade.”

I didn’t move. The chain dug into my palm. I could still say no. I could still walk away. The Lumen pulsed softly in my palm, its chain tangled in my fingers like a lifeline. But if I did… what if I never got this chance again? Maybe Godwin would grant me my freedom with one card.

My hand shook as I unclasped the necklace. The moment it left my skin, a cold emptiness bloomed in its place. Dante took it like it burned, dropping it quickly into his jacket pocket.

In return, he pressed the card into my palm.The Fool.I had surrendered something I loved for the intangible promise of hope. His hand lingered for a moment, hovering, just close enough for heat to arc between us.

As I stared down atThe Fool Cardin my hand, the jester’s painted grin catching the light, it felt less like hope and more like a warning, a cruel joke played at my expense. I’d come here to win the cards. was leaving the victim of a moonlight robbery.

I had failed to get the entire deck, failed to secure my ticket to freedom. But as I looked up at him, something else cracked wide open inside of me, something I couldn’t make sense of.

Dante was the Thread. We were connected. I wanted to believe it was a lie, but I knew it wasn’t. All the cards in the world wouldn’t make it untrue.

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The Thread wasn’t just inside me, it was becoming me now. It wove through my mind like smoke, curling through every thought, every breath, until I could no longer tell where it ended and I began. Until I wasn’t sure there had ever been a before, only this moment, onlyhim.OnlyDante.

I clenched my fists, nails biting deep, grounding myself in the sting of skin breaking. The scent of iron bloomed in my senses, vivid and metallic, but it wasn’t enough to drown him out.

I blinked hard, forcing my focus forward. Across the raised octagon of the sparring ring, Dorian stood as still as death, the dagger in his hand gleaming in the afternoon sun. Neither of us moved. This was worse than the javelins. I hadn’t evenhelda real blade until I got here. At school, my electives had included stage combat and dramatic monologues, notbloodsport.

But Evermore took conditioning seriously, like we were prepping for something. If things got too deadly, the professor was supposed to intervene. Supposed to.

My body didn’t seem convinced. It still reacted like death was a real possibility. The gossip that I was the reason our scoreshad plummeted spread like wildfire, and not even Ruby could convince them otherwise. So maybe it was.

Dorian sighed like he was waiting for something. “You’re distracted,” he murmured. “Thinking about the Dawning Ball, later? Need a date?”

“No.” I forced my grip tighter around the hilt of my dagger. “I’m focused. I swear.”

Dorian tilted his head, eyes gleaming like cut glass. His lips twitched. “Good.” He lunged.

I barely had time to deflect. The clash of steel sent a shudder up my arms, nearly knocking me off balance. I staggered, but Dorian was already moving. His next strike was aimed at my ribs.

I twisted at the last second, using his momentum against him. My dagger scraped against his as I darted beneath his arm. I was fast, but Dorian was faster. He caught my wrist before I could fully break away, yanking me back into his chest.

The breath knocked out of me, and the training ring blurred. His blade pressed lightly against my throat, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me that I’d lost.

Dorian let out a low hum. “Sloppy.”

I swallowed. “I lasted longer than last time.”

“Mm. Barely.”

I didn’t realize how close we were until I felt the heat of his breath against my cheek. I turned my head slightly, but that only brought us closer. A single strand of his dark hair fell across his brow, his eyes drifting, flicking to my lips.

The Thread curled through my skull again. “Not him.” I stiffened, sending a mental thought back.

“Get out of my mind, monster.”

Dorian’s grip faltered for half a second, just enough for me to twist free. I shoved away from him, breathing heavily. He arched a brow. “Cheap trick.”

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