Page 113 of Amethyst and Iron
“Correct. Secrets and information carefully guarded and disseminated only strategically and tactically is the lifeblood of The Shadowed.”
“I get it. I honestly do. After spending all this time down here with you and them, how could I not? And I respect it. Especially the fact that you’re giving this to me now. A way to help Sylas. A major way.”
“A way in which he needs. There are limitations to this sort of transplant, and we will discuss them, something you will need to pass onto him.”
“Pass onto him?”
“Yes. Very soon. You will wish to take your leave of me to go to him.” He sighed and then revealed, “Sylas has been bound.”
I staggered back from his hold, an awful shudder rolling through me. “No. Sylas without his magic isn’t… no. He can’t… he can’t be without it.”
“He would have perished, so Cornelius Martel performed the spell that bound his magic. Time had run out, Lazriel. I am sorry.”
“But this…” I gestured at the display before us. “This can fix that, right?”
“On a temporary basis, yes. Long enough for Sylas to do what needs to be done.”
“What are you talking about? What exactly is going on? Why go to these lengths, put all this research into thisMystic Heart, the cores? I know you care about me, but you also admitted there’s an overarching goal here. What is it?”
“A threat is rising. We need him strong. Restored to hisAlmighty Necromancerstatus.”
“That threat is already here.”
“NotPuritas.One such threat that is distinctly dangerous to vampires. Even to the likes of me, the network that I command, all of us throughout the supernatural world.”
“Something worse thanPuritas?”
“Something different.”
“What is it?”
“They call itScion.”
16
~Velra~
“This is so pretty.”
I startled, so caught up in what I’d been doing that I hadn’t even felt the approach.
“Hey, Ketheron,” I greeted as he joined me on the opposite side of the bench, which there were many of on the warded grounds of Haven Initiative.
His attention immediately went to the little sculpture I’d created with my frost.
It was a castle with magnificent turrets and all, even a drawbridge. I mean, it was barely a foot tall, but I’d managed to get in the intricate details, even the stonework.
“Cassius told me you’ve been working on this sort of thing. Sylas mentioned you made upsetting forms with your shadows, because you were sad and pained. But now, look at this. It seems happy and hopeful.”
I chuckled, his bluntness actually so endearing.
“Is this your special place?” he asked.
“I guess it’s kind of my ideal home. A castle seems so extravagant, right? Kind of silly. Like fairytales.”
“No. They exist in real life. I’ve seen them in my books. And Cassius says we’ll visit those places someday, along with all the rest we planned.” He ran his fingers very carefully over the drawbridge. “Will you move here with Cassius, Lazriel, and Sylas soon? Can I visit? I’m not sure where I’ll live without Cassius, or if I’ll even be allowed to—”
“You won’t be left behind, Ketheron.”
