Page 41 of Darkest Heart

His finger stopped over a symbol, and his gaze climbed to meet mine. “This is it. When I first was sent the prophecy…”

“Sent?” I questioned.

“My visions come from the other side. I am merely the messenger,” he clarified, agitation wrinkling his forehead. “As I was saying, when I was sent the prophecy, I saw this symbol. The visions, they come to me in flashes, but this… I knew I’d seen it before.”

“It’s a sigil,” I recognized. “I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere.” My thoughts traced my memories, searching for a clue, but the sigil markings were lost amongst a haze of sex, blood, and death. “I don’t know where.”

“It has something to do with Olivia ascending the throne. Has Sebastian made any progress in finding her yet?”

I shook my head. “I have the Blood Brother’s club close to the south, keeping a watch out. No news has come through the grapevine. How about Sargon? Has he left his retreat to find her yet?”

“He was leaving for the city yesterday, according to his last letter.”

“Ah.” I recalled my father grumbling that Sargon had requested more soldiers to accompany him to the south, to find the princess. He wanted as many forces as he could keep here. A war with Asland and the other kingdoms was brewing on the horizon, their threats looming as more mortals headed over oceans for the promise of immortality. It was pathetic how stupid they were to think we would simply hand it to them. The competition granted a few the chance to join us, but the rest would be our food. This was why the mortals failed before, and why the truth of our being able to turn them was turned into a secret. So many of them naively believed we would make them our own. Some even going as far as to believe we could like, or even love them. They’d read too many books. We were predators, the worst kind. But their naivety did keep my stomach full, so who was I to complain?

I moved the topic back to why I was here. “No one knows we’re working together,” I said quickly. “I did what you asked, so I have the right to some answers.”

“You know what I do.”

I guffawed. “I don’t believe that for a second.” I paced in front of the desk. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, about the prophecy, and I have some questions.”

He waved his hand, not looking up from his papers. I continued. “Firstly, who did you tell about the prophecy?”

“Only the king and queen. It’s one of many reasons she took Olivia to Baldoria as a baby.”

“I thought it was because of Sargon.”

He scribbled something in his leather journal. “Like I said, one ofmanyreasons.”

“So Sargon told my father.”

“The king, unfortunately, trusts him far more than he should.”

I nodded slowly, the pieces of the puzzle clicking together. Kalon had told me about it, years before Seraphina returned to Sanmorte. When he’d recruited me into his plans to get rid of her, he’d told me it was only so he could ascend the throne. But of course the prophecy had to come into play in his plans. “He wanted her dead,” I said. “I thought it was just so she couldn’t ascend the throne and take his place, if he ever actually killed his brother. Something he has never had the balls to do,” I said, going off on a tangent as his indecision and cowardice forced irritation into my tone. “The prophecy was another reason.”

“Yes,” Azia confirmed. “I believe so.”

He didn’t give anything else away. His caution around me was understandable, considering my motives. But if I was to be a part of his plans, then I had to know what he did. At least most of it. “Ravena took her away then.”

He blew on his tea, forcing the steam out into the air, then took a sip. “I believe she was afraid of what would happen if anyone else was to find out. Bringing death to all vampires is a good motive for assassination.”

“Then why tell anyone?”

The corner of his lip twitched, and I could tell I hit a nerve. “I didn’t know her then. Ravena was pregnant when I had this vision, and I believed her a threat.” He paused, placing his tea down on a coaster. “I was wrong about her. The gods want her on the throne, and with training, I believe she can be exactly what Sanmorte needs. The prophecy was a warning, but paths can be changed, timelines altered. There are multiple futures we can create for ourselves; this is simply one of many for her.”

“You don’t believe it’ll come true, then?”

He chewed on the inside of his lip. The sound grating me. “Not if we help her. We must set her on a different path.”

I nodded. That was the hope I needed. Despite my hatred for mortals in general, I had to appreciate Azia’s power and wisdom. He knew things we didn’t, and while I didn’t trust him, I did believe he wanted the best for the princess. “How does Astor tie into all of this? He’s a nobody.”

His fist tightened around his pen, his forehead wrinkling as he climbed his glare to me. “Something is blocking my ability to see anything surrounding him.” He craned his neck, his teeth grinding. “I would have betted on Kalon, but he hates the aniccipere as does Velda. Astor has help here, which is why I am glad you have not shared any of this information. I only trust you, because you’re unveiled.”

His intrusive gaze shuddered through me. “Unveiled,” I repeated, hating the word. “That’s how you could see my intentions.”

“Yes.”

I made a mental note to find out how to protect myself from sorcerer’s psychic powers. Each sorcerer had an ability?Seraphina, along with my father before he turned, was an empath, able to detect and influence emotions. Although the princess hadn’t mastered those abilities, from what I could tell. Azia was a psychic, and some others I’d met throughout the years had mastered telepathy. All of which were gifts from the gods. Some were more prevalent than others. Still, they all had magic and the ability to control the elements and perform spells. They could tap into each other’s powers when together. I’d seen it. Perhaps that was why he was close to the princess. I arched a brow, suspicion growing as I placed my hands on the edge of his desk. “Who else can’t you sense? Besides them?”

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