“It’s very powerful, advanced magic.” His nostrils flared, and he shook his head. “It’s the same magic that’s used by some organizations to stop fae from revealing information in the event that they’re ever captured. The Imperial Council actually uses it on their warriors, which is why we need the Stone. We need the Stone to reveal who’s after you. That’s why we had it taken from you and have been holding it in safekeeping in case we couldn’t get the answers from Verin, and I’m sorry, Prim, but we need to use it. Verin’s proving to be a dead end.”
My breath left me, and it felt as if my chest was caving in.
But just as fast, an idea came to me like a clap of thunder. I straightened, and my mind raced. It went against everything I’d been taught, everything that I’d been told my entire life, but I wasdesperateand willing to try anything. Otherwise, Timith would be lost to me forever.
“What ifIvisit Verin and use my forbidden magic?” I said in a rush. “As your child, I’m assuming you know I can read minds, so what if I’m able to work around the block and pull the truth from her? Then we can still use the Stone on Timith.”
My parents shared a troubled look, and my father cleared his throat. “I know how much you love Timith, but I doubt that will work. The block on Verin is too strong.”
I reached for both of them. “Please, please, at least let me try. If you refuse to return the Stone to me, at least grant me this. Let me try. I beg of you!”
My mother’s face crumpled, and she sighed heavily. “She’s right, Russem. Prim’s already been through so much, and the Stone is rightfully hers. We should at least grant her this.”
My father raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t sound hopeful when he replied, “I suppose if you think it’s worth trying, we can allow that.”
I shot to standing. “Which prison is she being held at? I’ll go right now.”
“Not so fast.” My father raised his hands. “She’s at the maximum-security prison on the Nolus continent. It’s quite far away. Kole was used to mistphase her there.”
My jaw dropped. That was the worst prison of our realm, and it was all the way across the Adriastic Sea, which meant Kole was also the only way I could get to that prison in time to save my uncle.
I glanced toward the hallway, toward where the warrior waited outside, and even though he’d betrayed me, even though I no longer trusted him, I would need him for this.
I faced my parents again, my resolve unwavering. “Will you please instruct Kole to take me there?”
Even though myparents agreed to let me venture to the prison, time was ticking. The palace healers who had visited Timith that morning reported that they believed he only had another day,two if we were lucky, before he fully turned into whatever he was becoming.
We didn’t waste any time, but it still took an hour for the Imperial Council to get the necessary paperwork ready for me to visit the prison. Once it was set, Kole returned with it as instructed by my father.
The warrior’s focus burned into me, but instead of trying to talk me out of my request, as my parents had, he didn’t say a word. He simply clasped my hand and mistphased us across the sea in the blink of an eye.
CHAPTER FIVE
When the realm stopped turning around us, bright sunshine streamed across my face. We stood atop a hill, and in the distance, a forest was visible. Golden leaves, which shimmered into deep blue and magenta colors when the cool breeze hit them, covered the forest’s large trees. Pastel-colored clouds filled the sky, and the sun shone in abundance.
And standing menacingly atop the hill, right behind us, the supernatural prison waited.
A heavy cloak of magic was suspended in a dome over the entire grounds, like a low-lying, hazy mist. Inside the dome were a series of solid walls spaced apart from one another.
The actual prison appeared to be three stories tall and constructed from jagged rock. The natural gray walls rose from the land and looked thick and impenetrable.
Not wasting any time, Kole led me toward a gate where two guards waited. Both had slightly glowing skin, letting me know they were Nolus fae.
When we reached them, the short guard with bright-red hair held out his hand. “Credentials?”
Kole showed him the signed paperwork supplied by the Imperial Council. “I’m Warrior Swordwielder, and this isPrincess Primelle Manafold of Mistvale Kingdom on the Silten continent. We’ve both been cleared to enter the prison today.”
The guard eyed me head to toe. “Ah, yes, we were just informed you would be arriving to question a prisoner. Both of you will need to be scanned. Place your hand here.” The guard held out a strange-looking device that reminded me of the crystal spheres used at inns to catalogue one’s background.
Kole placed his hand on it first, and a lash of magic wrapped around his wrist and held him in place. Out of nowhere, a voice came from the device and stated, “Pass. Kole Swordwielder, Imperial Warrior on the Silten continent.”
The guard hummed, and once Kole was relieved of the device’s magic, he held it out to me. “Same to you, Your Highness. Place your hand here.”
For a shocked second, I realized he just addressed me as royalty, but I automatically did what I’d watched Kole do, and the same sounding voice soon stated, “Pass. Princess Primelle Rose Everline Manafold, third daughter to the king and queen of Mistvale Kingdom. Approved to enter for an interrogation today only.”
The redheaded guard nodded to the other guard, and together, they inserted keys into locks on opposite sides of the gates. With precise movements, they turned their keys simultaneously, and the wards shuddered. On my next blink, a doorway materialized through the thick magic.
The redhead nodded ahead. “Next checkpoint is ahead. Have your credentials ready.”
