Chapter One
Ethan
To become king, one had to have a will of iron— dangerous to fae, poisonous, burning. It required more than a strong stomach. It demanded a sacrifice. The crown insisted a shifter must be willing to give up what was necessary, a monarch putting everything on the line for the good of all.
My cousin had tried. He had attempted to mold the country to his desire, and when his plans fell apart, he destroyed whatever was within his reach. The throne had killed him, in the end. He had failed.
I would not fail.
Arcanea University was still in shambles from the battle last night. Dawn was coming up over the horizon now, streaming through the open windows and illuminating the debris that was scattered all around the school. Most of the bodies had been cleaned up at this point, though blood soaked the carpet and marble floors.
I’d spent some time speaking with Lady Magdalina, while my friends waited for me. Now that the conversation was complete, I knew exactly what I had to do.
It would not be easy. But it was what had to be accomplished.
As I entered the frayed remnants of the Grand Foyer, several people looked our way. Lady Magdalina walked beside me with a sense of purpose. I drew myself up, marching into the room like I never had before, navigating around bits of broken stone and glass.
Expressions cleared, as if my friends observed me in a new light. Theo, Odette, Alexei and Kiara watched me like birds of prey, fixated on what I may say or do. Stefan, who was still holding Delmare up against him as she recovered, observed me with an open mouth.
Finlay, Amantha, and Arthur appeared awed at my presence, like they were welcoming the arrival of a new man. Vara tilted her head slightly to me, giving a small smile.
And Emma. Gods, Emma. What I was about to ask of her was more than immense. It was too much.
It was like she knew. Her eyes contracted with horror, as if she realized what Lady Magdalina’s plan was, and knew she wouldn’t be able to talk me out of it. Tygrys, her tiny faekin, sat on her shoulder and tilted his little head at me.
“Let’s get down to business,” Lady Magdalina said. She waved her hand, and a massive round table with wooden chairs appeared in the center of the room. Each of us took one, glad to be off our feet after such a tiring battle— although I was far from as exhausted as I’d been moments prior. My conversation with Magdalina had invigorated me, as if I’d received a full night’s rest, and I was eager to share it with the group.
“All of you have a very big part to play in this war,” Magdalina began. “We all must trust each other now. As such, we need to be open.”
She nodded to Emma, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“Most of you know of my quest already, but some do not,” Emma said. “You all know that I am the Worldweaver— a sorceress destined to save the fae. Have you heard of the Crystals of Harmony?”
“You all spoke about them, in the library during the battle,” Finlay said.
“Yes. They’re great sources of magical power. Milonna herself gave me the task of uniting them all, for if I don’t, the portal to Edinmyre will close for good, and the fae will lose their connection to it forever— therefore perishing, and turning into dust. Our race will die out.All of uswill die, in one fell swoop.”
Alarmed notes rose among those that did not know, but Lady Magdalina drew everyone back to attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, please. Now is not the time to panic.”
“There are six stones. We have four.” Emma nodded to our friends. In unison, the girls put their weapons on the table. Delmare laid her dagger down, which contained the dragon stone. Odette placed her axe on the table, and the alicorn stone glistened beside Kiara’s priestess staff, which held the griffin stone.
Emma placed her sword,Lodburzan, upon the table. From within shone the glittering wolven stone. Amantha and Finlay’s eyes dazzled with wonder as they observed them.
“We have the wolven, dragon, alicorn, and griffin stones. All we need to find now is the Seelie and Unseelie stones, and by Milonna’s timeline, we have two years left to unite them,” Emma said. “It’s our greatest priority.”
“I am also adryca— a druid fae that can see into the future,” Odette piped up. “I have received many visions from the gods about Emma’s quest, and I hope to receive more, so we may have a clearer path ahead.”
“Did you know about this?” Finlay asked Arthur.
Arthur nodded. “Yes. I know of Emma’s prophecy— one delivered to her by a hag nearly two years ago.”
Arthur took a breath, and began to recite. “And there will be a sorceress who is above all Marked. She will be written as destined and cursed, for there is not one who is as strong as she, nor one who is so damned. Realms shall bow to her will, but never shall she escape her cruel fate. She will be known as the Worldweaver. She who holds the power of the Arcanea will be their final end, for when the wolf howls, the Worldweaver who rules over reality itself will surrender her magic… and die. Before the first of the snow melts away at the end of the fourth winter. Beware of the one they call the Hidden King, for he will bring your death.”
A cold shiver passed over the table. My blood had turned to lead, remembering that awful day in the gardens when the hag had appeared to us to deliver Emma’s prophecy. If such a day could be cast out of memory, I’d order it to be done.
Emma continued staring blankly at the table, as if she was weary of all this talk and just wanted to get her quest over it. I felt sympathy for her.
“What does it mean?” Amantha asked us. “It seems so… open to interpretation.”
