“Sylvae,” Empri added.
“Sure.” I huffed out through my nostrils. “Why is she significantly older looking than the rest of you? I understand that dark magic brings this on, but how is itthat her appearance is such a stark difference from your own?”
“Sylvae found the book centuries ago. It fell into her possession, and before we knew all it entailed, Azenna had ordered that she cast the spells first as a sort of precaution.”
I sat back in my chair, slightly more relaxed, as the anger settled slowly. “So she was willing to sacrifice her?”
“Not necessarily,” Veli interjected. “Azenna just didn’t want any hidden consequences to fall upon her.”
“As far as I’m concerned, that is one and the same. It would be as if I chose one of you to engage in something that I feared was a threat. And I would never do such a thing.”
“We know, Lia,” Jace whispered, easing the last bit of tension that lingered within me.
Empri’s eyes remained on him for a moment before she spoke. “Any other concerns…” She sniffed the air. “Mate of the realm’s heir?”
She could scent the mating bond without having known us before? I swallowed thickly. Witches’ senses truly were significantly stronger than the fae’s.
He hesitated before speaking. “When the ship began to sink, Sylvae plucked one of Nox’s scales from his back before you all fled. Why is that?”
The twins' eyes flashed to each other quickly and then back to us.
“After we fled, Azenna spoke of her plan to offer her services to the current false queen. We had no interest in disrupting the natural ways of the realm, so we made ourselves scarce before shedisclosed any further plans. She believes we just drifted off to where we had been before, and she took Sylvae with her. You are sure this is what you saw?” Madalae asked.
“It happened right before my eyes. I am sure.”
Veli sucked in a sharp breath. “You did not tell me this.”
“What can she do with his scale, Veli?” I asked.
“There are many things.” She paused for a moment as her stare slowly lifted to meet mine. “The one I am most concerned with is replication.”
“Replication?” Avery questioned.
“It is possible that she could use the genetic makings of your wyvern, held within its scale, to conjure an entirely new beast.”
“That cannot be possible,” I whispered.
“It is magic, Heir of the Realm. Anything is possible if you are willing to barter for its asking price,” Empri stated.
Tense, disbelieving silence blanketed the war chamber.
“Say they conjure a wyvern,” I started. “Would they be in full control of it in battle? That must take some form of immense power.”
“You would be correct. Especially a beast as sizable as the one you possess. It would likely take significant focus to keep the beast within constant control.”
“Well, that may help us,” I thought out loud.
Zaela scoffed, earning disapproving looks from Avery and Finn. “Lia, how? We had one thing on our side, and that was Nox. If they have one, along with dark magic, we have lost before the battle has even begun.”
My eyes wandered over each of their faces leisurely as her words sunk in—defeat written into all of their features.
“I see a slightly more even match now,” I admitted. “We eachpossiblyhave a wyvern. We don’t yet know if that was what the scale was for, and we have three witches compared to their two. One of which may be constantly occupied keeping the conjured wyvern under surveillance, so it doesn’t attack their own fleet.”
“My brilliant queen,” Jace praised from my side.
“I haven’t lost all hope yet.” My gaze lingered on the three witches. “Veli has been appointed as my aide. She has made it known that she isn’t comfortable using the dark magic that the book possesses, and I will forever stand by her decision in that. However, I have an inkling that may not also be the case for the two of you. Crimson eyes and all,” I said with a small smirk forming.
Two wicked grins formed before me. “What dark magic do you seek to be used?”
