Page 65 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

“She loved Aurora, whoever she was.” I shivered as the fog thickened. “Does Cara see her other sisters?”

“Not that I know.” Glittering light was sparkling around Darius. His magic was coming back. “They had an argument when Carabosse realised she hadn’t been invited to a party or something silly like that.”

“How is the fog linked to Aurora?” Alex asked.

“What this fog might accomplish—” Darius’s aura twinkled so brightly I looked away. He stared at the grave then at the fog. “It makes sense. It’s a wild guess, but Carabosse might be trying to bring Aurora back to life.”

Alex frowned. “Is that possible?”

“Dark magic can do it. It’s not ethical but neither impossible.”

“And is the spell working?” I swatted away a tendril of fog curling around my finger.

“It’s difficult to say. But that’s the thing. Cara’s magic requires a price, as some of us know very well.” Darius shot a pointed glare at Alex who huffed. “She must have paid a huge price to conjure this spell, which means…” He clasped his hands behind his back. “We must find Cara. That’s all I have to say.”

We turned towards the palace surrounded by snakes and fog.

24

MASTERY OF FEAR

Alex

When we’d escaped from Raven Hall, the fog hadn’t been as thick and strong as it was today. It pressed against my chest, making breathing difficult, which was curious considering my breathing was slow compared to that of living humans. The air felt like a slimy, wet blanket on my skin, and the smell of rotten wood lingered in the air. And fatigue plagued me. Each step required a ridiculous amount of energy.

The snakes were also larger and faster, their bodies more solid. Irene quivered every time they wriggled out of the fog.

Darius formed golden symbols in the air, but whatever he was trying to accomplish, nothing happened. The fog remained thick and oppressive.

“You can’t lift the fog, can you?” I made sure Irene was close to me.

He kept drawing symbols. “I’m trying, but dark magic is difficult to reverse. And the fog is draining me. The best I can do is to keep the snakes at bay, but I don’t know for how long.”

“Is dark magic stronger?” Irene asked.

Darius looked affronted. “For those uninitiated, yes. Its weakness lies in its strength. The energy it takes is stolen, not willingly provided. You can’t build anything lasting by forcing it.”

I swatted away a tendril of dark fog. “I may be thick⁠—”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he grumbled.

I ignored him. “But your explanation doesn’t make me understand whether there is hope or not.”

Golden light flickered around him before dimming.

“Hell’s bells. I’m tired.” He blew out a breath and bent over. “There is always hope. It’s that sometimes hope is a choice.”

We slogged forwards, covering only a few yards in several minutes. The fog hindered our movements and consumed our strength. A human would die in a moment.

“Oh, no.” Irene was wheezing too. “The plants.”

I cast a slow glance around. Through the fog, I caught glimpses of dry bushes, dead flowers, and burnt ground. The leaves of the great sycamore had turned the colour of ink, and half of its trunk was flaking.

Anger flared in my chest at the thought the majestic tree might be damaged forever. It was beautiful and ancient, and I’d sat under its protective canopy the first time I’d seen Raven Hall.

The closer we walked to the mansion, the more difficult moving became, and the bolder the snakes were. They flew past us inches from our heads, arms, and legs.

Darius’s light had vanished altogether, and the fog closed in on Irene and me like a heavy drape.