Page 91 of The Reaping Rose

At least for now, his indifference gives Atlas and me a place to stay for the night. Lochlan might be brutal in battle, but in his home, he’s welcoming. Even after his wife and children were murdered and his territory turned into the brutal desert, some part of his heart remained as warm as ever.

“Come.” Lochlan waves his arm, leading us inside. “I imagine you’re tired from the trip and would like to get some rest.”

“We won’t be here long,” I say, noting the guards passing by as if they don’t see us. Atlas must already be using his magic to erase our presence. “A night or two. I assume you have a lead for us.”

Lochlan nods, guiding us into a large room with a table at the center. The moment we step inside, he casts a shell of magic so no one can hear our conversation.

“You’re here to find Malachi,” Lochlan guesses.

“Wilder didn’t tell you before our arrival?”

He shakes his head. “It’s too dangerous to keep open communication. I wasn’t even sure who would be coming. But I feel I must warn you: Malachi is stronger now than ever, wherever he is.”

“You don’t know?”

“The Ley Court has been abandoned. Something stirs in Rohldova, but there’s no word that he’s there. Alasdair is preparing the armies for battle nonetheless.”

“How is the Well?”

Lochlan brushes his hair back. “That battle rages on; the creatures climbing out of the veins are worse by the day. It’s still mostly contained, but there aren’t enough bodies to push it back anymore. Armies from all territories are being summoned.”

“Including Solace?” Atlas asks, resting his fists on the table as he glances down at the battle map.

“I’m delaying as long as I can, but at some point, it will be necessary to protect the realm.” Lochlan glances at me. “Darkness has reached the Gate that leads to Tempest.”

My heart races, but I manage to keep my emotions from my face. “And Ruse Village?”

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “Armies are still using it as a breaking point between battles, but the Well has nearly reached Mal Remere, so I don’t know how much longer it will hold.”

I tighten my fingers into fists at my sides, not missing that Atlas’s gaze drops to my hands. Not caring about the surge of emotion swelling.

“I’ve heard nothing of your family,” Lochlan says, reading my energy as well. “Lady Reah hasn’t heard from Millicent about her or Lune, but she’s safe. Malachi needs her guidance, so she believes she’ll be fine until this is resolved.”

At least that much is a comfort. One of my aunts is alive and well. But I’m so far from the other. I steady my breath, maintaining my composure.

Lochlan crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m assuming Wilder has a plan if he was brazen enough to send you into enemy territory.”

“I’m not the enemy,” I remind Lochlan. “This is my realm. My home. I’m fighting for my people.”

His chin dips, and his smile falls. “I didn’t mean⁠—”

“I know.” I stop him, knowing it’s not Lochlan’s fault.

Especially when he’s right. Malachi has a bounty on my head. This might be the realm I’m fighting to save, but I’m doing it at the side of my enemy.

I glance up at Atlas, whose gaze moves from me to the battle map.

“We believe we found a solution for the orb,” Atlas says, shifting the conversation, and I’m thankful. “We’re working on obtaining it, but in the meantime, we need to find Malachi, so we’ll be ready once we’ve procured the item. What are these points?”

Atlas draws a line between two marked locations on the map.

“Collection sites.” Lochlan’s teeth clench. “At Malachi’s direction, Alasdair set up one in Rohldova, while Syrus set up one in Echme.”

“Collection sites for what?” My eyebrows pinch.

“Magic.”

I swallow hard. “Magic can’t be taken.”