Page 138 of By the Flames of Her Fury

Tessa peered inside my bag and gasped. “Are those all from him? You actually got them?”

“I just found them a few hours ago. I don’t know when they appeared, but they were in my bag when I opened it.”

“Incredible.” She shook her head. “The lovestruck idiot was right. He kept writing them even after the rest of us thought it was a lost cause, and now it’s going to save his life.”

A rush of affection poured through me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Starke’s jaw twitch as he turned away.

“Take my hand,” Dom instructed me. “We just need to light the letter on fire and say the spell. Channel all of your magic, all of your intent, into seeing him.”

I took his outstretched hand and touched the tip of the letter, sending my fire magic through my fingers. It ignited instantly. Dark smoke danced back and forth above the flames. I concentrated every thought, every ounce of magic, on Everett—which wasn’t difficult, considering he was all I could think about.

Dom nodded, and we both muttered, “Vidia.”

The fire burst even higher, making the rest of them jump back. Flames swayed, and I leaned in closer until the heat kissed my cheeks.

“This is what happened last time,” Tessa said excitedly. “The smoke showed a vision of where he was.”

I squinted, trying to decipher shapes, but everything was blurry. The image sharpened slowly. Stone walls emerged first, lit by torchlight, then rows of something I couldn’t quite make out. They were tall, thin shapes lining the walls like statues.

My stomach dropped as they came into focus. They were bodies. Dozens of them standing upright against the walls, skin cracked and charred. And in the center of it all, strapped to an altar on a raised platform, was Everett.

My breath left me in a rush. He was unconscious, with his head lolled to the side and pressed into the stone. His wrists were bound with glowing ropes. His chest rose and fell with each breath—he was alive, at least.

“That’s the catacombs,” Sloane breathed out. “I recognize those bodies in the background.”

I took in the cracked, scorched bodies. “What’s wrong with them?”

Sloane’s face paled. “It’s what happens to the people they kill. Their vessels. The magic burns them from the inside out.”

Realization slammed into me. I sucked in a breath, and the flames wavered. “That’s what they’re going to do to him. Make him one of their vessels.”

“But they haven’t done it yet.” Dom’s eyes met mine. “Which means you still have time.”

66

Vera

“Wait, are you saying they keep the bodies?” Tessa asked, nose wrinkled with revulsion.

“Yes. In the catacombs beneath the palace,” Sloane answered. “It was once a sacred temple. Records we’ve found say the originals used to convene with the Fates there, in the heart of the kingdom.”

“But their children defiled it,” Dom interjected. “Now, it’s where they hold their victims. Alive or dead. Our people have tried to get down there, but the wards are too powerful. Nobody has ever come back.”

“Perfect. Tell me where it is,” I said, squaring my shoulders.

Starke sighed. “Typical Vera.”

“There are all sorts of traps and enchantments,” Dom warned. “The Elders have made sure nobody can get inside. The only reason we even know where the entrance is is because our spies over the years have overheard them discussing it.” His eyes strayed to the memorial wall. “Many of our own have risked their lives for this information.”

“Then don’t let it go to waste. Tell me where it is, and I’ll get inside,” I said firmly. “I won’t put any more of you in danger, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get him back.”

“We both will,” Tessa agreed, standing at my side.

Sloane glanced at Dom, then took a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll blink you to the entrance, but from there, we have to be careful.”

“Sloane, you can’t go in with her,” Dom said, gripping her shoulder. “It’s too dangerous. You know what happened the last time we sent someone.”

She shrugged out of his hold. “Our ancestors have been waiting for a chance like this for generations. Once every hundred years, Dom. That’s all we get. We sit here, and we wait for the Elders to find us, for our turn to die, hoping that one day someone would come and make a difference. That day is today.”