Page 98 of By the Flames of Her Fury

“Wait, what about the herbs? Or—or charms?” I asked, looking between them. I had never performed a spell without a charm.

Arcadia gave me a quizzical look. “A charm? Whatever for?”

“You know, to power the spell.”

He shook his head. “You don’t need anything else to give you power, daughter. You are the power.”

When he held out his hand, I grasped it. Magic flooded my senses, making me gasp in shock. Molten sunlight flowed through my veins and swirled in that deep well of power in my chest. He, Julius, and Maeve smiled at me. They felt it, too.

You are the power.

“Repeat after us,” Arcadia said. “Matus kuole vivida.”

The other two joined in, and the buzzing in my chest increased. “Matus kuole vivida.” I whispered, keeping my eyes on Odessa. “Matus kuole vivida.”

The air around her shimmered, and she sucked in a breath. Her back arched high off the bed, then slammed back down. I started to move toward her, but Arcadia’s grip on my hand stopped me. “It’s working, Vera. Look at her arm.”

I glanced down to see the line of gray bone fading. It was still there, but was no longer spreading or darkening.

“Matus kuole vivida,” I said, joining back in the chant. Our voices raised as the magic tightened like a bowstring around us, pressing in on my ribs.

“Matus kuole vivida!” With a final shout, Odessa went still. I didn’t dare move. My heart pumped frantically, both from adrenaline and anxiety.

Kieran moved toward her first. He held a finger to her neck, then locked eyes with me. “She has a pulse. Just barely.”

“It is done,” Arcadia said. “She’s alive, simply frozen. The infection has stopped for now.”

“How long do we have?” I asked.

He exchanged a look with the other High Elders. “I would say four days. That’s all we can promise you. This has never been attempted on a magic-less human before, and there is no way to know how her body will respond over time.”

“Four days,” I repeated, letting it sink in. “Four days to find the final amulet.”

“Four days to save her life,” Kieran echoed.

“Four days to get us home,” Everett said, holding my gaze.

I swallowed. “Let’s get to work.”

46

Vera

The first thing I felt was soft silk beneath my cheek, then a thick comforter melting around me. I stretched my limbs with a groan, relieved to wake up without sand stuck in every crevice, thanks to a bath the night before. My eyes slowly opened, and I was startled by the total darkness. My body told me it was morning, but the lack of sunlight flooding the room said otherwise.

Then I remembered. The shipwreck, the guardians, the portal, the lost kingdom. Odessa’s fate. The Elders story and my quest.

I sat up in bed and looked out the balcony doors to see golden buildings towering against a black sky. I wished Mama and Nox could see this. It had been the three of us for so long cooped up in Scarven’s mansion—I would’ve never believed I’d one day find myself in a place like this. I wanted them to see how fantastical this place was, rivaling the fairytales Mama used to read me at the fountain.

With a flick of my wrist, I sent magic soaring through the room to light the candles in their sconces, then crossed to the attached bathing chamber. I stared into the mirror. Purple bags hung beneath my eyes, stark against pale skin. The streaks of red in my blonde hair had faded over time. It was a symbol of the life I lived under Scarven’s thumb, when he started his underground fighting ring and made me his champion. I started dyeing it during those dark days, and it had grown on me. It was a reminder of the blood I’d spilled, and the blood I would yet spill in seeking revenge for all Scarven and Mortep had done.

They’re both dead now. You need to move on.

I closed my eyes and gripped the porcelain countertop. A knock sounded at my door, and I jumped. I padded over and cracked the door, then opened it wider when I saw a maid. Her uniform was plain but neat: a black dress with a high collar, long sleeves buttoned at the wrist, spotless white apron falling against the pleats of her skirt. Chestnut brown hair was slicked back in a bun, and keen, golden eyes looked back at me. “Good morning, miss. May I come in?”

I let her pass, and she laid an outfit on the bed. “My name is Sloane. If you need anything, please let me know,” she said as she bustled around the room, picking up my dirty clothes. “I’m the maid assigned to you and your friends here in the guest wing during your stay.”

“By yourself?” I asked, surprised.