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He made a move to break away but let out a gasp, mouth open, and went still.

From the captain’s pores, dark mists flowed over his body. Inky black spilled from his eyes like poisonous tears. One more heartbeat and the full form of my rotten soul stepped through.

A burn of something golden flashed within me. For a moment, I could feel it knot in my chest, as though I carried a second heartbeat. Little by little, shadows of the darker soul crushed the light until the threads of a living soul were snuffed out.

A wash of cold surged through my insides. The Stav captain fell to his knees, listless and lost. I sent the rest of him to Salur with a swing of my ax, then turned on my heel in the same instant the hiss of an arrow hummed over my shoulder.

A sick thud sounded at my side. The point of the arrow pierced the space between the eyes of a Stav Guard whose sword was raised against me.

I hadn’t seen him.

The shot was impeccable. Perfect.

The darker soul and I looked up the hillside. Lyra lowered her bow, a look of beautiful ruthlessness on her features.

A horn blew, followed by calls for retreat. The Stav were pulling back. Dark Watch warriors cheered, blades in the air. But the cry of a name froze my blood.

“Kael! Gods, Kael!” Lyra, as though in a trance, lowered her bow and raced down the hillside.

Emi screamed for her to stop. More than one Dark Watch archer sped after her. Lyra kept calling Darkwin’s name, but Kael Darkwin was not there.

All I saw was a Stav Guard holding out his arms, as though beckoning my damn wife straight into them.

27

Lyra

Selena and Thorian were gone. From the trees, I’d seen them sobbing, yearned to run to them, to shield them.

I could not do any of it. They were innocent and fell to the gods because of their love for a shy girl and a mischievous boy.

The only relief that filled my heart now was knowing that Kael found me. I nearly sobbed at the contentment of his cheerful grin, like a downy bed after a long day. My brother called for me, ran toward me. His arms were open wide. Gods, he looked healthy, safe.

A fierce yank, as though a hook dug into my chest, urged me to run to him. It was a compulsion.

Somewhere in my mind, I thought I might’ve heard someone cry out my name. Even a burn in my chest; it was as though something yanked on the bonds of my heart. A warning, a plea.

Dread stacked in my chest when more Stav waited at a distance, merely watching me race for my brother. Why did they watch on like this was…expected?

Stop. A hiss, a command, a frigid snap of a voice in my soul.

Fear lanced through my veins. Why could I not stop?

The nearer I came to Kael, the crueler his smile became. His features shifted. No longer the handsome edges of a strong jaw and nose; now his chin weakened and a russet beard grew along freckled cheeks.

This was not Kael.

Panic, sharp and cruel, surged through my blood. I stumbled, desperate to stop, but like a lure to a hook, I was snared.

The Stav Guard who stood where Kael had been held a pouch in one palm. Even from ten paces away I could taste the potent herbs of spell casts and the tang of blood. Ingir sent one of her craft spells. I knew it like I knew my brother was not here.

“Lyra!” Now Emi’s frantic scream rattled in my skull.

I fell to the ground, scraping at the soil, clawing to get away. Soon, bright, hot agony tore at my flesh, as though whatever craft had summoned me was drawing the blood from my veins.

In the next instant, a wound formed over my palm, open and gushing, but no knife was nearby. All gods, the spell cast was truly pulling my blood toward the Stav. It was ripping it from my own flesh.

“Time to come home, Melder.” The Stav Guard laughed.