Page 67

I slide the letter into a small envelope and reach for the stick of black wax resting in the tray at the edge of my desk, then hold it over a candle. The flame softens it, the glossy surface melting into a slow, heavy drip. Thalos watches me.

It pools against the seam of the envelope, dark and gleaming. I set the wax aside and press my signet ring into it—the new symbol of this academy—holding it there for a breath longer than necessary before lifting my hand.

S for C. Slayer for Cinder Prince. Direct initials would be a liability if the wrong hands intercepted it.

I look up to Thalos. “I need you to do something for me,” I say, a rare glint of trust in my voice.

“Anything,” he responds.

I hold his gaze as I pass him the sealed envelope.

“Release the three royals. Give this to whichever one looks the strongest. Tell him it goes to the prince. If he opens it beforehand, make it clear I will hunt him down and kill him.” A small smile curves my mouth as Thalos takes it from my hand, my midnight-colored nails catching the sunlight.

“Tell him to burn it if he can’t find the prince. And make sure they have safe passage back to Coral Haven. I know for a fact these royals are on our side.”

I was the one who destroyed that advantage. I’ll be the one to restore it. I’m the one that fucked up and I'm eager to fix that mistake, for me and for Maddoc.

Thalos turns the envelope once between his fingers, studying the seal. “So,” he says, his voice a low rasp, “you’ve joined.” I meet his eyes, weighing him the way I would an opponent on a battlefield.

“Joined?” I echo, giving nothing away until I know exactly what he’s asking.

“The revolution.”

I lean back into my chair, my gaze softening. I knew I could trust him. Trust is a rare currency, especially nowadays. It’s reassuring to know that these halls haven’t all been tainted by a vile bloodline like the Bravehearts. There is good in here after all.

“Yes,” I say at last, steady and certain. “It’s where I belong. It’s where we all belong.”

“Well,” Thalos replies, satisfied with my answer, “rest assured, we’ve been part of it for a few years. We just had to keep it from Silas. The only ones who weren’t were Silas’s son and Korrin.”

Warmth spreads through me, sudden and disarming. They were never his. Roman—the brilliant, patient tactician—had his hands in this place even then. Every slayer under this roof has been bound to a cause greater than Silas’s cruelty.

How long has it been going on for? When did they all turn against him?

I think back to my last days at the Academy. Revolution had been the last thing on my mind at that point. But if I’d stayed, would I have joined them… or stayed faithful to Silas?

“The Cinder Prince is very persuasive,” Thalos adds with a faint edge of admiration.

I smile, my gaze dropping to my nails, the dark lacquer catching the light. “That he is.” The memory of Roman, his hands, the healing, the way he pulled me back from the edge, sends a traitorous flutter through my chest.

“I’ll get this letter to the royals and set them free,” Thalos says as he rises from the chair. “I’ll personally see that they have safe passage home.”

I nod once. “Good.”

He turns toward the door, his steps unhurried. “Congratulations,” he adds on his way out.

“For what?” I call after him.

He glances back over his shoulder and shoots me a wink. “For being on the right path.” The door closes behind him.

Silence settles over the room. I lean back in my chair, look to the sunlight streaming through the window, and smile. This is the moment I have fought for my entire life. I have power, loyalty, and an army at my back. No more survival, no more clawing my way upward through blood and bone.

I’ve made it. Now I need to know how long I have left. My smile fades as I set my mind on my next mission. It’s time to find Bleu.

Chapter twenty-seven

Destiny

I wait until sundown before making my way through the streets of Magda. It’s loud and lively, and it’s my home.