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Now we’re back in the receiving room, settled onto couches with wine. I sent Calix to get Nyssa as I want her to meet Thalia.
Rather, I want Thalia’s take on Nyssa, and there isn’t a soul in this universe or across time and dimensions who I trust for an opinion other than my daughter.
“How goes it with sweeping up any remaining Ferelith supporters?” I ask as we wait.
Ferelith was a sorceress who used blood magic to seize control of Thalia’s kingdom. I showed her how to use the shadow magic inside her by virtue of my blood and helped her take back her throne.
And got banished here for my efforts.
I would do it again because Thalia’s life was in danger, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.
“We’re still finding small pockets of people who aren’t necessarily Ferelith supporters,” Thalia says, rubbing her fingertip over her cup of wine, “but they’re trying to keep the art of blood magic alive.”
“We’ve got the army out rounding them up,” Bastien adds.
“Although I’ve been lobbying the idea of perhaps allowing some blood magic to remain,” Heph says. Blood magic was banned in Vyronas, and Heph—brother to the queen and Thalia’s uncle—used it, anyway.
For that matter, so did Queen Selena when she summoned me.
Heph took a life, though, and was banished. But Selena’s act was minor as she only spilled her own blood.
Thalia shoots a hard look at her uncle. “We’re not talking about this again.”
“It would be for added protection to the realm,” Heph says.
“I have the Book of Shadows,” Thalia replies, and I hear frustration in her voice. “It’s all the protection we need.”
I hold my tongue, but I’m with Heph on this. It’s true Thalia has the Book of Shadows. I gave it to her to help defeat Ferelith, and it contains the darkest spells imaginable. But it never hurts to add a little blood to the mix.
“Not up for discussion,” Bastien says, his tone making it obvious he’s tired of this same old conversation.
The door to the receiving room opens, and I crane my neck to see Calix leading Nyssa in. I sense immediately she’s nervous, and she’s wringing her hands. A split second of warmth spreads through my chest at the sight of her beautiful eyes before my gaze is ripped away by the dark bruising on her throat.
I explode out of the chair, thundering so loud the walls shake. “What the hell happened to you?”
Calix scrambles out of the way, and Nyssa freezes statue still as I stride over to her. My hand is gentle despite the fury roiling through me as I lift her chin to take in the mottled purple marks on the front of her neck, a visible hand imprint.
“It’s nothing,” Nyssa says, jerking her head away.
I take her chin again, this time with a little more force to make her look at me. “I’m not asking. I’m ordering you to tell me who did this to you.”
“Or what?” she says softly. “You going to throw me in the Crimson River if I don’t?”
“It would be a hollow threat since you seemingly don’t care.” My hand falls away, and I look to Calix. “Find out what happened.”
Calix bends distance out of the room, not wasting time with actual running.
I stare down at Nyssa, disappointment heavy that she doesn’t accept that I care for her well-being. She regards me warily as we wait for Calix to return.
A small cough from behind me—fuck… I forgot Thalia was here. I turn toward her and see she’s amused and curious as she nods toward Nyssa.
It says,Make the damn introduction.
She just witnessed earthquake-level anger from me over a woman, and she wants to know who she is.
My hands go to Nyssa’s shoulders and I steer her toward Thalia, now standing from her chair, along with Bastien and Heph.
“This is Nyssa, a recently departed soul from the First Dimension who was spared the Crimson River.”
