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His pen stilled over his paper. “What?”
“El’Ara’s magic is too strong to be contained by any man, neither mortal nor fae. It will eat through living flesh and burn living blood. No Morkaius shall survive the harnessing.”
His eyes shot to Emylia, and he pursed his lips so tight, they lost color. Then, with a shout, he shot to his feet and swept his arms across the desk, sending books, ink, and paper flying. Emylia opened her eyes and let out a cry, backing away from him, chest heaving.
Silence enveloped the room while the two remained motionless, surrounded by the last of the fluttering papers.
“What's wrong with you?” Emylia finally shouted. “You could have hurt me, forcing me out of a channel like that!”
As his eyes met hers, his face twisted with anguish. He ran to her and gathered her in his arms. “Forgive me, Emylia. Forgive me.”
She remained stiff in his arms for several long moments until she softened against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll try again, Des. We’ll find the answers you need.”
“I fear what you told me was answer enough,” he said, voice muffled as he spoke into her hair. “My father’s mission is impossible. And yet, we must find a way. Father must become Morkaius.”
She pulled back and glanced up at him. “Why? What does that word even mean?”
“It means High King of Magic, and it’s Father’s birthright. Becoming Morkaius will give him access to magic beyond what we know.”
Emylia frowned. “What kind of magic?”
His expression hardened. “The kind that can bring my mother back.”
“Your…mother.”
He nodded. “She died, like yours, but not during childbirth. She died of illness.”
Emylia’s face sank with pity. She brought a gentle hand to his cheek. “Des, no one can bring someone back from the dead.”
“The Morkaius can.”
“But how can your father become this…this Morkaius? You heard the words. He who harnesses the magic will be destroyed by it.”
Desmond shook his head. “Father will find a way. Either that or he will find this mother the prophecy spoke of and end her.”
Teryn shuddered at the ice in his tone.
“You can’t be talking about…killing someone, Des. That’s not what you mean, right? Your father isn’t an evil man, is he?”
He smiled down at her but made no attempt to answer her question. “Thank you, Emy. You’ve helped me so much. I’ll return home to Father next week and tell him what you’ve told me. It has to be enough for him. It will be. Whether in this world or in El’Ara, my fatherwillbecome Morkaius.”
Emylia’s throat bobbed as something like fear settled in her dark eyes.
The image froze, and Teryn faced the real Emylia. His heart hammered, mind reeling to comprehend everything he’d witnessed. If this was supposed to have been about Cora…
About the reason Morkai cursed her to die childless…
His voice came out with a tremor. “Are you trying to tell me that Cora was supposed to be the mother in this…this prophecy? Are you certain it’s truly her?”
Emylia looked even more hollow than she had before, eyes distant. “Blood of the witch, blood of the Elvyn, blood of the crown. That means the prophesied mother is part witch, part Elvyn, and royal.”
“Cora never said anything about being of Elvyn descent.”
She shrugged. “She likely doesn’t know. But this clue will convince you.The unicorn will signify her awakening.”
Teryn’s heart sank. “Valorre.”
She nodded. “Her relationship with Valorre is the final piece that makes me certain she’s the mother. Yet Morkai acted long before he saw the first sign of a unicorn, long before he even knew who Princess Aveline was. Instead, he followed my prophecy to find the Heart of El’Ara, as it and the mother were connected by the black mountain over the field of violets. It took him years to find the place he sought, but it shouldn’t take you nearly as long to figure out.”
