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“He’s the only blood slave who has truly regained his memories,” I pointed out, and the others turned to stare at me. “They’re all awake now, but they don’t recognize their loved ones. They don’t know their own names, and many of the things they’ve said and asked for don’t really make sense.”
“So Cade was somehow able to resist some part of Merden’s blood magic, and we’re guessing it’s the human blood interacting with the gobbelin blood?” Kana said, pursing her lips in a gesture of disbelief.
“Perhaps Khione’s magic was stronger in the gobbelin bloodlines than we thought,” Valda said, shaking her head. “Blood magic is an incomplete power. It doesn’t come from a Goddess. Goddess magic is always rooted in life - even Khione’s destructive power makes way for rebirth. Blood magic is rooted in death. It has no circle. Only a single, straight line that must end.”
“Our running theory is that Cade had Khione’s power in him through the gobbelin blood his mother drank, and that somehow kept him safer from Merden’s blood magic,” Kana summarized again, sitting heavily. “It sort of makes sense, but it’s a fucking lot of assumptions.”
“Easy enough to prove, though,” Rush said, shrugging. “I know Cade is weak, but give a bit of his blood to another slave. See if it works.”
“Or mine,” Kana exclaimed. “Since I’ve tasted his blood, and I have even more of Khione’s power, my blood should be even more potent.”
“Why not try both?” I suggested, warming up to the idea that we could test something again. Somethingnotsuggested by Jillian, either.
We moved quickly after that, Kana gently drawing a few swallows of Cade’s blood from his wrist - which he still slept through - and then doing the same with her own. Rush carried the two samples to the ballroom while we waited, since Kana didn’t want to leave Cade’s side, and the mist seemed inclined to settle in her rooms for now.
“If this works, then perhaps Rush’s blood is no longer poisoning me,” Kana said to her grandmother, her voice sweet with hope. “Maybe it hasn’t been since Khione chose me. I haven’t really felt... poisoned.”
“That is very possible,” Valda agreed, and Kana’s eyes shone with the same relief I was starting to feel. “You are strong on your own, Kana. But together, you are all stronger than apart.”
“Even Luca,” Kana whispered, and Valda rolled her eyes.
“Yes. Even that idiot. He’s a weapon turned inward right now, but I believe you will be strong enough to right that as well - especially with all the support you have here.” Valda nodded to Cade and the shadowy form of Nicolas, then to me. I gave her a grim smile. I had no idea how we’d solve the Luca problem, but the old Queen was right.
Kana needed him, and together we’d all figure it out.
“Together, you fiveareSaori Sang,” Valda added. “The pure blood noble, the pure blood commoner. The turned-human. And the half breed turned ice wolf.”
“I guess I’m just for fun,” Rush said, smiling from the open doorway. “It worked, love. Both of them. Your blood was faster and stronger, but two former slaves are now fully awake and reunited with their families, memories and all.”
A sort of sob of relief burst from Kana’s lips, and she hurried to the fae, falling into his arms.
“You’re so much more than fun,” she whispered to him, and I smiled in spite of myself. I wasn’t really that jealous, when I was being honest with myself. Anything that made Kana happy was okay in my book.
“Rush is the fae union your parents wanted, but on your terms,” I suggested, and she laughed.
“Subverting all the parents. I like it.”
“Ignea would have hated this solution,” Rush admitted, holding Kana close against him.
“I guess I need to give a little more blood,” Kana said, straightening.
“Take it slowly, love,” Rush reminded her. “You gave much to Cade, and you need to reserve your strength. The final Trial should begin any day now.”
Kana deflated at the words, and Valda seemed to shimmer as she drew closer to Kana.
“Tell them what I’ve told you, Kana. You do not need to keep this secret any longer from those who love you.”
Kana broke away from Rush and went to her grandmother, her arms flopping at her sides like she wanted more than anything to give the old woman a hug. But the mist was fading, quickly melting the shapes of Nic and Valda down into its swirling gray mass.
“I’ll return as soon as I can,mon amour,” Nic called to her as he faded into nothing but shadows. Rush and I exchanged a nervous glance before turning to Kana to hear what she’d been told to share with us.
Kana sighed, then squared her shoulders. “The final Trial always has one main pattern - a fight to the death, and a personal sacrifice.”
“I assumed the fight part. But what kind of sacrifice?” I asked, frowning. The fourth Trial was the only one with stories that got passed from generation to generation. Something in the mist erased all the other memories, keeping the Trials a secret from anyone who might call them in the future. But as a commoner, I’d been given very little education on the Trials, and I had no idea what Kana was talking about.
“Grand-mère was sworn to secrecy when she was a child, but Cherise came to her in the mist and asked her to prepare me. So, I’m preparing you. We can check with Luca and Blaise of course, but the other noble competitors should know this already. During the fights, if you lose, you’ll be allowed to make a single sacrifice to stay in the Trial longer. If you lose again, that’s it. Thesacrifice... the sacrifice is someone you love. Someone special to you.”
“And by sacrifice... you mean death,” I said, my chest feeling hollow. Kana nodded, and Rush cursed under his breath.
