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“Azia thinks it’ll help something.” A sudden shiver snaked down my spine as I remembered my last vision, of Elizabeth, covered in blood, surrounded by bodies. “Seraphina’s alive,” I whispered. “Salenia knows about it.”
“You’re certain?”
“Astor told me, then Azia confirmed it.”
“Ah.” He pressed his palms together. “I’ve been meaning to pay that little runt a visit. Is Astor still in the dungeons?”
I looked at him, my breath foggy as the chill from outside seeped into the kitchen. “No. I imagine he’s trying to escape the underworld right about now,” I said, and delighted in the scene playing out in my head. “He deserved it. He sold Seraphina out, again. He’s been nothing but a thorn in my side.”
“Mine too,” Adrian said and turned back into the living room, not elaborating. “I spoke with Velda. She wants to help. You were right. She despises Salenia, but she doesn’t want her body harmed. If she has any hope of getting her daughter back into her body, Salenia must remain untouched.”
“Change of plans. Don’t trust Velda. Don’t tell her anything. She’ll want to protect Salenia now she’s planning a ritual,” I confessed. “So, she can go back into her original form. Velda will get Gwen’s body back, and I’m sure they’ve come to some kind of arrangement.”
“I’ll avoid Velda.”
“Good.” I swallowed thickly. “At first, I thought we’d be fucked, but then I realized, we can give her the elixir of immortality in her original body and then she can’t possess anyone else. If we can make a goddess mortal, then she’ll die as one. The underworld will die with her.”
He bit his lip. “How do you plan to get the elixir?”
“I’m getting closer to her.”
“Ah.” He hissed a breath between his teeth. “Are you sure you won’t get obsessed with her again?”
I tightened my grip on the teacup; the heat searing into my fingertips. “That part of me is gone for good.”
“Because of the mortal?”
I looked away at the window. “Adrian, Azia’s gone to help the princess. She’s the one who’s prophesied to end this. An immortal sorceress sent by the gods, there is no better ally. But if Avyanna gets to her first…”
He rolled his eyes back. “Her…”
“Ah, yes, you remember.”
“She’s all cozied up with Salvor.”
I drank the rest of the tea, then placed the cup down to make a third. “Let’s hope he’s not with her wherever she is. In the meantime, I’m going to find out where the elixir is hidden from Sargon.”
“I’ll reach out to my contacts at the Black Mountain Retreat, see if our princess, or Avyanna, has been spotted.”
TWENTY-SIX
Olivia
WearrivedattheLake of Laveniuess, undisturbed, and the last beautiful thing in this kingdom that remained untouched by vampire hands.
Sebastian and I landed at the waterfront, the pebbles smooth under my shoes. Erianna, Salvor, and three of his men, one of them holding Avyanna, landed after us. Once Zach and Anna joined us, the small beach by the water was crowded.
Salvor ran his hand through his hair, his tattoos stretching as his muscles bulged. “We will stay here for the night. The sorceresses can do their thing.” He glanced at the rippling lake's surface, the setting sun reflecting off it in a spectrum of pinks and reds. “We’ll plot our next move in the cabin, with Sebastian and Zach.
Sebastian shook his head. “Yes, let’s leave the women out, when Erianna has more experience with this than most of us.” He muttered ‘asshole’ when Salvor turned, ignoring him. But Erianna shot him a smile.
I didn’t recall seeing a cabin that last time I was here, but as I looked around, I spotted it—a small building made from logs, nestled amongst the greenery, hidden by the overgrowth that one might miss it if they weren’t looking for it.
Avyanna was at my side before I could protest. I didn’t want to bathe in the lake, although I knew it would strengthen my powers. My stomach grumbled, a hollow feeling in the center of my torso begging for a hot meal. I only hoped someone remembered to bring food.
Anna caught my eye, as if she was wondering the same thing.
Avyanna’s fingers slid between my own, but Sebastian’s hand was on her shoulder before she could lead me away. “No. She stays with me.”
