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A feeling of unease passed through my gut. “Why?”
Diawen sighed. “Linking the Tyvar with my blood gives me more power. I can draw upon their essence. The same goes for you. All that power you have is because of your connection to not only me, but them as well. If Lia breaks the curse, all that special power you have goes away. No more living on land. You’ll be stuck in the water.”
The tight coils knotting in my stomach only intensified. Being condemned to the water would be hell. Diawen placed her hands on my shoulders, and I could see the truth in her eyes.
“Creating the Tyvar was what gave us our freedom. I did it for myself and my bloodline. Think of your mother, sisters, aunts, and cousins out there in the mortal world. Do you really want to take away what they have?”
“No,” I answered. It was a selfish choice, but I didn’t want to live in the polluted oceans for the rest of my life. “Does creating more Tyvar make you stronger?”
Her grin widened. “Yes. But I’m all out of one of the necessary ingredients. There should be plenty of Tyvar in existence to keep our line strong.”
“Not if something happens to Lia,” I said, wondering if she’d even thought her plan through. “She’s a queen with a powerful family. If Rogan kills Bayleon and Bastian, she’ll bring hell down on the Tyvar. They won’t stand a chance against tens of thousands of fae and their magic.”
The leer that spread across Diawen’s face caused chills to run down my spine. “Then I guess I should probably go with Plan B.”
I swallowed hard, not wanting to know the answer but needing to. “Which is?”
She walked over to a small wooden box on a table beside the bed, picking it up as if it were the most delicate thing in the world. A gleaming blood-red amulet on a silver chain glinted in the candlelight when she opened it. She brushed her finger across the stone and beckoned me closer.
“Touch it, Lerissa,” she whispered. “Feel its power.”
I didn’t have to touch it to know it was filled with magic I’d never been around before. However, what I did know was that it was filled with dark magic. I feared that if I touched it, that darkness would seep into me.
“I can feel it from here,” I said, keeping my hands at my sides. “What is it for?”
Diawen closed the box and cradled it in her arms. “I have some powerful friends in the mortal realm, my dear. The fae aren’t the only superior race in our realms. Others are just as strong.”
Yes, there were powerful creatures who lived on earth, but I questioned whether they were stronger than the fae. I’ve been around witches before, but none of them exuded the power that Lia and Aidan possessed.
Diawen gave me a sly smile. “All I have to do is put the necklace on Lia and push her into the mortal world; she won’t even be able to take it off. It’ll trap her there and she’ll be no more than a mere human with it on. Her power will be nonexistent. If her people tried to find her, they won’t be able to trace her.”
I swallowed, dread curdling in my stomach. I had a feeling I knew where the rest of the plan would lead.
“So, what happens to her after that?” I asked.
Diawen stared at me, and it was clear she wasn’t going to answer. “She’ll be taken care of. That’s all you need to know.” She gestured to the dress she had left on the bed. “Change clothes and I’ll be back in a little while. You have some time to rest.”
With that, she left the room with the box, presumably to put the necklace on Lia now that she was tied up to a pole and couldn’t fight back. I wondered if this had been Diawen’s plan all along—to capture Lia and eventually kill her.
Chapter22
Lia
The chains were too tight, branding my flesh with a searing heat as I moved against them. The iron blocked my magical healing, but I was still able to dull the worst of the pain. The horizon was beginning to blush a hopeful pink as I tried to focus my magic toward Aidan, but the oppressive weight of the iron made it hard to send my message. I tried to make a tree appear before him, but the iron was too powerful.
I switched my focus to the lake, willing a wave to swell and crest higher and higher, but I still couldn’t push my magic out of the prison inside my body.
Taking a steady breath, I closed my eyes and pushed past the pain, trying to tap into my power despite the iron restraints. Suddenly, the energy around me changed and I opened my eyes to see Diawen walking toward me, a mysterious wooden box nestled protectively in her arms. She waved her hand and the Tyvar retreated, giving her a wide berth as she stood before me.
“I’ll never understand why iron can hold you like this,” she said. “It’s hard to comprehend how powerful you can be, yet so incredibly weak against one element.”
I clenched my fists. “It’s called balance,” I spat. “Everyone has a weakness.”
Diawen stepped closer and our eyes met. I could see the challenge in her gaze. “Iron isn’t the only weakness you have, Your Highness. Love can be more destructive than any metal,” she said with a tilt of her chin.
“What would you know about love?” I challenged.
She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes flicking toward the men gathered around the village. “I’ve seen it tear through families. I’ve seen it consume relationships and leave nothing behind.”
