“I can only teleport to people I’m connected to,” he reminded her. “And this is the only way I can travel without attracting notice.”

  “Where are you going then?”

  Will grimaced. “It’s probably safer if I don’t tell you. The lich knows.”

  The look on her face told him he’d pushed the day of his forgiveness even further back, but she didn’t argue. Selene had grown up under the strict guidance of a psychopathic dragon, and even the humans around her had all been driven by political expediency and harsh pragmatism. Pushing away her irritation came as second nature. “Speaking of whom, Grim says the engineers and mage-smiths are ready, but we lack the materials.”

  Grim? Will raised one brow.

  “It’s tiresome saying his full name each time. Would you rather I call him husband?”

  He growled. “Just don’t get too familiar. The materials are coming. What about the engineers and artificers? They aren’t true wizards. This is going to cost them dearly.”

  She lifted her chin slightly. “I’ve given them elementals. They’re sorcerers now.”

  Will had compromised his principles on multiple levels, but her answer begged the question of where the elementals had come from. Since Lognion’s disappearance, it had become apparent that he had kept the links to all of his thousands of elementals. No secret trove of unbonded elementals had been found, and as far as Will knew, no one else knew how to create more. The only elementals that remained were those previously gifted to the nobility, who usually only had a few each. While Selene could technically compel her vassals to redistribute their magical assets, it was hard to imagine her doing so while still consolidating her rule. An immediate revolt was the only possible result of such a command.

  To the best of his knowledge, the only remaining human who knew how to construct the heart-stone enchantment was himself. Arrogan knew, though he’d rather be melted down before he gave the secret away. Will had only learned by making a deal with the dragon, back when he’d still thought that Lognion was human. There was a strong possibility that Aislinn knew it, but given her tragic history and how she’d originally become one of the fae, he doubted she would trade the knowledge unless someone was willing to pay a steep price.

  The secret wasn’t even written down in Grim Talek’s journal of wizards. After a long pause, Will asked, “Where’d you get the elementals?”

  His wife, now Queen of Terabinia, didn’t answer immediately, but instead returned a steady gaze while she formulated her thoughts. Without remorse, she finally said, “I created them.”

  The fact that she didn’t make excuses or prevaricate perfectly communicated her reasoning. She didn’t have to say it, nor did he want to hear it. It would be the same argument he gave whenever he committed an evil act. It was necessary. There was no better option. This instance could also be followed by the usual mitigating statements: We’ll free them later, when it’s no longer necessary. Keeping his tone even, Will asked, “Who taught you the enchantment?”

  “Does it matter?”

  With cold eyes, he responded, “You know I’ve sworn an oath to eradicate the secret. That was part of the original reason I wanted to eliminate your father. Aside from him and the ring, I didn’t have solid evidence of anyone else knowing how it was done, so I’d like to know who it was that taught you.”

  “I told you not to refer to that creature as my father.” Selene rarely played verbal games, but something about his tone brought out her spite. “Who do you think?”

  Having dealt with the fae for so long, he couldn’t accept the deflection. “I need to hear it from your lips.”

  “Grim Talek.” Selene’s chin lifted ever so slightly. “Going to be hard to cross that one off your list if you decide to add it.”

  Will relaxed slightly. “He’s already on my list, so it won’t be an extra burden.”

  “So what Janice told me is true. I didn’t want to believe you were that big a fool.” She made no effort to hide her anger.

  He shrugged. “You haven’t forgotten how we started, have you? Remember when I deserted the army to burn down Barrowden? I haven’t really changed; I just have a bigger torch now.” That fact that Grim Talek hadn’t given him a choice didn’t matter much either, since Will knew he’d probably have taken up the gauntlet to eliminate the lich after destroying the dragon anyway.

  Selene’s expression shifted to one of resignation, and she lifted her hands to encircle an imaginary throat. “Sometimes I just want to shake you—or throttle you.” She rubbed her face, then added, “I’m in, though. All the way, even if I think you’re a fool. What if we succeed, though?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Assume we kill the dragon and then somehow kill a lich. I’ll be the last one on your list. Will regicide be your final crime?”

  “That would be rather hypocritical of me, don’t you think?” said Will. “Unless I made it a murder-suicide and removed myself immediately after. I’m thinking supervised parole would be better.”

  “You’d have to keep an eye on me for centuries then. Are you sure you’re up to the task?”

  He offered a mischievous grin. “I like challenges, and I would have to keep a very close eye on you.”

  “How close?” Selene’s eyes seemed larger, and her breathing had changed subtly.

  Will went from tired, overfull, and moderately irritated with his partner, to desperately hungry in the span of half a second. They’d been apart far too long. “Damn it!” he swore without explanation.

  She already understood. “You could teleport.”

  He wanted to pull his hair out. “How would I get back?” Desperate inspiration hit him. “Can you teleport here?” Selene was probably close enough to their other friends to teleport back to Cerria.

  Selene rolled her eyes. “I’ve just barely learned to contact you like this, and I haven’t studied the teleport spell at all, not to mention you haven’t given me the specifics of how you make it work without a beacon.”

  Will growled with frustration, then asked, “Why haven’t you learned the spell yet? I gave you a copy. It’s not like you to wait on something like that. You usually devour new spells.” He was on his feet without realizing it, pacing around the tree he’d been leaning against to try and get rid of some of his unwanted energy. It didn’t help, so he changed the subject. “Where did you get the bodies?”

  Selene blinked as the mood evaporated. “Pardon?”

  “For the elementals,” he clarified. The sexual tension disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a different tension.

  “Do you really want to ask me that?”

  “None of this is easy. I just want to know.”

  “Criminals,” answered his wife, but there was a hint of hesitation.

  Will frowned. “And?”

  “Some of my critics had unfortunate accidents.”

  “What?” he demanded.

  “I didn’t like it either!”

  “Then why did you do it?”

  She threw her hands up. “No one can trace it back to me anyway. They’re too scared to even try.”

  As much as he struggled with his own descent into apathy and rationalizing his deeds, it sounded to him as though Selene had given up entirely. “Was it really necessary? I know you better than that. You wouldn’t take the easy way out of a political problem.”

  The ghostly queen glared at him. “You did it. I just made the best of a bad situation.”

  “I did it?” Will was confused, but then understood. “Oh.”

  Selene nodded her head slowly. “He stays out of the spotlight most of the time, but everyone’s terrified of the Stormking.”

  “That’s what they call him?”

  “It’s what they call you, William. He’s just expanding on the part you created when you tore the palace apart and killed the king.”

  Will huffed. “That’s stupid, and I’m only a prince.”

  “I can’t control rumors, William. Do you think I could solve this by issuing a proclamation? Don’t be naïve.”

  He ran his hands through his hair, feeling tempted to pull it out. “I never wanted to be called a king—of any kind—and I certainly didn’t want to be turned into a villain used to frighten children at night. You’re the queen—don’t they understand that?”

  She nodded, then answered in a frank tone, “Certainly. I’m queen because they’re terrified you’ll take the throne. You already removed one monarch, though, and the people are convinced you could easily do it again. You’re a child if you cling to hoping the people will love you. You aren’t Laina. You cast yourself in this role, so don’t whine to me about it. You refuse to take the throne? Fine. I’ll do the hard work as queen! Whether you like it or not, you being a villain makes them love me, and that makes my job easier. Would you begrudge me that?”

  “I’m not a villain,” he said stubbornly.

  A cruel edge entered her voice. “Where are you going now, then?”

  “What?”

  “Demons don’t give gifts, William. You know what a mage who trades souls for power is called—a warlock, and just a minute ago you were judging me for creating elementals. What’s worse, sorcery or warlockry?”

  The accusation left him flabbergasted, and he didn’t know how to answer, since she was technically right. Selene didn’t wait for a reply, though. “How many people will it take to buy that much demon-steel?”

  Ungrateful bitch! You want to kick him while he’s down? He’s doing the best he can, same as you!

  Laina’s voice rang out in his mind so vividly Will could almost believe she was there, though he knew it was a hallucination. He was surprised to see Selene flinch as though she had heard it too. She stared at him with a strange expression for a moment, then seemed taken by remorse. “I shouldn’t have said that, Will. I’m sorry. I’m tired and not thinking clearly.”

  Looking down, he muttered, “Don’t be sorry for the truth.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that. We don’t have any options, either of us. You know I don’t think you’re a villain. I’m just frustrated and I’m not communicating properly.”

  Will nodded in agreement, though he still felt wounded, as though she’d driven a stake into his heart. “I’m tired too. We should rest.”

  “Will—” Her voice was cut off as he reflex cast the anti-possession spell, sealing himself off from the astral plane and severing their connection.

  He didn’t bother with a fire, or even using the ground-warming spell Selene had taught him years ago. Will summoned his bedroll and stretched out, too upset to even bother to set wards as he had planned to do. Their conversation played back and forth in his mind, looping endlessly while he tried to sleep. At some time close to dawn, he finally drifted into a dream. Laina was there waiting for him, her expression more sympathetic than he remembered in real life.

  “She didn’t mean it,” said his sister in a consoling tone. “She just doesn’t like being called out on her own bullshit. She’s always been like that.”

  Will turned away. Seeing Laina was too painful, even in dreams. Blinking to stop the tears, he watched the landscape shift and flow like a river beneath the vivid colors of an imaginary sunset. Not trusting himself to speak, he kept his thoughts to himself. It was the truth, though. She couldn’t help but mean it.

  A gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder. “There’s more than one kind of truth. The truth that’s important to her is the one that’s in here.”

  Glancing down, Will saw Laina’s other hand pat his chest, just over his heart. Unable to stop himself, he met her gaze before his vision became too blurry to see. “You’re dead.”

  Chapter 32

  He woke with an ache in his chest and tears in his eyes. Sitting up, Will regretted not taking the time to level the ground better. A terrible catch in his back stole his breath as he tried to stretch out the kinks that the uneven ground had gifted him with. He nearly jumped when something bumped his hand.

  A small grey cat looked up at him, her impossibly bushy tail waving gently behind her in the morning air.

  “Evie? How did you get here?” he asked, not really hoping for an answer.

  A strange meow issued forth as the cat opened her mouth, sounding suspiciously like the word followed.

  Knowing what she was, he decided to believe it was an answer. “You can’t come with me. It’s too dangerous. You need to go back to the house.”

  The cat stared at him with unblinking eyes, then turned to other matters, ignoring his words and his existence as she began to diligently clean places that he preferred not to think about.

  “You’re not listening to me, are you?” he asked.

  If the cat heard him, she gave no sign of it.

  “I know you’re not just a cat now, so don’t pretend you can’t hear me.” There was no response. “I also know you’re starting to understand me, at least a little.”

  Will was forced to admit defeat. The goddamn cat had never been a conversationalist, and he had fully mastered language. Whatever skill level Evie had with Darrowan, she obviously didn’t feel much need to express herself. Will rolled up his bedroll and stored it in the limnthal before using a quick cast of Selene’s Solution to freshen up and clean himself. Evie watched it all, and if she wondered why he didn’t just use his tongue, she didn’t feel bothered enough to ask.

  He created a force-travel disk and rose several feet above the forest floor. “Go home, Evie. I can’t take you with me.”

  The cat stared up at him with green eyes, then meowed in a way that tugged at his heart. Words weren’t necessary for him to know she didn’t want to be abandoned. Steeling his resolve, Will set off, using as much speed as he dared. The trees were too tall for him to get above them, so he had to be careful to dodge between the trunks.

  A minute later, a thought occurred to him. What if she doesn’t know how to get back to Rimberlin House? He pushed on. It wasn’t his problem. Evie was immortal anyway, and too powerful to be hurt by almost anything she might encounter in the woods. I don’t even know how she found me this time. She’ll be fine.

  But if she was the Cath Bawlg reborn, she was effectively only a year old. Alone. A child lost in a strange world she hardly understood.

  The travel disk came to a stop. “Damn it!” Will reversed course, moving more slowly so he could scan the area in case the cat had been following him.

  Finding her took half an hour, for the cat wasn’t where he had camped or in between, but instead had gone hunting. He found her neck-deep in a pile of feathers that dwarfed the little cat’s size, and when he approached, she looked up at him and meowed again, her muzzle and cheeks covered in blood.

  “Is that an owl?” Will goggled at the size of the predatory bird. Its belly had been torn open, and Evie was currently working her way through what appeared to be the liver. Looking up, she gave him a cute but sanguine ‘meep’ before returning to her meal. “How in the hell did you catch that? It’s bigger than you are.”

  He reached down to unfold one wing but quickly withdrew his hand as a warning growl rumbled from the cat’s throat. “I wasn’t trying to steal. I just wanted to look.” He couldn’t believe he had wasted so much time searching for her. “Clearly you’re doing just fine on your own.”

  The cat stopped eating and sat back on her haunches, satisfied. Another meow informed him he could have a turn with the carcass, and then Evie began cleaning her paws.

  Will shook his head in disbelief. “No, thank you.” He created another travel disk and lifted off from the ground. “Go home now.”

  Fifteen feet up, he started to resume his journey only to be startled by the most impressive leap he’d ever seen from a cat so small. Evie landed on the platform beside him, unconcerned by the height, the wind, or his surprise. Unsure what to do, Will increased his speed, heading for his previous destination. Despite the fierce air blowing over her, the cat resumed cleaning her paws and face.

  Resigned to his fate, Will focused on traveling and by the end of the day, he realized that although it had been a boring trip, he’d enjoyed it much more than the day before. Evie wasn’t capable of conversation, but she was company, nonetheless. He’d spent so much time alone lately that he hadn’t realized it was beginning to wear on him.

  That night, he made camp and lit a fire for a warm meal, a simple soup of ham and beans. He cut off a generous piece of ham and offered it to Evie before putting the rest in the pot. She graciously accepted, taking it as her due.

  He put the anti-possession spell on before doing the wards. He didn’t consciously consider it, but he didn’t really want another conversation before sleeping. Once the wards were done, Will extinguished the fire and carefully smoothed the ground before putting down both an underlayment and his bedroll. With those preparations and a long lasting ground-warming spell, he would sleep much more comfortably than he had the night before.

  Will was still staring up at the stars when a small body walked up and nestled against his neck and cheek, tickling his nose with her fur. He slept without dreams.

  He woke before dawn, but he felt thoroughly rested, so he went ahead and put everything away. Based on where he’d landed the day before, he guessed he would get to Branscombe sometime in early afternoon. He removed the anti-possession spell to make sure Selene could contact him if needed. Will already felt vaguely guilty for putting it on so early the night before.

  Seconds later, he felt a contact, but not from Selene, or anyone else he cared for. A surge of adrenaline shot through him, causing his heart to race and his pupils to dilate. An enormous eye was visible in front of him, not because it was single, but because the skull that housed it blocked his view. The ghostly dragon vanished an instant later, to be replaced by a tear in the sky.

  Will had seen a gate before. Aislinn had used one to betray him during his fight against the demon-lord, Madrok. Reality split as a hole formed, allowing the dragon to fly through and hover above him. Its wings kicked up a windstorm as a monster the size of two haybarns landed in front of him.