Aria's POV
The Duke's smile makes my skin crawl.
I had no idea, he says again, walking slowly into the destroyed room. His eyes never leave me. Our little servant girl, hiding such remarkable power all these years.
He's lying. I know he's lying. But I can't prove it.
Kassian steps in front of me, blocking the Duke's view. The assassination attempt, he says coldly. Explain it.
Valdris loyalists, no doubt, Duke Malachai says smoothly. Angry about your conquest. They must have been targeting you, my lord. How fortunate that your new bride was able to defend you.
Fortunate, Kassian repeats, his voice flat with disbelief.
The room is full of guards now, all staring at me. Some look afraid. Some look curious. One guard won't stop staring at the scorched body of the assassin I burned.
I burned a man. I killed him with fire from my hands.
My legs start to shake. The green light around me flickers and dies, and suddenly I feel exhausted, like I just ran for miles.
Aria. Kassian's voice is quiet. Are you hurt?
I shake my head, but it's a lie. My hands ache. My chest burns where that strange warmth has been growing. And I feel like I might throw up or faint or both.
Get a healer, Kassian orders Theron. And clear this room. I want every assassin's body searched for marks, tattoos, anything that identifies who sent them.
My lord, the Duke interrupts. Perhaps the sorceress should be questioned first? To ensure she wasn't involved
She saved my life, Kassian snaps. She's not a suspect. She's a witness. And she's my wife, which means she's untouchable. Do you understand, Duke?
The threat in his voice is clear. The Duke bows his head, but his smile never wavers.
Of course, my lord. I meant no disrespect.
Liar. Everything about him screams liar.
The guards start removing the bodies. Theron begins searching them, checking for clues. The Duke lingers near the door, watching me with those cold, calculating eyes.
Then Kassian does something that shocks everyone.
He takes off his heavy cloak and wraps it around my shoulders. It's warm and smells like leather and smoke.
You're shaking, he says quietly, so only I can hear. Come on. We're leaving.
Leaving? But
Now.
He guides me toward the door, his hand firm but not rough on my arm. As we pass the Duke, Kassian stops.
Find out who sent those assassins, he orders. I want names by morning.
Of course, my lord, the Duke says, bowing.
But as we walk past him, the Duke's hand shoots out and grabs my wrist.
Fascinating, he whispers, his fingers cold against my skin. Your power. I can feel it, you know. Pulsing like a heartbeat. Growing stronger every moment.
Before I can pull away, Kassian's sword is at the Duke's throat.
Touch my wife again, Kassian says softly, dangerously, and I'll cut off your hand. Then your head.
The Duke releases me immediately, raising both hands. My apologies, my lord. I was merely curious.
Kassian doesn't lower his sword. Be curious from a distance.
He pulls me out of the room, down the hallway, away from the guards and the bodies and the Duke's terrible smile.
We walk fast, turning corners, climbing stairs. I don't know where we're going. Finally, Kassian opens a door and pulls me inside.
It's a smaller room, simpler. A bed, a desk, a window with intact glass. Some kind of guest chamber.
Sit, Kassian orders.
I sit on the bed. My legs are too weak to stand anymore.
Kassian paces, running his hand through his dark hair. He looks angry, but not at me. At the situation.
How long? he finally asks.
How long what?
How long have you had magic?
I swallow hard. Always. Since I was little. But never like... like that. I could only do small things before. Heal cuts. Make flowers grow. Tonight was different. Bigger. I don't understand what happened.
The iron chain, Kassian says quietly. The marriage bond. Northern magic. It must have... activated something in you.
What do you mean?
He stops pacing and looks at me. Northern marriage ceremonies use real magic. The chain binds two people together, not just legally but spiritually. Hearts, souls, life forces they connect. If one partner has dormant magical abilities, the bond can wake them up.
My hand flies to my chest, where that warmth has been pulsing. The feeling. The heartbeat that isn't mine.
You feel it too? Kassian looks surprised. I thought it was just me.
We stare at each other. Connected. Bound by magic neither of us fully understands.
Why didn't you tell me the ceremony was magical? I ask.
I didn't think it mattered. Most people don't have magic to activate. He sits on the desk, suddenly looking tired. I should have explained. I'm sorry.
You keep apologizing to me, I say quietly. Why?
Because you deserve better than this. Better than a forced marriage to a man you don't know. Better than assassination attempts on your wedding night. He meets my eyes. Better than hiding what you are for twenty-three years because people like the Duke made you afraid.
Tears burn my eyes. Nobody has ever said things like this to me before.
The Duke knew, I whisper. About my magic. I could see it in his eyes. He's always known.
Kassian nods slowly. I think you're right. Which means the assassination attempt might have been designed to make you reveal your powers.
But why?
That's what we need to find out.
A knock on the door makes us both jump. Theron enters, carrying something wrapped in cloth.
Found this on one of the assassins, he says grimly, unwrapping the cloth.
It's a dagger. The blade is black, covered in strange red symbols that seem to pulse like veins.
Blood magic, Kassian says, his voice going cold.
More than that. Theron points to the symbols. These are binding marks. This wasn't just an assassination attempt. They were trying to capture someone. Alive.
My blood goes cold. Me. They were trying to capture me.
That would be my guess, Theron says. Which means whoever sent them wants you for something. Something that requires you alive and magical.
The room spins. I grip the edge of the bed to steady myself.
Someone wants to capture me. Use me. And the Duke knew about my magic all along.
We need to move you somewhere safe, Kassian says. Somewhere the Duke can't
The door crashes open.
A guard stumbles in, blood running from a cut on his head. My lord! The dungeons someone released the prisoners dozens of them they're attacking
An explosion rocks the palace. The floor shakes. Screams echo from somewhere below.
Kassian grabs his sword. How many?
At least forty. Maybe more. They're heading for the North Tower where The guard's eyes widen, looking at me. Where we're keeping the magical artifacts from the old king's collection.
They're after the artifacts, Theron says grimly. Which means this is organized. Planned.
Another explosion. Closer this time. More screams.
Kassian turns to me. Can you fight? Can you control your magic?
I don't know, I admit. I've never done anything like what happened tonight. It just... came out.
Then we need to run. Kassian pulls me to my feet. Theron, get her to the safe room. I'll hold them off.
You can't fight forty men alone, Theron argues.
I'm not alone. I have fifty guards stationed
The window explodes inward.
This time it's not assassins. It's something worse.
A creature pulls itself through the broken glass as tall as a man but twisted, wrong. Its skin is gray and rotting. Its eyes glow red. It has too many teeth, too many limbs.
It smells like death and dark magic.
Blood magic construct, Theron breathes. Impossible. Those take weeks to create.
But it's here. Real. Reaching for me with clawed hands.
Kassian swings his sword, cutting off one of its arms. The creature doesn't even slow down. The arm regrows in seconds.
Another creature climbs through the window. Then another.
They're specifically targeting you, Kassian realizes, pulling me behind him. Aria, whatever you did before do it again. Now!
I don't know how!
A creature lunges. Kassian blocks it, but more keep coming. Too many.
That warmth in my chest explodes with sudden pain, so intense I scream.
And from somewhere deep in the palace from those dungeons below where I heard the chanting last night I hear a voice.
Duke Malachai's voice, speaking in a language that sounds like broken glass and screaming.
Blood magic. He's doing blood magic. Right now.
The creatures freeze, all turning to look at me. Their red eyes gleam with hunger.
Bring her to me, the Duke's voice echoes through the palace, carried by dark magic. Bring me the Old One's heir, and the ritual will be complete.
Old One's heir? What does that mean?
But I don't have time to think because all the creatures rush at me at once, and Kassian is shouting, and the warmth in my chest is burning like fire, and I feel magic huge, ancient, terrifying magic rising up inside me like a tidal wave.
I'm going to lose control.
I'm going to destroy everything.
Or I'm going to become something I don't understand.
The last thing I see before the magic takes over is Kassian's ice-blue eyes, wide with shock and something else.
Recognition.
Like he suddenly knows exactly what I am.
And it terrifies him.