Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Centuries ago, the Sidhe were one folk together, living alongside each other, and alongside the humans and the beasts. Until there was an uprising…”

Anjeline watched as the enormous carving awakened with the Lady’s words. The engraving morphed, manifesting figures clashing in battle, all wings and horns and magic. Fanged lycanthropes danced around swords, feyrie knights crawled along the smoke-filled sky, giant creatures breathed puffs of fire, and sirens clawed beneath a marbled sea.

“We direct the magnetic currents of the earth’s magic, but with power comes hunger. Some of the Sidhe wanted to rule over all. To keep our folk from annihilating each other and the world, a truce law was enacted. Two courts and the parting of our people. The Sun Court rules the blessed Sidhe, governing with the Steelworld at daylight. Whereas the Moon Court, the unblessed, governs come midnight. The truce has maintained balance. It is enforced with codes and patrols against those who break them.”

The engraving altered, molding like clay, forming a circle of magicians.

“Victor Nero came from one of the most powerful magus families, who aided the Sun Court in capturing truce breakers. Which brought them countless enemies…” Lady Danu took a breath. “One night years ago, a group of banshees possessed Nero’s family, destroyed their minds until they destroyed one another. Watched them burn each other alive with magic. After that, he blamed all Sidhe alike, turning to forbidden magic.”

This time, the wall displayed a summoning circle and a being of fire.

Rebel looked at Anjeline. “That’s when he summoned you?”

“That’s when Nero sold his soul for revenge and imprisoned me,” she said through clenched teeth. “Searching out others in hopes of finding that unselfish heart to wish for him.”

With a finger, Lady Danu drew a circle in the air and the carving revealed a blur of countless human figures. She went on. “Many hearts were sacrificed at the altar of Nero’s ambition, forcing them to wish for his immortality.”

Memories flickered behind Anjeline’s eyes, the wishes she’d been forced to cast, fueling his vile gains—she’d been defenseless to stop it. In ancient times, she had drifted among the human world like a phantom, carrying out Solomon’s endeavors, persevering his kingdom as his champion, and now she was forced to fight for her freedom. Her emotions must have shown, because Rebel moved to her side, as if she could offer comfort.

“Besides the obvious reason, why does he want immortality?” Rebel persisted.

“Nero plans to overthrow our Courts,” Lady Danu said. “so he can take full control of the magnetic currents of the earth’s magic …”

“And if he’s immortal, who can stop him?” Anjeline filled in grimly.

Rebel trailed her fingers along the bottom lines of the carving. “But he’s unable to find a selfless heart?”

“As of yet. Though he was searching for a particular one.” Lady Danu walked down the length of the wall, moving a hand over the engraving, and it molded into three figures. “After his family’s demise, and before the Magus Order knew of Nero turning to forbidden magic, he’d fallen in deep devotion with another powerful magician, LaFay. From their love came a child. When LaFay found out his betrayal, she ran with the child, knowing he would want to use it. No one has heard from Magician LaFay since.”

“What happened to the child?”

“Many magicians have attempted to seek it out. Some believe Nero has already found the child. Used its heart.”

All heads turned to Anjeline.

“I…” She paused. “Didn’t know any of their names.” The words clawed their way out of her throat as she thought of the boy and many others, if one had been Nero’s child. She forced the pain down in her smoky insides, but countless images assaulted her. Lives she saw waste away, making heat roil in her gut. The more she ignored it, the more she remembered the screams. The wishes. Chests red with blood. The man with half a soul.

Gentle eyes were on her, Rebel reading her so easily. “It’s not your fault. His family was killed, so he murdered to seek vengeance. He turned into a monster,” Rebel voiced, but an echo of Nero’s hid behind it.

Anjeline tried pushing it away. “There’s darkness inside all of us, and there are prices to pay when we let it out,” she said. “It was my magic he used to destroy.” She remembered the ways in which Nero manipulated her power, the belief she would never be freed. Because wasn’t it my power casting the wishes? And if there was suffering, some of the responsibility for it had to be hers to accept. That was Jinn law.

Rebel shook her head. “We aren’t defined by what others do to us,” she said. Her fingers lightly nudged Anjeline’s, and her essence gave a little spark at the contact, her pain fading as quickly as Rebel had touched her.

Lady Danu cleared her throat and the engraving fashioned back to its original battle scene. “Either way, Nero’s power has grown from magic he’s absorbed from sacrificing half his soul. ’Tis no doubt why the Wishmaker’s imprisonment is difficult to break. There may be ways, however. We shall consult the Fates in your quest.”

“Fates?” Rebel’s brows inched closer to her widow’s peak. She nudged Anjeline with an elbow, and a playful smile pulled at her lips. “Told you it was fate that I found you.”

Anjeline knew the gentle teasing was for her benefit. “Well, I don’t keep you around for your devilishly good looks,” she said and watched Rebel’s aura turn a pink tinge. Again, it happened, that tingling in her core. It must mean something—nothing to do with their plight, and more to do with a human.

“It’s fate that brought you here,” Lady Danu added. “The Sisters of the Thread can only be glimpsed during this time of the Solstitium, winter solstice. But first you must go through the ceremony.” A group of council members stood as a woman carrying scrolls zipped in and bowed to the Lady. “Allow me to calm my Court. Piran will take you to be cleansed for the ritual beginning.”

Rebel stiffened. “Ritual?”

She nodded. “Enjoy.”