Mustering the strength to pull himself out of his misery, Jassyn studied the rain outside the windows and the wind chasing the clouds across the sky. How am I supposed to help anyone else when I can’t even help myself?
Vesryn drained a glass of water. “We’ll begin moving our wraith to the jungle for their safety. And Thalaesyn. Elashor’s soldiers have already noticed his absence.” The prince crossed his arms, drumming his fingers. “I’ll assign a few rangers to keep the group protected and provisioned. We’ll need to keep a close eye on the recruits here to make sure no one goes missing. We simply don’t have the resources yet to relocate everyone.”
Thankful for the distraction of Vesryn developing a course of action, Jassyn clung to the conversation. “I imagine it’ll only be a matter of time before the elemental powers begin manifesting in others. We don’t know—”
Jassyn’s spine stiffened. Too scattered to have his mental barricades in place, a telepathic link coiled around his mind. Upon registering it was Nelya’s presence, he relaxed. She’d been directing their ring of trusted magus, managing the network of watchers and relaying anything peculiar back to him.
Jassyn,the portal attendants sent a missive that General Elashor is bringing additional soldiers to campus—more than the prince permits.
Alarmed, Jassyn tensed at her words. This was more than a routine report. How many?
I’m not sure, but a hundred have already come through the gateways. The general is ordering the entire island to gather at the Spire.
Towed into a riptide of dread, Jassyn’s eyes darted to his cousin. Vesryn’s brows rose, reading his anxiety.
Do you know why? Jassyn asked.
They’re looking for the prince.
Jassyn swore in the solitude of own mind, wondering if the Vallendes knew he and Vesryn were the ones who’d plundered their estate.
“What’s going on?” Vesryn asked.
Jassyn flapped a hand, gesturing for his cousin’s silence. Make sure the magus in our circle join those gathering so their presence isn’t missed. I’ll…inform the prince.
Swallowing back a tide of uncertainty, Jassyn ran his fingers through his curls, delivering the message.
Vesryn scoffed, gaze roving around the room, landing on his boots. With a pull of force, he ripped them toward himself. “Elashor goes too far if he thinks he has any say over me or our operations at Centarya.” Stomping into his shoes, the prince aggressively tied the laces.
“What do you want the magus to do?” Jassyn asked, rising to retrieve his own footwear. His mind immediately began inventing increasingly alarming scenarios of what would unfold.
“Nothing.” Vesryn pushed off from the couch, yanking his wrinkled leathers straight. “I don’t want this secret coalition you’ve cultivated to commit a blatant act of treason. Not yet.” He grunted. “I have a better idea.” He patted Jassyn’s cheek, but his grin looked forced. “I’ll simply to tell Elashor to fuck off.” And with that, the prince pivoted on a heel and prowled out of Jassyn’s apartment.
“Wait!” Charging out of his quarters, Jassyn hurried to catch up to Vesryn in the hallway. “If the capital is here in force, I don’t think it’ll be that easy. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“I won’t be returning to Kyansari if that’s what they’re here for,” Vesryn growled, tying his hair back.
“Then shouldn’t we portal away now?” Jassyn’s pulse began to race as he kept pace with the prince, descending the stairs two at a time.
“I need to make an appearance so Elashor doesn’t interrogate the magus about my location.” Vesryn flared a ward, shielding both of them from the shower of rain as they left the residence hall.
That’s oddly logical of him. Gusts tore at the manicured trees edging the cobblestone pathway, whipping leaves into the air.
Vesryn scanned the courtyard, taking in every magus and recruit on their way to assemble at the Spire. “I’ll need you here on the inside. As my silent watcher, working from the shadows.”
Feeling backed into a corner, Jassyn didn’t know which direction to dart. Campus certainly didn’t feel like the safe option if Vesryn wasn’t going to be around. I can do more good helping Thalaesyn and freeing those already coerced.
Jassyn’s words broke past the clump of worry beginning to clog his throat. “I’m coming with you.”
Vesryn glanced at him as they hastened down the stone pathway, the island hazy with rain. “Are you sure? We won’t be able to return to Centarya after this. Or maybe anywhere civilized.”
Fear began to tangle in Jassyn’s chest, but he nodded. A crack of lightning in the distance lifted the hairs on his arms. He swallowed, knowing the choice would be irreversible, a blind step off a cliff. “We’re in this together.”
The prince gave him a conspiratorial grin. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
The watery assault from the sky had Jassyn’s awareness of the earth sharpening. The last thing he needed was for sparks to jump into his hands again and reveal that his powers had manifested. I have to stay in control.
“What if we make our stand now?” Jassyn’s heart quickened even further when Centarya’s population came into view, organized into lines across the Spire’s lawn.
Vesryn shook his head, the breeze lashing the fringes of his hair. “This is between me and the general. If Elashor’s soldiers are compelled, then they’re innocent.”
“There’s more of us,” Jassyn said, unsure why he was insisting beyond knowing that the king would transform more elven-blooded into wraith if no one put an end to it. He studied Kyansari’s white-armored force as they surrounded the initiates, stationing themselves like bars on a cage. “We’re supposed to be the capital’s army. What if we turn against them?”
Vesryn kept his attention pinned on Elashor, positioned at the base of the Spire. “I’m not putting our half-trained recruits at risk by initiating a bloodbath.” He switched to sending a telepathic thought once they approached the edge of the gathering. Relay to your peers to keep silent and let me handle this.
Breaking away from the prince, Jassyn encompassed himself in his own shield, warding off the rain. He reached out to Nelya’s mind, communicating Vesryn’s orders. His boots sloshed through the sodden grass as he found a place to stand among the magus assembled twenty paces away from Elashor—much closer than he wanted to be if a confrontation was about to unfold. He nearly reached out to Vesryn, realizing that they hadn’t discussed exactly how they were going to stage their departure.
Rain bounced off of the prince’s shield as he sauntered through the ranks, proceeding like everyone standing at attention was gathered in his honor. Lightning sheared across the sky and an accompanying clap of thunder rumbled through the air. Vesryn stalked across the courtyard to face Elashor, a panther ready to taunt a bear.
Elashor’s hand rested on the hilt of the longsword at his waist, barring entry to the Spire. “The king requires your presence at the capital.”
Roving his gaze over Kyansari’s small army, the prince ignored the general. He addressed the assembled magus and recruits. “Return to your classes and duties. This doesn’t concern you.”
The slant of Elashor’s jaw tightened as his surrounding shield flared. He opened his mouth, but Vesryn cut him off. “Unless my sire demands the entire population of Centarya to accompany me to Kyansari, they have other responsibilities.”
Elashor clicked his tongue in annoyance, but made no further objection as everyone dispersed.
Unsure where to position himself as his peers departed, Jassyn’s chest constricted before he decided to join Vesryn in his solitary stand. He tried to ignore the way Elashor’s eyes slid to him. Always calculating.
