Sacrifice of the Heart

bers before the weight of what had ha

slow the frantic beat of her heart. But nothing could erase the lingering he

was

he knew of blood magic, of ancient spells carved into history, of

th

mething els

r mind. The one her father feared

for the othe

as nothing more than an old warning. A tale spu

if it w

per Moretti was

made her spin, her

ce called. Fem

ng away the chaos in her m

k curls. Her friend and trusted confidante, Isla was one

Isla said, her sharp gaze sweeping ov

ay anything. Shouldn't let Isla

were already

per Moretti. He was inside the p

darkened. "What wa

king for something. S

his blood

think this has to d

gaze. "I don't

nce settled

is real, if it's truly about you and him..." She trailed

But knowing didn't change

cognized Vesper, even befo

g for war. If he even suspects you're t

ard. She didn't n

afia of the Underworld. A necessary evil, tolerated

ere? That Elara had felt somethi

never for

omething that even she

enched h

ate her fate. She refused to be a

d waltz into her kingdom and unco

ind out the

m regret ever steppin

er what

oice as the weight of the p

for the othe

of the palace since childhood. But it had always been a distant

a noose tightening

me the truth. Did he-" she hesitated, searching f

allowed

the way I

admitted, her voice b

iffened

emory of it. "And something... happened.

ssion darken

but a force. A pull. And the look in his eyes.

ime, Isla looke

pered. "If your f

a cut in quickly

Not until she unders

hat that thing in the archives was. Whatever he was

hing. If Vesper is looking for answers,

ermination sett

wasn't just her

to everything sh

choice but to f

growing silent as the halls e

w. The towers of Avarath gleamed under the mo

den rooftops and marble s

istance. A place where the Moretti

had broken into her palace, had touched her, h

terrifi

she wasn'

let him do

nything but calm. The weight of what had happened between her and Vesper felt

mething had cracked open between them

felt it igni

dn't let it

stant sounds of the city-laughter from the lower courts, the distant clang of armor from the pa

o the stone balcony. Below, the lights of Avarath burned bright, stretching toward t

what she

t why Vesper Moret

r made her glance over

n," she

sked around," she said. "The guards stationed near th

s impossible. I was t

into it further." She hesitated, then lowered her

eath caugh

replace