“What in the Celestials’ holy name is going on here?” Imogen hissed, reaching us. “The entire floor can hear you arguing!”
“Can you talk some sense into the prince?!” the chief snapped. “He has lost all reason.”
“What is it you did?” she asked, her eyes dangerously narrowing on me.
“He wants to let Raithian train him,” Asher whispered, his gaze travelling over her shoulder to the others, who turned away, pretending not to see us.
A calculative look captured her expression, and she watched me, remaining silent for several seconds.
“I need a moment alone with the prince,” she finally declared, and I nodded, walking past the chief and my commander straight to my room.
“Stay here,” my mentor ordered the others when she walked by them, following me into Evie’s and my quarters.
“What did the Truth Teller tell you?” she asked the instant we were inside.
Taking a settling breath, I moved towards the mirror next to the dresser and began removing the arm shield.
“Spilling my blood is the only way to save this world. I will die destroying Raithian.” My gaze connected with hers through the mirror to find pain instantly spreading over her features. “I didn’t tell the others, only you, Imogen. I can only trust you with this.”
A million emotions battled each other on her face, and she swallowed, taking a few steps closer. Finally, her pain succumbed to the acceptance of a warrior. The acceptance of someone who had seen death far too often in her life and learned not to fight it. Defeated, she slowly nodded. “I understand.”
Turning away from the mirror, I dropped the arm shield on the chair by the corner and stopped before her. Before I could speak, her arms wrapped around me and hugged me so tightly that emotion burned my throat.
“Fighting beside you just like I did with your father will be the greatest honor of my life,” she vowed in my ear, and pulled away to look into my eyes. “I will gladly die beside you to fulfill your father’s dream and free our people. My spear and heart are with you, my prince.”
The strength her loyalty offered swept through me, giving me strength to face this head on, and I straightened to my full height. “Thank you, Imogen… Evanna can’t know about this. No one can.”
A sliver of pain returned to her gaze, but she nodded. “It’s not my secret to tell. I understand, more than you know.” Taking a steeling breath, she straightened too. “What else did the Truth Teller say?”
“I need to become a true Devenish Wizard to fight him, which means—”
“You need full control over your magic… and only Raithian can train you like he was trained,” she deduced, fully understanding my reasons like neither Kingston and Asher could.
Brief relief travelled through me, knowing she saw things the way I did. “I still have a chance to find the crown,” I added, because even if I knew how this would end, that didn’t mean I was just going to give up.
If life had taught me anything after everything that I went through in the Mirror World, it was that, whatever happened, I needed a plan B, C, D and whatever else I could form. It was the only way to feel like I was still in control of my life, and that wasn’t going to change now.
If I was going to give my life to save this world, I was going to do it my way.
“Of course,” she added without hesitation, and for a moment, I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. “We will start searching this afternoon.”
“Based on what Mom said, channeling all the pieces of the Anima Crystallum might give me instant control of this power—if my ancestors accept me as the holder, that is. Still, I can’t put all my eggs in one basket. If we can’t find it—”
“You need another way,” my mentor finished for me. “The Harbinger was a man of action. He always prepared for what could go wrong because something always did.” Her hand squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. “We learned not to question him, no matter how outrageous his plans were. Khayden knew to follow his gut, and he never steered us wrong. It is the reason we followed him blindly, just like we will follow you.”
“Thank you, Imogen,” I offered sincerely. She had been my father’s right hand, fighting by his side until the end. My now mentor had no idea how much her support meant to me.
A longing-filled smile curved her lips. “You are your father’s son, darling. If your gut tells you to let the Warlock train you, then that is what we’ll do. But we’ll prepare you for it.”
The relief I’d felt before cemented itself within me, transforming into a resolve so strong that it guided my every thought.
“I need to figure out how to do this but remain in control. I’m not willing to leave Evie’s side before my time comes, which means I need to find out how to give him what he wants without putting myself in additional danger.”
I paused for a moment, considering my own words. I knew he was obsessed with me enough that he would negotiate if he believed he was getting his way. If he believed he was smarter than I was.
“If I’m going to train with him, I need to find a way to protect myself. To block him from draining me.” I chewed my lip while trying to find a way, undoing the buttons of the fur coat I still wore.
“Agreed. You can’t go to the Crimson Fortress. He has too much power there. Better to do it where you both have equal control. Find even ground.”
“Yeah, maybe—” Something fell from the coat when I pulled it off me, and our gazes lowered to find a small pouch on the floor.
“What is that?” Imogen asked, bending to pick it up and handing it to me.
“I have no idea,” I murmured, inspecting the tiny leather bag in my hands. Loosening the cords that held it close, I tossed its contents onto my palm.
A golden necklace. The thin chain was feminine and delicate, a dainty pendant in the shape of a Dragon wing secured to its center. Yet, the metal seemed darkened by dirt and time, losing the usual shine gold carried, and some of the links were crushed and out of shape, broken.
“Where did you get that?” Imogen whispered appreciatively.
“I didn’t. It’s not mine.”
“Then how did it get into your coat?”
My brow furrowed with the question, but the image of the seer pressing her hand to my chest flashed in my mind. “Don’t forget to feel…” she’d said.
“I think the Truth Teller gave it to me,” I whispered, perplexed. “Although, I didn’t feel her put it in there.” Except, how could I, when I was experiencing the strangest thing that I ever felt in my life?
“Do you recognize it?”
I shook my head. “I have never seen it before. Have you?”
A troubled emotion reached her eyes, but she shook her head. “It seems vaguely familiar, but I can’t really figure out why.”
Inspecting the little wing closer, I turned it around, finding an engraving on the back. It was almost too small to decipher, but it seemed like it read “E & S”. Artistry filled its every detail, and the care it took to forge and engrave something so delicate told me that it once signified love, and maybe one day it would again.
Brushing my thumb over it, I envisioned it polished and perfect in my mind, like the day it was made. Soon, the magic swirled from my fingertips, rushing over the necklace until the gold chain and pendant glimmered under my touch, seeming brand new.