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120

RAVEN

The discovery of Kael’s great-grandfather sits in the room like a poisoned cloud, leaking toxicity into every breath we take. I watch my mate’s face cycle from shock to anger to something dangerously resembling despair. His color-streaked gray eyes are nearly onyx, and I sense the storm of feelings whipping between us.

"How many others?" I question Seraphina, my voice calm, which is more than I can say about my disposition.
“Why?Because of failed trials, vanished humans.

“Hundreds,” she shoots back with no hesitation. “Perhaps thousands, over the millennia. The oldsters don’t roll any dice when it comes to power that could upset the cosmic balance.”

Eira leans against her brother, her fiery red hair seemingly alight with the morning sun as she places an arm over his shoulder in protection. Nothing about that adorable little frame doesn't scream "I will defend you to the death."

"Whatever happened to our great-grandfather."She trailed off."Will not be what will happen to you both. You’re more powerful than he was, more clever, and you have something he didn’t.”

"What's that?You okay, you all right?” Kael asks, his voice hoarse with suppressed emotion.

“Just, each other,” she replies, with soft simplicity. “The prophecy is about unity, not the power of a single individual. Maybe that’s why past candidates had been unsuccessful — they went through the ordeal alone.”

Matthias nods thoughtfully, his scholar brain already churning over the ramifications. "The Moon's Daughter and the Storm's Heir, in conjunction, as one and the same. Maybe the trials are meant for two human entities working in perfect harmony.”

“Don’t hope,” Seraphina warns, and there’s something almost reluctant in her voice, as if she doesn’t want to kill the little hope we’ve managed to scrape up. “The old ones are not sentimental about love or partnership. They don't care about process.

"Then we shall make them," I say with conviction, walking over to stand next to Kael. Our fingers link without prompting, and his assurance stabilizes, our mate bond thrumming with mutual purpose. “Tell us about the trials themselves — everything you know.”

For a long moment, Seraphina looks us over, her silver eyes inscrutable. "The first trial is the Trial of Truth — candidates must confront their greatest fears and dearest secrets without hesitating or lying. “The old can smell untruths as sharks smell blood in water.

"What kind of fears?" Kael inquires, though grim determination sets his jaw.

“The kind that might break you,” Seraphina answers simply. "Your fear that you would lose Raven as you had lost Aeliana. Her terror that she will never be strong enough to protect the people she loves. This guilt that both you feel about the decisions you’ve made and the people who are dead because of those.

I sense Kael flinch next to me, and I grip his hand more tightly. I’m willing my love and all of my strength through our connection, sending it to him, and my own fears are pressing on my chest, demanding my complete and undivided attention.

"The second trial can be different," Seraphina says, "though it's usually the Trial of Sacrifice. Candidates are given impossible choices — to save the many, you have to sacrifice the few, choose between self-interest and the common good, that sort of thing.”

"And the third?" I wonder, though I’m not sure I want to know.

“The Trial of Power,” she says. The applicants have to show not only how powerful they are magically, but also how they can use that power without falling into darkness. Proud is he whom all three winter trials he survives, for he is rich beyond dreams.

Alpha Thalion comes up the rear his highness no worse for wear, though lines of fatigue run around his amethyst eyes. “How can we possibly be equipped for such ordeals? There is going to be some training or knowledge which could possibly increase their chances?”

“A few,” Seraphina grudgingly concedes. “But the majority of it’s in my head. The old ones don’t give a damn about sword work or spell casting — they care about character. It was all about the core of who you are once everything else has been swept aside.”

‘Not that that’s exactly reassuring,’ Eira adds, folding her arms over her chest.

“It is not supposed to be,” Seraphina fires. “The Convergence isn’t something you can cram for like an academy exam. It’s an assessment of your very soul.”

There's a stranger's chill added to our conversation now, a fresh voice. "How fascinating to see Seraphina Shadowmere reduced to the nattering confidante of the very people she sought to annihilate."

We all whirl toward the sound, weapons materializing into hands with thoroughly practiced swiftness. There’s a man at the outskirts of our camp whom I’ve never seen before, tall and well-dressed, his skin pale, his hair dark and looking like it absorbs light instead of reflecting it.

"Who are you?" Kael demands, lightning flickering around his outstretched fingers.

"The name's Lord Vex Nightbane,” the stranger sneers, giving a low, sarcastic bow. “I speak for some… concerned citizens who’ve been watching all too closely developments of late.

"More shadow magic users?" I suppose, permitting moonlight to pool in my hands in reaction to the blatant threat.

“Oh darling Moon’s Daughter, no,” Lord Vex replies, grinning terribly. “Something a lot more dangerous. "We are the old blood-right winged-genes of previous Convergences from ages past, survivors, through … other methods.

Seraphina goes white in the face. "That's impossible. “And there is no escaping the trials except by proving worthy of them or by being completely annihilated.”

“Hardly anyone,” Lord Vex corrects. “But there are exceptions for those smart enough to exploit loopholes, strong enough to conceal themselves from the gaze of the ancients, or desperate enough to cut desperate deals with agencies as old as the Convergence itself.”

The implications hit me like a sack of bricks. "You mean there are more of our plans?" Men of power who have been dodging such trials?”

“Not like you,” he clarifies, the dark of his eyes flashing malice. 'We are what you could be if you are prepared to pay the cost. "We don't need the approval of the ancient ones anymore, and in we've given up some kind of... human restraints."

"What do you want?" "Are we, now?" Kael inquiries a bit too bluntly, but I can sense his caution over our bond.

“To give you an option,” Lord Vex says. But, if you allow me, I can bind you and you'll be shielded from the Convergence's summons. You’ll keep your strength, your life, your love for one another.” You give up by being disconnected from your humanity.”

"What does that even mean?” I demand.

"No more aging. No more natural death. No more capacity for creating life or making new emotional connections with people. “You end up being something eternal and strong, but also alone and unchanging.

The offer dangles there like a deadly poisoned apple, irresistible-yet-undeniably-tainted. I see Kael looking at me and know he thinks the same—I could save us but we would lose everything that identifies us.

"And if we refuse?" Kael asks.

"Then you go into the Convergence as intended," Lord Vex says, shrugging. “And when you do fail—which you will, because you’re much too human to survive what’s to come—we’ll be here to collect the pieces of your ruined world.”

Louis shakes his head.““You sound so certain we be defeated,” I say, looking him over for any trace of doubt.

“Because I know what the trials really challenge,” he says, and his smile becomes cruel. “They’re not testing your strength or your nobility or how you guys love each other here. They are testing to see if you will lose everything — including each other — to do what is right. And human beings, no matter how gifted, always flunk that test.”

“You’re wrong,” Eira spouts and she steps closer, despite knowing how dangerous it is to do so. “You don’t know them like I do. They’ve already shown us they will give everything for the people they serve.”

"Have they?" Sir, Vex addresses her, his focus now turning more than a little predatory. "Let's find out."

He holds up his hand, and dark energy wraps around Eira, raising her from the ground. She resists against the magickal bindings, but they keep her suspended in the air.

“Here is a taste of what’s to come,” he says. "Save your sister in law, Kael, but if you do they will all know exactly where you are . They’re going to come back upon you in hours rather than days and you’re totally unprepared.”

"Or," he adds, looking at me, "save her yourself, Raven, but be aware that working with your goddess-blood so shortly after the last struggle will weaken you and you will Ach! You will be going into the trials at a tremendous disadvantage.”

"Of course," he adds, clearly enjoying himself, "you could both do nothing and I will kill her. And then you would have to deal with the trials at full power, wanting revenge for her death.”

Kael's grief and fury batter me through our mate connection. Eira is the most beloved person to him in the world 17, other than myself, and the prospect of losing her is tearing him to pieces.

But I also feel something else — an increasing awareness that this is precisely the sort of impossible choice the trials will require us to make.

"There is another alternative," I add in a soft voice, locking eyes with a startled Lord Vex.

"Oh? And what's that?"

I glance at Kael and already, I sense their immediate understanding, his recognition.

"We won't play your game," I proclaim, Kael and I slamming our energies together.

Not directly at Lord Vex, to try and save Eira, but instead at the magical construct trapping her. It knits together with our storm- and moonlight energy to form something unique—and a power that doesn’t obliterate the dark magic but changes it to something that slowly lets Eira down to the ground.

Lord Vex stumbles back, the look of arrogance on his face replaced with shock, and possibly something that's fear.

"Impossible," he breathes. "Such a degree of magical fusion should be nothing a mere mortal is able to achieve."

“Then perhaps we’re not so easily killed as you believe,” Kael answers darkly.

The very next moment Lord Vex composes himself, but now there is an alertness in his dark eyes as well. "This changes nothing. But Convergence is still on its way, and you should have obstacles to prepare you.

“We will meet them together,” I say, simple as that. "And we'll win together."

“Or die together,” he shoots back.
“There are words of power,” Kael concedes, going to check on Eira, who appears shaken but unscathed.

Lord Vex peers at us for an extended moment, then slowly nods. "Very well. Just when you're standing over the old ones, and they administer your lover or your duty, you remember this moment. Just remember, I gave you a way out.”

He starts waver and then he fades like smoke, but his last spoken words linger in the morning air:

"The Convergence is at sunset tomorrow. I would recommend the former, spend the last day saying goodbye.”