Kiva made a panicked sound in the back of her throat, and Caldon launched another fireball, but it just bounced straight off Zuleeka again.
“Recognize this, Prince?” she said to Jaren, tapping the jewel. “Unfortunately for you, the blade your general possesses is a fake. This is the real dagger gifted by the gods. It’s been in my family for hundreds of years, passed down from generation to generation.” Her eyes flicked to Kiva’s, a smirk growing as she corrected, “Our family. I think it’s time you and your beloved were properly introduced.”
Kiva made another distressed noise, but Zuleeka merely gave a poisonous smile and said, “Deverick Vallentis, meet Kiva Corentine — Torvin Corentine’s descendant and my dear rebel sister, who has been working tirelessly to bring you and your family to your knees.” Zuleeka winked at Kiva. “Well done, sister. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Kiva barely heard Zuleeka, her gaze locked on Jaren, allowing her to see the devastation ravishing his features, his heart breaking before her eyes.
“It’s a stinging betrayal,” Zuleeka went on mercilessly. “But it gets worse.”
She dragged the tip of her dagger over Jaren’s chest, his breathing turning shallow — whether from fear of the weapon or from the pain of what he’d just learned, Kiva wasn’t sure.
“You see, my dear sister helped me steal the Book of the Law,” Zuleeka went on.
SHE’S LYING, Kiva wanted to scream.
“And coupled with this” — Zuleeka indicated the dagger — “I now have two items from your not-so-secret Royal Ternary. That leaves only one left.” She cocked her head. “Tell me, Your Highness, have you seen your sister today?”
This time it was Caldon who made a strangled sound.
“With so many people coming and going for the party, it was almost too easy to steal her away,” Zuleeka said, grinning. “The poor little princess is having the most awful birthday, but I daresay your mother will give me anything I want in exchange for Mirryn’s safe return, don’t you think?”
Gods, gods, Kiva thought, recalling what Mirryn had said about Ariana just yesterday: I know she’d bring down entire kingdoms if anything ever happened to Jaren or Ori or me. She wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to make sure we were safe.
The queen was going to hand over her Signet — there was no way she wouldn’t.
This was all Kiva’s fault.
And she couldn’t let it continue.
You’re different from them, Kiva, the light to their darkness.
Delora’s words fueled her desperation, stirring the magic in her blood and urging it to rise. It hadn’t worked around whatever Zuleeka had done to their grandmother, but Kiva refused to let that stop her. She would try, and keep trying, drawing on every drop of golden power in her veins to break free of the darkness trapping her. Trapping them all.
“As helpful as it’s been,” Zuleeka continued speaking to Jaren, “I’ve heard the power in this amulet has an expiration point, and you’ve certainly already tried to speed it along, given how much magic you threw at me when I first arrived. That must have been exhausting.”
Jaren had fought her — of course he had. Naari, too, given the state of the guard. But neither of them had succeeded. Not with Jaren’s own magic protecting Zuleeka. Magic he’d given Kiva.
“I’m glad I had a warning from my sister about that,” Zuleeka went on slyly. “All four elements — it’s far too much power for one person. I knew that the moment she told me about your secret.”
Jaren’s eyes slashed to Kiva again, and again she wished she could scream that it wasn’t true. Kiva hadn’t shared about his magic. But then . . . how did Zuleeka know?
“Fortunately, I have a way to fix that,” Zuleeka said, waving the dagger. “I’ve been trying to get my hands on this for years — not because it’s part of your Ternary, that came as a pleasant surprise — but because the Eye has a much more useful power, one that my mother told me all about. Her mother had the audacity to hide it from us, but as you already know, Kiva has been a wonderful spy in so many ways. She might as well have handed it right to me.”
Zuleeka had lied about wanting the blade as a symbol to the rebels. Lies upon lies. But Kiva couldn’t dwell on them now, instead strengthening her attempt to summon her magic, straining against the darkness that held her at bay.
“In all the legends you’ve heard about Sarana and Torvin, did you never wonder why Torvin didn’t return to take back his kingdom?” Zuleeka asked conversationally. “It’s because of this.” She touched a finger to the glittering jewel. “The Eye of the Gods — their gift to Sarana.” With a gleeful smile, she revealed, “A weapon forged to take away her husband’s magic.”