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Chapters (55)
  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. World Map
  4. Pronunciations
  5. Author’s Notes
  6. Table of Contents
  7. A Forbidden Fate
  8. Prologue
  9. Chapter One
  10. Chapter Two
  11. Chapter Three
  12. Chapter Four
  13. Chapter Five
  14. Chapter Six
  15. Chapter Seven
  16. Chapter Eight
  17. Chapter Nine
  18. Chapter Ten
  19. Chapter Eleven
  20. Chapter Twelve
  21. Chapter Thirteen
  22. Chapter Fourteen
  23. Chapter Fifteen
  24. Chapter Sixteen
  25. Chapter Seventeen
  26. Chapter Eighteen
  27. Chapter Nineteen
  28. Chapter Twenty
  29. Chapter Twenty-One
  30. Chapter Twenty-Two
  31. Chapter Twenty-Three
  32. Chapter Twenty-Four
  33. Chapter Twenty-Five
  34. Chapter Twenty-Six
  35. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  36. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  37. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  38. Chapter Thirty
  39. Chapter Thirty-One
  40. Chapter Thirty-Two
  41. Chapter Thirty-Three
  42. Chapter Thirty-Four
  43. Chapter Thirty-Five
  44. Chapter Thirty-Six
  45. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  46. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  47. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  48. Chapter Forty
  49. Chapter Forty-One
  50. Chapter Forty-Two
  51. Chapter Forty-Three
  52. Chapter Forty-Four
  53. Chapter Forty-Five
  54. Acknowledgements
  55. About the Author

Nuri huffs a laugh. “The truth is ever-changing in its direction. Like a wild horse, it charges one way for a moment, then chases a new course in the next. I can see things that are guided by the Light. But the Darkness grows and shrouds the view in its murky haze.”

My mind is transported back to my youth, when Horrick would lecture me for hours over the sacred texts. The endless pages written by the First Prophet, the Woman of the Woods.

She spoke of the Great Darkness, and made mention of how the Lady would save us all from its impending arrival. Nuri folds her arms and leans back in her chair. “All I know for sure is that Idalia Hyland is caught up in both. She holds the key.”

“The key to what?” I demand, about to lose my patience.

“The key to the end,” Nuri declares.

Lin and I fall silent, and he leans in closer, his expression calm. He stares down the bridge of his nose at the Idunn.

“We’re listening.”

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Idalia

I don’t know where my legs are taking me, but I bolt even faster when I hear Braizen call after me. The Idunn woman knows nothing about me! These crazy stories about the Light and the Dark, they mean nothing! Braizen captured me for his father. The bandits are no more than ill-dressed guards, working for the evilest man I know. Pain hitches in my side, but I keep going. Tears stain my cheeks, and my foot snags a rock, propelling me forward. I land hard on my hands and whimper as I berate myself.

Why am I so angry? What did I expect? They were my enemies, and I was their prisoner. Why is the anger more intense now? Because he means to take me to Vaskis? Because he stole my Kingdom’s chance for freedom?

I grunt, picking away at the tiny gravel imprinted in my palm. I’m embarrassed for the way I spoke too freely last night, utterly humiliated I let him into that secret place. All the while, he was planning on hand delivering me to his father. Gods, I hate him. I hate him!

I beat my fist against the ground. “Why have you chosen nothing but pain for me, Lady?” I shout. “Why won’t you hold me behind your Shield, and why won’t the Guard fight for me?”

“Idalia,” says a soft, firm voice above me. I crane my neck and see the elderly woman who gave me the tea yesterday. The Minea. Her smile is gentle, despite my obvious contempt.

I clench my teeth and face the ground.

“Leave me. All of you! Leave me alone!”