“What are you not telling me?”

Daemon let out a long breath. “A lot has happened.”

“Start with the good news.”

He nodded. “Hana was with the ryuu who attacked us. Fairy almost died.”

“What? How is that good news!” Their gemina bond wilted, like an entire meadow of flowers dying all at once.

“Because Hana is having doubts about serving Prince Gin.”

Sora’s stomach flipped. “Really?” She had held on to a small hope that she could still convince her sister to switch sides, but to be honest, it had probably been more delusion than real belief. This, however . . .

“Yeah,” Daemon said. “But there’s more. Um, let’s sit down.”

“Just tell me,” Sora said. “I can handle it.”

Daemon took several long breaths. “Fairy and I broke into Prince Gin’s study. While we were there, we found a book of legends, including the prince’s handwritten notations. The stories were about another time in the past when magic was stolen from the gods, and we think . . .” Daemon winced and closed his eyes, as if what he was about to do was causing him physical pain.

Sora’s heart climbed into her throat. “You think what?” she asked quietly.

He opened his eyes and looked straight into hers. “We think that anyone with ryuu powers is damned,” he whispered. “The knowledge of that magic belonged to the afterlife, and Prince Gin stole it. Anyone who possesses the illegal magic will be damned to the hells after they die.”

“What?” Sora’s whole body shook.

Daemon reached out and held her steady. “We’re going to find a way out of this. Fairy is already reaching out to Liga. There must be a way to get the gods’ forgiveness. You didn’t steal Sight yourself, and you’re using ryuu magic to fight the one who did. We’ll save you. I’ll do anything I can to make it happen.”

But a knot formed in Sora’s chest. It was difficult to breathe. The emerald particles around her reeled in a frenzy, stirred up in her panic.

“Get away from me!” She flung out her hand, pushing at the ryuu magic.

The dust blew a few feet away and remained there, as if cowed by her anger.

She could still feel the magic, though. It wasn’t just the particles floating everywhere. It was the memory of the campfire warmth in her belly and the bliss rolling through her veins whenever she cast a ryuu spell. The feeling that the glittering dust had seeped not only into her skin but, apparently, also into her soul.

How could something so beautiful be so abominable?

“I can’t . . .” She was breathing too fast. Her head began to spin.

“Deep breaths.” Daemon wrapped his arms around her. Bolts of lightning shot through Sora’s skin. Not literally, but it felt as if he had set his electricity on her, tingly and warm.