Daemon laughed quietly. “It’s been . . . interesting. Liga is still figuring out how to interact with humans, and it can be rather amusing. But he’s a good and patient teacher, and I’ve learned a lot. I can shift easily now, and I can fly pretty well. He taught me some basic magic, too. I still have to work on my gravitational powers, though—”

Sora’s mouth dropped open. “Your what?”

The grin on Daemon’s face was bright enough to rival the moon. “All of Vespre’s children have different powers related to the stars or the night. You saw how Liga made the sky dimmer when he first appeared. Well, I apparently used to be able to control gravity, one of the powers of the stars.”

“Daemon, that’s incredible.”

“I can’t believe I gave it up, but it’s all right, because I’m going to relearn how to do it.”

“I’m really happy for you.” She rested her head on his chest, and she swore she could almost feel the intensity of his magic in each of his breaths. Gods, she had missed him. But being this close to Daemon was rejuvenating. Geminas were meant to be together. Maybe not romantically but at least physically and emotionally. She hadn’t realized how much stronger she felt when she wasn’t separated from him.

He told her some more about the smaller spells that he was using, like conjuring food (not great but edible), clothes (he no longer had to be naked when he shifted), and even a ledge outside the Dragon Prince’s study. It was enough to distract Sora’s mind for a while.

But eventually, he ran out of stories to tell, and silence settled into the forest again.

Sora sighed as she sat up, thoughts of her damnation rising again.

“Why does it have to be me?” she asked. “Why did I have to be the one to rebel, to be cursed with this magic?”

“Because you were the only one brave enough to lead us,” Daemon said.

“I’m not that brave,” Sora said in barely a whisper. “I’m only holding it together because I have to. If I fall apart, we lose everything.”

“That’s the hardest kind of courage of all.”

She closed her eyes and burrowed into him again. Daemon tightened his arms around her.

A few minutes later, though, Sora bolted upright. “Oh gods.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not just me who’s damned to the hells after I die. It’s Hana, too . . . and all our hypnotized friends at the Citadel.”

Daemon shuffled uncomfortably. “Yeah.”

He’d already thought of that. Yet he hadn’t brought it up, instead letting Sora process her own fate first.

The revelation that Hana and so many taigas were affected made everything worse. But in a bizarre way, it also made it possible for Sora to rise out of her despair.