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Back Legendborn Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Dedication
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. THREE MONTHS LATER
  4. PART ONE ORDER
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. PART TWO DISCORD
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. PART THREE ROOTS
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. PART FOUR SPLINTER
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  67. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  68. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“The Oaths.” His eyes are suddenly bright. Fierce. “They are Merlin’s insurance that his descendants would never abandon his mission. Performing them, fulfilling them, no matter how large or how small the task. It’s the Oaths that bind the two sides of a Merlin together. As long as we are in service, we are in control of our own souls. It’s why they Oath us early, before we’re old enough for our blood to gain a foothold.”

Cecilia’s voice comes back to me, and what she said about the infant in Pearl’s arms. Cast it away before it could grow large enough to do harm.

Sel’s not done yet. His eyes dart back and forth across my face, cataloging my responses to his words. “There. You understand now. You can see how, for any Merlin—even a weak one—raised as a human among humans, the greatest punishment would be to cast us out of the Order’s service. Force us to witness our own regression. To strip a Merlin powerful enough to earn the title of Kingsmage of that same title would mean taking them away from their charge. Cutting them off from the immense connective power of that Oath. It’s a penalty so severe that it’s never been done before.”

The burning heat rolling off him and the poison in his eyes scare me more than his temper ever has.

“But we are two Called Scions away from Camlann. So, after Nicholas told his father what I did to you, Lord Davis threatened to replace me. Take my title, cast me out. Leave me to self-destruction.” He huffs. “Bullies, like I said.”

Air leaves my lungs in a rush, like I’ve been tossed over the cliff myself. “No, that… that sounds like torture. Nick wouldn’t let that happen—”

“Oh, it is torture. But if the Order thinks I’m growing unstable, that is exactly what Nicholas will be forced to do.” His face turns sour. “These are the choices kings make, mystery girl.”

“I’ll talk to him. I’ll tell him—”

I don’t get to finish my sentence, because Sel spins me in a blur of speed, pushing me to the path. “Too late. Go away.”

“Sel—” I smell the crackle of Sel’s casting and turn to see him standing at the edge of the cliff, his hair swaying gently in the early stages of mage flame, his eyes shining like stoked coals.

“Nicholas thinks I’m losing my humanity. Maybe I am. But I have not lost my dignity,” he sneers. “I don’t need your help.”

Before I can say another word, he steps over the cliff and drops out of sight, landing without a sound far below.

37

THE MOON LIGHTS my sprint to the Lodge, but by the time I reach the back lawn, clouds have folded in, solid and thick like a sheet cake.