“You can’t do this,” Valen sputtered. “And you won’t. Nor will never agree to continue with the plan. You said she’ll betray me? She won’t do it. She would never bind me to that satellite. Exonia will stay locked away in its dark prison forever.”

With a surge of rage, he shoved against his uncle’s power.

Shoved with everything he had.

The walls trembled around them, and Valen screamed, pain lancing through him. But he would not quit, even though he felt himself fading as he pushed, desperate to escape Darai’s power.

Yet Darai only laughed, chuckling as if he were a giant holding back a child from swinging tiny fists at him. “You’re right,” he said. “Nor loves you too much, the foolish girl. She would never bind you to the satellite—not unless you chose to do it yourself. So you’ll go to her, and tell her you’re dying. That much, Valen, is true. Right now, while your body lies in that hospital wing, you’re dying.”

“I’m not,” Valen said.

But he knew it was a lie. A hope that was already crumbling.

“You’ll tell Nor you want to be a worthy sacrifice, a loyal soldier,” Darai instructed. “And that if you are to die, you would rather hand over your body to the cause, and let us keep it alive while your mind stays attached to the mission.” He patted Valen’s shoulder with a sigh. “Such a strong princeling. But not strong enough to fight my abilities.”

“Why are you doing this?” Valen begged. “If you have compulsion, why not use it yourself, and leave me and my sister out of it all?”

He was nearly lost to his pain, unable to fight any longer.

“Because the foolish Godstars wounded me,” Darai snapped. “They stole my power and tried to destroy my Yielded body, too, when they thought me too dark for a place in their world. But I escaped. I ran, along with a kernel of my power. I’ve tended to it for years, waiting for it to grow. Years, in this miserable galaxy, I have bided my time, waiting to unleash what is left of my power. It isn’t enough to rule on my own, and soon, it will fade. But your compulsion will be uploaded to the Nexus long before then.”

“No,” Valen gasped. “Nor will see the lie. She’ll never do that to me.”

“But she will,” Darai said with a shrug. “Because you will convince her to. Did you know, Valen, that I made you shove that soldier toward Zahn? I compelled you to do so. My plan played itself out well, weakening Nor’s heart. Creating a rift between the two of you, to help guide her into going along with my plan.”

Horror surged through Valen. “You did that?”