“I do not think she was as valuable to Dragos as you,” said Ana.

“I was valuable enough to die.”

“You were valuable enough to start a witch hunt,” she said. “And that gave him power for years after your death.”

I had yet to process how I had been used by Dragos, but the thought brought Ana’s words to mind.

I do not wish to be a weapon, she’d said.

I understood what she meant, and yet I still wanted to be a weapon.

I touched the spines of the books with the tips of my fingers. Their energy was varied—some light and airy, others dark and heavy. I wanted to hold each one close to my heart. I wanted to mourn each one as they deserved, but neither of those things brought justice.

None of them allowed for vengeance.

“Does Adrian know about this?” I asked.

I turned to watch her reaction, but her expression remained stern.

“I…never told him,” she admitted.

“Is it because you feared he would use you?”

“He would,” she said. “Without question.”

I frowned. I wanted to argue with her, but instead, I said, “I will not keep secrets.”

She nodded, and while she seemed sad, she also seemed resigned.

“I suppose you will have to tell him if we are going to learn spells,” she said, and my heart rose into my throat. It was strange to feel emotional about the thought of speaking a language, but this one was etched in my soul, and in truth, I never thought I would again. “I have been thinking about what you said, and perhaps we can find a counterspell for the crimson mist. It would be a first step toward what we really need.”

“What do we really need?” I asked.

“To summon Ravena,” she said. “And bind her magic.”

Fourteen

Isolde

Leaving the small library felt like coming out of a cave, and when I emerged from its darkness, I felt changed in a way I could not really explain. I had stood among tomes that had belonged to witches who had existed before me, witches who had crafted their realities with words and intentions. I felt overwhelmed that so much potential was at our fingertips and deeply worried that I would not be capable of harnessing any of it—at least not in the way I’d been able to as Yesenia.

I just hoped Ana would be powerful enough to cast the spell.

I went in search of Adrian. Despite telling Ana I would keep no secrets from him, I thought of how she had worried that he might use her and found myself wondering if she was right to be afraid, given Dis’s connection to Adrian.

Just how much influence did the goddess have over him?

The fact that I did not know made my stomach turn.