Immediately, I proceed across the room and exit onto the balcony. It dangles over a cliff, the churning ocean below filled with an inconvenient array of sharp, jagged rocks. This was obviously intentional. I peer over the edge, wondering if I could survive the drop. I’m not sure what I’m capable of now that I’m in my High Fae form.

Leaning out as far as I can, I scan the side of the palace. I’m about four stories up from where Coral’s massive tank juts out from the back of the castle.

How do I get down there without anyone noticing me?

The wind blows my hair, and I stare out at the water. There’s nothing but ocean and sky stretching in front of me. If I lean forward, I can see the city of Alluvion to the north. Even from this distance, I can make out a path of destruction along the coastline—smashed city walls, piles of debris littering the beach, dead sea life, and plants. I remember the conversation I overheard in Aphelion about this. More evidence of the magic’s loss of control.

I stare at my hand, considering my own magic. If things go sideways in the throne room tomorrow, I might need to use it for a quick escape. But the idea of killing innocent people makes cold sweat break out on my forehead. I don’t want to fear my magic, and I need it, but I killed the most important person in my world with it.

Scanning the horizon, I hold my hand over the water and concentrate on filtering out a small bit of magic. It buzzes under my skin, wrapping around my fingers and up my arm. With my breath held, I attempt to direct it towards the rocks below, but it takes only a moment before my control slips and magic slams out of me, filling the sky with a flickering curtain of crimson lightning.

It’s so vast it engulfs the horizon, stretching across my vision. It flows out of me in a rush, pulling on my veins like they’ll tear straight out of my skin. I scream as it gushes from my hand, an inferno, a raging torrent. I try to call it back, but it’s stronger than me. A loud crash draws my attention as a portion of the cliff below starts to crack.

It’s enough to shock my magic, cutting it off abruptly as the cliff pops apart and a giant piece cleaves off. I watch it dive in slow motion, crashing into the sea, water droplets splashing high enough to reach where I stand.