“Valasca, stand down,” Queen Alkaia orders, her keen gaze darting from the Mages toward her netted people and back to the Mages again.

Fallon’s focus sharpens on Valasca as she shoots her a belligerent smile. “Valasca Xanthrir. I was hoping we’d meet, you heathen bitch.” She loses the smile, the air taking on a more frigid chill. “You saved Elloren Gardner.”

Valasca grins threateningly back at Fallon. “Oh, I did. So she can come back here and beat your arrogant ass.”

Rage overtakes Fallon’s expression. Lightning fast, she flicks out her wand and a streak of ice blasts toward Valasca. Valasca falls backward to the ground, a cage of ice rapidly forming around her body.

Wynter’s trembling kicks up into a tight shiver as she takes in Valasca’s dazed state, her head moving slightly as she groans from the blow.

“Shall I kill her, my sister?” Damion Bane asks, motioning to Valasca’s prone form.

“No,” Fallon firmly replies. “She’s a powerful rune sorceress. Vogel will want her.”

A chill knifes through Wynter as Fallon’s attention settles back on her.

“My patience is wearing thin, Icaral,” Fallon croons. “Surrender yourself alongside the queen, and I’ll let these whores go East.” Her merciless smile inches wider. “They can see if they like what they find there.”

Wynter freezes.

What, exactly, is waiting for the Amaz in Noi lands?

And where is Vogel?

The horrific answer rings out in her empath mind.

Everywhere.

Wynter looks to Queen Alkaia, who nods to her in grim, mutual reckoning as renewed cries of protest go up, even Alder’s forest-calm voice pleading, “No, my queen, no...”

Terrified, Wynter wraps her wings even more tightly around herself, legs shaking, and advances with the queen.

Amaz soldiers rush out from the shield’s protection and release the netted Amaz, drawing them toward the shield’s safety, while Wynter and Queen Alkaia walk through the band of Amaz soldiers, through the protective shield, and surrender themselves to true evil festooned with white birds.

CHAPTER TWELVE

DREAM MERGE

Elloren Grey

Noilaan
Eastern Realm
Two days prior to Xishlon

From the bedroom’s darkness, I watch Trystan and Vothe’s military skiff soar away. Only a few sapphire-lit rune ships dot the river and sky, the night tranquil and moonlit. The Wand of Myth’s spiraling hilt tingles warm against my palm.

My gaze lifts to the dome hanging over Noilaan. Sapphire runes sparsely mark the dome’s translucent surface, their slowly rotating forms like benevolent presences in the sky.

Like the scarlet dome runes of Amazakaraan.

Concern rises for the Amaz—all the women I met and allied with—Queen Alkaia, Alder, Freyja...even fierce Alcippe. And Wynter and little Pyrgo, the Icarals sheltered among them. Will my warning about the runes reach them in time?