“The worst part is those things I just mentioned are not the worst part. Every living creature on either side of the Veil will be destroyed long before Vol Karoth sates his hunger. The worst thing isn’t Vol Karoth and it isn’t the demon hordes—it’s a flaw in the universe. And every minute and every second, that flaw grows a little larger. It won’t stop until our entire universe is ripped apart. And that is our real enemy.”

Qown shuddered. He looked down for a moment at Kihrin, at Thurvishar—both still unconscious. He tried not think about Janel and how the fight up above was unfolding. She’d never forgive him.

That is, if she survived.

Relos Var’s expression softened as he smiled at Qown. “Do you really want to help me? It won’t be easy. People will die. You will be forced to make difficult choices.”

“I’m making one right now.”

“True.” Relos Var looked down at Kihrin’s prone body. “Ah, little brother. You should have listened to your instincts. The mistake you and Janel made—even after you knew I controlled Aeyan’arric—was being unable to imagine why someone would unleash a dragon—and then show you how to kill him. You couldn’t imagine anyone using a dragon as bait.”

Var continued, “Morios only slept under Lake Jorat because I asked him to do this for me about, oh, three hundred years ago. He didn’t wake because of any prophecy. He woke and attacked Atrine because I ordered him to. Naturally, it was no coincidence that it only happened now, after you’d found Godslayer. Urthaenriel is the only weapon I know that could safely shatter a control beacon, and you performed your role perfectly. Truly, I have missed you.”

“Uh…” Qown fidgeted. “You know he can’t hear you, right?”

Var rubbed his chin. “I make it a point to never correct an enemy’s mistakes when they can hear me.”

“But wait,” Qown said. “If the prophecy wasn’t about Morios…”

A flicker of disappointment crossed Relos Var’s face as Qown failed to grasp what he thought should have been obvious. “In the twentieth year of the hawk and the lion, beneath the silver sword, the sleeping beast’s prison shatters. The dragon of swords devours demon falls as night takes the land.” He waved a hand. “I told Duke Kaen the entire quatrain centered on Morios, but I lied. That part about the dragon of swords refers to Morios, which is obvious. And easy enough to orchestrate. So what does the rest of the quatrain really mean?” His tone turned into something appropriate for the classroom.

Qown bit his lip. “I don’t know.”

Relos Var gestured for him to continue. “Do better.”