“But there are many others who seek shadowglass. We soon found it easier to fight against them under the guise of another Faceless. And so we adopted the moniker of Druj, ‘the truth,’ as oracles before me had. We have many followers among the Willows, Tea, silent and unseen. Althy is my most trusted confidant. We hope to invite you into that same circle.”

“She is right, Tea, and you know it,” Althy added gently. “Mykkie was too weak without her heartsglass, and we could not risk her health to enlighten her to our cause. But when you arrived, the oracle took one look at you and knew you were worthy. She is never wrong.”

“She is wrong. I failed.” To gain shadowglass, Kalen would have paid the price. Even if they could bring Fox back to life without killing anyone else, I would have refused from that alone. “I am not worthy. I never was.”

The oracle—Druj—sighed, and unseen voices sighed with her. “Most Dark asha do not pass one test, let alone two. That you have is telling. The trial for Duty grants one the power of foretelling. The trial for Honor grants expanded abilities. But the third—the third trial is Love, isn’t it? No asha has ever passed it. It was always the last test we choose. Perhaps, instinctively, we know it would be the worst of the lot.”

Kalen growled.

Druj ignored him and continued, “I know your strength. I was within the zarich’s mind when you explored it, and in your fear, you killed it for my sin. I know how powerful you can be, Tea. I cannot allow a millennia of efforts by Dark asha who have slaved and sacrificed to come to naught. I have lost so many to the cause, so many Dark asha have gone mad and withered trying to reach this moment. The prophecy will be fulfilled, regardless of what you believe. We are so close. We are so close! We have angered the Great Creator for so long. We will not allow you to prolong our torment.”

We were six on the azi: the Dark asha and I; Lords Kalen, Fox, and Khalad; and the Lady Zoya, who insisted on coming despite all opposition. The flight to Drycht was brief. We bypassed the populated cities of the desert kingdom: Rasha, Karinsha, even my once-home, Adra-al. There were no other civilizations to the east of the continent; a slew of mountains surrounded the dried lands, unfit for living for several thousand years. There was a reason they call Drycht “the Impenetrable Kingdom.” If the harsh, unforgiving sun did not bake you dry, then the absence of water, runes or otherwise, made death long and lingering.