“He’s the closest he will ever be to living.”

The oracle sighed, and from somewhere unseen came the sound of a chorus echoing her soft lament. “When shadowglass is created, with lightsglass and darksglass fused together, on the day you pluck the First Harvest from its sacred tree, your world as you know it shall end.”

“But I have no intention of using its—”

“What you intend does not matter. The Faceless have long hungered for shadowglass; they have cannibalized Hollow Knife’s words, bent and shifted them into their own making, so that his teachings matched their greed. Like Blade that Soars, they will take the magic left by the Creator and gift it onto themselves without thought. What they do not understand is that wearing seven daeva in their hearts will be worse than darkrot, and they will die from too much of the Dark before the year is out.

“The elders only seek to control, to incite fear in the hearts of those who wish to seek it out. The very thought of a world after shadowglass sends fear down their spines; it curdles their blood as it once did Vernasha’s. They were content to let the Faceless squabble over their share for as long as they retain hold of its secrets. You tread on dangerous ground between both, Tea.”

She had never called me by name before. “Are you telling me not to seek it out?”

“Use shadowglass to become like Blade that Soars—or follow Hollow Knife’s path. There is no middle ground, Tea. There is only a choice, and not even I know the right path to take.”

“I cannot live like this.” It was hard not to sound desperate. “I cannot live a life like Mykaela’s, forever sacrificing herself for a world that would not have blinked an eye at her death. I am selfish. I am not the compassionate woman she is. Sometimes I feel she is far too kind for her own good. I will serve the kingdoms, but not at the cost of my health. I do not want to wait until I am feeble and weak, able to do nothing but wait as the magic eventually takes its toll. I want the right to enjoy my old age as much as I do my youth. I want Mykaela to have that right. It is not fair.”

“When she was a young girl your age, Sakmeet came to me, just as distraught. She shared your fears, your hurt. I saw the same visions of her as I had of you. But while you control the azi, I saw her harnessing the zarich. Daeva can be gentled with lesser consequences to your heartsglass.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”