I stalk up to the rebel group and lower my voice, so only a few of them sitting closest to me can hear. “You’re going to see just what my witchcraft can do.” With one final pulse of magic, I squeeze the plants harder around them before turning away and pinning the Velmaran spy in place with another web of vines.

As I approach him, his expression betrays his absolute terror. I look directly into those bronze eyes, menace in my hard gaze. “The only reason you aren’t dead where you stand is because I saw you helping the injured. Be sure you give your Prince all the details of what happened today. I want to make sure he knows who he’s spying on.” The male’s jaw drops, and I revel in the moment as his throat bobs with a swallow.

I prowl closer, stopping just inches away. I lower my voice. “Send Prince Hawthorne my regards and tell him that if I ever catch any of you spying on me again, I’ll kill you. This is your only warning.” With the threat lingering in the air, I aerstep from the room, tightening the tendrils that hold the rebels in place as I go.

Hawthorne

Thayarian ale should be carefully consumed, especially by those unused to its potent blend. Because of the recent isolation of the kingdom, Thayarians have had to become inventive to secure the things they used to import, such as alcohol. Their ale is created by water and plant channelers working together to ferment the grain quickly, and the thayar flower is used to amplify the process even further. This results in a unique flavor and the ability to knock even experienced drinkers on their arse with just a few pints.

A Brief History of Modern Thayaria

“She’s fucking powerful,” Fionn repeats for the third time. He came running back to our apartment, slamming the door behind him and looking at me with a terrified expression I’ve never seen from the warrior. Silene and I listened in stunned silence as Fionn relayed what happened at court. Some rebel group attacked, but before they could do any serious damage, Laurel stopped them.

“Some of her power made sense,” Fionn says. “The first dagger thrown at her exploded into shards, indicating metal channeling. She just broke the blade apart, though she did it quick as a whip. I would have had a fifty-fifty shot of pulling that off. And the wind, light, and water cyclone that circled them also could have been regular channeling, as were the plants that ensnared the group. It would confirm that she has an affinity for all the known conduits. But the way she made those weapons just… disappear… It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”