Page 185 of Taken By Shadows

“Does Viverna have allies?” I checked, certain they did. But ones who would stand against the Crown?

Kaed growled into the tiny chamber, and it hummed with his anger. “Sapphine,” he ground out.

“What about her?” Celeste didn’t know she’d left the city for Gloriya.

“Her father controls a sizeable force in Gloriya. That combined with Viverna’s forces. And the faebane in Tymon’s mines.” Kaed’s voice faded into the shadows as the plans unfolded before us.

“And not to mention, if Eryk has been the one hoarding the sources from the library …”

What would Eryk want with a weapon source that was essentially inert without fae witch magic to awaken it?

“The more concerning question is who is this other person Eryk seems to be working with?” Kaed said.

“Eryk seemed certain they were powerful. Powerful enough to aid any plans he might have to plant himself amongst the council members?” My tongue soured.

“Eryk has always been ambitious,” Celeste offered.

I resisted the urge to shuffle my feet at the memory of what I’d felt last night.

Kaed nodded to himself, as if turning questions over in his head.

“Huxley didn’t seem to know who Eryk’s partner was,” I said, folding my arms in contemplation. “Could be a council member or another person who’s entered the game.”

“I can’t see Eryk getting far with the council,” Celeste said. “He’s well-liked, and he does very well when presenting cases. Everyone listens to him. But still.”

And then it dawned on me.

His power. How I always felt at ease around him. How I didn’t know how to say no to him.

“You said he could influence people …” I trailed off, turning to Kaed. “Could he influence the council to vote him in?”

The room went silent like the tomb it was.

And then a wet and rasping laugh filled the small chamber.

Huxley was awake.

He hissed through bloodied teeth as he tried to sit, but his broken limbs were useless.

“Eryk is probably already speaking to the council now, telling them how you kidnapped and attacked me. A son of the city. A son of a council member.”

“You are no son of mine.” Celeste turned from the cot, and my chest tightened for her. The room felt colder in the wake of her words.

“What is Eryk planning?” My voice was as sharp as steel. I finally felt the anger that had been waiting below the surface for what Huxley had done, what he’d tried to take from me. He didn’t know there was no magic in me. He’d have been content to drain me of anything I had. If Kaed hadn’t shown up … A mix of terror and abstract horror tumbled through me at how close he’d come to being submerged into darkness. It felt like there was liquid fire just under my skin. Fire that could burn through water and turn the stones around me to ash.

Huxley looked at me as though he’d only just noticed I was in the room with him. His eyes were alight with that same rabid hunger, only they weren’t wreathed in the glow of his magic anymore.

“What are you?” He echoed his words from last night, and I flinched at them as if he might throw a bolt of magic at me again. “I know you’re Auroran. Any idiot can see that even if they’re too afraid to say it to your face. But … your magic … it’s different.”

Stunned, I blinked. “I don’t have magic.” It was a reflex, but it felt false in the wake of what Huxley had said. And I wasn’t sure where that truth emanated from.

“Yes. You do.” Huxley’s words were drowning in his own blood.

But that got Kaed and Celeste’s attention.

Celeste shifted to look at her son.

“What do you mean?” I pushed. “Explain.” It was a snarl of a word as it left my lips.