Page 110 of This Vicious Dream

Haldrik nods, shoulders slumping. “One of her advisors is fae. The first time I met them was when we docked in Ambrelis. They made me take a blood vow. I was given a list of things I was to do if I ever saw Calpharos. The moment I saw you with him, I knew.”

My head whirls. We were so, so careful not to tell Haldrik we’re searching for the grimoire. And yet he’s known who Calysian is this whole time.

“How?”

“I saw the darkness in his eyes.” He shakes his head at me. “You were right that day. Calpharos will still be alive when all of us are dust.”

Rage ripples through me. Since the moment we met Haldrik, he’s been plotting and spying.

Panic replaces the rage, my stomach churning as a grim knowledge sinks in. Calysian is still weakened from pouring his power into Fox. The action that saved my life may now end his.

“What’s your plan, Haldrik?”

Haldrik shakes his head at me. “You’re trying to buy time. It’s clever, Madinia, but Calysian isn’t coming back.” He reaches into his pocket and I tense. Something flashes silver in his hand and he drops an oval stone onto the ground between us. An otherworldly glow spills from it, as if it holds captured moonlight.

My breath catches. I want to cup the stone in my hand and ponder it. I want to crush it into a million pieces and bury it.

The impulses clash within me, until I’m frozen in indecision.

Haldrik lets out a hollow laugh, and it takes all of my willpower to rip my gaze from the stone.

“Evenyouare caught in it. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“What is it?”

He shrugs. “Vicana gave it to me. It’s from Calpharos’s world. I was told when I came across the dark god, I was to make sure this stone was near him at all times. Vicana must have been working with a seer. She knew we would meet.”

My mouth is so dry, I can barely speak. “What—what does it do?”

Haldrik smiles. And it’s still that familiar, kind smile. “The weaker Calpharos is, the more difficult it is for him to fight against his true self.”

And he’s been fighting against thattrue selfsince Haldrik joined us. Calysian was doing everything he could to stay human, while I was pushing him away, furious that thegrimoirewas stealing him from me.

But it wasn’t the grimoire at all.

This is why Calysian seemed like he was back to his normal self two days ago at the river. And it explains why Haldrik was so furious that he’d gone to bathe without him.

I’d lashed out at him for ignoring me, accused him of only noticing me because I was naked. But it was because Calysian was no longer in the vicinity of that stone.

Haldrik stayed by his side the entire day, ensuring his stone was close. So close, something within Calysian snapped, and he left. Alone.

“I’m sorry, Madinia. But I’m at the mercy of the blood vow.”

“Where is Calysian going?”

“Toward his grimoire. And Vicana.”

Terror rips a hole in my chest. Calysian is still nowhere near full strength, and Vicana has witches and fae and regiments of soldiers.

I have to get to him.

Haldrik shakes his head at me. “You’re too late.” Sadness gleams in his eyes. “Sometimes, we just have to accept our mistakes.”

“Accept this.” Fire sweeps from my hands, and I shove my flames at him until I’m dizzy. The smoke clears, and Haldrik bares his teeth in a feral grin, his ward flashing between us.

Suddenly, I remember Carix teasing him for more than just his alcohol tolerance.

Haldrik is half fae.

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