Page 46 of Shattered Crown

“Do.” Ash's smile turned predatory. “But don't take too long. The Winter Court makes their own offers, and Mab plays for keeps.”

He vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared, leaving behind the scent of summer flowers and possibility.

“Well, that was uncomfortable to watch,” Kai commented.

“Sometimes I wonder if your father was right,” she said quietly. “Not about his methods, but about the danger of depending on magic we don't understand.”

“You can't mean that.”

“Can't I?” She gestured to the reports covering his desk. “Look at what we're dealing with. Ancient entities, fey politics, magic that corrupts everything it touches. Maybe humans should stick to human problems.”

The conversation left Silas more unsettled than ever. He trusted Diana's judgment, had relied on her strength since this began. To hear her express such doubts shook his confidence further.

* * *

Sebastian had acceleratedhis timeline again.

Silas noticed a folded note on his pillow that hadn't been there moments before. The paper felt old, the ink slightly faded.

The forgotten heir awaits. Come alone to the Old Mill at midnight. Bring proof of your commitment.

“This is obviously a trap,” Kai said, reading over his shoulder.

“Obviously,” Silas agreed. “But it might also be our only chance to contact Nathaniel.”

“You can't go,” Diana protested. “We need you here for the legal challenge.”

“And Thorne needs help now, not in three days.” Silas made his decision. “I'm going.”

He spent the next hour writing detailed instructions for Diana, outlining legal strategies and fallback positions. If something happened to him, she would need to continue the fight.

“This is stupid,” Kai announced as Silas prepared to leave. “Which is why I'm coming with you.”

“The note said alone.”

“The note can fuck off.” Kai's grin held no humor. “You think I'm letting you walk into an obvious trap by yourself? Please. I've been saving your ass since we were kids.”

Silas didn't argue further. Truth be told, he was grateful for the company.

They slipped out of the palace using servant passages Kai had memorized years ago. The living bracelet pulsed warnings against Silas's wrist, but he pushed forward, driven by desperation for any advantage.

The Old Mill stood at the city's edge, a hulking shadow against the night sky. Once the heart of the city's grain production, it had fallen into disuse when magical processing methods were introduced. Now it served as a meeting place for those who preferred to avoid official notice.

As they approached, Silas felt layers of wards and protections, magic so old it had seeped into the stones themselves. The building remembered a time before the current conflicts, when magic and mundane coexisted more peacefully.

Inside, a single lantern illuminated a figure in a hooded cloak. They stood motionless, waiting.

“I said come alone,” the figure spoke, their voice carrying an accent Silas couldn't place.

“I don't follow orders from anonymous notes,” Silas replied. “You wanted to meet. Here I am.”

The figure laughed, pushing back their hood to reveal a woman's face. She appeared to be in her thirties, with features that suggested mixed heritage—human and something else.

“Fair enough,” she said. “I am Lyra, daughter of Nathaniel Ashworth.”

“I didn't know he had a daughter.”

“There's much you don't know about our family.” She gestured to a ritual circle carved into the mill's floor. “But first, you must prove your commitment to the old ways.”

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