Page 33 of The Stygian Crown

Kara tried it, squeezing out a fresh drop of blood and touching the rune. The lid popped open again.

“Some blood mages carry around vials of their blood so they don’t have to bleed themselves all the time, but that’s lazy. A good way to lose your blood to someone else and end up being their human power source. Never forget that your blood is your power. Scars are nothing to be afraid of. My master barely had an inch of scarless skin on his body by the time he died.”

Kara chewed her lip. Hopefully her assailant had used all of her blood on the shadow spirit.

Salizar shut the lockbox and bent to put it back in the cabinet, and Kara snatched it out of his hands. She carried it to the sink beside his bubbling potions table and wet her sleeve with some water, using it to scrub her blood off the box. She’d have to burn this shirt later.

Salizar broke into a cackle. “You're learning.”

“Whose grimoire did you give me, by the way? It’s full of notes and customizations.”

“An old copy that was found in the castle. There're no notes in it, though. Have you been defacing my book?”

Kara frowned. “I must have been mistaken.” Had he given her the wrong grimoire by accident, or was he unable to see the notes for some reason? She’d have to inspect it further.

* * *

Night fell upon the castle,and Kara made her way to the belfry, dread creeping through her stomach. The bell tower shot up toward the sky like a megalith on the horizon. There were no guards outside, and someone had snuffed all the lights along the path. Either the servants or whoever awaited Kara in the darkness.

She kept her right hand on the hilt of her dagger as she walked through the tower’s awning entrance. She didn’t want to stab Thomas, but she was prepared to defend herself if he wanted a fight. Would he have backup? Darkness closed around her as she walked deeper within the stone edifice. The door slid shut behind her with a shudder.

Kara scanned the shadows for movement, but her night vision was weaker since she’d taken the demon’s drip. Shadows crowded around her, and she hunched her shoulders.

Someone circled her. She could sense them lurking in the shadows, just out of reach, but her body moved like mud when they lunged at her.

Hands grabbed her out of the darkness, wrapping around her mouth. Her scream came too late.

Hard warmth surrounded her, blocking her arms. Lips brushed against her ear.

“This isn’t how I’d imagined our reunion.”

Logan. She resisted the urge to melt against him in relief.

“You smell different,” he growled against her ear. “I don’t like it.”

She squirmed against his hold, and he released her. She hated herself for wishing he’d held on longer.

“Having to resort to accosting women in the dark already?”

“As I recall, you were invited.”

“I came to meet Thomas. I wouldn’t have come if I thought you’d be here.”

“I know.”

“Whyareyou here, Logan?”

“I heard your conversation with Serena. When you were planning to tell me you’d been attacked? That your identity was compromised?”

“I’m surprised you took notice over the princess’s chortling.”

His shadow stopped circling her. “You’re jealous.” He had the audacity to sound genuinely surprised.

“I’mangry.”

“Because she rode your horse?” he scoffed.

Rage boiled up in her chest, clean and pure. “You insult me, Vakarian.”

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