Page 90 of Crown of Ashes and Desire

"We should begin immediately," she said, already reaching for the manuscript with the original ritual. "If your father suspects anything, we'll need to be prepared."

Her practical approach surprised me—I'd expected resistance, not collaboration. Then I realized: this wasn't about trusting me. This was about survival, and about the child she'd risked everything to save. I'd given her something she hadn't had in the past—a choice, an alternative to being a sacrifice. And Ada had always been a fighter, not a victim.

"The light realm has legends," she said quietly, her fingers tracing the intertwined figures in the manuscript, "about the time when shadow and light worked in harmony. My father spoke of them as children's tales. I never thought…" She glanced up, meeting my gaze with cautious determination. "If there's even a small chance this is true, I have to try. Not for you—but for what both our realms could be."

"Yes," I agreed, joining her at the table. "Six days isn't much time, but it might be enough."

The shadow realm's future—and our own—depended on it.

Ada

Istood outside the great hall of the Shadow Court, listening to the low rumble of male voices discussing battle strategies and troop movements. A meeting I hadn’t been invited to, despite our supposed truce. Despite the fact that these plans directly affected the light realm—my home.

My light magic sparked irritably at my fingertips. Six days into our agreement, Hakan was already reverting to type, making decisions without me, keeping me at arm’s length except when he needed something. With only two days remaining until the solstice ritual, we couldn’t afford such divisions.

Enough of that.

I pushed open the massive doors without ceremony. Conversation ceased instantly as every head turned toward me. Six shadow lords sat around a vast obsidian table covered in maps and tactical markers. Hakan stood at the head, hands braced on the table’s edge, his expression darkening at the sight of me. Only Sarp, lounging in a chair near the far end, seemed unsurprised by my entrance.

“Lady Ada,” one of the shadow lords began awkwardly. “This is a private?—”

“A private meeting about Midas’s forces moving against the light realm,” I finished for him, and strode forward. “Which, last I checked, directly concerns me.”

Hakan’s jaw tightened. “We were discussing troop movements, not policy. There was no need to involve you.”

“No need?” I laughed, the sound sharp in the cavernous space. “You’re planning military action that affects my homeland, and there’s ‘no need’ to involve me? I may have been away for weeks, but I’m still a representative of the Light Court, daughter to its former ruler. These are my people you’re discussing so casually.”

The shadow lords exchanged uncomfortable glances. They were an imposing group—all ancient bloodlines and barely contained power. Under different circumstances, I might have been intimidated. But I’d spent the past five days studying ancient texts with Hakan, preparing for a ritual that might kill us both. These men’s disapproval seemed trivial by comparison.

I pulled out an empty chair beside Sarp and sat. “Please, continue. I’d love to hear your strategy for dealing with Midas.”

Hakan’s eyes narrowed, cold fire dancing in their depths. After a momentary standoff, he resumed his briefing. “As I was saying, Midas has positioned three hundred troops along the southern border of the light realm. Our intelligence suggests he plans to move within the next forty-eight hours, exploiting the power vacuum left by Gün Ata’s ascension to the celestial realm and the Light Court’s transition period.”

I flinched at the casual mention of my father, dead these past five years. The shadow lords noted my reaction with predatory interest.

“And how, exactly, did Midas learn of our movements so quickly?” Sarp interrupted, and leaned forward. “This is the third time his forces have anticipated our strategies.”

An older shadow lord cleared his throat. “We may have a breach in our intelligence networks. Midas has been unusually well-informed.”

“All the more reason for caution,” Hakan continued. “Our plan is direct but effective. A strike force will infiltrate their command post tonight, eliminate their leadership, and sow enough confusion to force a retreat.”

“Eliminate?” I interjected. “You mean assassinate.”

Hakan met my gaze steadily. “I mean prevent an invasion that would cost far more lives in the long run.”

“And who, exactly, comprises this ‘small strike force’?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Myself, Sarp, and four of our elite shadow warriors,” Hakan replied. “We move within the hour.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said.

The words dropped into the room as stones into still water, creating ripples of shocked silence. Hakan’s expression shifted from annoyance to something harder.

“No,” he said. “You’re not.”

“We have an agreement,” I reminded him, and kept my voice level despite the anger building beneath my skin. “Complete access to all information, all plans. No more secrets. I’d say a military operation against Midas falls under that umbrella.”

“Access to information, yes. Participation in high-risk combat operations, no.” Hakan’s tone left no room for argument. “You’ll remain here, where it’s safe.”

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