Page 128 of Severed Heir

“…I warned Andrias about that woman. Nothing but a scavenger chasing a legacy…”

Then I heard Victor’s.

“Damien deserved better. It’s my fault. All of it. I should’ve known Fallon would spite me the moment she offered that marriage.”

“She’s here,” Damien urged. “Keep going.”

The voices swelled again, louder and sharper until my skull throbbed. “She’s not here,” I gasped. “I can’t find her.”

Archer touched my shoulder. “You’ve put her through enough.”

Damien flinched. “She has a voice, you know.”

I raised a hand, silencing Archer without looking at him. “Let me try again.”

I inhaled and pushed deeper, past the noise and bitterness, searching for something softer and familiar.

Then, through the scatter of voices, I found hers.“She looked stunning.”Three words. Only three, but they cracked something inside me.

I opened my eyes. “That one. That was her.”

Damien blinked, grounding himself. “She’s near the Iron Wastes, where Verdonia ends. She’s been gone for weeks, but she’s alone now. If we don’t go soon, we’ll lose her.”

“The edge?” Archer asked. “We have no protection out there.”

Damien turned to him, gaze sharp. “You have no protection. No dragon. No quell. Best you stay behind.”

“I’m not leaving her,” Archer snapped, stepping between us. “Not with you.”

“We’re safer together,” I said.

Damien shrugged. “Fine.”

“I’ll portal us.” I turned to Archer, lifting my hand.

Archer placed a steady hand on my shoulder. “You should rest, Severyn. Change first.”

“I want out of this damn country,” I snapped, sharper than I intended. “And I made sure this dress was short enough to run in.”

He paused. “If your mother’s working with the Forgotten... this could be deadly. Are you sure?”

“This is half of me, Archer. I need to know. If I don’t find her now, I might never know who my real father is.”

His gaze searched mine, doubt flickering behind the concern. “And if it’s worse than you think?”

“Then I’ll face it.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt. “At least I’llknowwho I am.”

And suddenly, it all made sense. Why no griffin ever called to me. Why I failed Winter initiation. Why the cold always cut too deep.

Father knew. Heknew, and still sent me to that academy, knowing I’d never claim his title.

Archer’s brow furrowed as he faced me. “You’ll need to picture the western edge where Malvoria meets the cliffs. But not inside Malvoria. Just beyond it. You have to be precise.”

“So… the outskirts?” I asked, already trying to summon the memory when Sabitha dropped me off.

He nodded. “Ash remembers where it’s been. If your flame touched that land before, it’ll take us there. That imprint is the only way to portal without dropping straight into a death squad.”

I slid my hands into his, grounding myself. “This doesn’t seem so difficult.”

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