Page 134 of Severed Heir

“I have nothing left to barter.”

“The shadow and flame will overload you,” Rok said smoothly. “I did you a favor when I siphoned part of your quell that day. I rather enjoyed your little gift.”

I scoffed. “Feel free to return it. I need it now that Archer’s lost his shadows.”

He twirled a sliver of darkness above my face. “It’s a vested quell, Severyn. Unique to the bearer. A dragon can only vest a quell once while bonded.”

My breath caught. “What does that mean?”

He grinned. “Figure it out.”

“These aren’t Ciaran’s shadows,” I said slowly.

“Archer siphoned some of his quell,” Rok confirmed, peeling open my palm. “And gave it to you.”

A trickle of shadow bled from my relic, slow and steady, like a rusted tap sputtering to life. It laced across my knuckles with astrange, familiar chill. I inhaled sharply as the cool weight settled around my skin.

“I’d call it a borrowed quell,” Rok murmured.

I propped myself up on my knees. “Can I give it back?”

He chuckled. “What fun would that make our little barter?”

“It’s late,” I said. “Don’t you have dungeons to haunt? Faces to punch?”

Rok didn’t move. The look he gave me held something far more dangerous than amusement. “When I take on someone’s quell,” he said, voice quieter now, “I feel the imprint of what it’s done. The misery it carries. Anyone joining leadership here? I test them. Their quells.” He tilted his head. “And I felt you in someone else’s.”

My blood ran cold.

“A certain guard,” Rok continued. “An ice-wielder used his quell to torture you.” He didn’t need to say Callum’s name.

“I was hoping he’d be dead,” I said flatly.

“Careful, Severyn. A blunt Serpent is rarely a wise one.” Then he turned on his dirt-caked heel and disappeared down the corridor.

Could I give the power back to Archer? It couldn’t be as simple as handing it over. Power didn’t work like that—or at least, I didn’t think it did. There was still so much I didn’t understand about the bonds, about the way quells worked, about what Archer had truly sacrificed for me.

And I needed answers.

“She won’t ever forgive me…”

Damien’s voice slipped into my thoughts so quietly, so unexpectedly, that for a moment I wasn’t sure it was real. I slammed my shield shut on instinct, forcing the bond closed.

But then it came again.“There was so much blood.”

I froze. “Damien?” I whispered, lurching upright.

I pushed off the cot and went toward the door, but the halls were empty. “Where are you?” I whispered.

“She’ll never forgive me. Severyn will never forgive me.”

He’d said those same words again and again. That I would never forgive him. But why?

I walked through the lantern-lit halls, peeking my head around a second corridor. I kept walking until I reached the Serpent halls, listening for the tether of the voice.

“She was onto me. I had no choice.”Was he talking in his sleep?

As I moved farther down the corridor, I focused, reaching out through the bond. “What did you do?”I asked.

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