Page 29 of Song of the Heart Scale
“I saw a death with no shadow,” he whispered. “No echo. No last breath. He died… and the room didn’t notice.”
Chills traced my spine.
I looked down at the chains. “Who locked you in here?”
Malachar looked toward the door. “Ask the one who wears the crown.”
My jaw tightened.
He suddenly gripped my wrist with surprising strength. “They think I don’t know, but I do. I saw a flame snuffed before it burned its brightest. I saw a throne left warm by a dead man’s weight. I saw three brothers, and only one walking away.”
“Tell me plainly,” I hissed.
“You must walk the path in shadow, Damien. Because if you walk in light, they will see you—and they will kill you for what you find… and for what you are.”
I stood and looked down at the bed, at the emperor’s still, pale face beneath the silk. At the cooling, sacred place where power had died and something else—something wrong—had taken its place.
I squatted down to be at eye level with the seer. “When is the next thunderstorm?”
Malachar laughed and threw his head back. “You think you can escape? The Immortals are not happy, boy. The punishment is about to begin.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about? Stop talking in riddles, Malachar!”
He finally turned to me and met my gaze. “You are the one true king, Your Highness. I told His Majesty before his death. I told him about the vision I had, about the devastation that would be brought upon Elaria if we continued on this path.”
I swallowed. “You had a vision… aboutme?”
He nodded. “The Immortals were not happy with the emperor for his mistreatment of you. They wanted retribution. To make up for it, His Majesty was going to name you Crown Prince.”
I couldn’t hold back my startled gasp. “What?”
“His death was no accident, Your Highness. Andyouare the one who is in danger now.”
“What kind of punishment will Elaria be forced to endure?” I thought about the innocent people who would be left to deal with the repercussions when I left.
“Famine was the first plague I saw. It will begin when the usurper takes the crown,” Malachar calmly stated.
“That’s tomorrow.”
“Then you don’t have much time, boy.”
I couldn’t stop the rites even if I wanted to. It was happening and everything was already in motion.
“I can’t stop it, Malachar. What do I do?”
“You are the one true king, Your Highness. Only you have the answers.”
I snorted and stood. “Don’t give me that! You worked with my father… or myso-calledfather, to take away my fate. None of you wanted me on the throne, and now all of a sudden I’m supposed to believe you all do? I don’t buy it.”
A faint clink of chains as he shrugged one bony shoulder. “Believe what you want, Your Highness, but running away to another world won’t help the mess you leave behind here.”
“Why now? Why did you change your mind now? You’ve been helping my father all this time. It doesn’t make sense!”
Malachar sighed. “The Immortals have been quiet… until now. Damien… you can’t run away from your fate.”
He was right. I knew he was right. I just didn’t know what to do.
“Do you want me to help you escape?”
