Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
I shift in my chair. “No.”
“It means a mortal cannot be forced into the Temple of Elphar to retrieve it for a sorcerer. The mortal must willingly enter, and they must trust the sorcerer who presents it to them. If it were the case of any person being able to get it, the tome would’ve been taken a long time ago. But no.” Seferin waves a finger in the air with a sly smile. “This person has to be there because their whole heart desires to be. This person has to have more hope in their heart than fear, and even less hatred. The tome sought the blood of a mortal who cares for others much more than they care for themselves, just as Azidel’s wife had.”
I frown, confused.
Sensing my confusion, Seferin continues.
“Azidel’s wife was a selfless woman, if you didn’t know. She risked her life in order to spare Azidel’s so he could have enough time to secure the tome in the temple before Xaimur could come for him. He succeeded because of her sacrifice. And all this time, you were the perfect match to her.” Seferin provides a wicked chuckle. “If there is one thing about Valkor, he has always been the perfect student. Always the one to understand the most complex situations and remember the tiniest of details. Great at getting people to trust him, too. After all, we let him roam freely among us, just to have him turn around and slaughter nearly half of our guild.”
Seferin appears next to me again.
“Well, I don’t care about Thane or the tome. You can have it,” I tell him. “Just please let my sister go. I’m willing to do anything for her.”
I avoid his eyes as he pushes some of my hair back in a gentler way than I expected. Then he runs his cool knuckles over my cheek.
I turn away.
Not yet.
Seferin scans me with his devious eyes, a hint of curiosity burning in his vision. “I should take back what I said. You’re no simple mortal at all,” he murmurs near my ear. “You are exactly what I need to elevate my status in Thelanor even more. You are what I like to call the perfect source. Your sister should never have been the one I kept in my dungeon.”
He snaps his fingers. “The cell is unlocked. Bring Analla to me,” he orders.
Maliek brushes the seductive girls off and rushes them out of the room as he goes.
Seferin places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a possessive squeeze. Now that I know her cell is unlocked, I don’t brush him off. I straighten in my chair as he gives me a thorough observation. A chill slides down my spine at the sight of his faint smile that hardly reaches his cold, emotionless eyes.
Something about this situation amuses him far too much.
All the while, I’m counting how many seconds he keeps his hand on me.
It’s been seven seconds now.
I sense he’s about to pull away, so I grab his hand and hold it in mine, softening my gaze. “Thank you for this,” I say, clinging to him. “For showing her a little mercy.”
Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven—
He says nothing in response, just stares down at me with all-consuming eyes. Then he snatches his hand away.
Does he know I’m bluffing? That I don’t actually have the tome?
Eleven seconds. That’s how long he touched me.
With the mindflare, I send another thought to Thane. Now.
Several minutes later, Analla appears with Maliek gripping her by the hair. In her hand is the liphanet crystal.
“Analla!” I push out of my chair and dash her way, but Seferin rushes in front of me, holding me back with a solid hand.
“Before you reunite, I need you to take the crystal, Zaira, and bind your soul to it.”
I stare at the crystal briefly before eyeing him.
“Take it.” His smile fades, and his nostrils flare. “If you want your sister to live, you’ll take it. But you must know that once you have it in your hands, you will become my source. You won’t die, I’ll be sure of it, but you will become weaker over time as I draw from you. You will become the mortal who strengthens my magic. You will fuel the land I reign in. After all,” he sneers, “the braver the heart, the stronger the magic.”
“But can’t you get that kind of strength from the tome?”
“I could…but why bother when you’re right here?”
I look from him, to Analla, to the crystal.
“You’ll let her go?” I ask.
He gives me a subtle nod.
“Zaira, don’t.” Analla steps away with the crystal and holds it close to her chest. “I won’t let you do this.”
“Analla, I’m doing it for you.” I move around him to grab her arm and give it a gentle squeeze. “You heard him. I won’t die.” I swallow, peering at Seferin. “Will I still get to see her, at least?”