A Kiss of Flame (Shadows Eternal #3)

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

L evian stormed into the vast archival library of The Towers an hour after leaving Trislana, startling several students in the process, and headed straight for the section on Dragon History and Customs. There had to be some loophole in their mating traditions she could uncover—something she could bring to Queen Eithne that would entice her to let Barith out of his mating contract.

She wove her way through the labyrinth of stacks until she found the section she was looking for. Levian pushed a rolling rack over to fill it with every relevant tome she could find, her heart pounding with urgency. As she piled the books onto the rack, a face popped up from beyond one of the stacks.

"Mage Levian!" Maria's voice rang out, cheerful and bright. "There you are! Someone told me they saw you come in."

Levian looked up and found Maria flying down the aisle toward her, the young mage’s blue hair bouncing with each step. Maria was fresh out of The Towers and had somehow managed to retain her bright and sunny disposition despite her time there. She worked as a Wizen Council clerk, so Levian was surprised to see her in The Tower’s library.

"Am I needed for something?” Levian asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

Maria shook her head. The young mage reached into her thick robe and pulled out a small brown box, which she held out for Levian to take. “This came for you this morning," she explained. “I meant to leave it on your desk back at Council, but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the chance to make it down to your office. I popped over to deliver a few other packages to Mage Tatiana before her class, so it’s my luck that you happened to be here.”

The Towers and the Wizen Council’s home office were connected by a portal accessible to specific staff, making it easy for the mages to traverse between the two if needed. Many of the professors of The Towers also sat on the Council. This had been the first time Levian had ever used the portal herself.

Levian had been given a tiny closet of an office in the basements of Council when she’d been issued her ambassadorship, but she never used it. She couldn’t imagine who would send her anything here except perhaps Gwendolyn. Levian had confided in Gwen about what she’d been going through with Barith, and her friend was just the sort to send her a thoughtful little gift to the Wizen Council to cheer her up. Levian took the package from Maria with a few words of thanks.

"I’ve never met a dragon before," Maria confessed, her tone curious as she looked over Levian’s choice of books. "But they seem pretty cool. One of the other clerks told me you were friends with a giant sun dragon and brought him here a few times."

“Indeed,” Levian replied coolly. She eyed the young mage, her patience wearing thin. “I’m sorry. Did you need something else?"

Maria blushed softly, her enthusiasm dampened. "No, sorry. I’ll leave you to your work." She turned to go, then waved with a wide smile. "Good luck with all the dragon stuff."

Levian shook her head at the silly exchange; she was truly beginning to feel old and looked down at the box in her hand. It was heavier than she’d expected for its size and addressed formally. It wasn’t in Gwen’s handwriting either.

Curious, Levian ran her nail along the tape sealing the box. The moment she did, her insides clenched, her instincts tingling with unease. Her veins filled with ice as she slowly pulled away the top and saw a small note sitting atop something at the bottom. She didn’t need to pull it out to read what it said:

Return what you stole to the place it all began.

Merlin will know.

Tomorrow at midnight.

Tell no one or his head is next.

Levian’s stomach fell to her toes as dread pooled deep inside her. Her heart slammed against her ribcage, her fingers trembling as she reached in and pushed the note aside. The end of Barith’s forked tail lay at the bottom of the box, wrapped roughly in a tear of bloodied fabric. Levian’s vision blurred with violet, her limbs going numb with horror. It took every scrap of power she had not to scream across the library.

Levian burst into Merlin's cell, her voice trembling with fury. "Where is it? Where is the place it all began?" she demanded breathlessly.

Merlin stopped scribbling notes at the table stacked high with books, looking up at her with a measured gaze. He put his pen down slowly, considering her outburst.

"Where?" Levian screamed, her desperation breaking through.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "If you expect an answer, you'll need to give me more information," he replied coolly.

Levian knocked over a pile of books, the sound echoing against the frigid stone walls. "They took him," she snarled, charging further into the room. "Vane took Barith, and he'll kill him. And if he does, I'll kill you!" Her voice rose, shrill with emotion, her entire body trembling. "Where is it?"

Merlin's expression turned grim as he looked up at her. "What happened?" he asked, his tone cold and controlled. "Start from the beginning."

"I don't have time for this!" Levian hissed.

"Levian!" Merlin bellowed. She reeled back, startled by the commanding boom of his voice. "I can't help you if you don't tell me everything."

She glared at him, hatred and mistrust churning within her.

"I'll take the abridged version," he added, his voice softening just enough. "Sit down and tell me what Vane has done."

Levian hesitated. She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to have to lean on Merlin for anything ever again. But Levian had no choice and no time to waste—only mere hours were left. She was too terrified to think straight, so she sank onto a stool, the weight of her fear pushing her down. She began to tell him all that had happened with Vane.

When she finished, Merlin sneered. "Vane is a fool. He always was."

He stood and began pacing before the small fire burning in his cell. Levian's eyes followed him, her rage barely contained. "Why did you send me there?” she snarled.

Merlin shook his head, not stopping his pacing. "I suspected Vane might be involved with the thieves you were after. I thought you would watch him, gather information, perhaps steal the ring if the opportunity presented itself—not recklessly barge in and get yourself captured and nearly killed,” he growled with admonishment. "I told you not to underestimate him."

Levian recoiled as if struck, shooting up from her stool. It clattered to the ground like a crack of thunder in the silence. "You could have told me!" she hissed, her voice raw. "You could have told me everything instead of playing your games. All you do is move us like pieces on your board! And now they have Barith, and—" Her voice caught, grief welling up and choking her words.

Merlin stopped pacing, his stern expression softening at her raw vulnerability. “Hugh and Artie have long known me," he told her. "We forged an agreement that they would never have dealings with you of any kind. When they sent you to me, I knew Hugh was up to something. The pixie lied to you because he wanted you to come here to see me. He’s clever and has been trying to find ways to contact me for years. You’re just his latest attempt.”

Levian glowered at him. None of this mattered. It wouldn't help her get Barith back. "I don't care," she spat. "Tell me how to find Vane."

"No,” he replied coldly, shaking his head. “You will only get yourself killed."

Without warning, she stepped forward and slapped Merlin across the face. The magicks of The Prison responded instantly, pressing upon her like an immense weight. Levian gasped as the pressure forced her back until she slid away from her father, and the unseen force relented. Merlin rubbed his reddened cheek, his cold eyes locked on hers.

"Tell me," she demanded once more, her voice trembling. Merlin said nothing. "I will not let Barith die!”

Merlin grimaced, his expression conflicted. He slid off his ragged robe and threw it over his chair, pushing the sleeves of his worn shirt past his elbows, revealing the intricate Elder Rune tattoos and carvings etched across his skin.

"I am a man of science," he began, his voice almost gentle. "I began to study the Dokk because I hated the idea that all of their knowledge, all their power, would be lost to history simply because others deemed it dangerous." He gestured to the runes along the middle of his forearm, tracing the carvings. "The shadow is not inherently evil but a primal power unlike any other. To wield it, you must conquer it. Vane is a descendant of the Dokk," Merlin explained. "His father's fae line carries their blood."

Levian felt a chill run through her, a shudder rippling down her spine. Not all the Dokk had been killed after The Fall. A few were said to have been taken prisoner by some of the fae kingdoms and cursed so they could never bear children. Levian had heard the rumors that some fae lines were touched by Dokk blood. She had dismissed them as gossip. Apparently, they’d borne some truth.

"You were right last year about Nestra, the Zephyr High Priestess," Merlin continued. "She had help wielding Dokk magick. Vane is clever enough but no mastermind. His blood is too diluted to wield much power. I never would have sent you to him if I thought otherwise. Whoever his master is, they are the true threat, and you are better off staying far away."

Levian shook her head, determination hardening her gaze. "Why did Vane take the ring from you when neither of you can use it?”

Merlin's gaze darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "You took it to Trislana," he guessed.

"I did," she snapped back, her frustration mounting.

He sighed, a touch of relief in his expression. "I knew you would."

Levian's fury flared again, her fists clenching. He could read her so easily, predict her every move. She felt like a puppet, every string pulled by him. "Why did Vane send me to you?" she demanded.

Merlin glanced at the stack of books she'd knocked over, then grunted softly. "To taunt me," he replied angrily. "I was studying the dryad ring, hoping to forge something like it to wield the shadow. I promised Vane a ring of his own if I succeeded, and he helped me with my research. But I refused to pay it when I discovered what it would cost—power and blood. Vane thought me weak and stole the dryad ring out of spite.”

He grumbled a dark curse. "Vane could have taken you instead of the dragon,” Merlin said, almost to himself. “He wanted to torture you and, through you, me. If I tell you where to find him, Vane will kill both of you. If I don't tell you, you will hate me forever for letting him kill the creature you love."

Hearing him refer to Barith as her love twisted Levian's stomach. His torment was evident, but she didn't care. All that mattered was saving Barith. "Tell me where to find him," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "Please."

Merlin's face tensed, his fists clenching at his sides. "You are better than me, Levian," he said, his voice heavy. "In every way. I shouldn't have sent you to Vane. You survived, and I won't send you to your death now, even if the result is you hating me more than you already do.”

Levian felt her hope crumble. She wouldn't find Barith in time without Merlin's help. "What do you want?" she asked, desperation lacing her words. "Name it, and I will get it."

Her father stilled, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her. Levian knew he always had a price. She saw the gears turning in his mind, calculating. Merlin searched her gaze.

“Do you love him enough to die for him?” he asked coldly.

“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.

“Is he worthy of such devotion?”

“Yes.”

“Would he do the same for you?”

Tears welled up, her throat tightening. "Yes," she whispered. He’d nearly gotten himself killed trying to protect her countless times and was covered in the scars to prove it.

Merlin shook his head, a conflicted sigh escaping him. "I will tell you where to find him under two conditions,” he ground out.

Levian's heart surged with hope. "What? Anything."

"When this is over, you will return to me," he demanded. "And you will double-cross Vane." Levian hesitated, uncertainty filling her.

"You were right," Merlin said. "I should have told you more before sending you to Vane. I won't make that mistake again. Vane will expect a double-cross—it's what I would do. You merely have to think steps ahead of him. You’re not as naive as the last time you faced him, but the location will give him an advantage.”

Levian narrowed her eyes. “You want me to trick him?” she questioned.

“Vane likely has spies in Council,” Merlin guessed, “so you’ll have to be careful there until this is resolved, or he may make good on his threat.” Levian’s stomach heaved. “This whole affair is messy and wreaks of petty vengeance, which means it’s likely Vane is acting beyond the scope of his master. It’s even possible he will be punished significantly for losing what you’ve taken if he doesn’t recover the items quickly.”

Levian closed her eyes, trying to push out visceral agonizing visions of Barith being tortured and in pain. She needed a plan, a way to outmaneuver Vane. She had nearly escaped before, thanks to a few pixie flash bombs. Vane wasn't invincible—He was arrogant. She could use that against him. A rough plan began to take shape in Levian’s mind.

"He may have spies in the Council," she said, opening her eyes, her voice steady, "but he isn't the only one with friends."

Merlin smirked at that and stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "And Vane seems to forget that even though I'm locked away in this forsaken place, unable to wield magick, I am still Merlin." He looked at her, his gaze fierce. "And I do not take kindly to him threatening my daughter or the dragon that holds her heart."