Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3)(24)

The rebellious thought caused a sudden, intense pain to blossom in the center of his chest. Unlike the vague pang of guilt or regret, this was a literal pain, brought on by the obedience spell Melenia had placed on him to ensure his loyalty. He’d been fighting it for weeks now, but had recently found that it was unbreakable. He groaned audibly, relenting to it.

“Everything all right with you, boy?” Danaus asked, eyeing him warily.

“Of course,” he replied, steeling himself until the pain began to fade.

“Ignore him, Danaus, and let me tell you exactly who is guiding Xanthus,” Melenia said, her voice calm and even. “I’m already well aware of what’s been going on, and I know who accesses his dreams.”

His expression filled with wonder. “Who?”

“Me.” She smiled. A hint of wickedness flashed in her sapphire-blue eyes.

Alexius was beyond shocked. Why would Melenia share such a valuable secret with the immortal she’d professed to trust the least?

“What?” Danaus stepped forward, leaving little space between himself and Melenia. “That’s impossible. We elders can’t dreamwalk.”

“You can’t. But I can,” she said. “I visit the dreams of both Xanthus and the mortal King Gaius. They are both part of my carefully crafted plan. The king wants the Kindred for himself, so much that he’s willing to do anything, say anything, be anything to get them in his greedy hands. And it’s because of this greed that, out of anyone I’ve ever come across, he’s been the easiest to manipulate. Even now, he eagerly awaits my next instructions in another dream.”

Danaus’s eyes flashed with envy. “How is such a thing possible? You must tell me. To escape this place if only through someone else’s mind . . . I crave it.”

Of course Danaus would jump on any opportunity, no matter how immoral, that might benefit him. He didn’t even seem to care that Melenia had been keeping this secret from him until now.

“You really want to know?” she asked coyly.

“Yes. You must show me!”

A warning rose up inside Alexius and his throat tightened. He wanted to speak, but he couldn’t.

“All right.” Melenia took Danaus’s face in her hands. “Look deeply into my eyes.”

Don’t. Don’t do what she asks.

But Danaus’s lust for this skill transformed the justice-seeker who’d entered the room into someone just as blind and greedy as King Gaius.

“I’m surprised you never figured this out on your own,” Melenia said. “Then again, it was only an accident that I discovered it for myself.”

“Discovered what?” Danaus demanded.

“That Watchers are capable of pulling magic from each other to become more powerful. Power that lets us do all sorts of interesting things—including dreamwalking.”

Alexius’s heart began to thud, but the tearing pain in his chest kept him still and silent.

Danaus’s eyes lit up. “Show me how.”

“If you insist.”

Melenia locked into his gaze, and her hands began to glow.

“I feel it,” Danaus whispered. “I feel the power leaving me and entering you. Incredible. All this time . . . how could I not have known?”

“There is a catch, of course. There’s always a catch. If one takes more than just a taste, a mark is left upon the donor.”

Danaus winced. Alexius could see that he was beginning to feel the pain as his magic flowed into Melenia, weakening him and strengthening her. “Enough. Stop.”

“But, you see, that’s impossible. I’ve already taken too much,” she whispered loud enough for Alexius to hear. “I don’t want to leave you to suffer and fade. I am doing you a favor today, my friend.”

Alexius’s fingers dug into the soft padding of his chair as he watched Danaus begin to glow, his face convulsing.

“Stop!” Danaus cried, the pain most likely excruciating. “Please, stop!”

“I’m grateful for your sacrifice, Danaus. The magic I’ve stolen from other immortals is meager—but you, an elder, an original like me—you have so much more to give. I’ll use this magic well when I’m finally free from this prison.”

He screamed as his body was swallowed up by blue-white flames, and, finally, Melena stepped back from him, watching as he disappeared in a flash of light that turned Alexius’s vision stark white.

Danaus had existed for millennia, and here he was gone—forever—in mere moments.

“That was incredibly satisfying,” Melenia said, sliding her hands through her shimmering hair.

This wasn’t right. Melenia had to feel at least a sliver of remorse, and if she didn’t, she was even more of a monster than Alexius suspected.

It wasn’t too late. Alexius would find a way to get to Timotheus and tell him what had happened here. He and Melenia were the only original elders left.

She had to be stopped.

Pain wrenched through him at the thought.

“Now, where were we?” She fixed her gaze upon him as he sat stiffly on her chaise. “Ah, yes. Phaedra. You believe I murdered her because she knew too much?”

Her eyes blazed so brightly that he thought they might overflow in a sea of sapphire power.

She was more dangerous than he’d ever seen her, and he couldn’t help feeling fear.