We only have grape juice.

Thats fine.

Anything else? Something to eat, perhaps?

Lucia felt a twinge in her belly at the suggestion. Yes, that would be wonderful.

Sera glanced over at a full table of loud men, who Lucia now realized were all dressed in identical green uniforms. Apologies if Im a bit slow to serve you tonight, she said. Im the only one here, and I need to make sure our other guests are well taken care of. Its probably a good idea that we keep them drunk and happy, dont you think?

I suppose. Lucia eyed the men with curiosity. Who are they?

Sera turned to her, surprised. Its only been a few days since you were last here. Surely you must know about the Kraeshians.

Lucia snapped her gaze to Seras. Kraeshians?

Sera nodded. Were now under a Kraeshian occupation, with thousands sent here to enforce their laws upon all of Mytica, including this little forgettable village. These men arrived here yesterday.

Sent by Emperor Cortas? Lucias chest grew more constricted every moment, until she was having trouble breathing.

Sera raised her brows. These soldiers told me that the emperor and two of his sons were killed by a rebel whos been captured and punished for the crime. Only his daughter, Amara, survived. Shes the empress now of Kraeshia . . . and Mytica. At least, until her brother Ashur returns from his travels, they say.

Lucias heart nearly stopped. She gripped the side of the table so tightly that she was sure she would break it in two.

She fought to control the emotions storming within her. The worst thing she could do now would be to blow her cover by losing control of her magic and causing damage shed have to pay for later.

And where is the king? Lucia managed.

I dont know.

Lucia remembered boldly revealing her magic in front of the Kraeshian princess, but Amara had acted so very calm about it. Encouraging, even. Lucia had determined shed deal with any ramifications of confirming the rumors about her magic the next time she saw the girl, but she hadnt seen her again.

And now Amara was empress.

Something was terribly wrong, and she needed to know what had happened to her family.

Sera, Lucia said, pushing past the fog of shock in her quest for answers, have you heard anything about the prince? Prince Magnus?

Im afraid news is scarce here, but with all this fresh blood in town"Sera smiled over at the table of Kraeshian soldiers"were getting some information. Apparently, the prince tried to steal the throne from his father while the king was away in Kraeshia. I heard he was put to death for treason, along with his new wife.

For several long moments, all Lucia could do was stare. No, she finally uttered, her voice cracking as she did.

Sera frowned. What?

He cant be, she gasped. He cant be dead. Lucia lurched to her feet, her chair screeching against the floor as she did. I need to find him"my father. Find my brother. This isnt right, none of it. And nobody knows the real danger thats waiting. No one knows how much trouble everyones in.

As she muttered frantically, the table of soldiers began to look up, one by one. Soon shed gained their full attention, and a few of them got up from their table to come to her side.

Is everything all right over here, miss? one of the soldiers asked. He was the largest man in the group, with gray-blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Everythings fine, Sera answered quickly, nodding and smiling tightly as she did. Dont mind her, shes just very weary after a long journey.

The soldier ignored her, focusing only on Lucia. You didnt come here with plans to give the empress any difficulties, did you?

The empress. The thought of Amara having both Kraeshia and Mytica under her little thumb made Lucia sick to her stomach.

Difficulties? she said through clenched teeth. I hope not. But that depends on how quickly you and your empress decide to leave Mytica and never look back.

The guard laughed and glanced at his compatriots. Im sure you alone are going to make us leave, yes?

Gently, as if wary of startling a beast, Sera touched Lucias arm. Please sit down, she whispered in her ear. Ill get your meal. These soldiers have been very kind to us so far, and theyve promised that Empress Amara will make sure that the future will be bright for Paelsians. The empress appreciates our wine, and she has a plan to start exporting it overseas. Soon we will all become as wealthy as Auranians!

Promises, Lucia said tightly. Silly promises, nothing but words. You know what else is made up of words? Lies.

Little girl, the soldier told her, do what your friend suggests and sit back down. Were under orders to detain anyone with rebel tendencies. I dont think you want that, do you?

A dark chuckle came from the back of Lucias throat. Little girl, she repeated, sneering. You have no idea who youre dealing with.

The soldier laughed too, leaning down to get right in her face. I know exactly who Im dealing with. A mere child whos clearly had too much wine. Im going to give you one more warning. Sit down, and we wont have a problem.

Lucia squeezed her right fist, ready to summon fire. She would burn these insolent men to ashes and wouldnt bother to warn them.

This kingdom belonged to the Damoras. Not to Amara Cortas.

Sera wrung her hands. Please, do as he says. Sit down and cause no more trouble.

You think this is trouble? I havent even begun to cause"

And in one quick, violent burst, a sharp plume of pain exploded from Lucias core. She cried out, believing at first shed been gored through her middle, and her deep wails burned her throat as she clutched at her stomach and dropped to the floor.

Whats wrong? Sera gasped.

My"oh, no. No! Lucia screamed, the sudden agony now far too much for her to bear . . .

And then the world fell to darkness all around her.

When Lucia woke, she was in a dark room, lying on a firm cot. Sitting in the chair next to her was Sera, holding a cool cloth against her forehead.

Lucia tried to sit up, but failed. Her body was weak, her muscles as sore as if shed just attempted to trek across three kingdoms in a single day.

Sera eyed her with worry. I thought you were going to die.

Lucia stared at her, the horrible knowledge shed gained in the tavern coming back to her in sharp, jagged pieces. Im still alive. I think.

Oh, youre alive all right. And youre damn lucky, too. When the Kraeshians arrived yesterday, there was a man"a Paelsian who patronized the tavern almost nightly"who stood up to the occupying soldiers. Guess what they did to reward his bravery? They drowned him in a bucket of water. The rest of us arent so foolish.

Lucia stared at her, horrified. This is wrong. Those soldiers"Amara"they shouldnt be here. They cant be here. I need to stop them.

I think you have more important things to think about. Like finding that friend of yours?

She eyed the girl warily. How do you know finding him is so important to me?

Sera sighed, then took the damp cloth away. She placed it on the side of a basin, then reached for a glass of water, which she brought to Lucias lips. Momentarily forgetting her suspicions about Seras preoccupation with Kyan, Lucia drank eagerly, grateful to be able to gulp down the cool liquid, which tasted like life itself to her parched throat.

I understand why you might be angry with him, Sera said. Men are stupid and selfish. Theyre not the ones who need to be responsible. They can have their fun with whomever, then wander off to the next girl who looks at them twice.

Trust me, Lucia said with a weak scoff, it wasnt like that with Kyan.

Sera took the empty water glass away and put a fresh cloth back on Lucias forehead. So you just magically found yourself with child, did you?

Lucia stared at her, mouth open in shock. How do you"?

How do I know? Sera laughed nervously. I helped you into bed. I removed your robes so you wouldnt overheat. The condition youre in would have been obvious to a blind man.

Lucia stared at her a moment longer, as Sera reached down to press her right hand to her belly. She looked down at Seras hand, and as she took in the silhouette of her body covered in the canvas bed sheet, her eyes widened.

The last time shed examined her stomach, it had been flat, and her gradually fading magic and morning nausea had been the only signs of her pregnancy.

But something had changed in the time between finding Kyans crystal and entering the tavern. Because what Lucia stared at now, with horror in her eyes, was that very same stomach, but it was no longer flat like it was when shed left the Sanctuary.

Instead, what she looked upon now was a great swell at her middle, an impossibly large belly. And it belonged to her.

CHAPTER 11.

JONAS.

THE SILVER SEA.

Slowly, light returned to his world, and Jonas opened his eyes. Olivia stared down at him, her eyes warm and welling with relief.

Im glad to see youve finally returned to us, she said.

He groaned and stretched his arms. How long was I out?

Four days.

His eyes shot wide open, and he sat up with a jerk. Four days?

She grimaced. You werent unconscious the entire time, if that helps. There were times when you woke, delirious and flailing about.

No, that actually doesnt help at all. Jonas jumped up from the cot and stumbled to the mirror. The strange spiral, much more intricate and detailed in its design than the simple symbol for air magic, was still there. Hed hoped it had just been a bad dream.

I have the mark of a Watcher, he said.

So, you know what it is.

Phaedra had one. The Watcher whod sacrificed her immortal life to save his had proven who and what she was by showing Jonas her mark. Hers had been different, though. It had been the same shape, but it had been a mark of gold that swirled and moved upon her skin as if to prove its magical origins. And I know you have one too.

I do. Olivia opened her cloak just a little to show him the edge of the golden mark upon her dark skin. Hed only seen flashes of it when shed changed into her hawk form.

Jonas turned from the mirror to look into her emerald eyes. Im not going to beg you, Olivia. Im simply going to ask you to please tell me more about this, about the prophecy there is about me. Ive tried to deny its reality, but now I need to know. Whats happening to me? Am I . . . He grappled to put his thoughts into words. Am I turning into one of you?

The thought was so ludicrous that he wanted to retrieve his words after hed spoken them. But what else was he supposed to think?

Olivia twisted her hands, and for a moment, he thought she might try to escape, to turn into her hawk form and fly away to avoid his questions. Instead, she sighed and came to sit on the edge of his cot while he stood tensely by the porthole.

Not exactly, she said. But you are a rare mortal indeed, Jonas Agallon. One touched by our magic at two very vulnerable times in your life"both when you were moments from death. With me, when I healed your shoulder, and with Phaedra, after youd been stabbed by the Limerian soldier. You dont know how rare that is.

Those were two moments in his life hed prefer to forget. Perhaps not. So tell me.

I was there when Phaedra gave her life for yours"as a hawk, I watched from the top of another tent.

His took a sharp breath in. You did?

She nodded grimly. I watched with horror as Xanthus ended her life, watched her turn back to the magic were all created from. And I watched as some of that magic entered you, only moments past the point when you would have died without her intervention.

I . . . I didnt feel anything.

No, you wouldnt have. You shouldnt have. And it wouldnt have made any difference at all if not for the fire Kindreds own magic rising up nearby. It worked to strengthen Phaedras magic within you. But that wouldnt have been enough for this to happen. Olivia nodded at his mark, which he now scratched absently. I used earth magic to heal your shoulder when you were, again, on the brink of death, and I watched as you absorbed it like a sponge absorbing water. That magic has remained within you, joining with Phaedras, just as Timotheus foresaw.

Jonas tried to understand, tried to deny this, tried to stop his heart from beating like the wings of a trapped bird within his chest. But then it suddenly occurred to him that he shouldnt want to deny such incredible news.

I have elementia within me, he said, his voice raspy. That means I can use it to fight Kyan and to cast Amara away from the shores of Mytica. The more he considered this possibility, the more excited he became. I need to go above and tell the others. They must be so confused about what happened"what I did to Felix. But this is amazing, Olivia. This will make all the difference in the world.

He was a witch! A male witch! He had denied the existence of elementia and those who wielded it all his life, yet now he had this very magic at his fingertips.

Olivia caught his arm as he made for the door. Its not that easy, Jonas. Timotheus didnt foresee you as a practitioner of magic, only as a vessel for it.

A vessel? Impossible. You witnessed what I did. I threw Felix across the deck with . . . air magic, yes?

Thats true. But that was an anomaly. It was merely a sign that this magic within you has matured, and that expenditure of energy alone rendered you unconscious for four days.

He shook his head. Frustration stirred within him, eating away at his excitement. I dont understand.

Olivia loosened her grip on his arm. I know, and I apologize for your confusion. Timotheus keeps his knowledge very close, since he doesnt trust many immortals, not even me. He hasnt even shared the extent of your prophecy with me for fear that Id tell you and youd try to avoid it. Her jaw clenched. Ive already said too much.

He groaned. You say just enough to drive me mad with curiosity and dread.

You cant tell anyone about this.