He frowned at her. “How is it you’ve managed to mature so much in so little time?”

She almost laughed. “Don’t sound so confused by that.”

“The new life growing within you must have made all the difference in helping to change the childish, spoiled behavior and previous tantrums I’m more accustomed to with you.”

“Timotheus, such compliments. They will go to my head.”

He let out a soft snort of amusement as they approached a set of gleaming golden doors. Timotheus pushed them open to reveal Melenia’s chambers.

Lucia gaped at the sight of the expansive room, the same size as the one in which she’d met with Timotheus. But that room was stark and barren of any personal touches. This one was just the opposite.

It felt like walking into the chambers of a queen in the finest palace. There was a regal seating area in the center of the room with soft white velvet lounges. Overhead a crystal chandelier sparkled, catching the light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the room. Lucia looked down as she walked, taking in the intricate floor made of silver and inlaid jewels.

There were flowers in every color imaginable, as fresh as if they were picked that day. They peeked out from a dozen large vases placed upon glass tables throughout the room.

Lucia walked past all of this grandeur to the far wall. It was overlaid with a checkerboard pattern of silver and glass. Etched into the silver tiles were the elemental symbols—a simple spiral for air, a triangle for fire, a circle within a circle for earth, and two parallel wavy lines for water.

“A shrine,” Timotheus explained. “Many immortals have one in their homes so they can pray to the elements.”

“I’ve heard that some old witches do the same,” Lucia mused, brushing her fingertips over the symbol for fire.

“Not exactly the same,” he said. “But similar.”

“Melenia prayed here to Kyan, wanting him to return to her.”

“I’m sure she did.”

“And he was able to speak to her, in her mind, telling her lies. Making her promises that they’d be together when he was released if she helped him.” Timotheus didn’t reply to this. He didn’t have to. “I hate that I feel even a little bit sorry for her now that I know how Kyan manipulated her. It was so much easier just to hate her.”

“Don’t feel sorry for Melenia. She could have fought harder against him.”

“How do you know that? Perhaps she tried and failed.”

“Perhaps,” he acknowledged.

Lucia touched the other elemental symbols. “Have the other three Kindred ever been released?”

“Not to my knowledge. Not in a physical form, anyway.”

Had Alexius known any of this? she wondered. He must have come there to meet with Melenia. This was where the beautiful elder had told him what to do. He’d been corrupted with her words and magic right here in this very place. Yet Alexius had fought in the end.

Lucia wanted to believe that he had fought from the very beginning.

“You told me Alexius was your friend,” she said.

“Like family to me.”

“I haven’t said this before, but I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“And I’m sorry for yours.”

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, trying to focus on something else. She placed a hand on her stomach. “I’ve been thinking about what to name the baby, and I’m struggling to find something that fits. I want to choose something strong, something worthy. A name my son or daughter will come to appreciate as they grow older.”

“You have plenty of time to decide.”

“Yes, I suppose I do.” Lucia absentmindedly picked up a small golden chest sitting on the nearest glass table. It was about the size of the jewelry box Lucia had found in Princess Cleo’s Auranian palace bedchamber. She lifted the lid to see a shining golden dagger lying within. She picked it up and studied the blade.

“Is this what Melenia used to carve the obedience spell into him?” she asked, breathless.

In one smooth motion, Timotheus plucked the dagger from her hand, put it back in the box, and closed the lid.

“It is,” he said, looking down at the box with a furrowed brow. “If I destroy it, I worry that would release the dark magic trapped within. I should put it somewhere else, somewhere no one will ever be able to find it again. The worlds will be safer that way.” He paused. “Are you finished looking around? I assure you, there’s nothing to find here except unpleasant memories and regrets. I would know better than most.”

Lucia exhaled shakily and nodded. “I’m finished.”

“Then I will have Mia show you around the city. After my unexpected announcement, my fellow immortals will want to see you again before you must return to your home.”

As if by magic—and Lucia had no reason to believe it was because of anything else—Mia was waiting for her at the base of the tower. She already knew what Timotheus had suggested. Mia appeared nervous. Despite however many centuries or millennia old she might be, she seemed younger than Lucia herself. Lucia gave her a warm smile.

Mia smiled back and, taking Lucia’s arm in hers, accompanied her outside.

While the pressure of finding Kyan when she returned to Mytica weighed heavily on her mind, Lucia was curious to learn more about this city and its occupants—including what immortals did to pass their time.

She took in the sights around her as they walked. A couple dozen Watchers were crouched on the ground. They worked diligently, creating an expansive piece of art directly on the mirrored city square by placing tiny colored crystal fragments in intricate patterns.