d louder than u

th Wing and whispering through the cracks beneath the doors. Peach Reigns stood at her balcony, staring

d changed si

uld fe

ed by a cryptic message sealed in black wax. He'd given her no explanation, only

n't seen

ater, the castl

nsettling way. This

quieter than normal. And a strange smell-something

rning, Peach no

few drops. But by midday, she saw it again-along the banister of th

Red. Un

lowed i

-

quarters wer

, faces drawn. One girl, no older than fifteen, was scrubbing at th

nelt be

bled

ed around before she whispere

e c

found in the lower cellar. Mo

ood chille

a fever. But we

rough voice barked from the s

stomped down the stairs an

"I asked her

master here,"

rward, slowly. "

d stiffly. "Apologies, L

she said coldly, "

n't re

person who's fallen ill in the last week

ve it pr

ow

rned back to the girl,

mn

n at the stain

ks of something darker, thicker-veined

sn't

-

ch stormed into D

ire, hands clasped behind his back.

told me," she sai

you

ople are

t turn. "They a

no fever, Demetrius. Som

oment, then turned t

inked. "

s. I was trying to contai

t is it,

Older than the keep. It seeps through cracks

lls are

said. "They're

mach droppe

said. "But whoever it is,

-

, Peach sat in t

inforce the old magics. Alric was gathering reco

mpire bloodlines she could find. Most were useless

nd in cracked leather.

aphine N

d through

nd made her

ad the l

ag

curse. It wa

reachery. To lies. To w

in-was causi

lose to D

ose t

-

, the journal pressed to her chest,

lley was thicker than

forest near the outer

dragging a bundle of cloth

eaned f

gure p

ery slowly-li

ts face. But she f

vanished int