Page 185 of Heir of Broken Souls

“Gods, that bitch really went under the radar for centuries…” Harlow’s words taper off as she frowns. “Who were the royals before her? Her parents? Did she…kill them and take their place?”

“How did no one know any—” My words die on my tongue. “Mind control. It’s all one giant web of lies. It’s why the island was sunk by dark magic, to hide the truth and history that occurred here. And when they wiped the minds and changed the face of their queen to fit Phoebe’s, they also got rid of everyone’s memories of the governing island.”

Knox shakes his head, stunned beyond words.

“At least we know their true faces,” Elysia offers. “Peter will be hard to kill because he doesn’t seem to like wearing his true face, but Phoebe…she’s still wearing her true skin.”

“But how do we get an entire continent of people away from her?” I say with dread. “There’s no scenario where we get them to safety without them knowing. There are guards stationed everywhere, so the second we try to move people she’ll know.”

“Not to mention her spies litter the lands,” Axel spits with disgust.

Knox straightens. “Then we kill them both, before they see it coming.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sigh. “I’m all for killing them but the moment we kill Phoebe, Peter will pounce.”

“I want to be the one to take his twin from him.” Axel’s jaw ticks.

A smirk blooms along my cheeks. “And I’ll be the one to slit his throat…again,” I add.

“All this death and dark magic is giving me a headache,” Harlow groans, rubbing her temples. “First things first, let’s get back to Lenox, the griffins, and the pod, and formulate a plan on the ride home.”

“Harlow’s right, it’s too much to digest right now. We need?—”

“Time that we don’t have,” I say, cutting off Elysia.

She winces but doesn’t refute what I said.

As everyone moves out of the room, I can’t help but peer down at the book still swirling with the memory. Before anyone can stop me, I grab it, snapping it shut as I clutch it under my arm. Turning to the bookshelf behind me, I grimace.

There are dozens upon dozens of dark magic books. I’ll never be able to?—

“Angel?” Knox asks, startling me.

Placing a hand over my beating heart, I heave. “Gods, don’t sneak up on me. Not in this place.”

He’s sheepish for a moment. “Sorry, Angel.”

Waving off his apology, I turn my gaze back to the bookshelf housing the dark magic books. The spines along them display numbers and endless series, all connecting to one. To the right, a golden egg-shaped ornament holds the stack of books up.

It can’t be no bigger than my palm, it must be true gold to be able to hold up such hefty books.

Gods, Hazel was right. It is a collection…or perhaps she knew all along.

“We should take them all. Look at what happened when they fell into the wrong hands.”

Knox nods in agreement. “It also wouldn’t hurt to know what spells and curses we’re working against.”

“I don’t think we can bring them all, though,” I admit.

Before I can say anything further, Knox snaps his fingers, a black smoke-like shadow trailing from the sound. In an instant, the whole bookshelf vanishes, leaving only the egg-shaped ornament. Knox bends and picks up a handful of small pebbles. The books.

Oh, right. He can shrink them.I shake my head in wonder. “I’ll never get over that.”

Knox shoves the shrunken books deep into his pocket before placing a finger against his lips.

Let’s keep this between us.

You don’t trust someone among us?