Page 38 of The Last Guardian

Zaidkiel sneered at what I had said and returned to his seat in front of me. “Magic was never corrupt in Perygan. And it was not sent by Keraneethians.”

My brow furrowed. “Why did the High Mages send magic to Myrh then?”

“They did not send it to Myrh.” He leaned his arms on his knees. “Magic had always been a part of every land in Erath. Perygan, Keraneeth, Zurah had it. It was the fabric of the world. Just like the oceans, the stars, the sun, and the moon. It flowed through the trees, through the rivers,” Zaidkiel explained in a low voice. “The powers that held the border didn’t come from them. It was never theirs to begin with.”

“Where did it come from then?”

Zaidkiel’s face took on a grim look. “They ripped it from the continent, drained every last drop to feed their precious border.”

I scoffed. “You expect me to believe that? The High Mages would never⁠—”

My heart stopped.

No.

No, he was wrong. The Great Council saved us; they helped us, they⁠—

Lies, lies, lies, lies, a voice echoed in my soul.

“That’s impossible,” I whispered. “They built the border to save us, not to drain us.”

“Save?” Zaidkiel repeated with a scoff. “You really think that’s what this was about?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

I should not believe him, but after what Haedeon had done to me…

“But… why?”

“Power, of course,” the commander said. “Now every person on this continent can be controlled by them. No one can protect themself from the High Mages. And they raised the border because the Keraneethians were stronger than they were.”

“How do you know all this?” I narrowed my eyes at him with suspicion.

“I have good sources.” Zaidkiel shrugged.

I glanced at the ceiling, puffing. “And you expect me to believe you without proof?”

“I don’t care if you believe me or not.” A low growl rumbled in his chest. “That’s the truth. You can do whatever you want with it,” Zaidkiel said, his eyes lingering on my neck. “The proof you seek is visible on your neck.”

Your blood sings to me.

The two holes his teeth left on my skin.

My fingers touched the two scars. “Just before he… bit me…” I flinched at the sound of that word, “Haedeon said my blood was singing to him.” I couldn’t meet his gaze as I spoke.

“It’s one of his strange tricks. The High Mages have the power to manipulate people through blood, nightmares, or bones. Their powers are constantly expanding. Whenever I’m in the same place as him, I do everything I can to avoid being in the same room.”

Hells! Had Haedeon drunk the blood of other people in the palace? Of my brothers and sisters? Had he manipulated the king?

I frowned at Zaidkiel’s last remark. I was certain I’d seen them both in the same room.

“You were at the first ball. Haedeon was there too,” I pointed out.

“I arrived only after Haedeon left.”

“He wasn’t going to do anything in front of the people—” The realization grew in my mind at what he had hinted, and I added, “Haedeon knows your face? He knows who you are, doesn’t he?”

Zaidkiel glared at me. A warning not to dig deeper.