The artwork above is not mine.

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"The runes found within the chamber were unfamiliar to me," Amren began. "Mikael and I scoured that book," she pointed to the black tome, "to see if there was anything in it that could help. We also found several sheets of loose paper that conveyed the runes and a few spells for imitation necromancy."

Estelle found her mate's hand once more. The shadows were surprisingly silent, for once, so she could hear what was being said without any distractions. She glanced at Nyx from the corner of her eye. He was still glaring at Tamlin, fists balled on his legs. Cassian gripped his arm just above the elbow, holding him in place.

"Imitation necromancy?" Jurian raised an eyebrow. "Is that different from regular necromancy?"

"It is," Vassa replied, glancing at Amren. Amren inclined her head and waited while Vassa explained. "Koschei studied a few different forms of necromancy during my time as his prisoner. Imitation necromancy is considered the easiest form, but it's also the deadliest."

"It requires the magician to use their own energy, their own bodily strength, to reanimate and control a corpse. They are connected to it. Anything that affects the corpse will affect them, to an extent. And they can only resurrect someone they killed themself, though I never learned why."

"The more corpses they have under their control, the weaker they become. A piece of them dies every time they bring someone back. They could eventually become their own undoing, if they don't limit their use of this power."

"They look like the corpses they resurrect too, don't they?" Estelle asked. "Ze'ev did. He was practically a skeleton, with pale skin, black protruding veins, and entirely black eyes. Even his scent changed. He smelled of death."

Vassa nodded. "There are several sublevels of necromancy that are above Imitation," she continued. "But, given the description of the corpses that have been spotted and Melantha's own appearance, you can tell she uses a pure form of necromancy."

"What does that mean?" Tarquin asked. "How can she raise the dead without consequences?"

"Because she isn't relying on her own strength to do so." Vassa's blue eyes glittered as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "The highest form of necromancy Koschei ever studied was referred to as Sanguis. Bloodshed."

"I've heard of that," Viviane said, knitting her brows. "Wynter talked about it before he was kidnapped."

  Guilt jolted across the Bond. Estelle squeezed Mikael's hand tighter as he opened his mouth to speak. Vassa continued before he had the chance. "Using Sanguis gives a necromancer power over a body by using its blood to connect to it."

"I don't think I like where this is going," Jorah murmured.

"But the blood must be inside the necromancer's body. This can be accomplished in different ways. Some accounts said necromancers would fuse the blood with crystals and sew them into their skin. Others would dip blades in the blood and carve themselves up, sending it into their bloodstream. Most, however, found that drinking the blood gave them more power over the body."

Estelle blinked, Ze'ev's words echoing through her mind. Her lips are stained for a reason, and she is not truly bloodless. Mikael glanced at her, as though recognizing her thoughts.

"I think Sanguis is the form of necromancy Melantha uses," Vassa surmised. "How else could she have control of so many victims without killing herself in the process?"

"It makes sense," Amren agreed. "I was able to transcribe the papers we found, and one of the spells was for Sanguis. I interpreted a few of the runes by cross referencing them with similar ones that I understood, until I found a way to translate them."

"The runes cast wards that prevented anyone but the person who carved them from using magic in that area. Magic of any kind." She fixed her gaze on Estelle. "Shadows. Mating Bonds. Siphons. Even the powers of a High Lord." Her silver eyes flickered towards Rhys.

"But they were also a protection device. There was no necromancer in that chamber when we arrived," Amren continued. "The corpses stored there were connected to the runes. When we entered, they were controlled by the magic in the runes and were meant to kill us or drive us away. It was their blood the runes were soaked in."

"Ze'ev couldn't have done that," Mikael said. "It must've been Melantha." Amren nodded.

"So?" Tarquin prompted. "What does all of that mean?"

"It means that Melantha has moved her forces into Prythian already, and she's able to control them from a distance," Thesan replied. "It means we must prepare for an attack."

"What about those who were kidnapped?" Viviane asked.

"I'll work on a way to locate Melantha," Mikael promised. "She must be hiding them somewhere outside of Prythian. Keeping them here would be too risky."

"We'll summon our armies and secure our Courts," Kallias added. "We have to stop her from stealing more of our people."

Rhys glanced at Jorah and Devlon, then said to Vassa and the other Mortal Queens, "If the Mortal Lands need additional forces, the Illyrian Legion can be sent to aid you."

"The Peregryns as well," Ameer volunteered with a nod from Thesan.

The Queens bowed their heads in thanks. "We will rally our own forces and send for yours if they're needed," Vassa replied.

Helion, Larilis, Lucien, and Elain rose. "We all know what to look for," Helion said. "We know what threats are around us now. We must keep each other updated on any new information we find. When we have a way to locate Melantha and the prisoners, we'll meet again." The rest of the group stood, voicing their agreement. One by one, people began to depart from the room.

Estelle sighed wearily, resting her head against Mikael's shoulder. "That went better than I expected," Thesan chuckled.

"It could have gone much worse," Eris agreed, drifting towards them, accompanied by Keitha and two generals. "Do you really think you can locate Melantha?" He fixed his gaze on Mikael.

"I'll do what I can," Mikael replied.

Eris studied him silently for a moment. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." He spun on his heel and left, Keitha and the Generals trailing after him.

Estelle spied the nervous looks Rhys and Thesan exchanged. "What is it?"

"The look in his eye," Rhys answered. He glanced at Azriel. "Follow him to the Autumn Court. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Azriel nodded. He hugged Estelle briefly before leaving the room. "Why does he need to follow Eris?" Mikael asked.

"Because Eris only looks like that when he's about to kill someone," Cassian replied. "My money's on Tamlin."

Mor shook her head. "Not Tamlin. He's going hunting. He's going to track down Melantha's forces in the Autumn Court."

"And do what with them?" Feyre asked. "They're dead. They probably can't speak without Melantha's permission, and even then, I'm sure she speaks for them. He can't torture information out of them."

It was Nyx who answered. "That's not the point. The point is to kill them and send a message to Melantha. A message to Evren. He is coming for her." Nyx shrugged away as Feyre touched his shoulder. "I share the sentiment." Feyre reached for him again, but Nyx stormed away. Mikael glanced at Estelle. She nodded and they followed him out of the conference room.

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They caught up to Nyx in the hallway and fell in step on either side of him. "I don't want to talk," Nyx muttered.

"Then don't," Mikael replied. "Walking doesn't require talking."

They mounted a flight of stairs and turned down the hallway. Nyx exhaled sharply, his breath shaking. "Do you think Melantha knows about the baby?"

"Do you want us to tell you the truth or say something that will make you feel better?"

A shadow of a smile crossed Nyx's lips. "Both."

"Then, I'm sure she doesn't know about the baby yet."

"But it won't be long before Venelia's scent changes. There won't be any hiding it then," Estelle pointed out.

Nyx sighed again, scrubbing at his face. "What am I going to do?"

"Everything you possibly can." Estelle gripped his shoulder, and he didn't pull away. "Search the torture chamber for more clues. Find Melantha's corpses and follow them. Maybe they'll lead you somewhere. I'm sure she has to come to Prythian to resurrect more victims."

"Maybe they take bodies to her hideout, wherever it is," Mikael added. "One way or another, we'll find her and everyone she's taken. We'll figure it out. Venelia will be safe."

Nyx lowered his head. "I hope you're right."

"Venelia will be safe?" Tamlin growled behind them. "What do you mean will be? Where is she?"

They paused, facing the High Lord. Talons had already grown from his fingernails. Nyx glared at him, anger flooding his eyes. "Where is my daughter?" Tamlin took a step forward. "You bastard, what have you done?"

Estelle's shadows poised to strike. Her gold siphons, and Nyx's sapphire ones, flared with power. Mikael tensed, his hand falling to the dagger sheathed at his thigh. It was a struggle to keep himself from recoiling at the word bastard.

"I never understood how Venelia could still love you after everything you've done," Nyx snarled. "After what you did to Prythian and your Court. The way you treat others. My mother and father. Me. Yet despite your fits of rage... Despite your controlling, manipulative nature... Despite your attempts to keep her secluded and keep us apart, Venelia still loves you. For her sake, I've tried to look past your faults and respect you. Why can't you do the same?"

"Where is she?"

"Taken by Melantha. Last night."

"Why wasn't I informed?"

"You just were." Nyx turned away, then paused, his shoulders slumping. "We didn't want to tell you until after the meeting, so you wouldn't be distracted."

"We?"

Nyx faced him once more. "I tell you this only because Venelia would want you to know." Tamlin narrowed his eyes. "She's pregnant."

Tamlin lunged at Nyx with a roar. He tackled Nyx to the floor, talons hovering mere inches from his face. Estelle's shadows were already moving, forcing Tamlin's' hands away from her cousin.

"How could you let this happen?" Tamlin demanded. "How could you let that bitch take Venelia? How could you consent to a baby when you know that any revolting child of yours will kill her? I should never have allowed her to leave with you! I should have kept her in the Spring Court where she was safe!"

Mikael kicked Tamlin off Nyx, power crackling to life within his veins. "Enough, Tamlin. It wasn't Nyx's fault. Venelia is capable of making her own decisions, and she was no safer with you than she was here, or in the Night Court."

Tamlin stared at him in shock. "No one is safe in the Night Court. No one ever has been and no one ever will be." He faced Nyx once more. "She is doomed to die because of you! You fucking spawn of a bastard and a whore!"

Nyx snarled with rage. Mikael ducked between them, flaring his wings out to block their sight of one another. "Enough! Return to the Spring Court and prepare your forces. You are no longer welcome in the Dawn Court." His voice dropped to a growl. "If I hear you speak one more word like that against Rhysand, Feyre, and Nyx, I will personally throw you off a balcony and let you fall down the mountainside."

"You're a bit young to be choosing favorites, Bastard Lordling," Tamlin scoffed. "This is not your Court. You have no authority..."

"I think you'll find that as Heir, he does have authority," Estelle interrupted. "And Thesan would trust Mikael's judgment and agree with any decision he makes."

Tamlin looked between the two of them. "Two halfbreeds. One a bastard, and the other a slut. The future of the Dawn Court doesn't look very bright."

Mikael slammed into Tamlin, driving him against a wall and wedging his forearm against the male's throat. Tamlin retched, talons sprouting from his nails once more. Mikael raised his free hand and strands of radiant light wrapped around the High Lord's wrists, holding them in place.

"I will not forget this, Tamlin," he seethed. "You may disrespect me to your heart's content, but if you ever speak to my mate like that again, I will rip your throat out with my bare fucking hands." He forced himself to back away. "Get out."

Tamlin rubbed his throat ruefully, glaring at them as he retreated. Mikael measured his breaths, letting some of his anger abate. He returned to Nyx and Estelle. He found Nyx with his back pressed against a wall and his head resting on his knees. Estelle knelt beside him, worry shining in her eyes.

"Tell me they'll be all right," Nyx whispered. "Tell me my mate and baby are not going to die."

"They won't," Estelle and Mikael replied in unison.

"I don't believe you."