Twenty-year-old Tarquin is smart, tactless, and braver than he knows. He's also been Mage of the Realm of Kelor for two years, taking the title from his mother after she died protecting Kelor from a terrible threat. Mages, unlike all other magicians, give their blood in exchange for far more powerful magic. Unfortunately for the Mage of the Realm, there's always the chance one day Kelor will need magic of such potency that a mage will have to give not just their blood, but their life. Tarquin's mother already made this sacrifice, and Tarquin knows it's likely also his fate. While on a quest to heal his brother, who is dying because of Tarquin's reckless mistake, Tarquin is attacked by a horrific, flesh-eating monster. He's saved by an enigmatic and mute young soldier, called "Five", who is cursed with a terrifying appearance that conceals the heart of a knight. There's an almost instant attraction between the two men, but no time to explore it. The monster's attack is the harbinger of a new invasion. With Kelor helpless, the realm's only hope lies with Tarquin. Just as he feared, his sole choice is to sacrifice himself the way his mother did, in exchange for magic strong enough to destroy the coming evil. He's prepared to give up his life to save the realm, but before the battle is over, he'll be faced not just with his own death, but the death of everyone he cares about. Including the cursed soldier he's come to love.

Blood for Magic

“At worst,” Tarquin repeated. “Mages are more powerful, too. I can do things you can’t. Like making daylight or cleaning up disgustingly filthy transformed shields or whatnot. Or, um, verifications,” he went on, hoping Prea didn’t ask about the cleaning. “But there’s a price for it. Only the best magicians can become mages. And only if we’re willing to pay.”


“The recompense is the same. You just need more of it, that’s all,” Tarquin said. He looked away, swallowing. “You know what happened when I didn’t pay enough.”


“I saw the result of a mage’s belief that the gods demand violence and pain,” Prea countered. She put her hand on Tarquin’s arm, stopping them in the hallway and making him look at her. Her midnight eyes were beseeching. “It’s wrong. No magic should need that kind of recompense. Especially one ending in death. It’s…” She flattened her lips as if at a loss for words. “To me, that feels like the antipathy of magic. Like something evil.”


Chapter 38