Chapter 50

Besieged by an immense Irvikuva horde in Yejedin’s tunnels, Dianna, Logan, and Neverra realize their escape stone is lost. Neverra urges Dianna to use the fragment of Kaden’s power she carries to open a portal. As Irvikuva herd them into a cavern, Kaden appears, taunting them and daring Dianna to choose vengeance.

Dianna erects twin walls of fire to hold back the swarm, but Roccurem’s warning about choice echoes in her mind. Confronted with the impossibility of both killing Kaden and saving her allies, Dianna chooses selflessness. She drops one wall, visualizes safety, and tears open a portal. Kaden lunges, but Dianna shoves Logan and Neverra through and falls after them into Samkiel’s arms on Rashearim as the portal closes.

Exhausted and wracked by voices, Dianna drifts in and out of consciousness in a restored palace that matches Samkiel’s dream-home. Awakening to find a cherished photo of Gabby he retrieved from Novas, Dianna storms into a kitchen where Imogen and Samkiel speak. Jealousy and anger flare; Imogen departs, and Dianna confronts Samkiel.

In a charged exchange of threat and desire, Samkiel reveals Dianna has burned out her powers. Dianna demands Roccurem; Samkiel refuses and challenges her fixation on revenge, pushing her to acknowledge unprocessed grief for Gabby. Their argument crescendos with Dianna’s slap and Samkiel’s vow to see her heal rather than self-destruct.

Samkiel informs Dianna she’s a criminal on both worlds and safer confined here than in a cell. He has rebuilt the palace for her safety and promises to return if she calls his true name, then leaves for several days to address the council. Alone, Dianna recognizes he has been sleeping nearby to watch over her. As she wrestles with isolation and conflicted feelings, Neverra portals in, alone, hinting at new urgency.