Chapter 33

Kaden surveys the foundries of Yejedin as Irvikuva and machinery churn out weapons and the dead march into molten pits. Tobias confirms their chaos in Silver City helped and leaves to gather more iron. Kaden asserts that events are proceeding to plan: keeping Dianna and Samkiel preoccupied until he can seize both.

Kaden portals to an obsidian chamber and communes via a shadowed dais with a powerful king beyond the realms. They discuss the fracture caused by Dianna’s sister’s death and the danger of Dianna and Samkiel being drawn together. Kaden proposes a loophole to the ritual that would normally kill Dianna, arguing he can preserve part of her as another Ig’Morruthen. The king tentatively agrees: if Kaden opens the realms, he may keep Dianna.

Pressed about his spellcaster, Kaden admits Santiago is dead. The king dismisses Santiago and orders Kaden to bring Camilla instead. The king mentions Isaiah handling a minor problem and tells Kaden to ignore the Eye and focus on opening the realms, warning him not to fail again.

Kaden then recalls the past: training Dianna to feed without killing, admiring her power and the coin she gifted him. Tobias and Alistair confront him about his attachment, insisting she must be shaped into a weapon. Accepting their rebuke, Kaden chooses cruelty over affection, initiating years of manipulation.

He remembers the decisive night he broke Dianna—letting her find him with another lover, then asserting ownership and reducing her to a tool under threat to her sister. After that, Dianna’s warmth died and she became his weapon.

Back in the present, Kaden pockets the coin, vows to make Dianna love him again once Samkiel is removed, and remarks the ritual’s spell only needs slight meddling. He addresses Azrael, the Celestial of Death, who stands captive and silent, before striding out to continue his plans.