Nadira nodded, dropping her head for a moment. “I did not know they had brought her back into this world.”

“You knew about this?” Chrysabelle threw her hands up. “What’s being done?”

“Nothing,” Nadira answered. “We knew, but there was no sign they would bring her out of the Castus plane and back to the mortal one. You know this for sure, that she’s been seen?”

“She killed one of Tatiana’s soldiers.”

Nadira peered at her, uncertainty in her eyes. “How do you know this?”

“It came from Tatiana’s mouth. She told it to someone who wouldn’t lie to me.”

“Who is that person?”

This was going to go over big. “Malkolm.”

Nadira’s lip curled. “The vampire who twice dared breach my sanctuary.”

Chrysabelle jabbed a shaking finger at Nadira. “The second time it was to save my life. I should kill you myself for what you did.” She took a breath, forced herself to calm down. Yelling at the Aurelian wouldn’t accomplish the task at hand but it might start a fight. “And in case you’re wondering, I found Damian, no thanks to you.”

“It was not my place to help you. Those records are sealed for a reason.”

Stupid, worthless… she took another calming breath since the first one hadn’t worked. “Are you going to raise the comarré forces?”

Nadira turned and pulled a large book off the shelf behind her, then sat and paged through it. At last, she looked up. “No. This is not the time.”

A muscle in Chrysabelle’s jaw spasmed in anger and she realized that the fear the Aurelian had once instilled in her was completely gone. With a quiet but determined voice, she spoke. “What good are you, Nadira? You offer me no help. You never have.” She slid one of her sacres from its sheath. Rennata inhaled loudly. “I would be well within my rights to consider you my enemy, wouldn’t you say? You are an obstacle in my path.” She leveled the sword at Nadira. “Do you know what I do to obstacles?”

The rise and fall of Nadira’s chest increased. “Rennata, curb your comarré.”

“She’s mine no longer.” Rennata’s voice quavered. “She’s been disavowed. As you know. As you commanded.”

The anger rising through Chrysabelle’s body found a level spot and an eerie calm settled over her. A sense of imperviousness came with it. Perhaps that was from the ring of sorrows sewn into her back. “You already know she can’t dictate what I do. No one can. That should make you very afraid, because there is nothing keeping me from killing you.” She lifted her sacre a little higher. “Unless you’d like to give me a reason not to.”

With a gulp, Nadira lifted her hands in surrender. “I-I can help.”

“Can you?” Chrysabelle asked. “Because I have yet to see proof of that.”

“I will not call upon the comarré to rise, but I can aid you in the fight against your enemies.”

“You give me aid? Why should I believe you?”

“I cannot speak lies. You know that.”

“No, but too often you speak too little and use twisted words.” Chrysabelle tipped her sacre to flash light in Nadira’s eyes and stepped forward. Metal met flesh. “What help can you give me? Will it be enough to save your life?”

Squinting, Nadira pulled back against her chair as far as she could to avoid the blade under her chin. “Sheath your weapon.”

“No. What help?”

Struggling to look down, Nadira began scrolling through the book still open on her desk. At last she settled on a page. The words were written in a language Chrysabelle couldn’t read, but at the center was a beautiful drawing of a tree unlike anything she’d ever seen. “You must lure your enemy to the Garden of Eden, then make her eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life.”

“And I’m supposed to find the Garden of Eden how?”

“Move your weapon. Please.”

Chrysabelle pulled the blade back a few inches.

Nadira stood, then opened a small drawer in the edge of the table. From it, she retrieved a short dagger.

Chrysabelle whipped her sacre up against Nadira’s neck again. Rennata whimpered. Chrysabelle ignored her. “Put the blade down.”

Nadira trembled, but held tight to the dagger. “I need it to cut this page from the book.”

Chrysabelle eased her sword back. If Nadira was willing to damage one of her precious books this information might actually be worth something.

She cut the page out, tossed the blade away, and handed the yellowed paper to Chrysabelle. “The signum along the edges will open a portal to the Garden’s gates the same way you’ve used the signum on your back to open a portal to me. The map will guide you to the tree once you’re there.”

Chrysabelle nodded at the paper. “Roll it up and secure it.” Nadira did, then handed it back. The sudden realization of the task before her sank in. “I have to get Tatiana through a blood portal? How is that help?”

Nadira pursed her lips. “You’ll figure it out. Steal something from her. She will follow.”

Chrysabelle tucked the scroll into her jacket. “I thought humans were banned from entering the Garden. Are you sure I’ll be able to enter?”

Nadira started to say something, then shook her head. “You will be able to enter. I give you my solemn vow.”