Chapter 108

Since remembering the Dark Mage and what he did to her, Ayla had felt ashamed of the way she screamed and cried and begged each time she had been tortured. Queen Vannya had called her weak and pathetic when she looked at Ayla’s memories. The queen was right; she was pitiful. But seeing the Magic Teacher so... calm when studying her memories made her question everything Sarya told her she had to do. What if she failed? What if Beliar won because of her? Could someone else be the Peace-Bringer?

Before he left Ayla’s mind, he looked at another memory.

At dawn, the heavy gates that prevented the enemy army from entering Erylas finally gave way after hours of being hit with the battering ram and with magic. Ayla was in her room, on her knees, praying to Addanos that her death would be quick, but that of Galian and her father would be so painful and slow they would beg—beg—for mercy, just like she did so many times.

It was around midnight when Galian went to Ayla’s room. She knew why he