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A Court of Mist and Fury 2/2 10th Anniversary Recording - Sarah J. Maas - Fantasy Romance Audiobook — Transcript

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0:00to paint it. "This is my favorite view,"
0:03Tarquin said beside me. And I realized
0:06I'd gone to the wide windows while the
0:08others had seated themselves around the
0:10mother of pearl table. A handful of
0:12servants were heaping fruits, leafy
0:15greens, and steamed shellfish onto their
0:17plates. "You must be very proud," I
0:20said, to have such stunning lands.
0:23Tarwin's eyes, so like the sea beyond
0:26us, slid to me. How do they compare to
0:30the ones you have seen? Such a carefully
0:32crafted question, I said dullly.
0:36Everything in Prththeon is lovely when
0:38compared to the mortal realm.
0:41And is being immortal lovelier than
0:43being human? I could feel everyone's
0:46attention on us, even as Ree engaged
0:48Cressa and Varian in blandged discussion
0:51about the status of their fish markets.
0:54So I looked the high lord of summer up
0:56and down as he had examined me brazenly
0:59and without a shred of politeness and
1:01then said, "You tell me." Tarwin's eyes
1:05crinkled. You are a pearl, though I knew
1:09that the day you threw that bone at
1:10Amarantha and splattered mud on her
1:12favorite dress. I shut out the memories,
1:16the blind terror of that first trial.
1:18What did he make of that tug between us?
1:21Did he realize it was his own power or
1:24think it was a bond of its own? Some
1:26sort of strange allure? And if I had to
1:29steal from him, perhaps that meant
1:31getting closer.
1:33I do not remember you being quite so
1:35handsome under the mountain. The
1:37sunlight and sea suit you. A lesser male
1:41might have pined, but Tarwin knew
1:43better. Knew that I had been with Tamlin
1:45and was now with Ree and had now been
1:47brought here. Perhaps he thought me no
1:50better than I, Anthy.
1:52How exactly do you fit within Rean's
1:55court? A direct question after such
1:58roundabout ones to no doubt get me on
2:00uneven footing. It almost worked. I
2:03nearly admitted I don't know. But Ree
2:06said from the table as if he'd heard
2:08every word. Phyra is a member of my
2:10inner circle and is my emissary to the
2:13mortal lands. Ca seated beside him said,
2:18"Do you have much contact with the
2:20mortal realm?" I took that as an
2:22invitation to sit and get away from the
2:25too heavy stare of Tarquin. A seat had
2:28been left open for me at Amron's side
2:30across from Ree. The high lord of the
2:32night court sniffed at his wine, white,
2:35sparkling, and I wondered if he was
2:37trying to piss them off by implying
2:39they'd poisoned it. As he said, I prefer
2:42to be prepared for every potential
2:44situation, and given that Hibburn seems
2:48set on making themselves a nuisance,
2:50striking up a conversation with the
2:52humans might be in our best interest.
2:55Varien drew his focus away from Amron
2:58long enough to say roughly, "So, it's
3:00been confirmed, then Hibburn is readying
3:03for war."
3:05They're done readying, Reed Strolled, at
3:08last sipping from his wine. Amaran
3:10didn't touch her plate, though she
3:12pushed things around as she always did.
3:14I wondered what who she'd eat while
3:17here. Varian seemed like a good guess.
3:21War is imminent.
3:23Yes, you mentioned that in your letter,
3:26Tarquin said, claiming the seat at the
3:28head of the table between Ree and Amron.
3:31A bold move to situate himself between
3:33two such powerful beings. Arrogance or
3:37an attempt at friendship. Tarwin's gaze
3:40again drifted to me before focusing on
3:42Ree. And you know that against Hibburn,
3:45we will fight. We lost enough good
3:47people under the mountain. I have no
3:49interest in being slaves again. But if
3:52you are here to ask me to fight in
3:54another war, Reand, that is not a
3:57possibility, Ree smoothly cut in and had
4:00not even entered my mind. My glimmer of
4:04confusion must have shown because Cressa
4:06cruned to me. High lords have gone to
4:09war for less. You know, doing it over
4:12such an unusual female would be nothing
4:15unexpected,
4:16which was likely why they had accepted
4:18this invitation. Favor or no, to feel us
4:21out. If if Tamlin went to war to get me
4:26back, no. No, that wouldn't be an
4:29option. I'd written to him, told him to
4:32stay away, and he wasn't foolish enough
4:34to start a war he could not win. Not
4:36when he wouldn't be fighting other H
4:38high fay, but Yrian warriors led by
4:40Cassian and Azriel. It would be
4:43slaughter. So I said, bored and flat and
4:46dull. Try not to look too excited,
4:49princess. The high lord of spring has no
4:52plans to go to war with the night court.
4:55And are you in contact with Tamlin then?
4:58A saccharine smile. My next words were
5:01quiet, slow, and I decided I did not
5:04mind stealing from them. Not one bit.
5:08There are things that are public
5:09knowledge and things that are not. My
5:12relationship with him is well known. Its
5:15current standing, however, is none of
5:17your concern or anyone else's. But I do
5:20know Tamlin, and I know that there will
5:22be no internal war between courts, at
5:25least not over me, or my decisions.
5:30What a relief, then," Cressita said,
5:32sipping from her white wine before
5:34cracking a large crab claw, pink and
5:37white and orange, to know we are not
5:39harboring a stolen bride, and that we
5:42need not bother returning her to her
5:44master, as the law demands, and as any
5:47wise person might do, to keep trouble
5:50from their doorstep. Amaran had gone
5:52utterly still.
5:54I left of my own free will, I said. And
5:58no one is my master. Cressa shrugged.
6:01Think that all you want, lady, but the
6:04law is the law. You are were his bride.
6:08Swearing feelalty to another high lord
6:10does not change that. So it is a very
6:13good thing that he respects your
6:15decisions. Otherwise, all it would take
6:18would be one letter from him to Tarquin
6:20requesting your return, and we would
6:23have to obey or risk war ourselves.
6:27Reand sighed. You are always a joy, Ca.
6:31Varian said. Careful, High Lord. My
6:34sister speaks the truth. Tarwin laid a
6:37hand on the pale table. Reand is our
6:40guest. His courters are our guests, and
6:43we will treat them as such. We will
6:45treat them, CEA, as we treat people who
6:48saved our necks, when all it would have
6:50taken was one word from them for us to
6:52be very, very dead. Tarwin studied me
6:57and Reand, whose face was gloriously
6:59disinterested. The High Lord of Summer
7:02shook his head and said to Ree, "We have
7:05more to discuss later, you and I.
7:07Tonight, I'm throwing a party for you
7:10all on my pleasure barge in the bay.
7:12After that, you're free to roam in this
7:14city wherever you wish. You will forgive
7:17its princess if she is protective of her
7:19people. Rebuilding these months has been
7:22long and hard. We do not wish to do it
7:25again anytime soon. Cita's eyes grew
7:29dark, haunted. Cressa made many
7:32sacrifices on behalf of her people.
7:34Tarwin offered gently to me. Do not take
7:38her caution personally. We all made
7:41sacrifices, Reand said, the icy boredom
7:45now shifting into something razor sharp.
7:47And now you sit at this table with your
7:49family because of the ones Fra made. So
7:53you will forgive me, Tarwin, if I tell
7:56your princess that if she sends word to
7:58Tamlin, or if any of your people try to
8:00bring her to him, their lives will be
8:03forfeit.
8:05Even the seab breeze died.
8:08Do not threaten me in my own home,
8:10Reand. Tarwin said, "My gratitude goes
8:14only so far." "It's not a threat," Ree
8:18countered, the crab claws on his plate
8:20cracking open beneath invisible hands.
8:22"It's a promise." They all looked at me,
8:26waiting for any response. So I lifted my
8:29glass of wine, looked them each in the
8:31eye, holding Tarquin's gaze the longest,
8:33and said, "No wonder immortality never
8:36gets dull." Tarquin chuckled, and I
8:39wondered if his loose breath was one of
8:41profound relief. And through that bond
8:44between us, I felt Rean's flicker of
8:46approval.
8:51Chapter 33.
8:54We were given a suite of connecting
8:56rooms, all centered on a large, lavish
8:58lounge that was open to the sea and city
9:00below. My bedroom was appointed in
9:03seafoam and softest blue with pops of
9:06gold, like the gilded clamshell at top
9:08my pale wood dresser. I had just set it
9:11down when the white door behind me
9:13clicked open and Reese slid in. He
9:16leaned against the door once he shut it,
9:18the top of his black tunic unbuttoned to
9:21reveal the upper wars of the tattoo
9:23spanning his chest.
9:25"The problem, I've realized, will be
9:28that I like Tarwin," he said by way of
9:30greeting. "I even like Cressa. Varian I
9:34could live without. But I bet a few
9:36weeks with Cassian and Azriel, and he'd
9:38be thick as thieves with them, and I'd
9:40have to learn to like him. or he'd be
9:42wrapped around Amron's finger and I'd
9:44have to leave him alone entirely or risk
9:47her wrath.
9:48And I took up a spot against the dresser
9:52where clothes that I had not packed but
9:54were clearly of nightcourt origin had
9:56been already waiting for me. The space
9:58of the room, the large bed, the windows,
10:01the sunlight filled the silence between
10:04us. and Ree said, "I want you to find a
10:08way to do what you have to do without
10:10making enemies of them. So, you're
10:13telling me don't get caught." A nod.
10:16Then, do you like that Tarquin can't
10:18stop looking at you? I can't tell if
10:21it's because he wants you or because he
10:23knows you have his power and wants to
10:25see how much. Can't it be both? Of
10:28course. But having a high lord lusting
10:31after you is a dangerous game.
10:34First you taunt me with Cassian, now
10:36Tarquin. Can't you find other ways to
10:38annoy me? Reese prowled closer, and I
10:42steadied myself for his scent, his
10:44warmth, the impact of his power. He
10:47braced a hand on either side of me,
10:49gripping the dresser. I refused to
10:51shrink away. You have one task here,
10:54Phyra. One task that no one can know
10:57about. So do anything you have to in
11:00order to accomplish it, but get that
11:02book and do not get caught. I wasn't
11:06some sering fool. I knew the risks and
11:09that tone, that look he always gave me.
11:12Anything. His brows rose. I breathed. If
11:17I him for it, what would you do?
11:20His pupils flared and his gaze dropped
11:22to my mouth. The wood dresser groaned
11:25beneath his hands. You say such
11:28atrocious things. I waited, my heart an
11:31uneven beat. He at last met my eyes
11:34again. You are always free to do what
11:36you want with whomever you want. So if
11:39you want to ride him, go ahead.
11:43Maybe I will. Though a part of me wanted
11:45to retort, "Liar." "Fine," his breath
11:49caressed my mouth. Fine, I said, aware
11:52of every inch between us, the distance
11:55smaller and smaller, the challenge
11:57heightening with each second neither of
11:59us moved.
12:01Do not, he said softly, his eyes like
12:04stars. Jeopardize this mission. I know
12:08the cost. The sheer power of him
12:10enveloped me, shaking me awake. The salt
12:13and sea and the breeze tugged on me,
12:16sang to me, and as if Reese heard them,
12:18too, he inclined his head toward the
12:20unlit candle on the dresser. Light it. I
12:24debated arguing, but looked at the
12:26candle, summoning fire, summoning that
12:29hot anger he managed to rile. The candle
12:32was knocked off the dresser by a violent
12:34splash of water, as if someone had
12:36chucked a bucket full. I gaped at the
12:39water drenching the dresser. It's
12:40dripping on the marble floor. The only
12:42sound. Ree, hands still braced on either
12:45side of me, laughed quietly. Can't you
12:48ever follow orders? But whatever it was,
12:51being here close to Tarwin and his
12:54power. I could feel that water answering
12:56me, feel it coating the floor, feel the
12:59sea churning and idling in the bay,
13:01taste the salt on the breeze. I held
13:04Reese's gaze. No one was my master, but
13:07I might be master of everything if I
13:10wished, if I dared. Like a strange rain,
13:14the water rose from the floor as I
13:15willed it to become like those stars Ree
13:18had summoned in his blanket of darkness.
13:20I willed the droplets to separate until
13:22they hung around us, catching the light
13:25and sparkling like crystals on a
13:27chandelier. Reese broke my stare to
13:29study them. I suggest, he murmured, you
13:33not show Tarwin that little trick in the
13:35bedroom. I sent each and every one of
13:38those droplets shooting for the High
13:40Lord's face. Too fast, too swiftly for
13:43him to shield. Some of them sprayed me
13:45as they ricocheted off him. Both of us
13:47now soaking, Ree gaped a bit, then
13:50smiled. "Good work," he said, at last
13:53pushing off the dresser. He didn't
13:55bother to wipe away the water gleaming
13:57on his skin. Keep practicing. But I
14:01said, "Will he go to war over me?" He
14:05knew who I meant. The hot temper that
14:07had been on Reese's face moments before
14:09turned to lethal calm. "I don't know. I
14:14I would go back if it came to that,
14:16Reand. I would go back rather than make
14:19you fight." He slid a still wet hand
14:22into his pocket. "Would you want to go
14:25back? Would going to war on your behalf
14:27make you love him again? Would that be a
14:29grand gesture to win you? I swallowed
14:32hard. I'm tired of death. I wouldn't
14:36want to see anyone else die, least of
14:38all for me. That doesn't answer my
14:41question.
14:42No, I wouldn't want to go back, but I
14:45would. Pain and killing wouldn't win me.
14:49Reese stared at me for a moment longer,
14:51his face unreadable before he stroed to
14:54the door. He stopped with his fingers on
14:56the sea urchin-shaped handle.
14:59He locked you up because he knew. The
15:02bastard knew what a treasure you are.
15:04That you are worth more than land or
15:06gold or jewels. He knew and wanted to
15:09keep you all to himself.
15:12The words hit me even as they soothed
15:14some jagged piece in my soul. He did
15:18does love me. Reand, the issue isn't
15:22whether he loved you, it's how much. Too
15:25much. Love can be a poison.
15:29And then he was gone.
15:33The bay was calm enough, perhaps willed
15:35to flatness by its lord and master, that
15:37the pleasure barge hardly rocked
15:39throughout the hours we dined and drank
15:41aboard it. Crafted of richest wood and
15:43gold, the enormous boat was amply sized
15:46for the hundred or so high fay, trying
15:49their best not to observe every movement
15:51Ree Amaran and I made. The main deck was
15:54full of low tables and couches for
15:56eating and relaxing. And on the upper
15:59level, beneath a canopy of tiles set
16:01with mother of pearl, our long table had
16:04been set. Tarquin was summer incarnate
16:06in turquoise and gold. Bits of emerald
16:09shining at his buttons and fingers. A
16:11crown of sapphire and white gold
16:13fashioned like cresting waves sat at top
16:15his seafoam colored hair so exquisite
16:18that I often caught myself staring at
16:20it. As I was now when he turned to see
16:24where I sat on his right and noticed my
16:26stare.
16:28You'd think with our skilled jewelers
16:29they could make a crown a bit more
16:31comfortable. This one digs in horribly.
16:34A pleasant enough attempt at
16:36conversation when I'd stayed quiet
16:38throughout the first hour. Instead,
16:40watching the island city, the water, the
16:43mainland, casting a net of awareness of
16:46blind power toward it to see if anything
16:48answered, if the book slumbered
16:50somewhere out there. Nothing had
16:52answered my silent call, so I figured it
16:55was as good a time as any. As I said,
16:58how did you keep it out of her hands?
17:00saying Amarantha's name here amongst
17:02such happy celebrating people felt like
17:05inviting in a raincloud.
17:08Seated at his left deep in conversation
17:10with Cressa, Ree didn't so much as look
17:13over at me. Indeed, he'd barely spoken
17:16to me earlier, not even noting my
17:18clothes. unusual given that even I had
17:22been pleased with how I looked and had
17:24again selected it for myself. My hair
17:26unbound and swept off my face with a
17:28headband of braided rose gold. My
17:31sleeveless dusk pink chiffon gown tight
17:34in the chest and waist. The near twin to
17:36the purple one I'd worn that morning.
17:38Feminine, soft, pretty. I hadn't felt
17:42like those things in a long, long while.
17:44Hadn't wanted to. But here, being those
17:48things wouldn't earn me a ticket to a
17:50life of party planning. Here, I could be
17:52soft and lovely at sunset and awaken in
17:55the morning to slide into Yrian fighting
17:58leathers. Tarwin said, "We managed to
18:01smuggle out most of our treasure when
18:03the territory fell." Nostress, my
18:06predecessor, was my cousin. I served as
18:09prince of another city, so I got the
18:11order to hide the trove in the dead of
18:13night fast as we could. Amarantha had
18:16killed Nostrus when he'd rebelled and
18:19executed his entire family for spite.
18:22Tarwin must have been one of the few
18:23surviving members if the power had
18:26passed to him.
18:28I didn't know the Summer Court valued
18:29treasure so much, I said. Tarquin huffed
18:33a laugh. The earliest high lords did. We
18:36do now out of tradition mostly, I said
18:40carefully, casually.
18:42So, is it gold and jewels you value
18:44then? Among other things, I sipped my
18:48wine to buy time to think of a way to
18:50ask without raising suspicions, but
18:52maybe being direct about it would be
18:54better.
18:56Are outsiders allowed to see the
18:58collection? My father was a merchant. I
19:00spent most of my childhood in his
19:02office, helping him with his goods. It
19:05would be interesting to compare mortal
19:07riches to those made by fa hands. Ree
19:10kept talking to Cressa, not even a hint
19:13of approval or amusement going through
19:15our bond. Tarwin cocked his head, the
19:18jewels in his crown glinting. Of course,
19:21tomorrow after lunch, perhaps.
19:24He wasn't stupid, and he might have been
19:27aware of the game, but the offer was
19:30genuine. I smiled a bit, nodding. I
19:34looked toward the crowd milling about on
19:35the deck below the lantern lit water
19:38beyond even as I felt Tarwin's gaze
19:40linger. He said, "What was it like the
19:45mortal world?" I picked at the
19:47strawberry salad on my plate. I only saw
19:51a very small slice of it. My father was
19:54called the prince of merchants, but I
19:56was too young to be taken on his voyages
19:58to other parts of the mortal world. When
20:00I was 11, he lost our fortune on a
20:03shipment to Barat. We spent the next 8
20:06years in poverty in a backwater village
20:08near the wall. So, I can't speak for the
20:11entirety of the mortal world when I say
20:13that what I saw there was hard, brutal.
20:18Here, class lines are far more blurred.
20:20It seems there, it's defined by money.
20:23Either you have it and you don't share
20:25it, or you are left to starve and fight
20:27for your survival. My father, he
20:31regained his wealth once I went to
20:32Prththeon. My heart tightened, then
20:35dropped into my stomach. And the very
20:38people who had been content to let us
20:39starve were once again our friends. I
20:42would rather face every creature in
20:44Prththeon than the monsters on the other
20:46side of the wall. Without magic, without
20:49power, money has become the only thing
20:52that matters. Tarwin's lips were pursed,
20:55but his eyes were considering.
20:58Would you spare them if war came? Such a
21:01dangerous, loaded question. I wouldn't
21:04tell him what we were doing over the
21:06wall. Not until Reese had indicated we
21:08should.
21:10My sisters dwell with my father on his
21:12estate. For them, I would fight. But for
21:15those sickants and peacocks, I would not
21:18mind to see their order disrupted. Like
21:21the hatemongering family of Elaine's
21:23betrothed, Tarwin said very quietly.
21:27There are some in Prththeon who would
21:29think the same of the courts.
21:32What? Get rid of the high lords?
21:35Perhaps, but mostly eliminate the
21:37inherent privileges of high fay over the
21:40lesser fairies. Even the terms imply a
21:42level of unfairness.
21:44Maybe it is more like the human realm
21:46than you realize. Not as blurred as it
21:49might seem. In some courts, the lowest
21:52of highfay servants has more rights than
21:54the wealthiest of lesser fairies.
21:57I became aware that we were not the only
21:59people on the barge at this table and
22:02that we were surrounded by hi fay with
22:04animal keen hearing. Do you agree with
22:07them that it should change? I am a young
22:10high lord, he said, barely 80 years old,
22:14so he'd been 30 when Amarantha took
22:16over. Perhaps others might call me
22:19inexperienced or foolish, but I have
22:22seen those cruelties firsthand and known
22:25many good lesser fairies who suffered
22:27for merely being born on the wrong side
22:28of power. Even within my own residences,
22:32the confines of tradition pressure me to
22:34enforce the rules of my predecessors.
22:36The lesser fairies are neither to be
22:39seen nor heard as they work. I would
22:41like to one day see a Python in which
22:43they have a voice both in my home and in
22:46the world beyond it. I scanned him for
22:49any deceit, manipulation. I found none.
22:53Steal from him. I would steal from him.
22:57But what if I asked instead? Would he
23:00give it to me or would the traditions of
23:02his ancestors run too deep? Tell me what
23:05that look means, Tarwin said, bracing
23:08his muscled arms on the gold tablecloth.
23:10I said baldly. I'm thinking it would be
23:13very easy to love you and easier to call
23:16you my friend. He smiled at me broad and
23:19without restraint. I would not object to
23:22either. Easy. Very easy to fall in love
23:26with a kind, considerate male. But I
23:29glanced over at Cita, who was now almost
23:32in Rand's lap. and Reand was smiling
23:35like a cat, one finger tracing circles
23:37on the back of her hand while she bit
23:39her lip and beamed. I faced Tarwin, my
23:43brows high in silent question. He made a
23:46face and shook his head. I hoped they
23:48went to her room because if I had to
23:51listen to Ree bed her, I didn't let
23:54myself finish the thought. Tin mused. It
23:58has been many years since I saw her look
24:00like that. My cheeks heated. Shame.
24:04Shame for what? Wanting to throttle her
24:06for no good reason? Reand teased and
24:09taunted me. He never seduced me with
24:13those long intense stares, the half
24:15smiles that were purean arrogance.
24:19I suppose I'd been granted that gift
24:21once and had used it up and fought for
24:23it and broken it. And I supposed that
24:26Reand for all he had sacrificed and
24:28done, he deserved it as much as Cressa.
24:32Even if even if for a moment I wanted
24:35it. I wanted to feel like that again.
24:38And I was lonely. I had been lonely. I
24:43realized for a very, very long time.
24:47Reese leaned in to hear something Cita
24:49was saying, her lips brushing his ear,
24:51her hand now entwining with his. And it
24:54wasn't sorrow or despair or terror that
24:56hit me, but unhappiness.
25:00Such bleak, sharp unhappiness that I got
25:02to my feet. Reys's eyes shifted toward
25:05me, at last, remembering I existed, and
25:08there was nothing on his face, no hint
25:10that he felt any of what I did through
25:12our bond. I didn't care if I had no
25:15shield, if my thoughts were wide open,
25:17and he read them like a book. He didn't
25:19seem to care either. He went back to
25:21chuckling at whatever Cao was telling
25:23him, sliding closer. Tarwin had risen to
25:27his feet, scanning me and Ree. I was
25:30unhappy. Not just broken, but unhappy.
25:35An emotion. I realized it was an emotion
25:39rather than the unending emptiness or
25:41survival driven terror.
25:43I need some fresh air, I said, even
25:46though we were in the open. But with the
25:48golden lights, the people up and down
25:50the table, I needed to find a spot on
25:52this barge where I could be alone just
25:55for a moment. Mission or no? Would you
25:58like me to join you? I looked at the
26:00high lord of summer. I hadn't lied. It
26:04would be easy to fall in love with a
26:05male like him. But I wasn't entirely
26:08sure that even with the hardships he'd
26:10encountered under the mountain, Tarwin
26:12could understand the darkness that might
26:14always be in me. not only from
26:16Amarantha, but from years spent being
26:19hungry and desperate. That I might
26:22always be a little vicious or restless.
26:25That I might crave peace, but never a
26:27cage of comfort. "I'm fine, thank you,"
26:31I said, and headed for the sweeping
26:33staircase that led down onto the stern
26:35of the ship. Brightly lit, but quieter
26:38than the main areas at the prow. Reese
26:41didn't so much as look in my direction
26:43as I walked away. good riddance. I was
26:46halfway down the wood steps when I
26:48spotted Amron and Varian, both leaning
26:50against adjacent pillars, both drinking
26:53wine, both ignoring each other, even as
26:56they spoke to no one else. Perhaps that
26:58was another reason why she'd come, to
27:00distract Tarwin's watchdog.
27:03I reached the main deck, found a spot by
27:06the wooden railing that was a bit more
27:07shadowed than the rest, and leaned
27:09against it. Magic propelled the boat. No
27:13orars, no sails. So we moved through the
27:16bay, silent and smooth, hardly a ripple
27:18in our wake. I didn't realize I'd been
27:21waiting for him until the barge docked
27:23at the base of the island city, and I'd
27:26somehow spent the entire final hour
27:28alone. When I filed onto land with the
27:31rest of the crowd, Amron, Vyian, and
27:33Tarwin were waiting for me at the docks,
27:35all a bit stiffbacked.
27:38Reand, and Ca were nowhere to be seen.
27:45Chapter 34.
27:47Mercifully, there was no sound from his
27:49closed bedroom, and no sounds came out
27:52of it during that night when I jolted
27:54awake from a nightmare of being turned
27:56over a spit and couldn't remember where
27:58I was.
28:00Moonlight danced on the sea beyond my
28:02open windows, and there was silence.
28:05Such silence.
28:07A weapon. I was a weapon to find that
28:10book, to stop the king from breaking the
28:12wall, to stop whatever he had planned
28:14for Jurion and the war that might
28:16destroy my world that might destroy this
28:19place. And a high lord who might very
28:21well overturn the order of things.
28:24For a heartbeat, I missed. Missed the
28:27lights and the music and the rainbow. I
28:30missed the cozy warmth of the townhouse
28:32to welcome me in from the crisp winter.
28:35missed what it had been like to be a
28:38part of their little unit. Maybe
28:40wrapping his wings around me, writing me
28:42notes had been Reese's way of ensuring
28:44his weapon didn't break beyond repair.
28:47That was fine. Fair enough. We owed each
28:51other nothing beyond our promises to
28:52work and fight together. He could still
28:55be my friend, companion, whatever this
28:58thing was between us. His taking someone
29:00to his bed didn't change those things.
29:03It had just been a relief to think that
29:06for a moment he might have been as
29:08lonely as me.
29:12I didn't have the nerve to come out of
29:14my room for breakfast to see if Ree had
29:16returned to see whom he came to
29:18breakfast with. "I had nothing else to
29:21do," I told myself as I lay in bed until
29:24my lunchtime visit with Tarquin. So, I
29:27stayed there until the servants came in,
29:29apologized for disturbing me, and
29:32started to leave. I stopped them, saying
29:34I'd bathe while they cleaned the room.
29:36They were polite, if nervous, and merely
29:39nodded, as I did as I'd claimed. I took
29:42my time in the bath, and behind the
29:45locked door, I let that kernel of
29:47Tarwin's power come out, first making
29:49the water rise from the tub, then
29:51shaping little animals and creatures out
29:53of it. It was about as close to
29:56transformation as I'd let myself go.
29:58Contemplating how I might give myself
30:00anim animalistic features only made me
30:02shaky, sick. I could ignore it. Ignore
30:06that occasional scrape of claws in my
30:08blood for a while. Yet, I was on to
30:11water butterflies flitting through the
30:12room when I realized I'd been in the tub
30:14long enough that the bath had gone cold.
30:18Like the night before, Nala walked
30:20through the walls from wherever she was
30:22staying in the palace and dressed me
30:24somehow attuned to when I'd be ready.
30:27Keredwin, she told me, had drawn the
30:29short stick and was seeing to Amron. I
30:32didn't have the nerve to ask about Ree
30:34either. Nala selected seafoam green
30:37accented with rose gold, curling and
30:40then braiding back my hair in a thick
30:42loose plate glimmering with bits of
30:44pearl. Whether Nala knew why I was
30:46there, what I'd be doing, she didn't
30:48say. But she took extra care of my face,
30:52brightening my lips with raspberry pink,
30:54dusting my cheeks with the faintest
30:56blush. I might have looked innocent,
30:59charming, were it not for my gray blue
31:01eyes, more hollow than they'd been last
31:04night, when I'd admired myself in the
31:06mirror.
31:08I'd seen enough of the palace to
31:09navigate to where Tarkin had said to
31:11meet before we bid good night. The main
31:14hall was situated on a level about
31:16halfway up, the perfect meeting place
31:18for those who dwelled in the spires
31:20above and those who worked unseen and
31:23unheard below.
31:25This level held all the various council
31:27rooms, ballrooms, dining rooms, and
31:30whatever other rooms might be needed for
31:32visitors, events, gatherings. Access to
31:35the residential levels from which I'd
31:37come was guarded by four soldiers at
31:39each stairwell, all of whom watched me
31:42carefully as I waited against a sea
31:44shell pillar for their high lord. I
31:46wondered if he could sense that I'd been
31:48playing with his power in the bathtub,
31:50that the piece of him he'd yielded was
31:52now here and answering to me.
31:55Tarwin emerged from one of the adjacent
31:57rooms as the clock struck too, followed
32:00by my own companions.
32:02Rissan's gaze swept over me, noting the
32:05clothes that were obviously in honor of
32:07my host and his people, noting the way I
32:09did not meet his eyes or cress as I
32:13looked solely at Tarquin and Amron
32:15beside him. Varien, now striding off to
32:17the soldiers at the stairs, and gave
32:19them both a bland, closed lipped smile.
32:22"You're looking well today," Tarquin
32:25said, inclining his head. Nuala, it
32:28seemed, was a spectacularly good spy.
32:31Tarwin's Peter tunic was accented with
32:33the same shade of seafoam green as my
32:35clothes. We might as well have been a
32:37matching set. I suppose with my brown
32:40gold hair and pale skin, I was his
32:42mirror opposite. I could feel Ree still
32:46assessing me. I shut him out. Maybe I'd
32:49send a water dog barking after him
32:51later. Let it bite him in the ass.
32:54I hope I'm not interrupting, I said to
32:57Amaran. Amaran shrugged her slim
32:59shoulders clad in flagstone gray today.
33:03We were finishing up a rather lively
33:05debate about Armadas and who might be in
33:08charge of a unified front. Did you know
33:11she said that before they became so big
33:14and powerful? Tarquin and Vyian led
33:17Nostrus' fleet. Variian several feet
33:20away stiffened but did not turn. I met
33:23Tarwin's eye. You didn't mention you
33:26were a sailor. It was an effort to sound
33:29intrigued, like I had nothing at all
33:31bothering me. Tarwin rubbed his neck. I
33:34had planned to tell you during our tour.
33:37He held out an arm. Shall we? Not one
33:41word. I had not uttered one word to
33:44Reand, and I wasn't about to start. As I
33:47looped my arm through Tarquins and said
33:49to none of them in particular, "See you
33:51later."
33:52Something brushed against my mental
33:54shield, a rumble of something dark,
33:57powerful, perhaps a warning to be
33:59careful, though it felt an awful lot
34:02like the dark, flickering emotion that
34:04had haunted me. So much like it that I
34:07stepped a bit closer to Tarquin. And
34:09then I gave the high lord of summer a
34:11pretty mindless smile that I had not
34:14given to anyone in a long, long time.
34:17That brush of emotion went silent on the
34:19other side of my shields. Good.
34:25Tarwin brought me to a hall of jewels
34:27and treasures so vast that I gawkked for
34:29a good minute. A minute that I used to
34:32scan the shelves for any twinkle of
34:34feeling, anything that felt like the
34:36mail at my side, like the power I'd
34:38summoned in the bathtub. And this is
34:41this is just one of the troves. The room
34:44had been carved deep beneath the castle,
34:47behind a heavy lead door that had only
34:49opened when Tarwin placed his hand on
34:51it. I didn't dare get close enough to
34:53the lock to see if it might work under
34:55my touch. His figned signature, a fox in
34:59a chicken coupe. That's what I was.
35:02Tarwin loosed a chuckle. My ancestors
35:05were greedy bastards. I shook my head,
35:08striding to the shelves built into the
35:10wall. Solid stone, no way to break in
35:14unless I tunnneled through the mountain
35:15itself, or if someone winnowed me,
35:18though there were likely wards similar
35:20to those on the townhouse and the house
35:22of wind. Boxes overflowed with jewels
35:24and pearls and uncut gems. Gold heaps
35:28and trunks so high it spilled onto the
35:30cobblestone floor. Suits of ornate armor
35:33stood guard against one wall. Dresses
35:35woven of cobwebs and starlight leaned
35:37against another. There were swords and
35:40daggers of every sort, but no books. Not
35:43one.
35:45Do you know the history behind each
35:47piece? Some, he said, I haven't had much
35:51time to learn about it all. Good. Maybe
35:54he wouldn't know about the book.
35:56Wouldn't miss it. I turned in a circle.
35:59What's the most valuable thing in here?
36:02Thinking of stealing. I choked on a
36:04laugh. Wouldn't asking that question
36:07make me a lousy thief? Lying two-faced
36:10wretch? That's what asking that question
36:12made me? Tarwin studied me. I'd say I'm
36:17looking at the most valuable thing in
36:19here. I didn't fake the blush. You're
36:23very kind. His smile was soft, as if his
36:27position had not yet broken the
36:28compassion in him. I hoped it never did.
36:32Honestly, I don't know what's the most
36:34valuable thing. These are all priceless
36:36heirlooms of my house. I walked up to a
36:40shelf, scanning. A necklace of rubies
36:42was spled on a velvet pillow, each of
36:45them the size of a robin's egg. It had
36:47take a tremendous female to wear that
36:49necklace to dominate the gems and not
36:52the other way around. On another shelf,
36:55a necklace of pearls, then sapphires,
36:57and on another, a necklace of black
37:00diamonds. Each of the dark stones was a
37:03mystery and an answer. Each of them
37:05slumbered. Tarwin came up behind me,
37:08peering over my shoulder at what had
37:10snagged my interest. His gaze drifted to
37:13my face. Take it. What? I whirled to
37:17him. He rubbed the back of his neck as a
37:21thank you for under the mountain. Ask it
37:25now. Ask him for the book instead. But
37:28that would require trust. and kind as he
37:31was, he was a high lord. He pulled the
37:34box from its resting spot and shut the
37:36lid before handing it to me. You were
37:39the first person who didn't laugh at my
37:41idea to break down class barriers. Even
37:44Cressa snickered when I told her. If you
37:46won't accept the necklace for saving us,
37:49then take it for that. It is a good
37:51idea, Tarwin. Appreciating it doesn't
37:54mean you have to reward me. He shook his
37:56head. Just take it. It would insult him
38:00if I refused. So, I closed my hands
38:02around the box, Tarwin said. It will
38:05suit you in the night court. Perhaps
38:08I'll stay here and help you
38:10revolutionize the world. His mouth
38:12twisted to the side. I could use an ally
38:15in the north. Was that why he had
38:18brought me? Why he'd given me the gift?
38:21I hadn't realized how alone we were down
38:23here. That I was beneath ground in a
38:25place that could be easily sealed. You
38:28have nothing to fear from me, he said.
38:31And I wondered if my scent was that
38:33readable. But I meant it. You have sway
38:37with Reand, and he is notoriously
38:39difficult to deal with. He gets what he
38:42wants, has plans he does not tell anyone
38:44about until after he's completed them,
38:46and does not apologize for any of it. Be
38:49his emissary to the human realm, but
38:51also be ours. You've seen my city. I
38:55have three others like it. Amarantha
38:57wrecked them almost immediately after
38:59she took over. All my people want now is
39:02peace and safety and to never have to
39:05look over their shoulders again. Other
39:07high lords have told me about Ree and
39:10warned me about him. But he spared me
39:12under the mountain. Brutius was my
39:15cousin and we had forces gathering in
39:17all of our cities to storm under the
39:19mountain. They caught him sneaking out
39:21through the tunnels to meet with them.
39:23Ree saw that in Brutius's mind. I know
39:27he did. And yet he lied to her face and
39:30defied her when she gave the order to
39:32turn him into a living ghost. Maybe it
39:34was for his own schemes, but I know it
39:38was a mercy. He knows that I am young
39:41and inexperienced and he spared me.
39:45Tarwin shook his head mostly at himself.
39:48Sometimes I think Reand I think he might
39:52have been her to spare us all from
39:54her attention.
39:55I would betray nothing of what I knew,
39:58but I suspected he could see it in my
39:59eyes, the sorrow at the thought. I know
40:03I'm supposed to look at you, Tarwin
40:05said, and see that he's made you into a
40:07pet, into a monster. But I see the
40:10kindness in you, and I think that
40:12reflects more on him than anything. I
40:15think it shows that you and he might
40:16have secrets. Stop, I blurted. Just
40:20stop. You know I can't tell you
40:22anything, and I can't promise you
40:25anything. Reand is high lord. I only
40:28serve in his court. Tarquin glanced at
40:31the ground. Forgive me if I've been
40:34forward. I'm still learning how to play
40:36the games of these courts. To my
40:38advisers's chagrin.
40:40I hope you never learn how to play the
40:42games of these courts. Tarwin held my
40:45gaze, face wary, but a bit bleak. Then
40:49allow me to ask you a blunt question.
40:52Is it true you left Tamlin because he
40:54locked you up in his house? I tried to
40:57block out the memory, the terror and
40:59agony of my heart breaking apart. But I
41:02nodded. And is it true that you were
41:05saved from confinement by the night
41:07court? I nodded again. Tarwin said, "The
41:11Spring Court is my southern neighbor. I
41:13have tenuous ties with them, but unless
41:17asked, I will not mention that you were
41:19here. Thief, liar, manipulator. I didn't
41:24deserve his alliance, but I bowed my
41:26head in thanks. Any other treasure
41:29troves to show me? Are golden jewels not
41:32impressive enough? What of your
41:34merchants's eye? I tapped the box. Oh, I
41:38got what I wanted. Now I'm curious to
41:40see how much your alliance is worth.
41:43Tarquin laughed, the sound bouncing off
41:45the stone and wealth around us. I didn't
41:48feel like going to my meetings this
41:50afternoon anyway. What a reckless, wild
41:53young high lord. Tarkin linked elbows
41:55with me again, patting my arm as he led
41:58me from the chamber. You know, I think
42:01it might be very easy to love you too,
42:03Phyra. Easier to be your friend. I made
42:07myself look away shily as he sealed the
42:09door shut behind us, placing a palm flat
42:12on the space above the handle. I
42:14listened to the click of locks sliding
42:16into place.
42:18He took me to other rooms beneath his
42:20palace, some full of jewels, others
42:23weapons, others clothes from eras long
42:25since past. He showed me one full of
42:28books, and my heart leaped. But there
42:30was nothing in there. Nothing but
42:32leather and dust and quiet. No trickle
42:35of power that felt like the mail beside
42:37me. No hint of the book I needed. Tarwin
42:40brought me to one last room full of
42:42crates and stacks covered in sheets. And
42:45as I beheld all the artwork looming
42:47beyond the open door, I said, "I think
42:50I've seen enough for today." He asked no
42:53questions as he resealed the chamber and
42:56escorted me back to the busy, sunny
42:58upper levels.
43:00There had to be other places where it
43:01might be stored, unless it was in
43:04another city. I had to find it soon.
43:08There was only so long Reese and Amron
43:10could draw out their political debates
43:11before we had to go home. I just prayed
43:14I'd find it fast enough and not hate
43:17myself anymore than I currently did.
43:22Reand was lounging on my bed as if he
43:24owned it. I took one look at the hands
43:27crossed behind his head, the long legs
43:29draped over the edge of the mattress,
43:31and ground my teeth. What do you want? I
43:34shut the door loud enough to emphasize
43:36the bite in my words. Flirting and
43:38giggling with Tarwin did you no good. I
43:41take it. I chucked the box onto the bed
43:43beside him. You tell me. The smile
43:47faltered as he sat up, flipping open the
43:49lid. This isn't the book. No, but it's a
43:53beautiful gift.
43:55You want me to buy you jewelry, Fra?
43:57Then say the word. Though given your
43:59wardrobe, I thought you were aware that
44:01it was all bought for you. I hadn't
44:04realized, but I said, "Tarwin is a good
44:08male, a good high lord. You should just
44:10ask him for the damned book." Re snapped
44:13shut the lid. So he pies you with jewels
44:16and pours honey in your ear, and now you
44:18feel bad. He wants your alliance
44:21desperately. He wants to trust you. rely
44:24on you. Well, Cita is under the
44:27impression that her cousin is rather
44:29ambitious, so I'd be careful to read
44:31between his words. Oh, did she tell you
44:35that before, during, or after you took
44:37her to bed? Ree stood in a graceful,
44:40slow movement. Is that why you wouldn't
44:43look at me? Because you think I
44:45her for information?
44:47Information or your own pleasure? I
44:50don't care. He came around the bed and I
44:53stood my ground. Even as he stopped with
44:55hardly a hand's breath between us.
44:58Jealous? Phra? If I'm jealous, then
45:02you're jealous about Tarquin and his
45:04honey pouring. Rissan's teeth flashed.
45:07Do you think I particularly like having
45:09to flirt with a lonely female to get
45:11information about her court, her high
45:14lord? Do you think I feel good about
45:16myself doing that? Do you think I enjoy
45:18doing it just so you have the space to
45:20ply Tarquin with your smile and pretty
45:23eyes so we can get the book and go home?
45:26You seemed to enjoy yourself plenty last
45:28night. His snarl was soft, vicious. I
45:32didn't take her to bed. She wanted to,
45:35but I didn't so much as kiss her. I took
45:38her out for a drink in the city, let her
45:40talk about her life, her pressures, and
45:43brought her back to her room and went no
45:45farther than the door. I waited for you
45:47at breakfast, but you slept in or
45:50avoided me, apparently. And I tried to
45:52catch your eye this afternoon, but you
45:54were so good at shutting me out
45:56completely.
45:58Is that what got under your skin? That I
46:00shut you out or that it was so easy for
46:03Tarwin to get in? What got under my
46:06skin? Re said, his breathing a bit
46:09uneven. Is that you smiled at him.
46:13The rest of the world faded to mist as
46:16the words sank in. "You are jealous." He
46:20shook his head, stalking to the little
46:22table against the far wall and knocking
46:24back a glass of amber liquid. He braced
46:26his hands on the table, the powerful
46:28muscles of his back quivering beneath
46:30his shirt as the shadow of those wings
46:33struggled to take form. "I heard what
46:35you told him," he said. "That you
46:38thought it would be easy to fall in love
46:39with him. You meant it, too.
46:43So, it was the only thing I could think
46:46of to say I was jealous of that, that
46:50I'm not that sort of person for anyone.
46:54The summer court has always been
46:56neutral. They only showed backbone
46:58during those years under the mountain. I
47:00spared Tarwin's life because I'd heard
47:02how he wanted to even out the playing
47:04field between Hi Fay and lesser fairies.
47:07I've been trying to do that for years
47:10unsuccessfully, but I spared him for
47:13that alone. And Tarquin with his neutral
47:17court. He will never have to worry about
47:19someone walking away because the threat
47:21against their life, their children's
47:23lives will always be there. So yes, I
47:27was jealous of him because it will
47:29always be easy for him. and he will
47:31never know what it is to look up at the
47:33night sky and wish
47:36the court of dreams. The people who knew
47:39that there was a price and one worth
47:41paying for that dream. The bastard
47:44warriors, the yrian half breed, the
47:46monster trapped in a beautiful body, the
47:49dreamer born into a court of nightmares,
47:52and the huntress with an artist's soul.
47:56and perhaps because it was the most
47:57vulnerable thing he'd said to me.
48:00Perhaps it was the burning in my eyes,
48:02but I walked to where he stood over the
48:04little bar. I didn't look at him as I
48:07took the decanter of amber liquid and
48:09poured myself a knuckles length, then
48:11refilled his. But I met his stare as I
48:14clinkedked my glass against his, the
48:17crystal ringing clear and bright over
48:18the crashing sea far below, and said,
48:22"To the people who look at the stars and
48:24wish, Ree." He picked up his glass, his
48:28gaze so piercing that I wondered why I
48:30had bothered blushing at all for
48:32Tarquin.
48:34Reese clinkedked his glass against mine
48:36to the stars who listen and the dreams
48:40that are answered.
48:45Chapter 35.
48:48Two days passed. Every moment of it was
48:51a balancing act of truth and lies. Ree
48:54saw to it that I was not invited to the
48:56meetings he and Amron held to distract
48:58my kind host, granting me time to scour
49:01the city for any hint of the book. but
49:03not too eagerly, not too intently. I
49:07could not look too intrigued as I
49:08wandered the streets and docks, could
49:10not ask too many leading questions of
49:12the people I encountered about the
49:14treasures and legends of Adriata.
49:17Even when I awoke at dawn, I made myself
49:19wait until a reasonable hour before
49:21setting out into the city. Made myself
49:24take an extended bath to secretly
49:26practice that water magic. And while
49:29crafting water animals grew tedious
49:31after an hour, it came to me easily.
49:34Perhaps because of my proximity to
49:36Tarquin, perhaps because of whatever
49:39affinity for water was already in my
49:41blood, my soul, though I certainly was
49:44in no position to ask.
49:46Once breakfast had finally been served
49:49and consumed, I made sure to look a bit
49:51bored and aimless when I finally stroed
49:54through the shining halls of the palace
49:56on my way out into the awakening city.
49:58Hardly anyone recognized me, as I
50:01casually examined shops and houses and
50:03bridges for any glimmer of a spell that
50:06felt like Tarquin, though I doubted they
50:08had a reason to. It had been the high
50:11fay, the nobility that had been kept
50:13under the mountain. These people had
50:16been left here to be tormented.
50:19Scars littered the buildings, the
50:21streets from what had been done in
50:23retaliation for their rebellion. Burn
50:26marks, gouged bits of stone. Entire
50:29buildings turned to rubble. The back of
50:31the castle, as Tarwin had claimed, was
50:34indeed in the middle of being repaired.
50:36Three turrets were half shattered. The
50:38tan stone charred and crumbling. No sign
50:41of the book. Workers toiled there and
50:44throughout the city to fix those broken
50:47areas, just as the people I saw, high
50:50fay and fairies with scales and gills
50:52and long spindly webbed fingers. All
50:55seemed to be slowly healing. There were
50:58scars and missing limbs on more than I
51:00could count. But in their eyes, in their
51:03eyes, light gleamed. I had saved them,
51:07too. Freed them from whatever horrors
51:10had occurred during those five decades.
51:12I had done a terrible thing to save
51:14them, but I had saved them, and it would
51:17never be enough to atone. But I did not
51:21quite feel so heavy, despite not finding
51:23a glimmer of the book's presence, when I
51:26returned to the palace at top the hill
51:28on the third night to await Reissan's
51:30report on the day's meetings, and learn
51:32if he'd managed to discover anything,
51:34too. As I stroed up the steps of the
51:37palace, cursing myself for remaining so
51:40out of shape, even with Cassian's
51:41lessons, I spied Amron perched on the
51:44ledge of a turret balcony, cleaning her
51:46nails. Variian leaned against the
51:49threshold of another tower balcony
51:51within jumping range, and I wondered if
51:53he was debating if he could clear the
51:55distance fast enough to push her off. A
51:58cat playing with a dog. That's what it
52:00was. Amarind was practically washing
52:03herself, silently daring him to get
52:05close enough to sniff. I doubted Vyian
52:08would like her claws, unless that was
52:11why he hounded her day and night. I
52:13shook my head, continuing up the steps,
52:16watching as the tide swept out. The
52:20sunset stained sky caught on the water
52:22and tidal muck. A little night breeze
52:24whispered past, and I leaned into it,
52:27letting it cool the sweat on me. There
52:30had once been a time when I dreaded the
52:32end of summer, had prayed it would hold
52:34out for as long as possible. Now the
52:36thought of endless warmth and sun made
52:39me bored, restless. I was about to turn
52:43back to the stairs when I beheld the bit
52:45of land that had been revealed near the
52:47tidal causeway, the small building. No
52:51wonder I hadn't seen it, as I'd never
52:53been up this high in the day when the
52:54tide was out. And during the rest of the
52:56day, from the muck and seaweed now
52:58gleaming on it, it would have been
53:00utterly covered. Even now it was half
53:03submerged. But I couldn't tear my eyes
53:06from it, like it was a little piece of
53:08home, wet and miserable looking as it
53:10was. And I need only hurry along the
53:13muddy causeway between the quieter part
53:15of the city and the mainland. Fast,
53:17fast, fast, so I might catch it before
53:20it vanished beneath the waves again. But
53:23the site was too visible, and from the
53:25distance, I couldn't definitively tell
53:27if it was the book contained within.
53:30We'd have to be absolutely certain
53:32before we went in to warrant the risks
53:34in searching. Absolutely certain. I
53:38wished I didn't, but I realized I
53:40already had a plan for that, too.
53:45We dined with Tarwin, Cita, and Varian
53:48in their family dining room. a sure sign
53:50that the high lord did indeed want that
53:52alliance, ambition or no. Variian was
53:56studying Amron as if he was trying to
53:57solve a riddle she'd posed to him, and
54:00she paid him no heed whatsoever, as she
54:02debated with Ca about the various
54:04translations of some ancient text. I'd
54:08been leading up to my question, telling
54:10Tarwin of the things I'd seen in his
54:12city that day, the fresh fish I'd bought
54:14for myself on the docks. You ate it
54:17right there, Tarwin said, lifting his
54:20brows. Ree had propped his head on a
54:22fist. As I said, they fried it with the
54:25other fisherman's lunches. Didn't charge
54:27me extra for it. Tarquin let out an
54:29impressed laugh. I can't say I've ever
54:32done that, sailor or no. You should, I
54:36said, meaning every word. It was
54:38delicious.
54:40I'd worn the necklace he'd given me, and
54:42Nala and I planned my clothes around it.
54:45We decided on gray, a soft dove shade,
54:48to show off the glittering black. I had
54:50worn nothing else, no earrings, no
54:53bracelets, no rings. Tarwin had seemed
54:56pleased by it, even though Vyian had
54:58choked when he beheld me in an heirloom
55:00of his household. Cita, surprisingly,
55:03had told me it suited me, and it didn't
55:05fit in here anyway. A backhanded
55:08compliment, but praise enough. Well,
55:11maybe I'll go tomorrow if you'll join
55:13me. I grinned at Tarquin, aware of
55:17everyone I offered him now that Ree had
55:19mentioned it. Beyond his giving me brief
55:22nightly updates on their lack of
55:23progress with discovering anything about
55:25the book, we hadn't really spoken since
55:28that evening I'd filled his glass,
55:30though it had been because of our own
55:32full days, not awkwardness.
55:35I'd like that, I said. Perhaps we could
55:38go for a walk in the morning down the
55:39causeway when the tide is out. There's
55:42that little building along the way. It
55:44looks fascinating.
55:46Cressita stopped speaking, but I went on
55:49sipping from my wine. I figure since
55:51I've seen most of the city now, I could
55:54see it on my way to visit some of the
55:55mainland, too. Tarwin's glance at Cresso
55:59was all the confirmation I needed. That
56:01stone building indeed guarded what we
56:03sought. "It's a temple ruin," Tarquin
56:06said blandly, the lies smooth as silk.
56:09Just mud and seaweed at this point.
56:11We've been meaning to repair it for
56:13years. Maybe we'll take the bridge then.
56:16I've had enough of mud for a while.
56:19Remember that I saved you, that I fought
56:22the Midden Guard worm. Forget the
56:24threat. Tarwin's eyes held mine for a
56:27moment too long. In the span of a blink,
56:30I hurled my silent hidden power toward
56:33him, a spear aimed toward his mind,
56:35those weary eyes. There was a shield in
56:38place. A shield of sealass and coral and
56:41the undulating sea. I became that sea.
56:44Became the whisper of waves against
56:46stone. The glimmer of sunlight on a
56:48Gaul's white wings. I became him. Became
56:52that mental shield. And then I was
56:55through it. A clear dark tether showing
56:57me the way back should I need it. I let
57:00instinct, no doubt granted from Ree,
57:02guide me forward to what I needed to
57:04see. Tarwin's thoughts hit me like
57:07pebbles. Why does she ask about the
57:10temple of all the things to bring up
57:13around me? They continued eating. I
57:16continued eating. I willed my own face
57:19in a different body, a different world
57:21to smile pleasantly.
57:23Why did they want to come here so badly?
57:26Why ask about my trove? Like lapping
57:29waves, I sent my thoughts washing over
57:32his. She is harmless. She is kind and
57:36sad and broken. You saw her with your
57:39people. You saw how she treated them,
57:42how she treats you. Amarantha did not
57:45break that kindness. I poured my
57:48thoughts into him, tinting them with
57:50brine and the cries of turns, wrapping
57:52them in the essence that was Tarquin,
57:54the essence he'd given to me. Take her
57:58to the mainland tomorrow. That'll keep
58:00her from asking about the temple. She
58:03saved Priththean. She is your friend.
58:07My thoughts settled in him like a stone
58:09dropped into a pool. And as the
58:11weariness faded in his eyes, I knew my
58:14work was done. I hauled myself back,
58:16back, back, slipping through that ocean
58:19and pearl wall, reeling inward until my
58:21body was a cage around me. Tarwin
58:24smiled. We'll meet after breakfast,
58:27unless Reand wants me for more meetings.
58:31Neither Ca nor Varian so much as glanced
58:33at him. Had Ree taken care of their own
58:36suspicions?
58:37Lightning shot through my blood even as
58:40my blood chilled to realize what I'd
58:42done. Reese waved a lazy hand. By all
58:46means, Tarquin, spend the day with my
58:48lady. My lady. I ignored the two words,
58:53but I shut out my own marveling at what
58:55I'd accomplished. the slowb building
58:57horror at the invisible violation Tarwin
58:59would never know about. I leaned
59:02forward, bracing my bare forearms on the
59:04cool wood table. "Tell me what there is
59:07to see on the mainland," I asked
59:10Tarquin, and steered him away from the
59:12temple on the tidal causeway.
59:17"Re and Amaran waited until the
59:19household lights dimmed before coming
59:21into my room. I'd been sitting in bed,
59:24counting down the minutes, formulating
59:26my plan. None of the guest rooms looked
59:28out on the causeway as if they wanted no
59:31one to notice it. Ree arrived first,
59:34leaning against the closed door. What a
59:37fast learner you are. It takes most deat
59:40years to master that sort of
59:41infiltration.
59:43My nails bit into my palms. You knew
59:46that I did it. Speaking the words aloud
59:48felt too much, too real. a shallow nod.
59:53And what expert work you did, using the
59:56essence of him to trick his shields to
59:58get past them. Clever lady. He'll never
1:00:02forgive me. I breathed. He'll never
1:00:04know. Reese angled his head, silky dark
1:00:07hair sliding over his brow. You get used
1:00:11to it. The sense that you're crossing a
1:00:13boundary, that you're violating them.
1:00:16For what it's worth, I didn't
1:00:17particularly enjoy convincing Vyian and
1:00:20Cressa to find other matters more
1:00:22interesting. I dropped my gaze to the
1:00:25pale marble floor. If you hadn't taken
1:00:27care of Tarquin, he went on. The odds
1:00:30are we'd be kneede in right now. It
1:00:34was my fault anyway. I was the one who
1:00:36asked about the temple. I was only
1:00:39cleaning up my own mess. I shook my
1:00:41head. It doesn't feel right. It never
1:00:45does or it shouldn't. Far too many
1:00:48demati lose that sense. But here
1:00:51tonight, the benefits outweighed the
1:00:54costs. Is that what you also told
1:00:56yourself when you went into my mind?
1:00:58What was the benefit then? Reys pushed
1:01:01off the door, crossing to where I sat on
1:01:03the bed. There are parts of your mind I
1:01:06left undisturbed. Things that belong
1:01:08solely to you and always will. And as
1:01:11for the rest, his jaw clenched. You
1:01:14scared the out of me for a long
1:01:16while, Phyra. Checking in that way. I
1:01:20couldn't very well stroll into the
1:01:21spring court and ask how you were doing,
1:01:23could I? Light footsteps sounded in the
1:01:26hall. Amron Ree held my gaze, though, as
1:01:30he said. I'll explain the rest some
1:01:32other time. The door opened. It seems
1:01:35like a stupid place to hide a book,
1:01:38Amaran said by way of greeting as she
1:01:40entered. plopping onto the bed. "And the
1:01:43last place one would look," Ree said,
1:01:45prowling away from me to take a seat on
1:01:47the vanity stool before the window.
1:01:50"They could spell it easily enough
1:01:52against wet and decay. A place only
1:01:54visible for brief moments throughout the
1:01:56day when the land around it is exposed
1:01:58for all to see. You could not ask for a
1:02:01better place. We have the eyes of
1:02:04thousands watching us." "So, how do we
1:02:07get in?" I said. It's likely warded
1:02:10against winnowing, Ree said, bracing his
1:02:13forearms on his thighs. I won't risk
1:02:15tripping any alarms by trying. So, we go
1:02:19in at night, the old-fashioned way. I
1:02:22can carry you both, then keep watch, he
1:02:25added when I lifted my brows. Such
1:02:28gallantry, Amaran said. To do the easy
1:02:31part, then leave us helpless females to
1:02:33dig through mud and seaweed.
1:02:36Someone needs to be circling high enough
1:02:38to see anyone approaching or sounding
1:02:40the alarm and masking you from sight. I
1:02:44frowned. The locks respond to his touch.
1:02:48Let's hope they respond to mine. Amron
1:02:51said, "When do we move?" "Tomorrow
1:02:54night," I said. "We note the guard's
1:02:56rotations tonight at low tide. Figure
1:02:58out where the watchers are, who we might
1:03:01need to take out before we make our
1:03:02move."
1:03:04You think like an Ayan, Ree murmured. I
1:03:07believe that's supposed to be a
1:03:09compliment, Amarind confided. Ree
1:03:12snorted, and shadows gathered around him
1:03:14as he loosened his grip on his power.
1:03:17Nwala and Keredwin are already on the
1:03:19move inside the castle. I'll take to the
1:03:22skies. The two of you should go for a
1:03:24midnight walk, considering how hot it
1:03:27is. Then he was gone with a rustle of
1:03:29invisible wings and a warm, dark breeze.
1:03:32Amron's lips were blood red in the
1:03:34moonlight. I knew who would have the
1:03:36task of taking out any spying eyes and
1:03:39wind up with a meal. My mouth dried out
1:03:42a bit. Care for a stroll.
1:03:48Chapter 36.
1:03:51The following day was torture. Slow,
1:03:53unending, hot as hell torture. Figning
1:03:57interest in the mainland as I walked
1:03:58with Tarquin, met his people, smiled at
1:04:01them, grew harder as the sun meandered
1:04:04across the sky, then finally began
1:04:06inching toward the sea. Liar, thief,
1:04:10deceiver. That's what they'd call me
1:04:12soon. I hoped they'd know that Tarquin
1:04:15would know that we'd done it for their
1:04:17sake. Supreme arrogance perhaps to think
1:04:21that way, but it was true. Given how
1:04:24quickly Tarwin and Cressa had glanced at
1:04:27each other, guided me away from that
1:04:28temple, I'd bet that they wouldn't have
1:04:31handed over that book. For whatever
1:04:33reasons of their own, they wanted it.
1:04:36Maybe this new world of Tarwins could
1:04:38only be built on trust. But he wouldn't
1:04:40get a chance to build it if it was all
1:04:42wiped away beneath the king of Hibburn's
1:04:45armies. That's what I told myself over
1:04:48and over as we walked through his city,
1:04:51as I endured the greetings of his
1:04:52people. Perhaps not as joyous as those
1:04:55in Valaris, but a tentative hard one
1:04:59warmth. People who had endured the worst
1:05:01and tried now to move beyond it, as I
1:05:04should be moving beyond my own darkness.
1:05:08When the sun was at last sliding into
1:05:10the horizon, I confessed to Tarquin that
1:05:12I was tired and hungry, and being kind
1:05:15and accommodating, he took me back,
1:05:18buying me a baked fish pie on the way
1:05:20home. He'd even eaten a fried fish at
1:05:22the docks that afternoon.
1:05:25Dinner was worse. We'd be gone before
1:05:28breakfast, but they didn't know that.
1:05:30Reese mentioned returning to the night
1:05:32court tomorrow afternoon, so perhaps an
1:05:35early departure wouldn't be so
1:05:36suspicious. He'd leave a note about
1:05:39urgent business, thanking Tarquin for
1:05:41his hospitality, and then we'd vanish
1:05:44home to Valaris if it went according to
1:05:47plan.
1:05:48We'd learned where the guards were
1:05:50stationed, how their rotations operated,
1:05:52and where their posts were on the
1:05:53mainland, too. And when Tarwin kissed my
1:05:56cheek good night, saying he wished that
1:05:59it was not my last evening, and perhaps
1:06:01he would see about visiting the night
1:06:03court soon, I almost fell to my knees to
1:06:06beg his forgiveness.
1:06:08Rissan's hand on my back was a solid
1:06:10warning to keep it together, even as his
1:06:13face held nothing but that cool
1:06:14amusement.
1:06:16I went to my room and found Yrian
1:06:19fighting leathers waiting for me along
1:06:21with that belt of Yrian knives. So I
1:06:24dressed for battle once again.
1:06:29Reese flew us in close to low tide,
1:06:31dropping us off before taking to the
1:06:33skies where he'd circle, monitoring the
1:06:35guards on the island and mainland while
1:06:37we hunted. The muck rire, squelching and
1:06:41squeezing us with every step from the
1:06:42narrow causeway road to the little
1:06:44temple ruin. Barnacles, seaweed, and
1:06:47limpits clung to the dark gray stones,
1:06:50and every step into the sole interior
1:06:52chamber had that thing in my chest
1:06:54saying, "Where are you? Where are you?
1:06:57Where are you?" Ree and Amar had checked
1:07:00for wards around the site, but found
1:07:02none. Odd, but fortunate. Thanks to the
1:07:06open doorway, we didn't dare risk a
1:07:08light. But with the cracks in the stone
1:07:10overhead, the moonlight provided enough
1:07:12illumination. Kneeed deep in muck, the
1:07:15tidal water slinking out over the
1:07:17stones, Amron and I surveyed the chamber
1:07:20barely more than 40 ft wide. "I can feel
1:07:23it," I breathed like a clawed hand
1:07:26running down my spine. Indeed, my skin
1:07:30tangled, hair standing on end beneath my
1:07:32warm leathers. It's sleeping. No wonder
1:07:37they hid it beneath stone and mud and
1:07:39sea. Amron muttered, the muck
1:07:41squatchching as she turned in place. I
1:07:44shivered, the yrian knives on me now
1:07:46feeling as useful as toothpicks, and
1:07:49again turned in place. I don't feel
1:07:51anything in the walls, but it's here.
1:07:55Indeed. We both looked down at the same
1:07:57moment and cringed. We should have
1:08:00brought a shovel, she said. No time to
1:08:03get one. The tide was fully out now.
1:08:06Every minute counted, not just for the
1:08:08returning water, but the sunrise that
1:08:10was not too far off. Every step and
1:08:14effort through the firm grip of the mud,
1:08:16I honed in on that feeling, that call. I
1:08:19stopped in the center of the room, dead
1:08:21center. Here, here, here, it whispered.
1:08:26I leaned down, shuddering at the icy
1:08:28muck, at the bits of shell and debris
1:08:30that scraped my bare hands as I began
1:08:33hauling it away. Hurry! Amaran hissed,
1:08:36but stooped to claw at the heavy, dense
1:08:38mud. Crabs and skittering things tickled
1:08:41my fingers. I refused to think about
1:08:43them, so we dug and dug until we were
1:08:47covered in salty mud that burned our
1:08:48countless little cuts as we panted at a
1:08:51stone floor and a lead door. Amron swore
1:08:56led to keep its full force in to
1:08:58preserve it. They used to line the
1:09:00sarcophagi of the great rulers with it
1:09:03because they thought they'd one day
1:09:04awaken.
1:09:06If the king of Hibburn goes unchecked
1:09:08with that cauldron, they might very
1:09:10well. Amron shuddered and pointed. The
1:09:14door is sealed. I wiped my hand on the
1:09:16only clean part of me, my neck, and used
1:09:19the other to scrape away the last bit of
1:09:21mud from the round door. Every brush
1:09:24against the lead sent pangs of cold
1:09:26through me. But there, a carved warl in
1:09:30the center of the door. "This has been
1:09:32here for a very long time," I murmured.
1:09:35Amron nodded. "I would not be surprised
1:09:38if, despite the imprint of the High
1:09:40Lord's power, Tarwin and his
1:09:42predecessors had never set foot here, if
1:09:45the blood spell toward this place
1:09:47instantly transferred to them once they
1:09:49assumed power. Why covet the book then?
1:09:53Wouldn't you want to lock away an object
1:09:56of terrible power so no one could use it
1:09:58for evil or their own gain? Or perhaps
1:10:02they locked it away for their own
1:10:04bargaining chip if it ever became
1:10:06necessary. I had no idea why they of all
1:10:09courts was granted the half of the book
1:10:11in the first place. I shook my head and
1:10:14laid my hand flat on the warl in the
1:10:17lead. A jolt went through me like
1:10:19lightning, and I grunted, bearing down
1:10:21on the door. My fingers froze to it as
1:10:24if the power were leeching my essence,
1:10:27drinking as Amron drank, and I felt it
1:10:29hesitate, question. I am Tarquin. I am
1:10:33summer. I am warmth. I am sea and sky
1:10:36and planted field. I became every smile
1:10:40he'd given me. Became the crystallin
1:10:42blue of his eyes, the brown of his skin.
1:10:45I felt my own skin shift. felt my bones
1:10:48stretch and change until I was him. And
1:10:51it was a set of male hands I now
1:10:53possessed, now pushed against the door,
1:10:55until the essence of me became what I
1:10:57had tasted in that inner mental shield
1:10:59of his. Sea and sun and brine. I did not
1:11:03give myself a moment to think of what
1:11:05power I might have just used. Did not
1:11:07allow any part of me that wasn't Tarwin
1:11:09to shine through. I am your master and
1:11:13you will let me pass. The lock pulled
1:11:16harder and harder, and I could barely
1:11:18breathe. Then a click and a groan. I
1:11:21shifted back into my own skin and
1:11:23scrambled into the piled mud right as
1:11:25the door sank and swung away, tucking
1:11:28beneath the stones to reveal a spiral
1:11:30staircase, drifting into a primordial
1:11:33gloom. And on a wet, salty breeze from
1:11:35below, came the tendrils of power.
1:11:39across the open stair. Amron's face had
1:11:42gone paler than usual, her silver eyes
1:11:44glowing bright. "I never saw the
1:11:47cauldron," she said. "But it must be
1:11:50terrible indeed, if even a grain of its
1:11:52power feels like this." "Indeed, that
1:11:56power was filling the chamber, my head,
1:11:59my lungs, smothering and drowning and
1:12:02seducing." Quickly, I said, and a small
1:12:05ball of flight shot down the curve of
1:12:07the stairs, illuminating gray worn steps
1:12:10slick with slime. I drew my hunting
1:12:13knife and descended, one hand braced on
1:12:15the freezing stone wall to keep from
1:12:17slipping. I made it one rotation down,
1:12:20Amarind close behind before faillight
1:12:23danced on waste deep putrid water. I
1:12:26scanned the passage at the foot of the
1:12:27stairs. There's a hall and a chamber
1:12:30beyond that, all clear.
1:12:33Then hurry the hell up," Amaran said.
1:12:36Bracing myself, I stepped into the dark
1:12:39water, biting down on my yelp at the
1:12:41near freezing temperature, the oiliness
1:12:43of it. Amaran gagged, the water nearly
1:12:46up to her chest. "This place, no doubt,
1:12:49fills up swiftly once the tide comes
1:12:51back in," she observed as we sloshed
1:12:54through the water, frowning at the many
1:12:56drainage holes in the walls. We went
1:12:59only slow enough for her to detect any
1:13:01sort of ward or trap, but there was
1:13:04none. Nothing at all. Though who would
1:13:07ever come down here to such a place?
1:13:10Fools. Desperate fools, that's who. The
1:13:14long stone hall ended in a second lead
1:13:17door. Behind it, that power coiled,
1:13:20overlaying Tarquin's imprint. It's in
1:13:23there, obviously. I scowlled at her,
1:13:26both of us shivering. The cold was deep
1:13:29enough that I wondered if I might have
1:13:30already been dead in my human body or
1:13:33well on my way to it. I laid my palm
1:13:36flat on the door. The sucking and
1:13:38questioning and draining were worse this
1:13:40time. So much worse. And I had to brace
1:13:43my tattooed hand on the door to keep
1:13:45from falling to my knees and crying out
1:13:47as it ransacked me. I am summer. I am
1:13:51summer. I am summer. I didn't shift into
1:13:54Tarwin this time. Didn't need to. A
1:13:57click and groan and the lead door rolled
1:13:59into the wall. Water merging and
1:14:01splashing as I stumbled back into
1:14:03Amron's waiting arms. Nasty, nasty lock,
1:14:07she hissed, shuddering, not just from
1:14:10the water. My head was spinning. Another
1:14:13lock and I might very well pass out. But
1:14:15the fail light bobbed into the chamber
1:14:17beyond us, and we both halted. The water
1:14:20had not merged with another source, but
1:14:23rather halted against an invisible
1:14:24threshold. The dry chamber beyond was
1:14:27empty, save for a round deis and
1:14:29pedestal, and a small lead box at top
1:14:33it. Amron waved a tentative hand over
1:14:36the air where the water just stopped.
1:14:39Then, satisfied there were no waiting
1:14:41wards or tricks, she stepped beyond,
1:14:43dripping onto the gray stones as she
1:14:45stood in the chamber, wincing a bit, and
1:14:48beckoned. Waiting as fast as I could, I
1:14:51followed her, half falling onto the
1:14:53floor as my body adjusted to sudden air.
1:14:56I turned and sure enough, the water was
1:14:58a black wall as if there were a pane of
1:15:01glass keeping it in place. "Let's be
1:15:04quick about it," she said, and I didn't
1:15:06disagree. We both carefully surveyed the
1:15:09chamber, floors, walls, ceilings, no
1:15:13signs of hidden mechanisms or triggers.
1:15:16Though no larger than an ordinary book,
1:15:18the lead box seemed to gobble up the
1:15:20failite and inside it whispering the
1:15:23seal of Tarquin's power and the book.
1:15:27And now I heard clear as if Amaran
1:15:29herself whispered it. Who are you? What
1:15:33are you? Come closer. Let me smell you.
1:15:37Let me see you. We paused on opposite
1:15:41sides of the pedestal, the fay light
1:15:43hovering over the lid. No wards, Amaran
1:15:47said, her voice barely more than the
1:15:48scrape of her boots on the stone. No
1:15:51spells. You have to remove it. Carry it
1:15:54out. The thought of touching that box,
1:15:58getting close to that thing inside it.
1:16:00The tide is coming back in, Amaran
1:16:03added, surveying the ceiling. That soon?
1:16:07Perhaps the sea knows. Perhaps the sea
1:16:10is the high lord's servant. And if we
1:16:12were caught down here when the water
1:16:14came in, I did not think my little water
1:16:17animals would help. Panic rised in my
1:16:20gut, but I pushed it away and stealed
1:16:22myself, lifting my chin. The box would
1:16:25be heavy and cold. Who are you? Who are
1:16:29you? Who are you? I flexed my fingers
1:16:33and cracked my neck. I am summer. I am
1:16:36sea and sun and green things. Come on.
1:16:40Come on, Amron murmured. Above, water
1:16:43trickled over the stones. Who are you?
1:16:46Who are you? Who are you? I am Tarquin.
1:16:50I am High Lord. I am your master. The
1:16:54box quieted as if that were answer
1:16:56enough. I snatched the box off the
1:16:58pedestal, the metal biting into my
1:17:01hands, the power and oily smear through
1:17:03my blood. An ancient cruel voice hissed.
1:17:07Liar. and the door slammed shut.
1:17:13Chapter 37. "No!" Amaran screamed at the
1:17:18door in an instant, her fist, a radiant
1:17:20forge as she slammed it into the lead.
1:17:22Once, twice, and above, the rush and
1:17:26gargle of water tumbling downstairs,
1:17:28filling the chamber. "No, no, no." I
1:17:32reached the door, sliding the box into
1:17:34the wide inside pocket of my leather
1:17:36jacket, while Amron's blazing palm
1:17:38flattened against the door, burning,
1:17:40heating the metal, swirls and warls
1:17:43radiating out through it as if they were
1:17:45a language all her own. And then the
1:17:48door burst open, only for a flood to
1:17:50come crashing in. I grappled for the
1:17:53threshold, but missed as the water
1:17:55slammed me back, sweeping me under the
1:17:57dark, icy surface. The cold stole the
1:18:00breath from my lungs. Find the floor.
1:18:02Find the floor. My feet connected and I
1:18:05pushed up, gulping down air, scanning
1:18:08the dim chamber for Amron. She was
1:18:10clutching the threshold, eyes on me,
1:18:12hand out, glowing bright. The water
1:18:16already flowed up to my breasts, and I
1:18:18rushed to her, fighting the onslaught,
1:18:20flooding the chamber, willing that new
1:18:22strength into my body, my arms. The
1:18:26water became easier, as if that kernel
1:18:28of power soothed its current, its wrath.
1:18:31But Amaran was now climbing up the
1:18:33threshold. "You have it!" she shouted
1:18:35over the roaring water. I nodded, and I
1:18:38realized her outstretched hand wasn't
1:18:40for me, but for the door she'd forced
1:18:43back into the wall, holding it away
1:18:45until I could get out. I shoved through
1:18:47the archway, Amaran slipping around the
1:18:50threshold just as the door rolled shut
1:18:52again so violently that I wondered at
1:18:55the power she'd used to push it back.
1:18:57The only downside was that the water in
1:19:00the hall now had much less space to
1:19:02fill. Go, she said, but I didn't wait
1:19:05for her approval before I grabbed her,
1:19:08hooking her feet around my stomach as I
1:19:10hoisted her onto my back. Just do what
1:19:13you have to do, I gritted out, neck
1:19:15craned above the rising water, not too
1:19:18much farther to the stairs. The stairs
1:19:20that were now a cascade. Where the hell
1:19:22was Reand? But Amron held out a palm in
1:19:26front of us, and the water buckled and
1:19:28trembled. Not a clear path, but a break
1:19:31in the current. I directed that colonel
1:19:33of Tarwin's power, my power now, toward
1:19:37it. The water calmed further, straining
1:19:39to obey my command. I ran, gripping her
1:19:43thighs, probably hard enough to bruise.
1:19:45Step by step, water now raging down, now
1:19:48at my jaw, now at my mouth. But I hit
1:19:51the stairs, almost slipping on the slick
1:19:54step, and Amron's gasp stopped me cold.
1:19:57Not a gasp of shock, but a gasp for air,
1:20:00as a wall of water poured down the
1:20:02stairs, as if a mighty wave had swept
1:20:05over the entire sight. Even my own
1:20:07mastery over the element could do
1:20:09nothing against it. I had enough time to
1:20:11gulp down air to grab Amron's legs and
1:20:14brace myself and watch as that door at
1:20:17top the stairs slid shut, sealing us in
1:20:20a watery tomb.
1:20:22I was dead. I knew I was dead and there
1:20:25was no way out of it. I had consumed my
1:20:28last breath and I would be aware for
1:20:30every second until my lungs gave out and
1:20:32my body betrayed me and I swallowed that
1:20:35fatal mouthful of water. Amron beat at
1:20:38my hands until I let go. Until I swam
1:20:40after her, trying to calm my panicking
1:20:43heart, my lungs, trying to convince them
1:20:45to make each second count as Amarind
1:20:47reached the door and slammed her palm
1:20:49into it. Symbols flared again and again,
1:20:53but the door held. I reached her,
1:20:56shoving my body into the door over and
1:20:58over, and the lead dented beneath my
1:21:01shoulders. Then I had talons. Talons,
1:21:04not claws. And I was slicing and
1:21:06punching at the metal. My lungs were on
1:21:08fire. My lungs were seizing. Amron
1:21:11pounded on the door, that bit of failite
1:21:14guttering as if it were counting down
1:21:16her heartbeats. I had to take a breath.
1:21:19Had to open my mouth and take a breath.
1:21:21Had to ease the burning. Then the door
1:21:23was ripped away, and the fail light
1:21:26remained bright enough for me to see the
1:21:28three beautiful, ethereal faces hissing
1:21:30through fish's teeth as their spindly
1:21:33webbed fingers snatched us out of the
1:21:35stairs and into their frogs arms. Water
1:21:38wraiths, but I couldn't stand it. And as
1:21:42those spiny hands grabbed my arm, I
1:21:44opened my mouth. Water shoving in,
1:21:46cutting off thought and sound and
1:21:48breath. My body seized, those talons
1:21:51vanishing. Debris and seaweed and water
1:21:54shot past me. And I had the vague sense
1:21:56of being hurdled through the water so
1:21:59fast the water burned beneath my
1:22:01eyelids. And then hot air, air, air,
1:22:04air. But my lungs were full of water. As
1:22:07a fist slammed into my stomach, and I
1:22:10vomited water across the waves. I gulped
1:22:13down air, blinking at the bruised purple
1:22:15and blushing pink of the morning sky. A
1:22:18sputter and gasp not too far from me.
1:22:21And I treaded water as I turned in the
1:22:23bay to see Amron vomiting as well, but
1:22:26alive. And in the waves between us,
1:22:29Onyx's hair plastered to their strange
1:22:31heads like helmets. The water wraiths
1:22:34floated, staring with dark, large eyes.
1:22:37The sun was rising beyond them. The city
1:22:40encircling us stirring. The one in the
1:22:43center said, "Our sister's debt is
1:22:46paid." And then they were gone. Amaran
1:22:50was already swimming for the distant
1:22:52mainland shore. Praying they didn't come
1:22:54back and make a meal of us, I hurried
1:22:56after her, trying to keep my movement
1:22:59small to avoid detection. We both
1:23:02reached a quiet sandy cove and
1:23:04collapsed.
1:23:08A shadow blocked out the sun and a boot
1:23:10towed my calf.
1:23:12What? said Reand, still in battle black.
1:23:15What are you two doing? I opened my eyes
1:23:18to find Amron hoisting herself up on her
1:23:21elbows. Where the hell were you? She
1:23:24demanded. You two set off every damned
1:23:26trigger in the place. I was hunting down
1:23:29each guard who went to sound the alarm.
1:23:32My throat was ravaged and sand tickled
1:23:34my cheeks, my bare hands. I thought you
1:23:37had it covered, he said to her. Amron
1:23:40hissed. That place or that damned book
1:23:44nearly nullified my powers. We almost
1:23:47drowned. His gaze shot to me. I didn't
1:23:50feel it through the bond. It probably
1:23:52nullified that too, you stupid bastard.
1:23:56Amron snapped. His eyes flickered. Did
1:23:59you get it? Not at all concerned that we
1:24:01were half drowned and had very nearly
1:24:03been dead. I touched my jacket, the
1:24:06heavy metal lump within. Good, Ree said,
1:24:10and I looked behind him at the sudden
1:24:11urgency in his tone. Sure enough, in the
1:24:14castle across the bay, people were
1:24:16darting about. I missed some guards, he
1:24:20gritted out, grabbed both our arms, and
1:24:22we vanished. The dark wind was cold and
1:24:25roaring, and I had barely enough
1:24:27strength to cling to him. It gave out
1:24:30entirely along with Amrons as we landed
1:24:32in the townhouse foyer and we both
1:24:35collapsed to the wood floor, spraying
1:24:37sand and water on the carpet. Cassian
1:24:40shouted from the dining room behind us.
1:24:42What the hell? I glared up at Reand, who
1:24:46merely stepped toward the breakfast
1:24:47table. "I'm waiting for an explanation,
1:24:50too," he merely said to wideeyed
1:24:52Cassian, Azriel, and more. But I turned
1:24:55to Ammon, who was still hissing on the
1:24:57floor. Her red-rimmmed eyes narrowed.
1:25:01How? During the tithe, the water wraith
1:25:04emissary said they had no gold, no food
1:25:07to pay. They were starving. Every word
1:25:11achd, and I thought I might vomit again.
1:25:13He'd deserve it if I puked all over the
1:25:15carpet, though he'd probably take it
1:25:17from my wages. So, I gave her some of my
1:25:20jewelry to pay her dues. She swore that
1:25:23she and her sisters would never forget
1:25:25the kindness.
1:25:27Can someone explain please? Moore called
1:25:30from the room beyond. We remained on the
1:25:32floor as Amaran began quietly laughing,
1:25:35her small body shaking. What? I
1:25:38demanded. Only an immortal with a mortal
1:25:41heart would have given one of those
1:25:43horrible beasts the money. It's so
1:25:46Amaran laughed again, her dark hair
1:25:49plastered with sand and seaweed. For a
1:25:51moment, she even looked human. Whatever
1:25:54luck you live by, girl. Thank the
1:25:57cauldron for it. The others were all
1:26:00watching, but I felt a chuckle whisper
1:26:02out of me, followed by a laugh as
1:26:04rasping and raw as my lungs, but a real
1:26:07laugh, perhaps edged with hysteria and
1:26:10profound relief. We looked at each other
1:26:13and laughed again. "Ladies," Reand
1:26:16purred, a silent order. I groaned as I
1:26:20got to my feet, sand falling everywhere,
1:26:22and offered a hand to Amarind to rise.
1:26:25Her grip was firm, but her quicks eyes
1:26:28were surprisingly tender as she squeezed
1:26:30it before snapping her fingers. We were
1:26:32both instantly clean and warm, our
1:26:34clothes dry, saved for a wet patch
1:26:37around my breast where that box waited.
1:26:40My companions were solemnfaced as I
1:26:42approached and reached inside that
1:26:44pocket. The metal bit into my fingers,
1:26:47so cold it burned. I dropped it onto the
1:26:50table. It thutdded and they all
1:26:52recoiled, swearing. Reese cooked a
1:26:55finger at me. "One last task, Phyra.
1:26:59Unlock it, please." My knees were
1:27:02buckling, my head spinning and mouth
1:27:04bone dry and full of salt and grit. But
1:27:08I wanted to be rid of it, so I slid into
1:27:11a chair, tugging that hateful box to me,
1:27:13and placed a hand on top. "Hello, liar,"
1:27:17it purred. "Hello," I said softly. "Will
1:27:22you read me?" No. The others didn't say
1:27:25a word, though I felt their confusion
1:27:28shimmering in the room. Only Ree and
1:27:30Amron watched me closely. Open, I said
1:27:34silently. Say please.
1:27:37Please, I said. The box, the book was
1:27:40silent. Then it said, like calls to like
1:27:45open, I gritted out. Unmade and made,
1:27:50made and unmade. That is the cycle. Like
1:27:54calls to like. I pushed my hand harder,
1:27:58so tired, I didn't care about the
1:27:59thoughts tumbling out. The bits and
1:28:01pieces that were a part of and not part
1:28:03of me. Heat and water and ice and light
1:28:07and shadow. Curse breaker, it called to
1:28:10me, and the box clicked open. I sagged
1:28:14back in my chair, grateful for the
1:28:16roaring fire in the nearby fireplace.
1:28:19Cassian's hazel eyes were dark. I never
1:28:22want to hear that voice again. Well, you
1:28:25will, Rand said blandly, lifting the
1:28:28lid. Because you're coming with us to
1:28:30see those mortal queens as soon as they
1:28:33dained to visit. I was too tired to
1:28:36think about that, about what we had left
1:28:38to do. I peered into the box. It was not
1:28:42a book, not with paper and leather. It
1:28:46had been formed of dark metal plates
1:28:47bound on three rings of gold, silver,
1:28:50and bronze. Each word carved with
1:28:52painstaking precision in an alphabet I
1:28:55could not recognize. Yes, it indeed
1:28:57turned out my reading lessons were
1:28:59unnecessary.
1:29:01Reese left it inside the box as we all
1:29:03peered in, then recoiled. Only Amron
1:29:07remained staring at it, the blood
1:29:09drained from her face entirely.
1:29:11"What language is that?" Moore asked. I
1:29:15thought Amar<unk>s hands might have been
1:29:16shaking, but she shoved them into her
1:29:18pockets. It is no language of this
1:29:21world. Only Ree was unfaced by the shock
1:29:24on her face, as if he'd suspected what
1:29:27the language might be. Why he had picked
1:29:29her to be a part of this hunt. "What is
1:29:31it, then?" Azriel asked. She stared and
1:29:35stared at the book as if it were a
1:29:37ghost, as if it were a miracle, and
1:29:39said, "It is the Lean Hakodesesh, the
1:29:43Holy Tongue." Those quicks eyes shifted
1:29:47to Reand, and I realized she'd
1:29:49understood, too, why she'd gone. Reand
1:29:52said, "I heard a legend that it was
1:29:55written in a tongue of mighty beings who
1:29:57feared the cauldron's power and made the
1:29:59book to combat it. mighty beings who
1:30:01were here and then vanished. You are the
1:30:05only one who can uncode it. It was Moore
1:30:08who warned, "Don't play those sorts of
1:30:10games, Reand." But he shook his head.
1:30:13"Not a game. It was a gamble that Amaran
1:30:16would be able to read it, and a lucky
1:30:18one." Amron<unk>s nostrils flared
1:30:21delicately, and for a moment I wondered
1:30:23if she might throttle him for not
1:30:25telling her his suspicions, that the
1:30:27book might indeed be more than the key
1:30:29to our own salvation.
1:30:31Ree smiled at her in a way that said
1:30:33he'd be willing to let her try. Even
1:30:36Cassian slid a hand toward his fighting
1:30:38knife. But then Reand said, "I thought
1:30:41too that the book might also contain the
1:30:44spell to free you and send you home if
1:30:47they were the ones who wrote it in the
1:30:49first place."
1:30:51Amaran's throat bobbed slightly. Cassian
1:30:54said, "Shit." Ree went on. I did not
1:30:58tell you my suspicions because I did not
1:31:00want to get your hopes up. But if the
1:31:02legends about the language were indeed
1:31:04right, perhaps you might find what
1:31:06you've been looking for, Amron.
1:31:10I need the other piece before I can
1:31:12begin decoding it. Her voice was raw.
1:31:16Hopefully, our request to the mortal
1:31:17queens will be answered soon, he said,
1:31:20frowning at the sand and water staining
1:31:22the foyer. And hopefully the next
1:31:25encounter will go better than this one.
1:31:28Her mouth tightened, yet her eyes were
1:31:30blazing bright. "Thank you." 10,000
1:31:35years in exile, alone. Moore sighed. A
1:31:39loud dramatic sound, no doubt meant to
1:31:41break the heavy silence, and complained
1:31:43about wanting the full story of what
1:31:45happened. But Azriel said, "Even if the
1:31:49book can nullify the cauldron, there's
1:31:51Jurion to contend with." We all looked
1:31:54at him. That's the piece that doesn't
1:31:57fit. Azriel clarified, tapping a scarred
1:32:00finger on the table. Why resurrect him
1:32:03in the first place? And how does the
1:32:05king keep him bound? What does the king
1:32:08have over Jurian to keep him loyal? I'd
1:32:11considered that, Ree said, taking a seat
1:32:14across from me at the table right
1:32:16between his two brothers. Of course, he
1:32:18had considered it. Ree shrugged. Jurion
1:32:22was obsessive in his pursuits of things.
1:32:25He died with many of those goals left
1:32:27unfinished. Moore's face pald a bit. If
1:32:31he suspects Miriam is alive, odds are
1:32:35Jurian believes Miriam is gone, Ree
1:32:38said. And who better to raise his former
1:32:40lover than a king with a cauldron able
1:32:43to resurrect the dead.
1:32:45Would Jurian ally with Hibburn just
1:32:47because he thinks Miriam is dead and
1:32:49wants her back? Cassian said, bracing
1:32:52his arms on the table. He'd do it to get
1:32:55revenge on Dracon for winning her heart,
1:32:58Ree said. He shook his head. We'll
1:33:01discuss this later. And I made a note to
1:33:03ask him who these people were, what
1:33:05their history was, to ask Ree why he'd
1:33:08never hinted under the mountain that he
1:33:10knew the man behind the eye on
1:33:11Amarantha's ring. after I'd had a bath
1:33:15and water and a nap. But they all looked
1:33:18to me and Amron again, still waiting for
1:33:20the story. Brushing a few grains of sand
1:33:23off, I let Amaran launch into the tail,
1:33:26each word more unbelievable than the
1:33:28last. Across the table, I lifted my gaze
1:33:32from my clothes and found Reese's eyes
1:33:34already on me. I inclined my head
1:33:37slightly and lowered my shield only long
1:33:39enough to say down the bond to the
1:33:42dreams that are answered. A heartbeat
1:33:45later, a sensual caress trailed along my
1:33:48mental shields, a polite request. I let
1:33:51it drop, let him in, and his voice
1:33:54filled my head. To the huntresses who
1:33:56remember to reach back for those less
1:33:58fortunate, and water wraiths who swim
1:34:01very, very fast.
1:34:07Chapter 38.
1:34:10Amron took the book to wherever it was
1:34:12she lived in Valaris, leaving the five
1:34:14of us to eat. While Ree told them of our
1:34:17visit to the summer court, I managed to
1:34:20scarf down breakfast before the
1:34:21exhaustion of staying up all night,
1:34:23unlocking those doors, and very nearly
1:34:26dying hit me. When I awoke, the house
1:34:29was empty, the afternoon sunlight warm
1:34:32and golden, and the day so unusually
1:34:34warm and lovely that I brought a book
1:34:36down to the small garden in the back.
1:34:39The sun eventually shifted, shading the
1:34:41garden to the point of frigidness again.
1:34:44Not quite willing to give up the sun
1:34:46yet, I trudged the three levels to the
1:34:48rooftop patio to watch it set. Of
1:34:51course. Of course. Reand was already
1:34:54lounging in one of the white painted
1:34:55iron chairs. An arm slung over the back
1:34:58while his other hand idly gripped a
1:35:00glass of some sort of liquor. A crystal
1:35:02decanter full of it sat on the table
1:35:04before him. His wings were draped behind
1:35:07him on the tile floor. And I wondered if
1:35:10he was also taking advantage of the
1:35:11unusually mild day to sun them as I
1:35:14cleared my throat.
1:35:16I know you're there," he said without
1:35:18turning from the view of the Cidra and
1:35:20the red gold sea beyond. I scowlled. "If
1:35:24you want to be alone, I can go." He
1:35:26jerked his chin toward the empty seat at
1:35:28the iron table. Not a glowing
1:35:30invitation, but I sat down. There was a
1:35:35wood box beside the decanter, and I
1:35:37might have thought it was something for
1:35:38whatever he was drinking, had I not
1:35:40noticed the dagger fashioned of mother
1:35:42of pearl in the lid. Had I not sworn I
1:35:45could smell the sea and heat and soil
1:35:47that was Tarquin.
1:35:49"What is that?" restrained his glass,
1:35:52held up a hand, the decanter floating to
1:35:54him on a phantom wind, and poured
1:35:57himself another knuckles length before
1:35:59he spoke.
1:36:01I debated it for a good while, you know,
1:36:04he said, staring out at his city,
1:36:07whether I should just ask Tarwin for the
1:36:09book. But I thought that he might very
1:36:11well say no, then sell the information
1:36:13to the highest bidder. I thought he
1:36:16might say yes, and it' still wind up
1:36:18with too many people knowing our plans
1:36:20and the potential for that information
1:36:22to get out. And at the end of the day, I
1:36:25needed the why of our mission to remain
1:36:27secret for as long as possible. He drank
1:36:30again and dragged a hand through his
1:36:32blue black hair. I didn't like stealing
1:36:36from him. I didn't like hurting his
1:36:38guards. I didn't like vanishing without
1:36:40a word. When ambition or no, he did
1:36:43truly want an alliance, maybe even
1:36:46friendship. No other high lords have
1:36:48ever bothered or dared. But I think
1:36:52Tarwin wanted to be my friend.
1:36:55I glanced between him and the box and
1:36:57repeated, "What is that?" "Open it!" I
1:37:02gingerly flipped back the lid. Inside,
1:37:05nestled on a bed of white velvet, three
1:37:07rubies glimmered, each the size of a
1:37:10chicken egg, each so pure and richly
1:37:12colored that they seemed crafted of.
1:37:14"Blood rubies," he said. I pulled back
1:37:18the fingers that had been inching toward
1:37:20the stones. In the summer court, when a
1:37:23grave insult has been committed, they
1:37:25send a blood ruby to the offender. An
1:37:28official declaration that there is a
1:37:30price on their head, that they are now
1:37:32hunted and will soon be dead. The box
1:37:35arrived at the Court of Nightmares an
1:37:37hour ago.
1:37:39Mother above,
1:37:41I take it one of these has my name on
1:37:43it, and yours, and Amrons. The lid
1:37:46flipped shut on a dark wind. "I made a
1:37:49mistake," he said. I opened my mouth,
1:37:52but he went on. I should have wiped the
1:37:55minds of the guards and let them
1:37:56continue on. Instead, I knocked them
1:37:59out. It's been a while since I had to do
1:38:02any sort of physical defending like
1:38:05that. And I was so focused on my Yrian
1:38:07training that I forgot the other arsenal
1:38:09at my disposal. They probably awoke and
1:38:13went right to him. He would have noticed
1:38:15the book was missing soon enough. We
1:38:18could have denied that we stole it and
1:38:20chocked it up to coincidence. He drained
1:38:22his glass. I made a mistake.
1:38:26It's not the end of the world if you do
1:38:28that every now and then. You've been
1:38:30told you are now public enemy number one
1:38:32of the summer court, and you're fine
1:38:34with it. No, but I don't blame you. He
1:38:39loosed a breath, staring out at his city
1:38:41as the warmth of the day succumbed to
1:38:43winter's bite once more. It didn't
1:38:46matter to him. "Perhaps you could return
1:38:49the book once we've neutralized the
1:38:50cauldron." "Apologize,"
1:38:53Ree snorted. "No, Amron will get that
1:38:56book for as long as she needs it." "Then
1:38:59make it up to him in some way. Clearly,
1:39:01you wanted to be his friend as much as
1:39:03he wanted to be yours. You wouldn't be
1:39:05so upset otherwise." I'm not upset. I'm
1:39:09pissed off. Semantics. He gave me a half
1:39:12smile. Feuds like the one we just
1:39:15started can last centuries, millennia.
1:39:19If that's the cost of stopping this war,
1:39:21helping Amron, I'll pay it. He'd pay
1:39:24with everything he had, I realized. Any
1:39:27hopes for himself, his own happiness?
1:39:31Do the others know about the blood
1:39:33rubies? Azriel was the one who brought
1:39:36them to me. I'm debating how I'll tell
1:39:38Amron. Why? Darkness filled those
1:39:42remarkable eyes. Because her answer
1:39:44would be to go to Adriata and wipe the
1:39:47city off the map. I shuddered. Exactly,
1:39:51he said. I stared out at Valaris with
1:39:54him, listening to the sounds of the day
1:39:56wrapping up and the night unfolding.
1:39:59Adriata felt rudimentary by comparison.
1:40:03I understand, I said, rubbing some
1:40:06warmth into my now chilled hands. Why
1:40:08you did what you had to in order to
1:40:10protect this city, imagining the
1:40:13destruction that had been wreaked upon
1:40:14Adriata here in Valaris made my blood
1:40:17run cold. His eyes slid to me, weary and
1:40:21dull. I swallowed. And I understand why
1:40:24you will do anything to keep it safe
1:40:26during the times ahead. And your point
1:40:30is
1:40:32a bad day. This was a bad day, I
1:40:34realized for him. I didn't scowl at the
1:40:37bite in his words.
1:40:39Get through this war, Reand, and then
1:40:42worry about Tarwin and the blood rubies.
1:40:44Nullify the cauldron. Stop the king from
1:40:46shattering the wall and enslaving the
1:40:48human realm again. And then we'll figure
1:40:51out the rest after.
1:40:53>> You sound as if you plan to stay here
1:40:55for a while. A bland but edged question.
1:40:58I can find my own lodging if that's what
1:41:01you're referring to. Maybe I'll use that
1:41:03generous paycheck to get myself
1:41:05something lavish.
1:41:07Come on, wink at me. Play with me. Just
1:41:10stop looking like that. He only said,
1:41:14"Spare your paycheck. Your name has
1:41:16already been added to the list of those
1:41:18approved to use my household credit. Buy
1:41:21whatever you wish. Buy yourself a whole
1:41:23damn house if you want." I ground my
1:41:26teeth. And maybe it was panic or
1:41:28desperation, but I said sweetly, "I saw
1:41:32a pretty shop across the Cidra the other
1:41:34day. It sold what looked to be lots of
1:41:37lacy little things. Am I allowed to buy
1:41:39that on your credit, too, or does that
1:41:42come out of my personal funds?"
1:41:44Those violet eyes again drifted to me.
1:41:47I'm not in the mood. There was no humor,
1:41:51no mischief. I could go warm myself by a
1:41:54fire inside, but he had stayed and
1:41:58fought for me. Week after week, he'd
1:42:00fought for me. Even when I had no
1:42:02reaction, even when I had barely been
1:42:05able to speak or bring myself to care if
1:42:07I lived or died or ate or starved, I
1:42:10couldn't leave him to his own dark
1:42:11thoughts, his own guilt, he'd shouldered
1:42:14them alone long enough, so I held his
1:42:16gaze. I never knew Yrians were such
1:42:20morose drunks. I'm not drunk. I'm
1:42:23drinking, he said, his teeth flashing a
1:42:26bit. Again, semantics. I leaned back in
1:42:30my seat, wishing I'd brought my coat.
1:42:33Maybe you should have slept with Cita
1:42:35after all, so you could both be sad and
1:42:37lonely together. So, you're entitled to
1:42:39have as many bad days as you want. But I
1:42:42can't get a few hours. Oh, take however
1:42:45long you want to mope. I was going to
1:42:48invite you to come shopping with me for
1:42:49said lacy little unmentionables, but sit
1:42:53up here forever if you have to. He
1:42:57didn't respond. I went on, "Maybe I'll
1:43:00send a few to Tarkin with an offer to
1:43:02wear them for him if he forgives us.
1:43:05Maybe he'll take those blood rubies
1:43:06right back." His mouth barely, barely
1:43:10tugged up at the corners. He'd see that
1:43:13as a taunt. I gave him a few smiles and
1:43:16he handed over a family heirloom. I bet
1:43:19he'd give me the keys to his territory
1:43:21if I showed up wearing those
1:43:22undergarments.
1:43:24Someone thinks mighty highly of herself.
1:43:27Why shouldn't I? You seem to have
1:43:29difficulty not staring at me day and
1:43:31night. There it was, a kernel of truth
1:43:35and a question. Am I supposed to deny?
1:43:38He drawled. But something sparked in
1:43:40those eyes that I find you attractive.
1:43:44You've never said it. I've told you many
1:43:46times and quite frequently how
1:43:48attractive I find you. I shrugged even
1:43:52as I thought of all those times when I'd
1:43:54dismissed them as teasing compliments,
1:43:56nothing more. Well, maybe you should do
1:43:59a better job of it. The gleam in his
1:44:01eyes turned into something predatory. A
1:44:04thrill went through me as he braced his
1:44:06powerful arms on the table and purred.
1:44:09Is that a challenge, Pharaoh? I held
1:44:12that predator's gaze. The gaze of the
1:44:15most powerful male in Priththeon.
1:44:18Is it? His pupils flared. Gone was the
1:44:21quiet sadness, the isolated guilt. Only
1:44:24that lethal focus on me, on my mouth, on
1:44:28the bob of my throat as I tried to keep
1:44:30my breathing even, he said slow and
1:44:33soft. Why don't we go down to that store
1:44:36right now, Phah, so you can try on those
1:44:40lacy little things so I can help you
1:44:42pick which one to send to Tarwin.
1:44:46My toes curled inside my fleece lined
1:44:48slippers. Such a dangerous line we
1:44:51walked together. The ice-kissed night
1:44:53wind rustled our hair, but Reese's gaze
1:44:56cut skyward, and a heartbeat later,
1:44:58Azriel shot from the clouds like a spear
1:45:00of darkness. I wasn't sure whether I
1:45:03should be relieved or not, but I left
1:45:05before Azriel could land, giving the
1:45:07high lord and his spy master some
1:45:09privacy.
1:45:11As soon as I entered the dimness of the
1:45:13stairwell, the heat rushed from me,
1:45:16leaving a sick, cold feeling in my
1:45:18stomach. There was flirting and then
1:45:20there was this.
1:45:23I had loved Tamlin, loved him so much I
1:45:26had not minded destroying myself for it
1:45:29for him. And then everything had
1:45:31happened and now I was here and and I
1:45:35might have very well gone to that pretty
1:45:37shop with Reand. I could almost see what
1:45:40would have happened. The shopladies
1:45:42would have been polite, a bit nervous,
1:45:44and given us privacy as Ree sat on the
1:45:47seti in the back of the shop. While I
1:45:49went behind the curtained off chamber to
1:45:51try on the red lace set I'd eyed thrice
1:45:54now. And when I emerged, mustering up
1:45:57more bravado than I felt, Ree would have
1:45:59looked me up and down twice, and he
1:46:03would have kept staring at me as he
1:46:05informed the shop ladies that the store
1:46:07was closed and they should all come back
1:46:09tomorrow and we'd leave the tab on the
1:46:11counter.
1:46:13I would have stood there naked, save for
1:46:15scraps of red lace, while we listened to
1:46:18the quick, discreet sounds of them
1:46:19closing up and leaving. And he would
1:46:22have looked at me the entire time, at my
1:46:25breasts, visible through the lace, at
1:46:28the plane of my stomach, now finally
1:46:30looking less starved and taught, at the
1:46:32sweep of my hips and thighs between
1:46:34them. Then he would have met my gaze
1:46:37again, and crooked a finger with a
1:46:39single murmured, "Come here." and I
1:46:43would have walked to him, aware of every
1:46:45step, as I at last stopped in front of
1:46:48where he sat between his legs. His hands
1:46:51would have slid to my waist, the
1:46:53calluses scraping my skin. Then he'd
1:46:56have tugged me a bit closer before
1:46:58leaning in to brush a kiss to my navl,
1:47:01his tongue. I swore as I slammed into
1:47:04the post of the stairwell landing, and I
1:47:06blinked, blinked as the world returned,
1:47:09and I realized
1:47:11I glared at the eye tattooed in my hand
1:47:14and hissed both with my tongue and that
1:47:16silent voice within the bond itself.
1:47:18Prick. In the back of my mind, a sensual
1:47:21male voice chuckled with midnight
1:47:23laughter. My face burning, cursing him
1:47:26for the vision he'd slipped past my
1:47:28mental shields. I reinforced them as I
1:47:31entered my room and took a very, very
1:47:34cold bath.
1:47:38I ate with Moore that night beside the
1:47:40crackling fire in the townhouse dining
1:47:42room, Ree and the others off somewhere.
1:47:45And when she finally asked why I kept
1:47:47scowlling every time Rean's name was
1:47:49mentioned, I told her about the vision
1:47:51he'd sent into my mind. She laughed
1:47:54until wine came out of her nose, and
1:47:56when I scowlled at her, she told me I
1:47:58should be proud. When Ree was prepared
1:48:00to brood, it took nothing short of a
1:48:02miracle to get him out of it. I tried to
1:48:05ignore the slightest sense of triumph,
1:48:07even as I climbed into bed.
1:48:10I was just starting to drift off, well
1:48:13past 2 in the morning, thanks to
1:48:14chatting with Moore on the couch in the
1:48:16living room for hours and hours about
1:48:18all the great and terrible places she'd
1:48:21seen. When the house let out a groan
1:48:24like the wood itself was being warped,
1:48:26the house began to moan and shudder. The
1:48:29colored glass lights in my room
1:48:30tinkling. I jolted upright, twisting to
1:48:33the open window. Clear skies. Nothing.
1:48:38Nothing but the darkness leaking into my
1:48:40room from the hall door. I knew that
1:48:43darkness. A kernel of it lived in me. It
1:48:46rushed in from the cracks of the door
1:48:48like a flood. The house shuttered again.
1:48:51I vaulted from bed, yanked the door
1:48:53open, and darkness swept past me on a
1:48:56phantom wind full of stars and flapping
1:48:58wings and pain. So much pain and despair
1:49:03and guilt and fear. I h hurtled into the
1:49:07hall, utterly blind in the impenetrable
1:49:09dark. But there was a thread between us,
1:49:12and I followed it to where I knew his
1:49:14room was. I fumbled for the handle. Then
1:49:17more night and stars and wind poured
1:49:20out, my hair whipping around me, and I
1:49:22lifted an arm to shield my face as I
1:49:24edged into the room. Reand. No response,
1:49:29but I could feel him there. Feel that
1:49:31lifeline between us. I followed it until
1:49:34my shins banged into what had to be his
1:49:36bed. "Resand," I said over the wind and
1:49:39dark. The house shook, the floorboards
1:49:42clattering under my feet. I patted the
1:49:44bed, feeling sheets and blankets and
1:49:46down and then then a hard taut male
1:49:50body. But the bed was enormous and I
1:49:53couldn't get a grip on him. Reand.
1:49:56Around and around the darkness swirled,
1:49:58the beginning and end of the world. I
1:50:01scrambled onto the bed, lunging for him,
1:50:03feeling what was his arm, then his
1:50:05stomach, then his shoulders. His skin
1:50:08was freezing as I gripped his shoulders
1:50:09and shouted his name. No response, and I
1:50:13slid a hand up his neck to his mouth to
1:50:16make sure he was still breathing, that
1:50:18this wasn't his power floating away from
1:50:20him. I see breath hit my palm, and
1:50:23bracing myself, I rose up on my knees,
1:50:26aiming blindly, and slapped him. My palm
1:50:29stung, but he didn't move. I hit him
1:50:32again, pulling on that bond between us,
1:50:35shouting his name down it like it was a
1:50:37tunnel, banging on that wall of ebony
1:50:39adamant within his mind, roaring at it.
1:50:42A crack in the dark and then his hands
1:50:45were on me, flipping me, pinning me with
1:50:47expert skill to the mattress, a talon
1:50:50hand at my throat. I went still. Reys
1:50:53hand, I breathed. Ree, I said through
1:50:57the bond, putting a hand against that
1:50:59inner shield. The dark shuddered. I
1:51:02threw my own power out. Black to black,
1:51:05soothing his darkness, the rough edges,
1:51:07willing it to calm, to soften. My
1:51:10darkness sang his own a lullabi, a song
1:51:12my wet nurse had hummed when my mother
1:51:14had shoved me into her arms to go back
1:51:16to attending parties. It was a dream, I
1:51:20said. His hand was so cold. It was a
1:51:23dream again. The darkness paused. I sent
1:51:27my own veils of night brushing up
1:51:29against it, running starflected hands
1:51:31down it, and for a heartbeat, the inky
1:51:34blackness cleared enough that I saw his
1:51:36face above me, drawn, lips pale, violet
1:51:40eyes wide, scanning. "Fra," I said. "I'm
1:51:46Fra." His breathing was jagged, uneven.
1:51:50I gripped the wrist that held my throat.
1:51:52Held, but didn't hurt. You were
1:51:54dreaming. I willed that darkness inside
1:51:57myself to echo it, to sing those raging
1:52:00fears to sleep, to brush up against that
1:52:02ebony wall within his mind, gentle and
1:52:05soft. Then, like snow shaken from a
1:52:09tree, his darkness fell away, taking
1:52:11mine with it. Moonlight poured in, and
1:52:15the sounds of the city. His room was
1:52:18similar to mine. The bed so big it must
1:52:20have been built to accommodate wings,
1:52:22but all tastefully, comfortably
1:52:24appointed, and he was naked above me,
1:52:27utterly naked. I didn't dare look lower
1:52:30than the tattooed pains of his chest.
1:52:32>> "Fra," he said, his voice as if he'd
1:52:36been screaming. "Yes," I said. He
1:52:40studied my face, the talent hand at my
1:52:42throat, and released me immediately.
1:52:45I lay there staring up at where he now
1:52:48knelt on the bed, rubbing his hands over
1:52:50his face. My traitorous eyes indeed
1:52:53dared to look lower than his chest, but
1:52:55my attention snagged on the twin tattoos
1:52:58on each of his knees, a towering
1:53:00mountain crowned by three stars.
1:53:03Beautiful, but brutal somehow. "You were
1:53:06having a nightmare," I said, easing into
1:53:09a sitting position like some dam had
1:53:12been cracked open inside me. I glanced
1:53:14at my hand and willed it to vanish into
1:53:17shadow. It did. Half a thought scattered
1:53:20the darkness again. His hands, however,
1:53:23still ended in long black talons. And
1:53:26his feet, they ended in claws, too. The
1:53:29wings were out, slumped down behind him,
1:53:32and I wondered how close he'd been to
1:53:33fully shifting into that beast he'd once
1:53:36told me he hated. He lowered his hands,
1:53:39talons fading into fingers. I'm sorry.
1:53:43>> That's why you're staying here, not at
1:53:45the house. You don't want the others
1:53:47seeing this.
1:53:49>> I normally keep it contained to my room.
1:53:52I'm sorry it woke you.
1:53:54>> I fisted my hands in my lap to keep from
1:53:57touching him.
1:53:58How often does it happen? Reese's violet
1:54:02eyes met mine, and I knew the answer
1:54:04before he said, "As often as you." I
1:54:08swallowed hard. What did you dream of
1:54:10tonight? He shook his head, looking
1:54:13toward the window to where snow had
1:54:15dusted the nearby rooftops.
1:54:18There are memories from under the
1:54:20mountain, Phyra, that are best left
1:54:22unshared, even with you. He'd shared
1:54:26enough horrific things with me that they
1:54:28had to be beyond nightmares then. But I
1:54:32put a hand on his elbow, naked body and
1:54:34all. When you want to talk, let me know.
1:54:38I won't tell the others. I made to
1:54:41slither off the bed, but he grabbed my
1:54:43hand, keeping it against his arm. Thank
1:54:46you. I studied the hand, the ravaged
1:54:50face. Such pain lingered there, and
1:54:53exhaustion, the face he never let anyone
1:54:55see. I pushed up onto my knees and
1:54:58kissed his cheek, his skin warm and soft
1:55:01beneath my mouth. It was over before it
1:55:04started. But but how many nights had I
1:55:07wanted someone to do the same for me?
1:55:10His eyes were a bit wide as I pulled
1:55:12away, and he didn't stop me as I eased
1:55:14off the bed. I was almost out the door
1:55:17when I turned back to him. Reese still
1:55:20knelt, wings drooping across the white
1:55:22sheets, head bowed, his tattoos stark
1:55:25against his golden skin. A dark fallen
1:55:28prince. The painting flashed into my
1:55:31mind, flashed and stayed there,
1:55:34glimmering before it faded. But it
1:55:37remained, shining faintly in that hole
1:55:39inside my chest. The hole that was
1:55:42slowly starting to heal over.
1:55:48Chapter 39.
1:55:51"Do you think you can decode it once we
1:55:53get the other half?" I said to Ammon,
1:55:55lingering by the front door of her
1:55:57apartment the next afternoon.
1:56:00She owned the top floor of a three-story
1:56:02building, the sloped ceiling ending on
1:56:04either side in a massive window. One
1:56:06looked out on the cidra, the other on a
1:56:08treelined city square. The entire
1:56:11apartment consisted of one giant room.
1:56:14The faded oak floors were covered in
1:56:16equally worn carpets. Furniture was
1:56:19scattered about as if she constantly
1:56:20moved it for whatever purpose. Only her
1:56:23bed, a large for poster monstrosity
1:56:26canopied in Gossamer, seemed set in a
1:56:28permanent place against the wall. There
1:56:31was no kitchen, only a long table and a
1:56:33hearth burning hot enough to make the
1:56:35room near stifling. The dusting of snow
1:56:38from the night before had vanished in
1:56:40the dry winter sun by midm morning, the
1:56:42temperature crisp, but mild enough that
1:56:45the walk here had been invigorating.
1:56:48Seated on the floor before a low-lying
1:56:50table scattered with papers, Amarin
1:56:53looked up from the gleaming metal of the
1:56:54book. Her face was paler than usual. Her
1:56:58lips won. It's been a long while since I
1:57:01used this language. I want to master it
1:57:04again before tackling the book.
1:57:06Hopefully, by then, those hottie queens
1:57:08will have given us their share. And how
1:57:11long will relearning the language take?
1:57:14Didn't his darkness fill you in? She
1:57:17went back to the book. I stroed for the
1:57:19long wooden table and set the package I
1:57:22brought on the scratched surface. A few
1:57:24pints of hot blood straight from the
1:57:26butcher. I'd nearly run here to keep
1:57:28them from going cold. "No," I said,
1:57:32taking out the containers. He didn't.
1:57:35Reese had already been gone by
1:57:36breakfast, though one of his notes had
1:57:38been on a bedside table. "Thank you for
1:57:42last night," was all it had said. no pen
1:57:45to write a response, but I'd hunted down
1:57:47one anyway and had written back, "What
1:57:50do the tattooed stars and mountain on
1:57:52your knees mean?" The paper had vanished
1:57:55a heartbeat later. When it hadn't
1:57:57returned, I'd dressed and gone to
1:57:59breakfast. I was halfway through my eggs
1:58:01and toast when the paper appeared beside
1:58:03my plate, neatly folded, that I will bow
1:58:07before no one and nothing but my crown.
1:58:11This time a pen had appeared. I'd merely
1:58:13written back so dramatic. And through
1:58:16our bond, on the other side of my mental
1:58:18shields, I could have sworn I heard his
1:58:20laugh. Smiling at the memory, I
1:58:23unscrewed the lid on the first jar, the
1:58:26tang of blood filling my nostrils. Amron
1:58:29sniffed, then whipped her head to the
1:58:30glass pines. "You, oh, I like you. It's
1:58:35lamb, if that makes a difference. Do you
1:58:38want me to heat it up?" She rushed from
1:58:40the book, and I just watched as she
1:58:42clutched the jar in both hands and
1:58:44gulped it down like water. Well, at
1:58:46least I wouldn't have to bother finding
1:58:48a pot in this place. Amron drank half in
1:58:51one go. A trickle of blood ran down her
1:58:54chin, and she let it drip onto her gray
1:58:56shirt, rumpled in a way I'd never seen.
1:58:59Smacking her lips, she set the jar on
1:59:01the table with a great sigh. Blood
1:59:04gleamed on her teeth. Thank you.
1:59:07Do you have a favorite? She jerked her
1:59:10bloody chin, then wiped it with a napkin
1:59:12as she realized she'd made a mess. Lamb
1:59:15has always been my favorite, horrible as
1:59:18it is. Not human. She made a face.
1:59:22Watery and often tastes like what they
1:59:25last ate. And since most humans have
1:59:27piss poor pallets, it's too much of a
1:59:30gamble. But lamb, I'll take goat, too.
1:59:34The blood's purer, richer. Reminds me of
1:59:38another time and place.
1:59:41Interesting, I said, and meant it. I
1:59:44wondered what world exactly she meant.
1:59:47She drained the rest, color already
1:59:49blooming on her face, and placed the jar
1:59:51in the small sink along the wall. I
1:59:54thought you'd live somewhere more
1:59:56ornate, I admitted. Indeed, all her fine
2:00:00clothes were hanging on racks near the
2:00:02bed, her jewelry scattered on a few
2:00:04armwars and tables. There was enough of
2:00:06the ladder to provide an emperor's
2:00:08ransom. She shrugged, plopping down
2:00:11beside the book once more. I tried that
2:00:14once. It bored me, and I didn't like
2:00:17having servants. Too nosy. I've lived in
2:00:20palaces and cottages and in the
2:00:22mountains and on the beach. But I
2:00:25somehow like this apartment by the river
2:00:27the best. She frowned at the skylights
2:00:30that dotted the ceiling. It also means I
2:00:32never have to host parties or guests,
2:00:35both of which I abhore. I chuckled. Then
2:00:39I'll keep my visit short. She let out an
2:00:42amused huff, crossing her legs beneath
2:00:44her. Why are you here? Cassian said
2:00:48you'd been holed up in here night and
2:00:49day since we got back, and I thought you
2:00:52might be hungry. and I had nothing else
2:00:55to do. Cassian is a busy body. He cares
2:00:59about you. All of you. You're the only
2:01:02family he has. They were all the only
2:01:05family they each had. [clears throat]
2:01:07She said, studying a piece of paper, but
2:01:10it seemed to please her nonetheless. A
2:01:12gleam of color caught my attention on
2:01:14the floor near her. She was using her
2:01:16blood ruby as a paper weight.
2:01:19Ree convinced you not to destroy Adriata
2:01:22for the blood ruby. Amron's eyes flicked
2:01:24up, full of storms and violent seas. He
2:01:28did no such thing. That convinced me not
2:01:31to destroy Adriata.
2:01:33She pointed to her dresser. Sprawled
2:01:36across the top like a snake lay a
2:01:38familiar necklace of diamonds and
2:01:40rubies. I'd seen it before in Tarwin's
2:01:43trove. How? What? Amarin smiled to
2:01:47herself. Varian sent it to me to soften
2:01:51Tarwin's declaration of our blood feud.
2:01:54I thought the rubies would need to be
2:01:55worn by a mighty female and could think
2:01:58of no mightier female than the one
2:02:00before me. Did you and Varian? Tempting,
2:02:04but no. The prick can't decide if he
2:02:06hates or wants me. Why can't it be both?
2:02:10A low chuckle. Indeed.
2:02:15Thus began weeks of waiting. Waiting for
2:02:18Amron to relearn a language spoken by no
2:02:20other in our world. Waiting for the
2:02:23mortal queens to answer our request to
2:02:25meet. Azriel continued his attempt to
2:02:28infiltrate their courts, still to no
2:02:30avail. I heard about it mostly from
2:02:32Moore, who always knew when he'd
2:02:34returned to the House of Wind, and
2:02:36always made a point to be there the
2:02:38moment he touched down. She told me
2:02:40little of the specifics, even less about
2:02:43how the frustration of not being able to
2:02:45get his spies or himself into those
2:02:47courts took a toll on him. The standards
2:02:50to which he held himself, she confided
2:02:52in me, bordered on sadistic. Getting
2:02:55Azriel to take any time for himself that
2:02:58didn't involve work or training was
2:03:00nearly impossible. And when I pointed
2:03:02out that he did go to Rita's with her
2:03:04whenever she asked, Moore simply
2:03:06informed me that it had taken her four
2:03:08centuries to get him to do that, I
2:03:10sometimes wondered what went on up at
2:03:12the House of the Wind, while Ree and I
2:03:14stayed at the townhouse. I only really
2:03:17visited in the mornings when I filled
2:03:18the first half of my day training with
2:03:20Cassian, who along with Moore, had
2:03:23decided to point out what foods I should
2:03:25be eating to gain back the weight I'd
2:03:27lost to become strong and swift again.
2:03:30And as the days passed, I went from
2:03:32physical defense to learning to wield an
2:03:34Ayrian blade. The weapon so fine I'd
2:03:37nearly taken Cassian's arm off. But I
2:03:40was learning to use it slowly,
2:03:42painfully. I'd had one break from
2:03:45Cassian's brutal training just one
2:03:47morning when he'd flown to the human
2:03:49realm to see if my sisters had heard
2:03:51from the queens and deliver another
2:03:53letter from Ree to be sent to them.
2:03:56I assumed seeing Neesa went about as
2:03:58poorly as could be imagined, because my
2:04:01lesson the following morning was longer
2:04:03and harder than it had been in previous
2:04:05days. I'd asked what exactly Neesa had
2:04:08said to him to get under his skin so
2:04:10easily, but Cassian had only snarled and
2:04:13told me to mind my own business, and
2:04:15that my family was full of bossy
2:04:17know-it-all females.
2:04:19Part of me had wondered if Cassian and
2:04:21Varian might need to compare notes.
2:04:25Most afternoons, if Ree was around, I'd
2:04:28train with him. Mind to mind, power to
2:04:31power. We slowly worked through the
2:04:33gifts I'd been given. Flame and water,
2:04:36ice and darkness. There were others, we
2:04:38knew that had gone undiscovered,
2:04:40undelved. Winnowing still remained
2:04:43impossible. I hadn't been able to do it
2:04:45since that snowy morning with the Adore.
2:04:49It had take time, Ree told me each day
2:04:51when I'd inevitably snap at him. time to
2:04:54learn and master each one.
2:04:58He infused each lesson with information
2:05:00about the high lords whose power I'd
2:05:02stolen, about Baron, the cruel and vain
2:05:05high lord of the autumn court. About
2:05:07Kalas, the quiet and cunning high lord
2:05:10of winter. about Helian Spell Cleaver,
2:05:13the High Lord of Day, whose 10,00
2:05:15libraries had been personally looted by
2:05:17Amarantha, and whose clever people
2:05:20excelled at spellwork and archived the
2:05:22knowledge of Prththeon. "Knowing who my
2:05:25power had come from," Ree said, was as
2:05:27important as learning the nature of the
2:05:29power itself. "We never spoke of
2:05:32shapeshifting, of the talons I could
2:05:34sometimes summon. The threads that went
2:05:36along with us looking at that gift were
2:05:38too tangled, the unspoken history too
2:05:41violent and bloody.
2:05:44So I learned the other court's politics
2:05:46and histories and learned their master's
2:05:48powers until my waking and sleeping
2:05:50hours were spent with flames singing my
2:05:53mouth and horrost cracking between my
2:05:55fingers. And each night, exhausted from
2:05:58a day of training my body and powers, I
2:06:01tumbled into a heavy sleep laced with
2:06:04jasmine scented darkness. Even my
2:06:07nightmares were too tired to hound me.
2:06:10On the days when Ree was called
2:06:12elsewhere to deal with the inner
2:06:13workings of his own court, to remind
2:06:15them who ruled them or meet out
2:06:17judgment, to prepare for our inevitable
2:06:20visit to Hibburn, I would read or sit
2:06:23with Amron while she worked on the book,
2:06:25or stroll through Valaris with more. The
2:06:28latter was perhaps my favorite, and the
2:06:31female certainly excelled at finding
2:06:33ways to spend money. I'd peaked only
2:06:35once at the account Ree had set up for
2:06:37me, just once, and realized he was
2:06:40grossly, grossly overpaying me.
2:06:44I tried not to be disappointed on those
2:06:46afternoons that he was gone. Tried not
2:06:48to admit that I'd begun looking forward
2:06:50to it, mastering my powers, and
2:06:54bantering with him. But even when he was
2:06:57gone, he would talk to me in the notes
2:06:59that had become our own strange secret.
2:07:02One day, he'd written to me from Cesar,
2:07:05a small city in the northeast, where he
2:07:07was meeting with the few surviving
2:07:08priestesses, to discuss rebuilding after
2:07:11their temple had been wrecked by
2:07:12Hiburn's forces. None of the priestesses
2:07:15were like Ayanthy, he'd promised.
2:07:19Tell me about the painting. I'd written
2:07:21back from my seat in the garden. The
2:07:24fountain finally revived with the return
2:07:26of milder weather. There's not much to
2:07:29say. Tell me about it anyway. It had
2:07:33taken me a while to craft the response,
2:07:35to think through that little hole in me
2:07:37and what it had once meant and felt
2:07:39like. But then I said, "There was a time
2:07:43when all I wanted was enough money to
2:07:45keep me and my family fed so that I
2:07:48could spend my days painting. That was
2:07:50all I wanted ever." A pause. Then he'd
2:07:55written, "And now."
2:07:58Now, I'd replied, "I don't know what I
2:08:01want. I can't paint anymore." Why?
2:08:05Because that part of me is empty.
2:08:08Though maybe that night I'd seen him
2:08:10kneeling in the bed. Maybe that had
2:08:12changed a bit. I had contemplated the
2:08:15next sentence, then written, "Did you
2:08:18always want to be high lord?" A lengthy
2:08:21pause again. Yes and no. I saw how my
2:08:25father ruled and knew from a young age
2:08:27that I did not want to be like him. So,
2:08:30I decided to be a different sort of high
2:08:32lord. I wanted to protect my people,
2:08:35change the perceptions of the Yrians,
2:08:37and eliminate the corruption that
2:08:39plagued the land.
2:08:42For a moment, I hadn't been able to stop
2:08:44myself from comparing. Tamlin hadn't
2:08:47wanted to be high lord. He resented
2:08:49being high lord. And maybe maybe that
2:08:52was part of why the court had become
2:08:54what it was. But Reand with a vision,
2:08:58with the will and desire and passion to
2:09:00do it, he'd built something and then
2:09:03gone to the mat to defend it. It was
2:09:06what he'd seen in Tarquin. Why those
2:09:08blood rubies had hit him so hard,
2:09:11another high lord with vision, a radical
2:09:13vision for the future of Prtheon. So I
2:09:16wrote back, "At least you make up for
2:09:19your shameless flirting by being one
2:09:21hell of a high lord." He'd returned that
2:09:24evening, smirking like a cat, and had
2:09:26merely said, "One hell of a high lord."
2:09:30by way of greeting. I'd sent a bucket's
2:09:32worth of water splashing into his face.
2:09:35Ree hadn't bothered to shield against
2:09:37it, and instead shook his wet hair like
2:09:39a dog, spraying me until I yelped and
2:09:42darted away. His laughter had chased me
2:09:44up the stairs. Winter was slowly
2:09:47loosening its grip when I awoke one
2:09:49morning and found another letter from
2:09:51Ree beside my bed. No pen. No training
2:09:55with your second favorite Yrian this
2:09:57morning. The queen's finally dained to
2:10:00write back. They're coming to your
2:10:02family's estate tomorrow.
2:10:05I didn't have time for nerves. We left
2:10:07after dinner, soaring into the thawing
2:10:09human lands under cover of darkness. the
2:10:12brisk wind screaming as Ree held me
2:10:15tightly.
2:10:18My sisters were ready the following
2:10:20morning, both dressed in finery, fit for
2:10:22any queen, fay or mortal. I supposed I
2:10:25was too. I wore a white gown of chiffon
2:10:28and silk cut in typical nightcourt
2:10:31fashion to reveal my skin, the gold
2:10:33accents on the dress glittering in the
2:10:35mid-m morninging light streaming through
2:10:36the sitting room windows. My father,
2:10:39thankfully, would remain on the
2:10:41continent for another two months due to
2:10:43whatever vital trade he'd been seeking
2:10:45across the kingdoms.
2:10:48Near the fireplace, I stood beside Ree,
2:10:51who was clad in his usual black, his
2:10:53wings gone, his face a calm mask. Only
2:10:56the dark crown at top his head, the
2:10:58metal shaped like raven's feathers, was
2:11:01different. The crown that was the
2:11:03sibling to my gold diadem. Cassian and
2:11:06Azriel monitored everything from the far
2:11:08wall. No weapons in sight, but their
2:11:11siphons gleamed, and I wondered what
2:11:14manner of weapon exactly they could
2:11:16craft with it if the need demanded it.
2:11:18For that had been one of the demands the
2:11:20queens had issued for this meeting. No
2:11:23weapons, no matter that the Yrian
2:11:25warriors themselves were weapons enough.
2:11:29more in a red gown similar to mine,
2:11:32frowned at the clock at top the white
2:11:33mantle, her foot tapping on the ornate
2:11:36carpet. Despite my wishes for her to get
2:11:39to know my sisters, Neesa and Elaine had
2:11:41been so tense and pale when we'd
2:11:43arrived, that I'd immediately decided
2:11:46now was not the time for such an
2:11:47encounter. One day, one day, I'd bring
2:11:51them all together, if we didn't die in
2:11:53this war first. If these queens chose to
2:11:56help us.
2:11:5811:00 struck. There had been two other
2:12:01demands. The meeting was to begin at 11,
2:12:04no earlier, no later, and they had
2:12:07wanted the exact geographical location
2:12:09of the house, the layout and size of
2:12:11each room, where the furniture was,
2:12:13where the windows and doors were, what
2:12:16room likely we would greet them in.
2:12:18Azreel had provided it all with my
2:12:20sister's help. The chiming of the clock
2:12:23at top the mantle was the only sound.
2:12:26And I realized as it finished its last
2:12:28strike that the third demand wasn't just
2:12:30for security. No. As a wind brushed
2:12:34through the room and five figures
2:12:36appeared, flanked by two guards a piece,
2:12:39I realized it was because the queens
2:12:42could winnow.
2:12:47Chapter 40.
2:12:50The mortal queens were a mix of age,
2:12:52coloring, height, and temperament. The
2:12:55eldest of them, clad in an embroidered
2:12:57wool dress of deepest blue, was browns
2:12:59skinned, her eyes sharp and cold, and
2:13:02unbent despite the heavy wrinkles carved
2:13:04into her face. The two who appeared
2:13:07middle-aged were opposites, one dark,
2:13:10one light, one sweetfaced, one huneed
2:13:13from granite, one smiling, and one
2:13:16frowning. They even wore gowns of black
2:13:18and white and seemed to move in question
2:13:21and answer to each other. I wondered
2:13:23what their kingdoms were like, what
2:13:25relations they had, if the matching
2:13:27silver rings they each wore bound them
2:13:29in other ways. And the youngest two
2:13:32queens, one was perhaps a few years
2:13:34older than me, blackhaired and
2:13:37blackeyed, careful cunning oozing from
2:13:39every pore as she surveyed us. and the
2:13:42final queen, the one who spoke first,
2:13:44was the most beautiful, the only
2:13:46beautiful one of them. These were women
2:13:49who, despite their finery, did not care
2:13:51if they were young or old, fat or thin,
2:13:54short or tall. Those things were
2:13:57secondary. Those things were a slight of
2:13:59hand. But this one, this beautiful
2:14:02queen, perhaps no older than 30. Her
2:14:06riotously curly hair was as golden as
2:14:08moors, her eyes of purest amber. Even
2:14:12her brown freckled skin seemed dusted
2:14:14with gold. Her body was supple where
2:14:16she'd probably learned men found it
2:14:18distracting. Ly where it showed grace, a
2:14:21lion in human flesh.
2:14:24Well met, Reand said, remaining still as
2:14:27their stone-faced guards scanned us. The
2:14:30room as the queens now took our measure.
2:14:34The sitting room was enormous enough
2:14:35that one nod from the Golden Queen had
2:14:38the guards peeling off to hold positions
2:14:40by the walls, the doors. My sisters,
2:14:43silent before the bay window, shuffled
2:14:45aside to make room. Ree stepped forward.
2:14:49The queens all sucked in a little breath
2:14:52as if bracing themselves. Their guards
2:14:54casually, perhaps foolishly, rested a
2:14:57hand on the hilt of their broadswords,
2:14:59so large and clunky compared to Yrian
2:15:02blades, as if they stood a chance
2:15:04against any of us. Myself included, I
2:15:08realized with a bit of a start.
2:15:10But it was Cassian and Azreel who would
2:15:12play the role of mere guards today.
2:15:15Distractions.
2:15:17But Reese bowed his head slightly and
2:15:19said to the assembled queens, "We are
2:15:21grateful you accepted our invitation."
2:15:24He lifted a brow, "Where is the sixth?"
2:15:28The ancient queen, her blue gown heavy
2:15:30and rich, merely said, "She is unwell
2:15:34and could not make the journey." She
2:15:37surveyed me. "You are the emissary." My
2:15:41back stiffened. Beneath her gaze, my
2:15:43crown felt like a joke, like a bobble.
2:15:46But yes, I said, I am Phyra. A cutting
2:15:51glance toward Reand. And you are the
2:15:54High Lord who wrote us such an
2:15:56interesting letter after your first few
2:15:59were dispatched.
2:16:01I didn't dare look at him. He'd sent
2:16:04many letters through my sisters by now.
2:16:06"You didn't ask what was inside them,"
2:16:09he said, mind to mind with me. Laughter
2:16:11dancing along the bond. I'd left my
2:16:14mental shields down just in case we
2:16:16needed to silently communicate. I am,
2:16:19Reand said with a hint of a nod. And
2:16:22this is my cousin, Morgan.
2:16:25Moore stalked toward us, her crimson
2:16:27gown floating on a phantom wind. The
2:16:30golden queen sized her up with each
2:16:32step, each breath. A threat for beauty
2:16:35and power and dominance. More bowed at
2:16:38my side. It has been a long time since I
2:16:41met with a mortal queen. The blackclad
2:16:44queen placed a moon white hand on her
2:16:46lower bodice. Morgan. The Morgan from
2:16:51the war. They all paused as if in
2:16:53surprise, and a bit of awe and fear.
2:16:57Moore bowed again. Please sit. She
2:17:00gestured to the chairs we'd laid out a
2:17:02comfortable distance from each other,
2:17:04all far enough apart that the guards
2:17:06could flank their queens as they saw
2:17:08fit. Almost as one, the queens sat.
2:17:11Their guards, however, remained at their
2:17:13posts around the room. The golden-haired
2:17:16queen smoothed her voluminous skirts and
2:17:19said, "I assume those are our hosts." A
2:17:23cutting look at my sisters. Nesa had
2:17:26gone straight back, but Elaine bobbed a
2:17:28curtsy, flushing rose pink. "My
2:17:31sisters," I clarified. Amber eyes slid
2:17:35to me, to my crown, then Reese's. "An
2:17:38emissary wears a golden crown. Is that a
2:17:41tradition in Prththeon?" "No," Reand
2:17:45said smoothly, "but she certainly looks
2:17:47good enough in one that I can't resist."
2:17:50The Golden Queen didn't smile as she
2:17:52mused. a human turned into a high fay
2:17:56and who is now standing beside a high
2:17:58lord at the place of honor. Interesting.
2:18:02I kept my shoulders back, chin high.
2:18:05Cassian had been teaching me these weeks
2:18:07about how to feel out an opponent. What
2:18:09were her words but the opening movements
2:18:11in another sort of battle? The eldest
2:18:14declared to Ree, "You have an hour of
2:18:17our time. Make it count." "How is it
2:18:20that you can winnow?" Moore asked from
2:18:23her seat beside me. The Golden Queen now
2:18:26gave a smile, a small mocking one, and
2:18:28replied, "It is our secret and our gift
2:18:32from your kind." "Fine," Ree looked to
2:18:36me, and I swallowed as I inched forward
2:18:38on my seat. "War is coming. We called
2:18:42you here to warn you, and to beg a boon.
2:18:46There would be no tricks, no stealing,
2:18:48no seduction." Ree could not even risk
2:18:51looking inside their heads for fear of
2:18:52triggering the inherent wards around the
2:18:54book and destroying it. "We know war is
2:18:58coming," the oldest said, her voice like
2:19:01crackling leaves. "We have been
2:19:03preparing for it for many years." It
2:19:06seemed the three others were positioned
2:19:08as observers, while the eldest and the
2:19:10goldenhaired one led the charge. I said
2:19:13as calmly and clearly as I could. The
2:19:17humans in this territory seem unaware of
2:19:19the larger threat. We've seen no signs
2:19:22of preparation.
2:19:24Indeed, Azreel had gleaned as much these
2:19:26weeks to my dismay.
2:19:29This territory, the Golden One explained
2:19:32coolly, is a slip of land compared to
2:19:34the vastness of the continent. It is not
2:19:37in our interests to defend it. It would
2:19:40be a waste of resources.
2:19:44No, no, that Ree drawled. Surely the
2:19:48loss of even one innocent life would be
2:19:51abhorrent.
2:19:52The eldest queen folded her withered
2:19:54hands in her lap. Yes, to lose one life
2:19:58is always a horror, but war is war. If
2:20:02we must sacrifice this tiny territory to
2:20:05save the majority, then we shall do it.
2:20:09I didn't dare look at my sisters. Look
2:20:11at this house that might very well be
2:20:13turned to rubble. I rasped, "There are
2:20:16good people here." The golden queen
2:20:19sweetly parried with, "Then let the hay
2:20:22of Pryion defend them." Silence, and it
2:20:26was Neesa who hissed from behind us. "We
2:20:29have servants here with families. There
2:20:32are children in these lands. And you
2:20:34mean to leave us all in the hands of the
2:20:36fay?" The eldest one's face softened.
2:20:40"It is no easy choice, girl. It is the
2:20:43choice of cowards," Neesa snapped. I
2:20:46interrupted before Nesa could dig us a
2:20:48deeper grave. "For all that your kind
2:20:50hate ours. You'd leave the fay to defend
2:20:53your people." "Shouldn't they?" the
2:20:56Golden One asked, sending that cascade
2:20:59of curls sliding over a shoulder as she
2:21:02angled her head to the side. "Shouldn't
2:21:04they defend against a threat of their
2:21:06own making?" a snort. Should fa blood
2:21:09not be spilled for their crimes over the
2:21:12years.
2:21:13Neither side is innocent, Ree countered
2:21:16calmly. But we might protect those who
2:21:19are together.
2:21:21Oh, said the eldest, her wrinkles
2:21:24seeming to harden, deepen. The high lord
2:21:27of the night court asks us to join with
2:21:29him, save lives with him, to fight for
2:21:33peace. And what of the lives you have
2:21:35taken during your long hideous
2:21:37existence? What of the high lord who
2:21:40walks with darkness in his wake and
2:21:42shatters minds as he sees fit? A crow's
2:21:47laugh. We have heard of you even on the
2:21:50continent resand. We have heard what the
2:21:53night court does. What you do to your
2:21:56enemies. Peace for a male who melts
2:21:59mines and tortures for sport. I did not
2:22:02think you knew the word.
2:22:05Wrath began simmering in my blood.
2:22:07Embers crackled in my ears. But I cooled
2:22:10that fire I'd slowly been stoking these
2:22:12past weeks and tried. If you will not
2:22:15send forces here to defend your people,
2:22:18then the artifact we requested, our half
2:22:21of the book, child, the crone cut me
2:22:24off, does not leave our sacred palace.
2:22:27It has not left those white walls since
2:22:29the day it was gifted as part of the
2:22:32treaty. It will never leave those walls.
2:22:36Not while we stand against the terrors
2:22:38in the north.
2:22:40Please, was all I said. Silence again.
2:22:45Please, I repeated. Emissary. I was
2:22:48their emissary and Ree had chosen me for
2:22:51this to be the voice of both worlds.
2:22:54I was turned into this, into a fairy
2:22:57because one of the commanders from
2:22:59Hibburn killed me. Through our bond, I
2:23:02could have sworn I felt Ree flinch. For
2:23:0550 years, I pushed on. She terrorized
2:23:08Prththeon. And when I defeated her, when
2:23:11I freed its people, she killed me. And
2:23:14before she did, I witnessed the horrors
2:23:16that she unleashed on human and fairy
2:23:18alike. One of them, just one of them,
2:23:23was able to cause such destruction and
2:23:25suffering. Imagine what an army like her
2:23:28might do. And now their king plans to
2:23:30use a weapon to shatter the wall, to
2:23:33destroy all of you. The war will be
2:23:35swift and brutal, and you will not win.
2:23:38We will not win. Survivors will be
2:23:42slaves, and their children's children
2:23:44will be slaves. Please, please give us
2:23:47the other half of the book. The eldest
2:23:50queen swapped a glance with the golden
2:23:52one before saying gently, placatingly,
2:23:56you are young child. You have much to
2:23:59learn about the ways of the world. Do
2:24:02not, Ree said with deadly quiet,
2:24:05condescend to her. The eldest queen, who
2:24:08was but a child to him, to his centuries
2:24:11of existence, had the good sense to look
2:24:13nervous at that tone.
2:24:15Reese's eyes were glazed, his face as
2:24:18unforgiving as his voice, as he went on.
2:24:20"Do not insult Fra for speaking with her
2:24:23heart, with compassion for those who
2:24:25cannot defend themselves. When you speak
2:24:27from only selfishness and cowardice,"
2:24:30the eldest stiffened, "for the greater
2:24:33good. "Many atrocities," Ree purred,
2:24:36have been done in the name of the
2:24:38greater good. "No small part of me was
2:24:41impressed that she held his gaze. she
2:24:43said simply. The book will remain with
2:24:46us. We will weather this storm. That's
2:24:49enough. Moore interrupted. She got to
2:24:52her feet and Moore looked each and every
2:24:54one of those queens in the eye as she
2:24:56said. I am the Morgan. You know me what
2:25:00I am. You know that my gift is truth. So
2:25:03you will hear my words now and know them
2:25:06as truth as your ancestors once did. Not
2:25:10a word. more gestured behind her to me.
2:25:13Do you think it is any simple
2:25:15coincidence that a human has been made
2:25:17immortal again? At the very moment when
2:25:19our old enemy resurfaces, I fought side
2:25:23by side with Miriam in the war. Fought
2:25:25beside her as Jurian's ambition and
2:25:27bloodlust drove him mad and drove them
2:25:30apart. Drove him to torture Clifia to
2:25:32death, then battle Amarantha until his
2:25:35own. She took a sharp breath, and I
2:25:38could have sworn Azriel inched closer at
2:25:40the sound, but more blazed on. I marched
2:25:43back into the black land with Miriam to
2:25:45free the slaves left in that burning
2:25:47sand, the slavery she had herself
2:25:49escaped. The slaves Miriam had promised
2:25:52to return to free. I marched with her,
2:25:56my friend, along with Prince Dracon's
2:25:58legion. Miriam was my friend as Phyra is
2:26:01now. And your ancestors, those queens
2:26:05who signed that treaty, they were my
2:26:07friends, too. And when I look at you,
2:26:10she bared her teeth. I see nothing of
2:26:13those women in you. When I look at you,
2:26:16I know that your ancestors would be
2:26:18ashamed.
2:26:19You laugh at the idea of peace, that we
2:26:22can have it between our peoples. Moore's
2:26:25voice cracked, and again, Azriel subtly
2:26:27shifted nearer to her, though his face
2:26:30revealed nothing. There is an island in
2:26:32a forgotten, stormy part of the sea. A
2:26:35vast, lush island shielded from time and
2:26:38spying eyes. And on that island, Miriam
2:26:41and Dracon still live with their
2:26:43children, with both of their peoples,
2:26:46Fay and Human and those in between, side
2:26:49by side. For 500 years, they have
2:26:52prospered on that island. letting the
2:26:54world believe them dead eree said a
2:26:58quiet reprimand a secret I realized that
2:27:01perhaps had remained hidden for five
2:27:03centuries a secret that had fueled the
2:27:06dreams of Reand of his court a land
2:27:09where two dreamers had found peace
2:27:11between their peoples where there was no
2:27:14wall no iron wards no ash arrows the
2:27:18golden queen and ancient queen looked to
2:27:20each other again the ancient one's eyes
2:27:23were Right. As she declared, "Give us
2:27:26proof. If you are not the high lord that
2:27:29rumor claims, give us one shred of proof
2:27:32that you are as you say, a male of
2:27:35peace." There was one way, only one way
2:27:39to show them. Prove it to them. Valaris.
2:27:43My very bones cried out at the thought
2:27:45of revealing that gem to these spiders.
2:27:49Ree rose in a fluid motion. The queens
2:27:51did the same. His voice was like a
2:27:54moonless night as he said, "You desire
2:27:56proof." I held my breath, praying,
2:28:00praying he wouldn't tell them. He
2:28:02shrugged, the silver thread in his
2:28:04jacket catching the sunlight. "I shall
2:28:06get it for you. Await my word and return
2:28:10when we summon you." "We are summoned by
2:28:13no one, human or fairy." The Golden
2:28:16Queen simpered. Perhaps that was why
2:28:18they'd taken so long to reply to play
2:28:21some power game. "Then come at your
2:28:24leisure," Ree said with enough of a bite
2:28:26that the queen's guards stepped forward.
2:28:29Cassian only grinned at them, and the
2:28:31wisest among them instantly pald. Reys
2:28:34barely inclined his head as he added,
2:28:37"Perhaps then you'll comprehend how
2:28:39vital the book is to both our efforts."
2:28:42"We will consider it once we have your
2:28:45proof." The ancient one nearly spat the
2:28:48word. Some part of me reminded myself
2:28:50that she was old and royal, and smacking
2:28:53that sneer off her face would not be in
2:28:55our best interests. That book has been
2:28:58ours to protect for 500 years. We will
2:29:02not hand it over without due
2:29:03consideration.
2:29:05The guards flanked them as if the words
2:29:07had been some predetermined signal. The
2:29:10Golden Queen smirked at me and said,
2:29:12"Good luck." Then they were gone. The
2:29:16sitting room was suddenly too big, too
2:29:18quiet, and it was Elaine. Elaine who
2:29:21sighed and murmured, "I hope they all
2:29:24burn in hell."
2:29:29Chapter 41.
2:29:32We were mostly silent during the flight
2:29:34and winnowing to Aaris. Amron was
2:29:37already waiting in the townhouse, her
2:29:39clothes rumpled, face unnervingly pale.
2:29:42I made a note to get her more blood
2:29:44immediately.
2:29:46But rather than gather in the dining or
2:29:47sitting room, Ree strolled down the
2:29:50hall, hands in his pockets, past the
2:29:52kitchen, and out into the courtyard
2:29:54garden in the back. The rest of us
2:29:56lingered in the foyer, staring after
2:29:58him, the silence radiating from him like
2:30:02the calm before a storm. "It went well,
2:30:05I take it," Amaran said. Cassian gave
2:30:08her a look and trailed after his friend.
2:30:12The sun and aid day had warmed the
2:30:14garden. Bits of green now poking their
2:30:17heads out here and there in the
2:30:18countless beds and pots. Ree sat on the
2:30:21rim of the fountain, forearms braced on
2:30:23his knees, staring at the mossflected
2:30:26flag stone between his feet. We all
2:30:28found our seats in the white painted
2:30:30iron chairs throughout. If only humans
2:30:33could see them, fairies sitting on iron.
2:30:36They'd throw away those ridiculous
2:30:38bobbles and jewelry. Perhaps even Elaine
2:30:41would receive an engagement ring that
2:30:42hadn't been forged with hate and fear.
2:30:45"If you're out here to brood, Ree,"
2:30:47Amaran said from her perch on a little
2:30:49bench, "then just say so, and let me go
2:30:52back to my work." Violet eyes lifted to
2:30:55hers, cold, humorless.
2:30:59The humans wish for proof of our good
2:31:01intentions, that we can be trusted.
2:31:04Amron's attention cut to me. Pharaoh was
2:31:07not enough. I tried not to let the words
2:31:10sting. "No, I had not been enough.
2:31:13Perhaps I'd even failed in my role as
2:31:15emissary." "She is more than enough," Re
2:31:18said with that deadly calm, and I
2:31:21wondered if I'd sent my own pathetic
2:31:22thoughts down the bond. I snapped my
2:31:25shield up once more. "They're fools,
2:31:28worse, frightened fools." He studied the
2:31:31ground again, as if the dried moss and
2:31:33stone made up some pattern no one but
2:31:35him could see. Cassian said, "We could
2:31:40depose them. Get newer, smarter queens
2:31:42on their thrones who might be willing to
2:31:44bargain." Ree shook his head. "One, it'
2:31:48take too long. We don't have that time."
2:31:51I thought of the past few wasted weeks,
2:31:54how hard Azreel had tried to get into
2:31:56those courts. If even his shadows and
2:31:58spies could not breach their inner
2:32:00workings, then I doubted an assassin
2:32:02would. The confirming shake of the head
2:32:04Azreel gave Cassian said as much too.
2:32:08Ree continued, "Who knows if that would
2:32:10somehow impact the magic of their half
2:32:12of the book? It must be given freely.
2:32:16It's possible the magic is strong enough
2:32:18to see our scheming." He sucked on his
2:32:20teeth. "We are stuck with them." "We
2:32:24could try again," Moore said. "Let me
2:32:26speak to them. Let me go to their
2:32:28palace." "No," Azreel said. Moore raised
2:32:32her brows, and a faint color stained
2:32:34Azriel's tan face, but his features were
2:32:37set, his hazel eyes solid. "You're not
2:32:40setting foot in that human realm." "I
2:32:43fought in the war. You will do well to
2:32:46remember." "No," Azreel said again,
2:32:49refusing to break her stare. His
2:32:51shifting wings rasped against the back
2:32:53of his chair. "They would string you up
2:32:56and make an example of you. They'd have
2:32:59to catch me first." That palace is a
2:33:02death trap for our kind, Azreel
2:33:04countered, his voice low and rough.
2:33:07Built by fa hands to protect the humans
2:33:09from us. You set foot inside it, Moore,
2:33:12and you won't walk out again, why do you
2:33:14think we've had such trouble getting a
2:33:16foothold in there? If going into their
2:33:19territory isn't an option, I cut in
2:33:22before Moore could say whatever the
2:33:23temper liing her features hissed at her
2:33:25to retort, and surely wound the shadow
2:33:28singer more than she intended. and
2:33:30deceit or any mental manipulation might
2:33:33make the magic wreck the book. What
2:33:35proof can be offered? Reese lifted his
2:33:38head. Who is Who is this Miriam? Who was
2:33:42she to Jurian? And who was that prince
2:33:44you spoke of, Dracon? Perhaps we perhaps
2:33:48they could be used as proof, if only to
2:33:51vouch for you. The heat died from
2:33:53Moore's eyes as she shifted a foot
2:33:56against the moss and flag stone. But
2:33:58Reese interlocked his fingers in the
2:34:00space between his knees before he said,
2:34:03"500 years ago, in the years leading up
2:34:06to the war, there was a fa kingdom in
2:34:09the southern part of the continent. It
2:34:11was a realm of sand surrounding a lush
2:34:13river delta, the Black Land. There was
2:34:17no cruer place to be born a human, for
2:34:19no humans were born free.
2:34:22They were all of them slaves, forced to
2:34:24build great temples and palaces for the
2:34:26high fay who ruled. There was no escape,
2:34:30no chance of having their freedom
2:34:31purchased. And the queen of the black
2:34:34land, memory stirred in his face. She
2:34:38made Amaranth seem as sweet as Elaine,
2:34:41Moore explained with soft venom. Miriam,
2:34:44Ree continued, was a half fay female
2:34:47born of a human mother. And as her
2:34:49mother was a slave, as the conception
2:34:52was against her mother's will, so too
2:34:55was Miriam born in shackles and deemed
2:34:58human, denied any rights to her fa
2:35:00heritage.
2:35:02"Tell the full story another time,"
2:35:04Amaran cut in. The gist of it, girl, she
2:35:08said to me, is that Miriam was given as
2:35:10a wedding gift by the queen to her
2:35:12betrothed a foreign fa prince named
2:35:15Dracon. He was horrified and let Miriam
2:35:18escape. Fearing the queen's wrath, she
2:35:21fled through the desert across the sea
2:35:24into more desert and was found by
2:35:26Jurion. She fell in with his rebel
2:35:28armies, became his lover, and was a
2:35:31healer amongst the warriors until a
2:35:34devastating battle found her tending to
2:35:36Jurian's new fa allies, including Prince
2:35:39Dracon. Turns out, Miriam had opened his
2:35:43eyes to the monster he planned to wed.
2:35:46He'd broken the engagement, allied his
2:35:48armies with the humans, and had been
2:35:50looking for the beautiful slave girl for
2:35:52three years. Jurian had no idea that his
2:35:56new ally coveted his lover. He was too
2:35:59focused on winning the war, on
2:36:01destroying Amarantha in the north. As
2:36:04his obsession took over, he was blind to
2:36:06witnessing Miriam and Dracon falling in
2:36:09love behind his back. It wasn't behind
2:36:12his back, Moore snapped. Miriam ended it
2:36:15with Jurian before she ever laid a
2:36:17finger on Dracon. Amaran shrugged. Long
2:36:20story short, girl, when Jurian was
2:36:23slaughtered by Emarantha and during the
2:36:26long centuries after, she told him what
2:36:29had happened to his lover. That she'd
2:36:31betrayed him for a fa male. Everyone
2:36:34believed Miriam and Dracon perished
2:36:36while liberating her people from the
2:36:38Blackland at the end of the war, even
2:36:40Amarantha.
2:36:43And they didn't, I said. Reese and Moore
2:36:46nodded. It was all a way to escape,
2:36:49wasn't it? To start over somewhere else
2:36:52with both their peoples. Another set of
2:36:55nods. So why not show the queens that
2:36:58you started to tell them? Because Reese
2:37:01cut in. In addition to it not proving a
2:37:04thing about my character, which seemed
2:37:07to be their biggest gripe. It would be a
2:37:09grave betrayal of our friends. Their
2:37:12only wish was to remain hidden, to live
2:37:14in peace with their peoples. They fought
2:37:17and bled and suffered enough for it. I
2:37:20will not bring them into this conflict.
2:37:23Dracon's aerial army, Cassie mused, was
2:37:26as good as ours. We might need to call
2:37:29upon him by the end. Reese merely shook
2:37:32his head. Conversation over. And perhaps
2:37:35he was right. Revealing Dracon and
2:37:37Miriam's peaceful existence explained
2:37:39nothing about his own intentions, about
2:37:42his own merits and character.
2:37:44So, what do we offer them instead? I
2:37:48asked. What do we show them? Reese's
2:37:51face was bleak. We show them.
2:37:55What? Moore barked. But Amron shushed
2:37:57her. You can't mean to bring them here,
2:38:01I said. Of course not. The risks are too
2:38:04great. Entertaining them for even a
2:38:06night would likely result in bloodshed.
2:38:08Re said. So, I plan to merely show them.
2:38:12They'll dismiss it as mind tricks,
2:38:14Azriel countered. No, Ree said, getting
2:38:18to his feet. I mean to show them.
2:38:20Playing by their own rules. Amron
2:38:23clicked her nails against each other.
2:38:26What do you mean, High Lord? But Ree
2:38:29only said to Moore, "Send word to your
2:38:31father. We're going to pay him and my
2:38:34other court a visit." My blood iced over
2:38:38the court of nightmares.
2:38:42There was an orb, it turned out, that
2:38:44had belonged to Moore's family for
2:38:46millennia, the Veraritoss. It was rife
2:38:49with the truth magic she'd claimed to
2:38:51possess, that many in her bloodline also
2:38:53bore, and the Veraritoss was one of
2:38:56their most valued and guarded talismans.
2:38:59Ree wasted no time planning. We go to
2:39:02the court of nightmares within the Hune
2:39:03city tomorrow afternoon, winnowing near
2:39:06the massive mountain it was built within
2:39:08and then flying the rest of the way.
2:39:11Moore, Cassian, and I were mere
2:39:12distractions to make Reese's sudden
2:39:14visit less suspicious. While Azreel
2:39:17stole the orb from Moore's father's
2:39:19chambers, "The orb was known amongst the
2:39:21humans, had been wielded by them in the
2:39:23war," Ree told me over a quiet dinner
2:39:26that night. The queens would know it and
2:39:28would know it was absolute truth, not
2:39:31illusion or a trick when we used it to
2:39:33show them, like peering into a living
2:39:35painting, that this city and its good
2:39:38people existed. The others had suggested
2:39:41other places within his territory to
2:39:43prove he wasn't some wararmongering
2:39:44sadist, but none had the same impact as
2:39:47Valaris, Ree claimed. For his people,
2:39:50for the world, he'd offer the queens
2:39:53this slice of truth.
2:39:55After dinner, I wandered into the
2:39:57streets and found myself eventually
2:39:59standing at the edge of the rainbow. The
2:40:01night in full swing, patrons and artists
2:40:04and everyday citizens bustling from shop
2:40:07to shop, peering in the galleries,
2:40:09buying supplies.
2:40:12Compared to the sparkling lights and
2:40:13bright colors of the little hill sloping
2:40:15down to the river ahead, the streets
2:40:17behind me were shadowed, sleeping. I'd
2:40:21been here nearly 2 months and hadn't
2:40:23worked up the courage to walk through
2:40:25the artist's corridor. But this place,
2:40:29Ree would risk this beautiful city,
2:40:31these lovely people, all for a shot at
2:40:33peace. Perhaps the guilt of leaving it
2:40:36protected while the rest of Prththeon
2:40:37had suffered drove him. Perhaps offering
2:40:40up Aaris on a silver platter was his own
2:40:42attempt to ease the weight. I rubbed at
2:40:45my chest, an ache building in there. I
2:40:48took a step toward the quarter and
2:40:51halted.
2:40:52Maybe I should have asked more to come,
2:40:54but she'd left after dinner, pale-faced
2:40:57and jumpy, ignoring Cassian's attempt to
2:40:59speak with her. Azreel had taken to the
2:41:02clouds to contact his spies. He'd
2:41:05quietly promised the pacing Cassian to
2:41:07find more when he was done. And Ree, he
2:41:10had enough going on, and he hadn't
2:41:12objected when I stated I was going for a
2:41:14walk. He hadn't even warned me to be
2:41:16careful. If it was trust or absolute
2:41:20faith in the safety of his city, or just
2:41:22that he knew how badly I'd react if he
2:41:24tried to tell me not to go or warn me, I
2:41:27didn't know. I shook my head, clearing
2:41:30my thoughts as I again stared down the
2:41:32main street of the rainbow. I'd felt
2:41:35flickers these past few weeks in that
2:41:37hole inside my chest. Flickers of
2:41:39images, but nothing solid. Nothing
2:41:41roaring with life and demand. Not in the
2:41:44way it had that night, seeing him kneel
2:41:46on that bed, naked and tattooed and
2:41:49winged. It would be stupid to venture
2:41:52into the corridor anyway, when it might
2:41:54very well be ruined in any upcoming
2:41:56conflict. It would be stupid to fall in
2:41:58love with it when it might be torn from
2:42:00me. So, like a coward, I turned and went
2:42:05home.
2:42:06Ree was waiting in the foyer, leaning
2:42:08against the post of the stair banister.
2:42:11His face was grim. I halted in the
2:42:14middle of the entry carpet. What's
2:42:16wrong? His wings were nowhere to be
2:42:18seen, not even the shadow of them. I'm
2:42:22debating asking you to stay tomorrow. I
2:42:25crossed my arms. I thought I was going.
2:42:28Don't lock me up in this house. Don't
2:42:31shove me aside. He ran a hand through
2:42:33his hair. What I have to be tomorrow,
2:42:37who I have to become is not. It's not
2:42:40something I want you to see. How I will
2:42:43treat you treat the others.
2:42:46The mask of the high lord? I said
2:42:48quietly. Yes. He took a seat on the
2:42:52bottom step of the stairs. I remained in
2:42:54the center of the foyer as I asked
2:42:56carefully. Why don't you want me to see
2:42:59that? Because you've only started to
2:43:01look at me like I'm not a monster. And I
2:43:04can't stomach the idea of anything you
2:43:06see tomorrow being beneath that
2:43:08mountain. Putting you back into that
2:43:10place where I found you
2:43:13beneath that mountain. Underground. Yes,
2:43:16I'd forgotten that. Forgotten I'd see
2:43:18the court that Amarantha had modeled her
2:43:20own after. That I'd be trapped beneath
2:43:23the earth. But with Cassian and Azriel
2:43:27and more with him. I waited for the
2:43:31panic, the cold sweat, neither came. Let
2:43:35me help in whatever way I can. Bleakness
2:43:39shaded the starlight in those eyes. The
2:43:41role you will have to play is not a
2:43:43pleasant one. I trust you. I sat beside
2:43:47him on the stairs, close enough that the
2:43:49heat of his body warmed the chill night
2:43:51air clinging to my overcoat.
2:43:54Why did Moore look so disturbed when she
2:43:56left? His throat bobbed. I could tell it
2:44:00was rage and pain that kept him from
2:44:02telling me outright, not mistrust. After
2:44:05a moment, he said, "I was there in the
2:44:08Hune city the day her father declared
2:44:11she was to be sold in marriage to Aerys,
2:44:13eldest son of the High Lord of the
2:44:15Autumn Court, Lucian's brother. Ays had
2:44:19a reputation for cruelty and more.
2:44:22begged me not to let it happen. For all
2:44:26her power, all her wildness, she had no
2:44:28voice, no rights with those people, and
2:44:31my father didn't particularly care if
2:44:33his cousins used their offspring as
2:44:35breeding stock.
2:44:37What happened? I breathed.
2:44:40I brought Moore to the Yrian camp for a
2:44:43few days, and she saw Cassian and
2:44:46decided she'd do the one thing that
2:44:47would ruin her value to these people. I
2:44:50didn't know until after and it was a
2:44:53mess with Cassian, with her, with our
2:44:56families. And it's another long story,
2:44:59but the short of it is that Aerys
2:45:00refused to marry her. Said she'd been
2:45:03sullied by a bastard born lesser fairy,
2:45:05and he'd now sooner a SA her
2:45:08family. They
2:45:11I'd never seen him at such a loss for
2:45:13words. Ree cleared his throat. When they
2:45:16were done, they dumped her on the autumn
2:45:18court border with a note nailed to her
2:45:21body that said she was Aerys's problem.
2:45:24"Nailed. Nailed to her," Ree said with
2:45:28soft wrath. Aerys left her for dead in
2:45:31the middle of their woods. Azreel found
2:45:33her a day later. It was all I could do
2:45:36to keep him from going to either court
2:45:38and slaughtering them all.
2:45:40I thought of that merry face, the
2:45:43flippant laughter, the female that did
2:45:45not care who approved, perhaps because
2:45:47she had seen the ugliest her kind had to
2:45:49offer and had survived. And I understood
2:45:53why Reese could not endure Neesa for
2:45:55more than a few moments. Why he could
2:45:57not let go of that anger where her
2:45:59failings were concerned, even if I had.
2:46:02Baron's fire began crackling in my
2:46:04veins. My fire, not his, not his son's
2:46:08either.
2:46:10I took Reese's hand and his thumb
2:46:12brushed against the back of my palm. I
2:46:14tried not to think about the ease of
2:46:16that stroke as I said in a hard calm
2:46:19voice I barely recognized, "Tell me what
2:46:21I need to do tomorrow."
2:46:27Chapter 42.
2:46:30I was not frightened. Not of the role
2:46:33that Reese had asked me to play today.
2:46:35Not of the roaring wind as we winnowed
2:46:37into a familiar snowcapped mountain
2:46:39range, refusing to yield to Spring's
2:46:41awakening kiss. Not of the punishing
2:46:43drop as Ree flew us between the peaks
2:46:46and valleys, swift and sleek. Cassian
2:46:49and Azriel flanked us. Moore would meet
2:46:51us at the gates to the mountain base.
2:46:54Reys's face was drawn, his shoulders
2:46:56tense as I gripped them. I knew what to
2:46:59expect. But even after he'd told me what
2:47:02he needed me to do, even after I had
2:47:04agreed, he'd been aloof, haunted,
2:47:09worried for me, I realized. And just
2:47:12because of that worry, just to get that
2:47:14tightness off his face, even for these
2:47:16few minutes before we faced his unholy
2:47:18realm beneath that mountain, I said over
2:47:21the wind, "Amron and Moore told me that
2:47:23the span of an Ayan male's wings says a
2:47:25lot about the size of other parts." His
2:47:29eyes shot to mine, then to pine
2:47:31treecoated slopes below. "Did they now?"
2:47:35I shrugged in his arms, trying not to
2:47:38think about the naked body that night
2:47:39all those weeks ago, though I hadn't
2:47:42glimpsed much. They also said Azriel's
2:47:45wings are the biggest. Mischief danced
2:47:48in those violet eyes, washing away the
2:47:50cold distance, the strain. The spy
2:47:53master was a black blur against the pale
2:47:55blue sky. When we return home, let's get
2:47:59out the measuring stick, shall we? I
2:48:02pinched the rockhard muscle of his
2:48:03forearm. Ree flashed me a wicked grin
2:48:06before he tilted down. Mountains and
2:48:09snow and trees and sun and utter freef
2:48:11fall through wisps of cloud. A
2:48:14breathless scream came out of me as we
2:48:16plummeted. Throwing my arms around his
2:48:18neck was instinct. His low laugh tickled
2:48:21my nape. You're willing to brave my
2:48:24brand of darkness and put up one of your
2:48:26own. willing to go to a watery grave and
2:48:29take on the weaver. But a little freef
2:48:31fall makes you scream. "I'll leave you
2:48:34to rot the next time you have a
2:48:36nightmare," I hissed, my eyes still shut
2:48:38and body locked as he snapped out his
2:48:41wings to ease us into a steady glide.
2:48:44"No, you won't," he crrewed. "You like
2:48:46seeing me naked too much, prick." His
2:48:50laugh rumbled against me, eyes closed,
2:48:53the wind roaring like a wild animal. I
2:48:56adjusted my position, gripping him
2:48:58tighter. My knuckles brushed one of his
2:49:00wings, smooth and cool like silk, but
2:49:03hard as stone with it stretched taut.
2:49:06Fascinating. I blindly reached again and
2:49:09dared to run a fingertip along some
2:49:11inner edge. Reand shuddered, a soft
2:49:14groan slipping past my ear. That, he
2:49:18said tightly, is very sensitive. I
2:49:21snatched my finger back, pulling away
2:49:24far enough to see his face. With the
2:49:26wind, I had to squint, and my braided
2:49:28hair ripped this way and that, but he
2:49:31was entirely focused on the mountains
2:49:33around us. "Does it tickle?" he flicked
2:49:37his gaze to me, then to the snow and
2:49:39pine that went on forever. "It feels
2:49:42like this," he said, and leaned in so
2:49:45close that his lips brushed the shell of
2:49:47my ear as he sent a gentle breath into
2:49:50it.
2:49:51My back arched on instinct, my chin
2:49:54tipping up at the caress of that breath.
2:49:56"Oh," I managed to say. I felt him smile
2:50:00against my ear and pull away. "If you
2:50:03want an Ayan male's attention, you'd be
2:50:06better off grabbing him by the balls.
2:50:08We're trained to protect our wings at
2:50:10all costs. Some males attack first, ask
2:50:13questions later if their wings are
2:50:15touched without invitation."
2:50:18And during sex, the question blurted
2:50:20out, Reese's face was nothing but feline
2:50:23amusement as he monitored the mountains.
2:50:26During sex, an Ayrian male can find
2:50:29completion just by having someone touch
2:50:31his wings in the right spot. My blood
2:50:34thrummed. Dangerous territory more
2:50:37lethal than the drop below.
2:50:40Have you found that to be true? His eyes
2:50:43stripped me bare. I've never allowed
2:50:46anyone to see or touch my wings during
2:50:48sex. It makes you vulnerable in a way
2:50:51that I'm not comfortable with.
2:50:55Too bad, I said, staring out too
2:50:58casually toward the mighty mountain that
2:50:59now appeared on the horizon, towering
2:51:02over the others, and capped, I noted,
2:51:04with that glimmering palace of
2:51:06moonstone.
2:51:08Why? He asked wearily. I shrugged,
2:51:11fighting the upward tugging of my lips.
2:51:14because I bet you could get into some
2:51:16interesting positions with those wings."
2:51:19Reys loosed a barking laugh, and his
2:51:21nose grazed my ear. I felt him open his
2:51:24mouth to whisper something, but
2:51:26something dark and fast and sleek shot
2:51:29for us, and he plunged down and away,
2:51:31swearing, but another one, and another
2:51:34kept coming. "Not just ordinary arrows,"
2:51:37I realized as Ree veered, snatching one
2:51:40out of the air. Others bounced
2:51:42harmlessly off a shield he blasted up.
2:51:45He studied the wood in his palm and
2:51:46dropped it with a hiss. Ash arrows to
2:51:50kill fairies. And now that I was one,
2:51:54faster than the wind, faster than death,
2:51:56Ree shot for the ground, flew, not
2:51:59winnowed, because he wanted to know
2:52:00where our enemies were. Didn't want to
2:52:03lose them. The wind bit my face,
2:52:05screeched in my ears, ripped at my hair
2:52:08with brutal claws. Azreel and Cassian
2:52:11were already hurtling for us. Shields of
2:52:13translucent blue and red encircled them,
2:52:16sending those arrows bouncing off, their
2:52:18siphons at work. The arrows shot from
2:52:21the pine forest coating the mountains,
2:52:24then vanished. Ree slammed into the
2:52:26ground, snow flying in his wake, and
2:52:29fury like I hadn't seen since that day
2:52:31in Amarantha's court twisted his
2:52:33features. I could feel it thrumming
2:52:35against me, roing through the clearing
2:52:37we now stood in. Azreel and Cassian were
2:52:40there in an instant, their colored
2:52:42shields shrinking back into their
2:52:44siphons. The three of them forces of
2:52:46nature in the pine forest. Reand didn't
2:52:49even look at me as he ordered Cassian.
2:52:52Take her to the palace and stay there
2:52:54until I'm back as you're with me.
2:52:57Cassian reached for me, but I stepped
2:52:59away. No. What? Reese snarled, the word
2:53:03near guttural. Take me with you, I said.
2:53:07I didn't want to go to that moonstone
2:53:09palace to pace and wait and ring my
2:53:11fingers. Cassianne and Azriel wisely
2:53:14kept their mouths shut. And Ree, mother
2:53:17bless him, only tucked in his wings and
2:53:19crossed his arms, waiting to hear my
2:53:22reasons. I've seen ash arrows, I said a
2:53:25bit breathlessly. I might recognize
2:53:27where they were made. And if they came
2:53:29from the hand of another high lord, I
2:53:32can detect that, too. if they'd come
2:53:34from Tarwin. And I can track just as
2:53:37well on the ground as any of you. Except
2:53:39for Azriel, maybe. So you and Cassian
2:53:42take the skies, I said, still waiting
2:53:45for the rejection, the order to lock me
2:53:47up, and I'll hunt on the ground with
2:53:49Azriel. The wrath radiating through the
2:53:52snowy clearing ebbed into frozen, too
2:53:54calm rage. But Re said, "Cassian, I want
2:53:58aerial patrols on the sea borders,
2:54:00stationed in two-mile rings all the way
2:54:03out toward Hibburn. I want foot soldiers
2:54:05in the mountain passes along the
2:54:07southern border. Make sure those warning
2:54:09fires are ready on every peak. We're not
2:54:12going to rely on magic." He turned to
2:54:14Azriel. When you're done, warn your
2:54:17spies that they might be compromised and
2:54:19prepare to get them out. And put fresh
2:54:21ones in. We keep this contained. We
2:54:24don't tell anyone inside that court what
2:54:26happened. If anyone mentions it, say it
2:54:29was a training exercise because we
2:54:32couldn't afford to let that weakness
2:54:33show, even amongst his subjects. His
2:54:36eyes at last found mine.
2:54:39We've got an hour until we're expected
2:54:41at court. Make it count.
2:54:46We searched, but the mist arrows had
2:54:48been snatched up by our attackers. And
2:54:51even the shadows and wind told Azreel
2:54:53nothing, as if our enemy had been hidden
2:54:55from them as well. But that was twice
2:54:58now that they'd known where Reese and I
2:54:59would be.
2:55:01Moore found Azriel and me after 20
2:55:03minutes, wanting to know what the hell
2:55:05had happened. We'd explained, and she'd
2:55:08winnowed away to spin whatever excuse
2:55:10would keep her horrible family from
2:55:12suspecting anything was a miss. But at
2:55:15the end of the hour, we hadn't found a
2:55:17single track, and we could delay our
2:55:19meeting no longer.
2:55:22The court of nightmares lay behind a
2:55:23mammoth set of doors carved into the
2:55:25mountain itself. And from the base, the
2:55:28mountain rose so high I couldn't see the
2:55:30palace I had once stayed in at top it.
2:55:33Only snow and rock and birds circling
2:55:36above. There was no one outside, no
2:55:39village, no signs of life, nothing to
2:55:42indicate a whole city of people dwelled
2:55:44within. But I did not let my curiosity
2:55:47or any lingering trepidation show. As
2:55:49more and I entered, Ree, Cassian, and
2:55:52Azriel would arrive minutes later. There
2:55:55were centuries at the stone gates,
2:55:57clothed not in black, as I might have
2:55:59suspected, but in gray and white armor
2:56:02meant to blend into the mountain face.
2:56:05Moore didn't so much as look at them as
2:56:06she led me silently inside the mountain
2:56:08city. My body clenched as soon as the
2:56:12darkness, the scent of rock and fire and
2:56:14roasting meat hit me. I had been here
2:56:17before, suffered here. Not under the
2:56:20mountain. This was not under the
2:56:23mountain. Indeed, Amaranthas court had
2:56:26been the work of a child. The court of
2:56:28nightmares was the work of a god. While
2:56:32under the mountain had been a series of
2:56:33halls and rooms and levels, this this
2:56:37was truly a city. The walkway that Moore
2:56:40led us down was an avenue, and around
2:56:42us, rising high into gloom, were
2:56:45buildings and spires, homes and bridges,
2:56:48a metropolis carved from the dark stone
2:56:50of the mountain itself. No inch of it
2:56:52left unmarked or without some lovely
2:56:54hideous artwork etched into it. Figures
2:56:57danced and fornicated, begged and
2:56:59reveled. Pillars were carved to look
2:57:02like curving vines of night blooming
2:57:03flowers. Water ran throughout in little
2:57:06streams and rivers tapped from the heart
2:57:08of the mountain itself.
2:57:10The Hune city, a place of such terrible
2:57:13beauty that it was an effort to keep the
2:57:15wonder and dread off my face. Music was
2:57:18already playing somewhere, and our hosts
2:57:21still did not come out to greet us. The
2:57:23people we passed, only high fay, were
2:57:26clothed in finery, their faces deathly
2:57:29pale and cold. Not one stopped us. Not
2:57:32one smiled or bowed. Moore ignored them
2:57:36all. Neither of us had said one word.
2:57:39Ree had told me not to, that the walls
2:57:41had ears here.
2:57:43Moore led me down the avenue toward
2:57:45another set of stone gates thrown open
2:57:47at the base of what looked to be a
2:57:49castle within the mountain. The official
2:57:51seat of the high lord of the night
2:57:53court. Great scaled black beasts were
2:57:56carved into those gates, all coiled
2:57:58together in a nest of claws and fangs,
2:58:00sleeping and fighting, some locked in an
2:58:03endless cycle of devouring each other.
2:58:05Between them flowed vines of jasmine and
2:58:08moon flowers. I could have sworn the
2:58:10beasts seemed to writhe in the silvery
2:58:12glow of the bobbing fay lights
2:58:14throughout the mountain city. The gates
2:58:16of eternity. That's what I'd call the
2:58:18painting that flickered in my mind.
2:58:21More continued through them, a flash of
2:58:24color and life in this strange cold
2:58:26place. She wore deepest red, the
2:58:29gossamer and gauze of her sleeveless
2:58:30gown clinging to her breasts and hips,
2:58:33while carefully placed shafts left much
2:58:35of her stomach and back exposed. Her
2:58:38hair was down in rippling waves and
2:58:40cuffs of solid gold glinted around her
2:58:42wrists. A queen. A queen who bowed to no
2:58:46one. A queen who had faced them all down
2:58:48and triumphed. A queen who owned her
2:58:51body, her life, her destiny, and never
2:58:54apologized for it. My clothes, which she
2:58:57had taken a moment in the pine wood to
2:58:59shift me into, were of a similar ilk,
2:59:02nearly identical to those I had been
2:59:04forced to wear under the mountain. Two
2:59:07shafts of fabric that hardly covered my
2:59:09breasts flowed to below my navl, where a
2:59:12belt across my hips joined them into one
2:59:14long shaft that draped between my legs
2:59:17and barely covered my backside. But
2:59:19unlike the chiffon and bright colors I
2:59:22had worn then, this one was fashioned of
2:59:24black glittering fabric that sparkled
2:59:27with every swish of my hips.
2:59:30Moore had fashioned my hair onto a crown
2:59:32at top my head, right behind the black
2:59:35diadem that had been set before it,
2:59:37accented with flexcks of diamond that
2:59:39made it glisten like the night sky. She
2:59:42darkened and lengthened my eyelashes,
2:59:44sweeping out an elegant, vicious line of
2:59:46coal at the outer corner of each. My
2:59:49lips she'd painted blood red.
2:59:52Into the castle beneath the mountain we
2:59:54stroed. There were more people here
2:59:57milling about the endless halls,
2:59:59watching our every breath. Some looked
3:00:01like more with their gold hair and
3:00:03beautiful faces. They even hissed at
3:00:06her. More smirked at them. Part of me
3:00:09wished she'd rip their throats out
3:00:10instead.
3:00:12We at last came to a throne room of
3:00:14polished ebony. More of the serpents
3:00:17from the front gates were carved here,
3:00:19this time wrapped around the countless
3:00:21columns supporting the onyx ceiling. It
3:00:24was so high up that gloom hid its finer
3:00:26details, but I knew more had been carved
3:00:28there, too. Great beasts to monitor the
3:00:31manipulations and scheming within this
3:00:34room. The throne itself had been
3:00:36fashioned out of a few of them, a head
3:00:38snaking around either side of the back,
3:00:40as if they watched over the high lord's
3:00:42shoulder.
3:00:44A crowd had gathered, and for a moment I
3:00:47was again in Amaranth's throne room. So
3:00:50similar was the atmosphere, the malice.
3:00:53So similar was the deis at the other
3:00:55end. A golden-haired, beautiful man
3:00:58stepped into our path toward that ebony
3:01:00throne, and more smoothly halted. I knew
3:01:03he was her father without him saying a
3:01:05word. He was clothed in black, a silver
3:01:08cirlet at top his head. His brown eyes
3:01:11were like old soil as he said to her,
3:01:13"Where is he?" No greeting, no
3:01:16formality. He ignored me wholly. Moore
3:01:20shrugged. He arrives when he wishes to,
3:01:23she continued on. Her father looked at
3:01:26me then, and I willedled my face into a
3:01:28mask like hers, disinterested, aloof.
3:01:32Her father surveyed my face, my body,
3:01:35and where I thought he'd sneer and ogle,
3:01:38there was nothing, no emotion, just
3:01:40heartless cold. I followed more before
3:01:44disgust wrecked my own icy mask.
3:01:47Banquet tables against the black walls
3:01:49were covered with fat succulent fruits
3:01:51and wreaths of golden bread, interrupted
3:01:54with roast meats, kegs of cider and ale
3:01:57and pies and tarts and little cakes of
3:02:00every size and variety. It might have
3:02:02made my mouth water were it not for the
3:02:05high fay in their finery. Were it not
3:02:07for the fact that no one touched the
3:02:09food, the power and wealth lying in
3:02:11letting it go to waste.
3:02:13Moore went right up to the obsidian deis
3:02:16and I halted at the foot of the steps as
3:02:18she took up a place beside the throne
3:02:20and said to the crowd in a voice that
3:02:22was clear and cruel and cunning, "Your
3:02:25high lord approaches. He is in a foul
3:02:28mood, so I suggest being on your best
3:02:30behavior, unless you wish to be the
3:02:33evening entertainment."
3:02:35And before the crowd could begin
3:02:36murmuring, I felt it. Felt him. The very
3:02:41rock beneath my feet seemed to tremble,
3:02:44a pulsing, steady beat. His footsteps,
3:02:47as if the mountain shuddered at each
3:02:49touch. Everyone in that room went still
3:02:52as death, as if petrified that their
3:02:54very breathing would draw the attention
3:02:56of the predator now strolling toward us.
3:02:58Moore's shoulders were back, her chin
3:03:01high, feral want, and pride at her
3:03:03master's arrival. Remembering my role, I
3:03:06kept my own chin lowered, watching
3:03:08beneath my brows. First, Cassian and
3:03:11Azriel appeared in the doorway. The High
3:03:14Lord's General and Shadow Singer, and
3:03:16the most powerful Yrianss in history.
3:03:19They were not the males I had come to
3:03:21know. Clad and battle black that hugged
3:03:23their muscled forms. Their armor was
3:03:26intricate, scaled, their shoulders
3:03:28impossibly broader, their faces a
3:03:30portrait of unfeilling brutality. They
3:03:33reminded me somehow of the ebony beasts
3:03:36carved into the pillars they passed.
3:03:39More siphons, I realized, glimmered in
3:03:42addition to the ones at top each of
3:03:43their hands. A siphon in the center of
3:03:46their chest, one on either shoulder, one
3:03:49on either knee. For a moment, my knees
3:03:52quakd, and I understood what the camp
3:03:54lords had feared in them. If one siphon
3:03:57was what most yrians needed to handle
3:03:59their killing power, Cassian and Azriel
3:04:02had seven each. Seven.
3:04:05The courters had the good sense to back
3:04:07away a step as Cassian and Azriel
3:04:09strolled through the crowd toward the
3:04:11deis. Their wings gleamed, the talons at
3:04:15the apex sharp enough to pierce air like
3:04:17they'd honed them. Cassian's focus had
3:04:20gone right to Moore. Azrael indulging in
3:04:23all of a glance before scanning the
3:04:24people around them. Most sherked from
3:04:27the spy master's eyes, though they
3:04:29trembled as they beheld trutht teller at
3:04:31his side, the yrian blade peeking above
3:04:33his left shoulder. Azriel, his face a
3:04:37mask of beautiful death, silently
3:04:39promised them all endless unyielding
3:04:41torment, even the shadows shuddering in
3:04:44his wake. I knew why, knew for whom he'd
3:04:47gladly do it. They had tried to sell a
3:04:5017-year-old girl into marriage with a
3:04:52sadist and then brutalized her in ways I
3:04:55couldn't. Wouldn't let myself consider.
3:04:58And these people now lived in utter
3:05:00terror of the three companions who stood
3:05:02at the deis. Good. They should be afraid
3:05:06of them. Afraid of me. And then Reand
3:05:10appeared. He had released the damper on
3:05:12his power, on who he was. His power
3:05:16filled the throne room, the castle, the
3:05:18mountain, the world. It had no end and
3:05:21no beginning. No wings, no weapons, no
3:05:25sign of the warrior. Nothing but the
3:05:27elegant, cruel high lord the world
3:05:29believed him to be. His hands were in
3:05:31his pockets, his black tunic seeming to
3:05:34gobble up the light, and on his head sat
3:05:37a crown of stars.
3:05:39No sign of the male who had been
3:05:41drinking on the roof. No sign of the
3:05:43fallen prince kneeling on his bed. The
3:05:46full impact of him threatened to sweep
3:05:48me away. Here, here was the most
3:05:52powerful high lord ever born. The face
3:05:55of dreams and nightmares. Reese's eyes
3:05:58met mine briefly from across the room as
3:06:00he strolled between the pillars to the
3:06:02throne that was his by blood and
3:06:04sacrifice and might. My own blood sang
3:06:08at the power that thrummed from him, at
3:06:10the sheer beauty of him. Moore stepped
3:06:13off the deis, dropping to one knee in a
3:06:15smooth bow. Cassian and Azriel followed
3:06:18suit. So did everyone in that room,
3:06:21including me.
3:06:23The ebony floor was so polished, I could
3:06:25see my red painted lips in it, see my
3:06:28own expressionless face. The room was so
3:06:31silent, I could hear each of Reese's
3:06:33footsteps toward us.
3:06:35Well, well, he said to no one in
3:06:38particular. Looks like you're all on
3:06:40time for once. Raising his head as he
3:06:44continued kneeling, Cassian gave Ree a
3:06:46half grin. The High Lord's commander
3:06:49incarnate, eager to do his bloodletting.
3:06:52Reys's boots stopped in my line of
3:06:54sight. His fingers were icy on my chin
3:06:57as he lifted my face. The entire room,
3:07:00still on the floor, watched. But this
3:07:03was the role he needed me to play, to be
3:07:05a distraction and novelty. Reese's lips
3:07:08curved upward. Welcome to my home, Phah
3:07:12curse breaker. I lowered my eyes, my
3:07:16coal thick lashes tickling my cheek. He
3:07:18clicked his tongue, his grip on my chin
3:07:21tightening. Everyone noticed the push of
3:07:23his fingers, the predatory angle of his
3:07:25head as he said, "Come with me." A tug
3:07:29on my chin, and I rose to my feet. Reese
3:07:32dragged his eyes over me, and I wondered
3:07:35if it wasn't entirely for show. As they
3:07:37glazed a bit, he led me the few steps
3:07:40onto the deis, to the throne. He sat,
3:07:43smiling faintly at his monstrous court.
3:07:46He owned every inch of the throne, these
3:07:49people. And with a tug on my waist, he
3:07:52perched me on his lap. the high lord's
3:07:55who I'd become under the
3:07:57mountain, who the world expected me to
3:07:59be. The dangerous new pet that Moore's
3:08:02father would now seek to feel out.
3:08:06Reys's hand slid along my bare waist,
3:08:08the other running down my exposed thigh.
3:08:11Cold. His hands were so cold I almost
3:08:14yelped. He must have felt the silent
3:08:16flinch. A heartbeat later, his hands had
3:08:19warmed. His thumb curving around the
3:08:22inside of my thigh gave a slow, long
3:08:25stroke as if to say, "Sorry." Reese
3:08:28indeed leaned in to bring his mouth near
3:08:30my ear, well aware his subjects had not
3:08:33yet risen from the floor, as if they had
3:08:35once done so before they were bidden
3:08:37long ago, and had learned the
3:08:39consequences. Reand whispered to me, his
3:08:42other hand now stroking the bare skin of
3:08:44my ribs in lazy, indolent circles. "Try
3:08:47not to let it go to your head. I knew
3:08:50they could all hear it. So did he. I
3:08:53stared at their bowed heads, my heart
3:08:55hammering, but said with midnight
3:08:57smoothness, "What?" Reese's breath
3:09:00caressed my ear, the twin to the breath
3:09:02he brushed against it merely an hour ago
3:09:04in the skies. That every male in here is
3:09:07contemplating what they'd be willing to
3:09:09give up in order to get that pretty red
3:09:12mouth of yours on them.
3:09:14I waited for the blush, the shyness to
3:09:17creep in. But I was beautiful. I was
3:09:20strong. I had survived, triumphed as
3:09:24more had survived in this horrible
3:09:26poisoned house. So I smiled a bit, the
3:09:29first smile of my new mask. Let them see
3:09:32that pretty red mouth and my white
3:09:34straight teeth. His hand slid higher up
3:09:37my thigh, the proprietary touch of a
3:09:40male who knew he owned someone body and
3:09:42soul. He'd apologized in advance for it,
3:09:46for this game, these roles we'd have to
3:09:48play. But I leaned into that touch,
3:09:51leaned back into his hard, warm body. I
3:09:54was pressed so closely against him that
3:09:56I could feel the deep rumble of his
3:09:58voice as he at last said to his court,
3:10:01"Rise."
3:10:03As one, they did. I smirked at some of
3:10:06them, gloriously bored and infinitely
3:10:08amused. Reese brushed a knuckle along
3:10:11the inside of my knee, and every nerve
3:10:13in my body narrowed to that touch. "Go
3:10:16play," he said to them all. They obeyed,
3:10:20the crowd dispersing, music striking up
3:10:23from a distant corner. "Kir," Ree said,
3:10:26his voice cutting through the room like
3:10:28lightning on a stormy night. It was all
3:10:31he needed to summon Moore's father to
3:10:33the foot of the Deis. Kier bowed again,
3:10:36his face lined with icy resentment as he
3:10:38took in Ree, then me, glancing once at
3:10:41Moore and the Yrianss.
3:10:43Cassian gave Kier a slow nod that told
3:10:45him he remembered and would never forget
3:10:48what the steward of the Hune city had
3:10:50done to his own daughter, but it was
3:10:53from Azriel that Kier cringed from the
3:10:55sight of truthteller.
3:10:58One day I realized Azreel would use that
3:11:01blade on Moore's father and take a long,
3:11:03long while to carve him up. "Report,"
3:11:07Ree said, stroking a knuckle down my
3:11:09ribs. He gave a dismissive nod to Cassie
3:11:12Moore and Azriel, and the trio faded
3:11:15away into the crowd. Within a heartbeat,
3:11:18Azreel had vanished into shadows and was
3:11:20gone. Kier didn't even turn. Before Ree,
3:11:25Kier was nothing more than a sullen
3:11:26child. Yet I knew Moore's father was
3:11:29older, far older. The steward clung to
3:11:32power, it seemed. Ree was power.
3:11:37Greetings, my lord, Kier said, his deep
3:11:40voice polished smooth. And greetings to
3:11:43your guest, Reys's hand flattened on my
3:11:46thigh as he angled his head to look at
3:11:48me. She is lovely, isn't she?
3:11:52Indeed, Kier said, lowering his eyes.
3:11:56There is little to report, my lord. All
3:11:59has been quiet since your last visit.
3:12:02No one for me to punish. A cat playing
3:12:05with his food. Unless you'd like for me
3:12:08to select someone here. No, my lord. Ree
3:12:12clicked his tongue. Pity. He again
3:12:15surveyed me, then leaned to tug my
3:12:17earlobe with his teeth. and damn me to
3:12:20hell. But I leaned farther back as his
3:12:22teeth pressed down at the same moment
3:12:24his thumb drifted high on the side of my
3:12:26thigh, sweeping across sensitive skin
3:12:29and a long luxurious touch. My body went
3:12:32loose and tight and my breathing.
3:12:35Cauldron damned me again. The scent of
3:12:38him, the citrus and the sea, the power
3:12:41roing off him. My breath hitched a bit.
3:12:44I knew he noticed. Knew he felt that
3:12:46shift in me. his fingers stillilled on
3:12:49my leg. Kier began mentioning people I
3:12:52didn't know in the court. Bland reports
3:12:54on marriages and alliances, blood feuds,
3:12:57and Ree let him talk. His thumb stroked
3:13:00again, this time joined with his pointer
3:13:02finger. A dull roaring was filling my
3:13:05ears, drowning out everything but that
3:13:07touch on the inside of my leg. The music
3:13:10was throbbing, ancient, wild, and people
3:13:14ground against each other to it. his
3:13:16eyes on the steward. Reese made vague
3:13:19nods every now and then while his
3:13:21fingers continued their slow, steady
3:13:23stroking on my thighs, rising higher
3:13:26with every pass. People were watching,
3:13:29even as they drank and ate, even as some
3:13:32danced in small circles, people were
3:13:34watching. I was sitting in his lap, his
3:13:37own personal play thing, his every touch
3:13:40visible to them. And yet, it might as
3:13:43well have been only the two of us. Kier
3:13:46listed the expenses and costs of running
3:13:48the court, and Ree gave another vague
3:13:50nod. This time, his nose brushed the
3:13:53spot between my neck and shoulder,
3:13:55followed by a passing graze of his
3:13:57mouth. My breasts tightened, becoming
3:14:00full and heavy, aching, aching like what
3:14:04was now pooling in my core. Heat filled
3:14:06my face, my blood. But Kier said at
3:14:10last, as if his own self-control slipped
3:14:12the leash. I had heard the rumors, and I
3:14:16didn't quite believe them. His gaze
3:14:18settled on me, on my breasts, peaked
3:14:21through the folds of my dress, of my
3:14:23legs spread wider than they'd been
3:14:25minutes before, and Reese's hand in
3:14:28dangerous territory.
3:14:30But it seems true. Tamlin's pet is now
3:14:33owned by another master. You should see
3:14:37how I make her beg," Ree murmured,
3:14:39nudging my neck with his nose. Kier
3:14:42clasped his hands behind his back. "I
3:14:44assume you brought her to make a
3:14:47statement. You know, everything I do is
3:14:50a statement." "Of course. This one, it
3:14:53seems you enjoy putting in cobwebs and
3:14:56crowns." Reese's hand paused, and I sat
3:14:59straighter at the tone, the disgust, and
3:15:02I said to Kier, in a voice that belonged
3:15:04to another woman. Perhaps I'll put a
3:15:07leash on you. Reese's approval tapped
3:15:10against my mental shield, the hand at my
3:15:12ribs now making lazy circles. She does
3:15:16enjoy playing, he mused onto my
3:15:18shoulder. He jerked his chin toward the
3:15:20steward. Get her some wine. Pure
3:15:24command, no politeness. Kier stiffened
3:15:27but stroed off. Rehe didn't dare break
3:15:31from his mask, but the light kiss he
3:15:33pressed beneath my ear told me enough.
3:15:36Apology and gratitude and more
3:15:38apologies. He didn't like this any more
3:15:40than I did. And yet to get what we
3:15:43needed to buy Azriel time, he'd do it,
3:15:46and so would I. I wondered then, with
3:15:49his hands beneath my breasts and between
3:15:51my legs, what Ree wouldn't give of
3:15:54himself. wondered if if perhaps the
3:15:57arrogance and swagger if they masked a
3:16:00male who perhaps thought he wasn't worth
3:16:02very much at all.
3:16:04A new song began like dripping honey and
3:16:07edged into a swift moving wind
3:16:09punctuated with driving relentless
3:16:11drums. I twisted, studying his face.
3:16:15There was nothing warm in his eyes,
3:16:17nothing of the friend I'd made. I opened
3:16:19my shield enough to let him in. What?
3:16:22His voice floated into my mind. I
3:16:25reached down the bond between us,
3:16:27caressing that wall of ebony adamant. A
3:16:30small sliver cracked just for me, and I
3:16:33set into it. You are good, Ree. You are
3:16:36kind. This mask does not scare me. I see
3:16:40you beneath it." His hands tightened on
3:16:43me, and his eyes held mine as he leaned
3:16:46forward to brush his mouth against my
3:16:47cheek. It was answer enough and an
3:16:51unleashing. I leaned a bit more against
3:16:54him, my legs widening ever so slightly.
3:16:57"Why'd you stop?" I said into his mind,
3:17:00into him. A near silent growl
3:17:03reverberated against me. He stroked my
3:17:06ribs again, in time to the beat of the
3:17:08music. His thumb rising nearly high
3:17:10enough to graze the underside of my
3:17:12breasts. I let my head drop back against
3:17:15his shoulder. I let go of the part of me
3:17:18that heard their words.
3:17:20Let go of the part that said
3:17:22those words alongside them, "Tiater!
3:17:25Liar! Whore!" And I just became. I
3:17:30became the music and the drums, and the
3:17:32wild dark thing in the high lord's arms.
3:17:35His eyes were wholly glazed, and not
3:17:37with power or rage. Something red hot
3:17:40and edged with glittering darkness
3:17:42exploded in my mind. I dragged a hand
3:17:45down his thigh, feeling the hidden
3:17:47warrior's strength there. Dragged it
3:17:49back up again in a long idle stroke,
3:17:52needing to touch him, feel him. I was
3:17:55going to catch fire and burn. I was
3:17:58going to start burning right here. Easy,
3:18:01he said with wicked amusement through
3:18:03the open sliver in my shield. If you
3:18:06become a living candle, poor Kier will
3:18:08throw a hissy fit and then you'd ruin
3:18:11the party for everyone
3:18:13because the fire would let them all know
3:18:15I wasn't normal. And no doubt Kier would
3:18:17inform his almost allies in the autumn
3:18:20court or one of these other monsters
3:18:22would. Ree shifted his hips, rubbing
3:18:26against me with enough pressure that for
3:18:27a second I didn't care about Kier or the
3:18:30autumn court or what Azriel might be
3:18:32doing right now to steal the orb. I had
3:18:35been so cold, so lonely for so long, and
3:18:39my body cried out at the contact, of the
3:18:41joy of being touched and held and alive.
3:18:45The hand that had been on my waist slid
3:18:47across my abdomen, hooking into the
3:18:49lowslung belt there. I rested my head
3:18:52between his shoulder and neck, staring
3:18:55at the crowd as they stared at me,
3:18:57savoring every place where Reese and I
3:18:59connected, and wanting more, more, more.
3:19:03At last, when my blood had begun to
3:19:05boil, when Ree skimmed the underside of
3:19:08my breast with his knuckle, I looked to
3:19:10where I knew Kier was standing, watching
3:19:12us, my wine forgotten in his hand. We
3:19:16both did. The steward was staring
3:19:18unabashedly as he leaned against the
3:19:20wall, unsure whether to interrupt, half
3:19:23terrified, too. We were his distraction.
3:19:27We were the slight of hand while Az
3:19:29stole the orb. I knew Ree was still
3:19:31holding Kier's gaze as the tip of his
3:19:34tongue slid up my neck. I arched my
3:19:36back, eyes heavy-litted, breathing
3:19:39uneven. I'd burn and burn and burn. I
3:19:43think he's so disgusted that he might
3:19:45have given me the orb just to get out of
3:19:47here, reset in my mind, that other hand
3:19:51drifting dangerously south. But there
3:19:53was such a growing ache there, and I
3:19:55wore nothing beneath that would conceal
3:19:57the damning evidence if he slid his hand
3:19:59a fraction higher. You and I put on a
3:20:02good show, I said back. The person who
3:20:05said that, husky and sultry, I'd never
3:20:08heard that voice come out of me before,
3:20:10even in my mind. His hand slid to my
3:20:13upper thigh, fingers curving in. I
3:20:16ground against him, trying to shift
3:20:18those hands away from what he'd learn to
3:20:21find him hard against my backside.
3:20:24Every thought edied from my head. Only a
3:20:27thrill of power remained as I writhed
3:20:29along that impressive length. Ree let
3:20:32out a low, rough laugh. Kier just
3:20:34watched and watched and watched, rigid,
3:20:38horrified, stuck here until Ree released
3:20:40him, and not thinking twice about why or
3:20:43where the spy master had gone. So I
3:20:46turned around again, meeting Reese's now
3:20:48blazing eyes, and then licked up the
3:20:51column of his throat. Wind and sea and
3:20:54citrus and sweat. It almost undid me. I
3:20:58faced forward and Reese dragged his
3:21:00mouth along the back of my neck, right
3:21:02over my spine, just as I shifted against
3:21:05the hardness pushing into me, insistent
3:21:07and dominating, precisely as his hand
3:21:10slid a bit too high on my inner thigh. I
3:21:13felt the predatory focus go right to the
3:21:15slickness he'd felt there. Proof of my
3:21:18traitorous body. His arms tightened
3:21:20around me and my face burned. Perhaps a
3:21:23bit from shame, but Reese sensed my
3:21:27focus. My fire slip. It's fine, he said.
3:21:31But that mental voice sounded
3:21:32breathless. It means nothing. It's just
3:21:35your body reacting.
3:21:38Because you're so irresistible. My
3:21:41attempt to deflect sounded strained,
3:21:43even in my mind, but he laughed,
3:21:45probably for my benefit. We danced
3:21:48around and teased and taunted each other
3:21:50for months. And maybe it was my body's
3:21:53reaction, maybe it was his body's
3:21:55reaction, but the taste of him
3:21:57threatened to destroy me, consume me,
3:22:00and another male. I'd had another male's
3:22:03hands all over me. When Tamlin and I
3:22:06were barely fighting my nausea, I pasted
3:22:09a sleepy, lustfog smile on my face.
3:22:12Right as Azriel returned and gave Ree a
3:22:15subtle nod. He'd gotten the orb. More
3:22:18slid up to the spy master, running a
3:22:20proprietary hand over his shoulders, his
3:22:23chest as she circled to look into his
3:22:25face. As his scar modeled hand wrapped
3:22:28around her bare waist, squeezing once,
3:22:31the confirmation she also needed. She
3:22:34offered him a little grin that would no
3:22:35doubt spread rumors, and sauntered into
3:22:38the crowd again, dazzling, distracting,
3:22:41leaving them thinking As had been here
3:22:43the whole time, leaving them pondering
3:22:45if she'd extend Azreel an invitation to
3:22:47her bed. Azriel just stared after more,
3:22:51distant and bored. I wondered if he was
3:22:53as much of a mess inside as I was.
3:22:57Reese crooked a finger to Kier, who
3:22:59scowlling a bit in his daughter's
3:23:01direction, stumbled forward with my
3:23:03wine. He barely reached the deis before
3:23:06Reese's power took it from him, floating
3:23:08the goblet to us. Ree set it on the
3:23:11ground beside the throne, a stupid task
3:23:14he thought up for the steward to remind
3:23:16him of his powerlessness, that this
3:23:18throne was not his.
3:23:20Should I test it for poison? Reese
3:23:23drawled even as he said into my mind,
3:23:25"Cassian's waiting. Go." Reys had the
3:23:29same sexled expression on his perfect
3:23:32face, but his eyes. I couldn't read the
3:23:35shadows in his eyes. Maybe, maybe for
3:23:38all our teasing. After Amarantha, he
3:23:41didn't want to be touched by a woman
3:23:43like that. Didn't even enjoy being
3:23:45wanted like that. I had been tortured
3:23:48and tormented, but his horrors had gone
3:23:51to another level.
3:23:53No, my lord Kier graveled. I would never
3:23:56dare harm you. Another distraction, this
3:24:00conversation. I took that as my cue to
3:24:02stride to Cassian, who was snarling by a
3:24:05pillar at anyone who came too close. I
3:24:07felt the eyes of the court slide to me,
3:24:10felt them all sniff delicately at what
3:24:12was so clearly written over my body. But
3:24:15as I passed Kir, even with the high lord
3:24:17at my back, he hissed almost too quietly
3:24:20to hear. You'll get what's coming to
3:24:22you, Night exploded into the
3:24:25room. People cried out, and when the
3:24:28darkness cleared, Kier was on his knees.
3:24:31Ree still lounged on the throne, his
3:24:33face a mask of frozen rage. The music
3:24:36stopped. Mora appeared at the edge of
3:24:39the crowd, her own features set in smug
3:24:41satisfaction, even as Azriel approached
3:24:44her side, standing too close to be
3:24:46casual. "Apologize,"
3:24:48Ree said. My heart thundered at the pure
3:24:51command, the utter wrath. Kier's neck
3:24:54muscles strained and sweat broke out on
3:24:56his lip. I said, Reese toned with such
3:25:00horrible calm. Apologize.
3:25:03The steward groaned. And when another
3:25:06heartbeat passed, bone cracked. Kier
3:25:09screamed. And I watched. I watched as
3:25:12his arm fractured into not two, not
3:25:14three, but four different pieces. The
3:25:17skin going taut and loose in all the
3:25:18wrong spots. Another crack. His elbow
3:25:22disintegrated. My stomach churned. Kier
3:25:25began sobbing. The tears half from rage,
3:25:28judging by the hatred in his eyes as he
3:25:30looked at me, then Ree. But his lips
3:25:33formed the words, "I'm sorry." The bones
3:25:35of his other arm splintered, and it was
3:25:38an effort not to cringe. Ree smiled as
3:25:40Kier screamed again and said to the
3:25:43room, "Should I kill him for it? No one
3:25:47answered. Ree chuckled. He said to his
3:25:49steward, "When you wake up, you're not
3:25:52to see a healer. If I hear that you do."
3:25:56Another crack. Kier's pinky finger went
3:25:58saggy. The male shrieked. The heat that
3:26:01had boiled my blood turned to ice. If I
3:26:04hear that you do, I'll carve you into
3:26:07pieces and bury them where no one can
3:26:10stand a chance of putting you together
3:26:12again.
3:26:13Kier's eyes widened in true terror now.
3:26:16Then, as if an invisible hand had struck
3:26:19the consciousness from him, he collapsed
3:26:21to the floor. Ree said to no one in
3:26:24particular, "Dump him in his room." Two
3:26:27males, who looked like they could be
3:26:29Moore's cousins or brothers, rushed
3:26:31forward, gathering up the steward. Moore
3:26:34watched them, sneering faintly, though
3:26:36her skin was pale. He'd wake up. That's
3:26:40what Ree had said. I made myself keep
3:26:42walking as Ree summoned another cordier
3:26:44to give him reports on whatever trivial
3:26:47matters. But my attention remained on
3:26:49the throne behind me. Even as I slipped
3:26:52beside Cassian, daring the court to
3:26:54approach, to play with me, none did. And
3:26:58for the long hour afterward, my focus
3:27:01half remained on the high lord, whose
3:27:04hands and mouth and body had suddenly
3:27:06made me feel awake, burning. It didn't
3:27:09make me forget. didn't make me
3:27:11obliterate hurts or grievances. It just
3:27:14made me alive. Made me feel as if I'd
3:27:18been asleep for a year, slumbering
3:27:20inside a glass coffin, and he
3:27:22[clears throat] had just shattered
3:27:23through it and shaken me to
3:27:24consciousness.
3:27:26The high lord, whose power had not
3:27:28scared me, whose wrath did not wreck me.
3:27:31And now, now I didn't know where that
3:27:34put me. Kneeed in trouble seemed like a
3:27:38good place to start.
3:27:43Chapter 43.
3:27:46The wind roared around Ree and me as he
3:27:48winnowed from the skies above his court.
3:27:51But Valaris didn't greet us. Rather, we
3:27:54were standing by a moonlit mountain lake
3:27:56ringed in pine trees high above the
3:27:58world. We'd left the court as we'd come
3:28:01in, with swagger and menace. Where
3:28:04Cassie, Azriel, and Moore had gone with
3:28:06the orb, I had no idea. Alone at the
3:28:09edge of the lake, Ree said horarssely.
3:28:12I'm sorry. I blinked. What do you
3:28:16possibly have to be sorry for? His hands
3:28:19were shaking as if in the aftermath of
3:28:21that fury at what Kier had called me,
3:28:24what he'd threatened. Perhaps he'd
3:28:26brought us here before heading home in
3:28:28order to have some privacy before his
3:28:29friends could interrupt. I shouldn't
3:28:32have let you go. let you see that part
3:28:35of us of me. I'd never seen him so raw,
3:28:40so stumbling.
3:28:43I'm fine. I didn't know what to make of
3:28:46what had been done, both between us and
3:28:48to Kier. But it had been my choice to
3:28:51play that role, to wear these clothes,
3:28:53to let him touch me. But I said slowly,
3:28:57"We knew what tonight would require of
3:29:00us. Please, please don't start
3:29:03protecting me. Not like that. He knew
3:29:06what I meant. He'd protected me under
3:29:08the mountain, but that primal male rage
3:29:11he'd just shown Kier. A shattered study
3:29:14splattered in paint flashed through my
3:29:16memory. Ree rasped, "I will never never
3:29:20lock you up, force you to stay behind.
3:29:23But when he threatened you tonight, when
3:29:26he called you that's what they'd
3:29:29called him. For 50 years, they'd hissed
3:29:32it. I'd listened to Lucian spit the
3:29:34words in his face. Reys released a
3:29:37jagged breath. It's hard to shut down my
3:29:40instincts.
3:29:42Instincts? Just like like someone else
3:29:45had instincts to protect, to hide me
3:29:47away. Then you should have prepared
3:29:50yourself better. I snapped. You seemed
3:29:52to be going along just fine with it
3:29:54until Kier said. I will kill anyone who
3:29:57harms you, Ree snarled. I will kill them
3:30:00and take a damn long time doing it, he
3:30:03panted. Go ahead. Hate me. Despise me
3:30:06for it. You are my friend, I said, and
3:30:10my voice broke on the word. I hated the
3:30:13tears that slipped down my face. I
3:30:15didn't even know why I was crying.
3:30:17Perhaps for the fact that it had felt
3:30:19real on that throne with him, even for a
3:30:21moment, and and it likely hadn't been
3:30:25not for him. You're my friend, and I
3:30:28understand that you're high lord. I
3:30:30understand that you will defend your
3:30:32true court and punish threats against
3:30:34it, but I can't. I don't want you to
3:30:37stop telling me things, inviting me to
3:30:40do things because of the threats against
3:30:42me. Darkness rippled and wings tore from
3:30:45his back. I am not him. Reese breathed.
3:30:50I will never be him. Act like him. He
3:30:53locked you up and let you wither and
3:30:55die. He tried. Stop comparing. Stop
3:31:00comparing me to him. The words cut me
3:31:02short. I blinked. You think I don't know
3:31:06how stories get written. How this story
3:31:09will be written. Ree put his hands on
3:31:11his chest, his face more open, more
3:31:13anguished than I'd seen it. I am the
3:31:16dark lord who stole away the bride of
3:31:19spring. I am a demon and a nightmare and
3:31:22I will meet a bad end. He is the golden
3:31:24prince, the hero who will get to keep
3:31:26you as his reward for not dying of
3:31:28stupidity and arrogance. The things I
3:31:32love have a tendency to be taken from
3:31:34me. He'd admitted that to me under the
3:31:36mountain, but his words were kindling to
3:31:39my temper, to whatever pit of fear was
3:31:41yawning open inside of me. And what
3:31:44about my story? I hissed. What about my
3:31:47reward? What about what I want? What is
3:31:50it that you want, Phyra? I had no
3:31:53answer. I didn't know. Not anymore.
3:31:57What is it that you want, Phyra?
3:32:01I stayed silent. His laugh was bitter,
3:32:05soft. I thought so. Perhaps you should
3:32:08take some time to figure that out one of
3:32:10these days. Perhaps I don't know what I
3:32:14want, but at least I don't hide what I
3:32:16am behind a mask, I seethed. At least I
3:32:19let them see who I am. Broken bits and
3:32:21all. Yes, it's to save your people. But
3:32:24what about the other masks, Ree? What
3:32:26about letting your friends see your real
3:32:28face? But maybe it's easier not to
3:32:31because what if you did let someone in?
3:32:33And what if they saw everything and
3:32:35still walked away? Who could blame them?
3:32:38Who would want to bother with that sort
3:32:40of mess? He flinched. The most powerful
3:32:44high lord in history flinched. And I
3:32:46knew I'd hit hard and deep. Too hard.
3:32:50Too deep. Ree, I said, let's go home.
3:32:54[clears throat]
3:32:55The word hung between us. And I wondered
3:32:57if he'd take it back, even as I waited
3:33:00for my own mouth to bark that it wasn't
3:33:02home. But the thought of the clear,
3:33:04crisp blue skies of Aaris at sunset, the
3:33:07sparkle of the city lights. Before I
3:33:10could say yes, he grabbed my hand, not
3:33:13meeting my stare, and winnowed us away.
3:33:16The wind was hollow as it roared around
3:33:18us, the darkness cold and foreign.
3:33:24Cassie, Azreel, and Moore were indeed
3:33:26waiting at the townhouse. I bid them
3:33:29good night while they ambushed Reissand
3:33:30for answers about what Kir had said to
3:33:32provoke him. I was still in my dress,
3:33:35which felt vulgar in the light of Aaris,
3:33:38but found myself heading into the garden
3:33:40as if the moonlight and chill might
3:33:42cleanse my mind. Though, if I was being
3:33:46honest, I was waiting for him. What I'd
3:33:49said, I had been awful. He'd told me
3:33:53those secrets, those vulnerabilities in
3:33:55confidence, and I'd thrown them in his
3:33:57face because I knew it had hurt him. And
3:34:00I knew I hadn't been talking about him.
3:34:02Not really.
3:34:04Minutes passed, the night still cool
3:34:07enough to remind me that spring had not
3:34:09fully dawned, and I shivered, rubbing my
3:34:12arms as the moon drifted. I listened to
3:34:15the fountain and the city music. He
3:34:18didn't come. I wasn't sure what I'd even
3:34:20tell him.
3:34:21I knew he and Tamlin were different.
3:34:24Knew that Rissan's protective anger
3:34:26tonight had been justified. That I would
3:34:28have had a similar reaction. I'd been
3:34:30bloodthirsty at the barest details of
3:34:32Moore's suffering. Had wanted to punish
3:34:34them for it. I had known the risks. I
3:34:38had known I'd be sitting in his lap,
3:34:40touching him, using him. I'd been using
3:34:43him for a while now. And maybe I should
3:34:45tell him I didn't I didn't want or
3:34:48expect anything from him. Maybe Reand
3:34:51needed to flirt with me, taunt me as
3:34:54much for a distraction and sense of
3:34:56normaly as I did. And maybe I'd said
3:34:59what I had to him because because I'd
3:35:02realized that I might very well be the
3:35:04person who wouldn't let anyone in. And
3:35:06tonight, when he'd recoiled after he'd
3:35:09seen how he affected me, it had crumpled
3:35:12something in my chest.
3:35:14I had been jealous of Cressa. I had been
3:35:18so profoundly unhappy on that barge
3:35:20because I'd wanted to be the one he
3:35:22smiled at like that. And I knew it was
3:35:24wrong. But I did not think Ree would
3:35:27call me a if I wanted it. Wanted
3:35:30him, no matter how soon it was after
3:35:33Tamlin. Neither would his friends. Not
3:35:36when they had been called the same and
3:35:38worse. And learned to live and love
3:35:41beyond it despite it. So maybe it was
3:35:45time to tell Reese that to explain that
3:35:47I didn't want to pretend. I didn't want
3:35:50to write it off as a joke or a plan or a
3:35:52distraction.
3:35:54And it had be hard and I was scared and
3:35:57might be difficult to deal with. But I
3:36:00was willing to try with him to try to be
3:36:05something together. Whether it was
3:36:07purely sex or more or something between
3:36:10or beyond them, I didn't know. we'd find
3:36:13out. I was healed or healing enough to
3:36:18want to try. If he was willing to try,
3:36:20too. If he didn't walk away when I
3:36:22voiced what I wanted. Him. Not the high
3:36:26lord. Not the most powerful male in
3:36:29Prththeian's history. Just him. The
3:36:33person who had sent music into that
3:36:35cell. Who had picked up that knife in
3:36:37Amaranth's throne room to fight for me
3:36:39when no one else dared. and who had kept
3:36:41fighting for me every day since,
3:36:43refusing to let me crumble and disappear
3:36:46into nothing. So I waited for him in the
3:36:49chilled moonlit garden. But he didn't
3:36:52come.
3:36:55Ree wasn't at breakfast or lunch. He
3:36:59wasn't in the townhouse at all. I'd even
3:37:01written him a note on the last piece of
3:37:03paper we'd used. I want to talk to you.
3:37:07I'd waited 30 minutes for the paper to
3:37:09vanish, but it had stayed in my palm
3:37:11until I threw it in the fire. I was
3:37:14pissed enough that I stalked into the
3:37:16streets, barely remarking that the day
3:37:18was balmy, sunny, that the very air now
3:37:21seemed laced with citrus and wild
3:37:23flowers and new grass. Now that we had
3:37:25the orb, he'd no doubt be in touch with
3:37:28the queens, who would no doubt waste our
3:37:30time, just to remind us they were
3:37:32important, that they too had power. Part
3:37:36of me wished Ree could crush their bones
3:37:38the way he'd done with Kier the night
3:37:39before.
3:37:41I headed for Amaran's apartment across
3:37:43the river, needing the walk to clear my
3:37:45head. Winter had indeed yielded to
3:37:48spring. By the time I was halfway there,
3:37:51my overcoat was slung over my arm, and
3:37:54my body was slick with sweat beneath my
3:37:56heavy cream sweater. I found Amarind the
3:37:59same way I'd seen her the last time,
3:38:02hunched over the book, papers strewn
3:38:04around her. I set the blood on the
3:38:06counter, she said without looking up.
3:38:09Ah, the reason why Reese bit my head off
3:38:12this morning. I leaned against the
3:38:14counter, frowning. Where's he gone off
3:38:17to? To hunt whoever attacked you
3:38:20yesterday. If they had ash arrows in
3:38:23their arsenal. I tried to soothe the
3:38:25worry that bit deep. Do you think it was
3:38:28the summer court? The blood ruby still
3:38:31sat on the floor, still used as a paper
3:38:33weight against the river breeze blowing
3:38:35in from the open windows. Varian's
3:38:37necklace was now beside her bed, as if
3:38:40she fell asleep looking at it. Maybe,
3:38:43Amaran said, dragging a finger along a
3:38:46line of text. She must be truly absorbed
3:38:48to not even bother with the blood. I
3:38:51debated leaving her to it, but she went
3:38:53on. Regardless, it seems that our
3:38:56enemies have a track on Reese's magic,
3:38:59which means they're able to find him
3:39:00when he winnows anywhere or if he uses
3:39:03his powers. She at last looked up. You
3:39:07lot are leaving Velaris in 2 days. Ree
3:39:10wants you stationed at one of the Yrian
3:39:12war camps where you'll fly down to the
3:39:14human lands once the queens send word.
3:39:18Why not today? Amron said. Because
3:39:21Starfall is tomorrow night, the first
3:39:24we've had together in 50 years. Ree is
3:39:28expected to be here amongst his people.
3:39:31What's Starfall? Amron's eyes twinkled.
3:39:35Outside of these borders, the rest of
3:39:38the world celebrates tomorrow as Ninsar,
3:39:40the day of seeds and flowers. I almost
3:39:44flinched at that. I hadn't realized just
3:39:46how much time had passed since I'd come
3:39:48here. But Starfall, Amron said, only at
3:39:53the night court can you witness it. Only
3:39:55within this territory is Starfall
3:39:57celebrated in lie of the Ninssar realry.
3:40:00The rest and the why of it, you'll find
3:40:03out. It's better left as a surprise.
3:40:07Well, that explained why people had
3:40:08seemed to already be preparing for a
3:40:10celebration of sorts. Hi, Fay and
3:40:13fairies hustling home with arms full of
3:40:15vibrant wildflower bouquets and
3:40:17streamers and food. The streets were
3:40:20being swept and washed. Storefronts
3:40:22patched up with quick skilled hands. I
3:40:25asked, "Will we come back here once we
3:40:27leave?" she returned to the book. "Not
3:40:31for a while." Something in my chest
3:40:34started sinking. To an immortal, a while
3:40:37must be a long, long time.
3:40:41I took that as an invitation to leave
3:40:43and headed for the door in the back of
3:40:44the loft. But Amron said, "When Ree came
3:40:48back after Emirantha, he was a ghost."
3:40:52He pretended he wasn't, but he was. You
3:40:56made him come alive again.
3:40:58Words stalled, and I didn't want to
3:41:01think about it. Not when whatever good
3:41:03I'd done, whatever good we'd done for
3:41:05each other, might have been wiped away
3:41:07by what I'd said to him. So I said, "He
3:41:10is lucky to have all of you." No, she
3:41:14said softly, more gently than I'd ever
3:41:16heard. We are lucky to have him, Phyra.
3:41:21I turned from the door. I have known
3:41:24many high lords, Amron continued,
3:41:27studying her paper. Cruel ones, cunning
3:41:30ones, weak ones, powerful ones, but
3:41:34never one that dreamed, not as he does.
3:41:39Dreams of what? I breathed of peace, of
3:41:43freedom, of a world united, a world
3:41:46thriving, of something better for all of
3:41:49us. "He thinks he'll be remembered as
3:41:52the villain in the story," she snorted.
3:41:55"But I forgot to tell him," I said
3:41:58quietly, opening the door. "That the
3:42:01villain is usually the person who locks
3:42:03up the maiden and throws away the key."
3:42:06"Oh," I shrugged. He was the one who let
3:42:10me out.
3:42:13"If you've moved elsewhere," I wrote
3:42:15after getting home from Amron's
3:42:17apartment. "You could have at least
3:42:18given me the keys to this house. I keep
3:42:21leaving the door unlocked when I go out.
3:42:23It's getting to be too tempting for the
3:42:25neighborhood burglars."
3:42:27No response. The letter didn't even
3:42:30vanish. I tried after breakfast the next
3:42:32day, the morning of Starfall.
3:42:35Cassian says, "You're sulking in the
3:42:37House of Wind. What unhigh lord-like
3:42:40behavior? What of my training?" Again,
3:42:43no reply. My guilt and and whatever else
3:42:48it was started to shift. I could barely
3:42:51keep from shredding the paper as I wrote
3:42:52my third one after lunch. Is this
3:42:55punishment? Or do people in your inner
3:42:57circle not get second chances if they
3:42:59piss you off? You're a hateful coward. I
3:43:02was climbing out of the bath. the city a
3:43:04buzz with preparations for the
3:43:06festivities at sundown when I looked at
3:43:08the desk where I'd left the letter and
3:43:11watched it vanish.
3:43:13Nuala and Keredwin arrived to help me
3:43:15dress and I tried not to stare at the
3:43:18desk as I waited, waited and waited for
3:43:21the response.
3:43:23It didn't come.
3:43:28Chapter 44.
3:43:32But despite the letter, despite the mess
3:43:34between us, as I gaped at the mirror an
3:43:36hour later, I couldn't quite believe
3:43:39what stared back. I had been so relieved
3:43:42these past few weeks to be sleeping at
3:43:44all that I'd forgotten to be grateful
3:43:45that I was keeping down my food. The
3:43:48fullness had come back to my face, my
3:43:51body. What should have taken weeks
3:43:53longer as a human had been hurried along
3:43:56by the miracle of my immortal blood and
3:43:58the dress. I'd never worn anything like
3:44:01it and doubted I'd ever wear anything
3:44:03like it again.
3:44:06Crafted of tiny blue gems so pale they
3:44:08were almost white, it clung to every
3:44:11curve and hollow before draping to the
3:44:13floor and pooling like liquid starlight.
3:44:16The long sleeves were tight, capped at
3:44:18the wrists with cuffs of pure diamond.
3:44:20The neckline grazed my collar bones, the
3:44:23modesty of it undone by how the gown
3:44:25hugged areas I supposed a female might
3:44:27enjoy showing off. My hair had been
3:44:30swept off my face with two combs of
3:44:32silver and diamond, then left to drape
3:44:35down my back. And I thought, as I stood
3:44:38alone in my bedroom, that I might have
3:44:40looked like a fallen star.
3:44:43Reand was nowhere to be found when I
3:44:45worked up the courage to go to the
3:44:46rooftop garden. The beating on the dress
3:44:49clinkedked and hissed against the floors
3:44:51as I walked through the nearly dark
3:44:53house. All the lights softened or
3:44:55extinguished. In fact, the whole city
3:44:58had blown out its lights. A winged,
3:45:01muscled figure stood at top the roof,
3:45:03and my heart stumbled. But then he
3:45:06turned just as the scent hit me, and
3:45:08something in my chest sank a bit as
3:45:10Cassian let out a low whistle. I should
3:45:13have let Nala and Keredwin dress me. I
3:45:16didn't know whether to smile or wse. You
3:45:20look rather good despite it. He did. He
3:45:23was out of his fighting clothes and
3:45:25armor, sporting a black tunic cut to
3:45:27show off that warrior's body. His black
3:45:30hair had been brushed and smoothed, and
3:45:32even his wings looked cleaner. Cassian
3:45:35held his arms out. His siphons remained,
3:45:39a metal fingerless gauntlet that
3:45:40stretched between the tailored sleeves
3:45:42of his jacket. Ready? He kept me company
3:45:46the past two days, training me each
3:45:48morning. While he'd shown me more
3:45:50particulars on how to use an Ayrian
3:45:52blade, mostly how to disembowel someone
3:45:55with it. We'd chatted about everything.
3:45:58Our equally miserable lives as children,
3:46:01hunting, food, everything, that is,
3:46:04except for the subject of Reand.
3:46:07Cassian had mentioned only once that Ree
3:46:09was up at the house, and I suppose my
3:46:12expression had told him enough about not
3:46:14wanting to hear anything else. He
3:46:16grinned at me now. With all those gems
3:46:18and beads, you might be too heavy to
3:46:21carry. I hope you've been practicing
3:46:23your winnowing in case I drop you.
3:46:25Funny. I allowed him to scoop me into
3:46:28his arms before we shot into the sky.
3:46:31Winnowing might still evade me, but I
3:46:33wished I had wings. I realized great
3:46:36powerful wings so I might fly as they
3:46:38did, so I might see the world and all it
3:46:41had to offer. below us. Every lingering
3:46:44light winked out. There was no moon. No
3:46:47music flitted through the streets.
3:46:50Silence as if waiting for something.
3:46:54Cassian soared through the quiet dark to
3:46:56where the house of wind loomed. I could
3:46:58make out crowds gathered on the many
3:47:00balconies and patios, only from the
3:47:02faint gleam of starlight on their hair,
3:47:05then the clink of their glasses and low
3:47:07chatter as we neared.
3:47:09Cassian sat me down on the crowded patio
3:47:11off the dining room, only a few revelers
3:47:14bothering to look at us. Dim bowls of
3:47:17flight inside the house illuminated
3:47:19spreads of food and endless rows of
3:47:22green bottles of sparkling wine at top
3:47:24the tables. Cassian was gone and
3:47:27returned before I missed him, pressing a
3:47:29glass of the ladder into my hand. No
3:47:32sign of Reand. Maybe he'd avoid me the
3:47:35entire party.
3:47:37Someone called Cassian's name from down
3:47:39the patio, and he clapped me on the
3:47:41shoulder before striding off. A tall
3:47:44male, his face in shadow, clasped
3:47:46forearms with Cassian, his white teeth
3:47:49gleaming in the darkness. Azriel stood
3:47:52with the stranger already, his wings
3:47:54tucked in tight to keep revelers from
3:47:56knocking into them. He, Cassian, and
3:47:59more had all been quiet today,
3:48:01understandably so. I scanned for signs
3:48:04of my other friends. The word sounded in
3:48:08my head. Was that what they were? Amaran
3:48:11was nowhere in sight, but I spotted a
3:48:14golden head at the same moment she spied
3:48:16me, and more breezed to my side. She
3:48:19wore a gown of pure white, little more
3:48:21than a slip of silk that showed off her
3:48:23generous curves. Indeed, a glance over
3:48:26her shoulder revealed Azreel staring
3:48:28blatantly at the back view of it.
3:48:31Cassian and the stranger, already too
3:48:33deep in conversation to notice what had
3:48:35drawn the spy master's attention. For a
3:48:38moment, the ravenous hunger on Azriel's
3:48:41face made my stomach tighten. I'd
3:48:43remembered feeling like that, remembered
3:48:46how it felt to yield to it, how I'd come
3:48:49close to doing that the other night.
3:48:52Moore said, "It won't be long now."
3:48:55Until what? No one had told me what to
3:48:59expect as they hadn't wanted to ruin the
3:49:01surprise of Starfall until the fun. I
3:49:05surveyed the party around us. This isn't
3:49:08the fun. Moore lifted an eyebrow. None
3:49:12of us really care about this part. Once
3:49:14it starts, you'll see. She took a sip of
3:49:17her sparkling wine. That's some dress.
3:49:20You're lucky Amaran is hiding in her
3:49:22little attic, or she'd probably steal it
3:49:24right off you. the vain [clears throat]
3:49:26drake.
3:49:28She won't take time off from decoding.
3:49:31Yes and no. Something about Starfall
3:49:34disturbs her, she claims. Who knows? She
3:49:37probably does it to be contrary.
3:49:40Even as she spoke, her words were
3:49:42distant, her face a bit tight. I said
3:49:45quietly, "Are you ready for tomorrow?
3:49:49Tomorrow? when we'd leave Velaris to
3:49:52keep anyone from noticing our movements
3:49:53in this area. Moore, Azriel had told me
3:49:57tightly over breakfast that morning
3:49:59would return to the court of nightmares
3:50:01to check in on her father's recovery.
3:50:05Probably not the best place to discuss
3:50:07our plans, but Moore shrugged. I don't
3:50:10have any choice but to be ready. I'll
3:50:12come with you to the camp, then go my
3:50:14way afterward.
3:50:16Cassian will be happy about that, I
3:50:19said, even if Azriel was the one trying
3:50:21his best not to stare at her. Moore
3:50:24snorted. Maybe. I lifted a brow.
3:50:28So, you two? Another shrug. Once. Well,
3:50:33not even. I was 17. He wasn't even a
3:50:36year older when everything had happened.
3:50:40But there was no darkness on her face as
3:50:42she sighed. Cauldron. That was a long
3:50:44time ago. I visited Ree for 2 weeks when
3:50:47he was training in the war camp and
3:50:49Cassian, Azrael and I became friends.
3:50:52One night Ree and his mother had to go
3:50:55back to the night court and Azriel went
3:50:57with them. So Cassian and I were left
3:50:59alone. And that night, one thing led to
3:51:02another, and I wanted Cassian to be the
3:51:06one who did it. I wanted to choose. A
3:51:09third shrug. I wondered if Azriel had
3:51:12wished to be the one she chose instead.
3:51:14if he'd ever admitted it to Moore or
3:51:16Ree, if he resented that he'd been away
3:51:19that night, that Moore hadn't considered
3:51:21him. Ree came back the next morning, and
3:51:24when he learned what had happened, she
3:51:26laughed under her breath. We try not to
3:51:29talk about the incident, he and Cassian.
3:51:33I've never seen them fight like that.
3:51:35Hopefully, I never will again. I know
3:51:37Reese wasn't pissed about my virginity,
3:51:39but rather the danger that losing it had
3:51:42put me in. Azriel was even angrier about
3:51:45it, though he let Ree do the walloping.
3:51:48They knew what my family would do for
3:51:50debasing myself with a bastard born
3:51:52lesser fairy. She brushed a hand over
3:51:55her abdomen as if she could feel that
3:51:58nail they'd spiked through it. They were
3:52:01right.
3:52:02So, you and Cassian, I said, wanting to
3:52:06move on from it, that darkness. You were
3:52:09never together again after that. No,
3:52:12Moore said, laughing quietly. I was
3:52:15desperate, reckless that night. I picked
3:52:18him not just for his kindness, but also
3:52:21because I wanted my first time to be
3:52:22with one of the legendary Yrian
3:52:24warriors. I wanted to lie with the
3:52:27greatest of Ayrian warriors, actually.
3:52:30And I'd taken one look at Cassian and
3:52:32known. after I got what I wanted after
3:52:36everything. I didn't like that it caused
3:52:38a rift with him and Ree or even him and
3:52:41AZ. So never again. And you were never
3:52:45with anyone after it. Not the cold,
3:52:48beautiful shadow singer who tried so
3:52:50hard not to watch her with longing on
3:52:52his face. I've had lovers, more
3:52:55clarified. But I get bored and Cassian
3:52:59has had them, too. So, don't get that
3:53:00unrequited love mooney woo woo look. He
3:53:04just wants what he can't have, and it's
3:53:05irritated him for centuries that I
3:53:07walked away and never looked back. "Oh,
3:53:10it drives him insane," Re said from
3:53:12behind me, and I jumped, but the high
3:53:15lord was circling me. I crossed my arms
3:53:17as he paused and smirked. "You look like
3:53:20a woman again." You really know how to
3:53:23compliment females, cousin, Moore said,
3:53:25and patted him on the shoulder as she
3:53:27spotted an acquaintance and went to say
3:53:29hello. I tried not to look at Reese, who
3:53:32was in a black jacket, casually
3:53:35unbuttoned at the top, so that the white
3:53:36shirt beneath, also unbuttoned at the
3:53:39neck, showed the tattoos on his chest
3:53:41peeking through. Tried not to look and
3:53:44failed.
3:53:46"Do you plan to ignore me some more?" I
3:53:48said coolly. I'm here now, aren't I? I
3:53:52wouldn't want you to call me a hateful
3:53:54coward again. I opened my mouth, but
3:53:57felt all the wrong words start to come
3:53:59out. So, I shut it and looked for Azriel
3:54:02or Cassian or anyone who might talk to
3:54:04me. Going up to a stranger was starting
3:54:07to sound appealing when Ree said a bit
3:54:09horsely, "I wasn't punishing you. I just
3:54:14I needed time.
3:54:16I didn't want to have this conversation
3:54:18here with so many people listening. So I
3:54:21gestured to the party and said, "Will
3:54:23you please tell me what this gathering
3:54:26is about?" Reand stepped up behind me,
3:54:29snorting as he said into my ear. "Look
3:54:32up." "Indeed," as I did so, the crowd
3:54:36hushed. "No speech for your guests," I
3:54:39murmured. "Easy. I just wanted it to be
3:54:42easy between us again. Tonight's not
3:54:45about me, though my presence is
3:54:47appreciated and noted," he said.
3:54:50"Tonight's about that." As he pointed, a
3:54:54star vaulted across the sky, brighter
3:54:56and closer than any I'd seen before. The
3:54:59crowd and city below cheered, raising
3:55:02their glasses as it passed right
3:55:04overhead, and only when it had
3:55:06disappeared over the curve of the
3:55:07horizon did they drink deeply. I leaned
3:55:10back a step into Ree and quickly stepped
3:55:12away out of his heat and power and
3:55:15scent. We'd done enough damage in a
3:55:17similar position at the Court of
3:55:19Nightmares.
3:55:20Another star crossed the sky, twirling
3:55:23and twisting over itself, as if it were
3:55:25reing in its own sparkling beauty. It
3:55:28was chased by another and another until
3:55:31a brigade of them were unleashed from
3:55:32the edge of the horizon like a thousand
3:55:35archers had loosed them from mighty
3:55:37bows. The stars cascaded over us,
3:55:40filling the world with white and blue
3:55:42light. They were like living fireworks,
3:55:45and my breath lodged in my throat as the
3:55:47stars kept on falling and falling. I'd
3:55:50never seen anything so beautiful. And
3:55:53when the sky was full with them, when
3:55:55the stars raced and danced and flowed
3:55:57across the world, the music began.
3:56:01Wherever they were, people began
3:56:03dancing, swaying and twirling. Some
3:56:06grabbing hands and spinning, spinning,
3:56:08spinning to the drums, the strings, the
3:56:11glittering harps. Not like the grinding
3:56:13and thrusting of the court of
3:56:15nightmares, but joyous, peaceful dancing
3:56:18for the love of sound and movement and
3:56:21life. I lingered with Reand at the edge
3:56:23of it, caught between watching the
3:56:25people dancing on the patio, hands up
3:56:27raised, and the stars streaming past
3:56:30closer and closer until I swore I could
3:56:32have touched them if I'd leaned out. And
3:56:35there were Moore and Azriel and Cassian.
3:56:38The three of them dancing together.
3:56:40Moore's head tipped back to the sky,
3:56:43arms up, the starlight gleaming on the
3:56:45pure white of her gown, dancing as if it
3:56:48might be her last time, flowing between
3:56:50Azriel and Cassian like the three of
3:56:52them were one unit, one being. I looked
3:56:56behind me to find Ree watching them, his
3:56:59face soft, sad.
3:57:02Separated for 50 years and reunited,
3:57:05only to be cleaved apart so soon to
3:57:07fight again for their freedom. Ree
3:57:10caught my gaze and said, "Come, there's
3:57:13a better view, quieter." He held a hand
3:57:17out to me. That sorrow, that weight
3:57:20lingered in his eyes, and I couldn't
3:57:22bear to see it, just as I couldn't bear
3:57:25to see my three friends dancing
3:57:26together, as if it was the last time
3:57:28they'd ever do it.
3:57:33Ree led me to a small private balcony,
3:57:35jutting from the upper level of the
3:57:36House of Wind. On the patios below, the
3:57:40music still played, the people still
3:57:42danced, the stars wheeling by, close and
3:57:45swift. He let go as I took a seat on the
3:57:48balcony rail. I immediately decided
3:57:51against it as I beheld the drop and
3:57:53backed away a healthy step. Ree
3:57:56chuckled. If you fell, you know I'd
3:57:58bother to save you before you hit the
3:58:00ground. But not until I was close to
3:58:03death. Maybe. I leaned a hand against
3:58:06the rail, peering at the stars whizzing
3:58:08past. As punishment for what I said to
3:58:11you. I said some horrible things, too,
3:58:15he murmured. I didn't mean it, I
3:58:17blurted. I meant it more about myself
3:58:19than you. And I'm sorry. He watched the
3:58:23stars for a moment before he replied.
3:58:26You were right, though. I stayed away
3:58:29because you were right. Though I'm glad
3:58:32to hear my absence felt like a
3:58:33punishment. I snorted, but was grateful
3:58:36for the humor, for the way he'd always
3:58:38been able to amuse me. Any news with the
3:58:42orb or the queens? Nothing yet. We're
3:58:45waiting for them to dane to reply. We
3:58:48were silent again, and I studied the
3:58:50stars. They're not. They're not stars at
3:58:54all. No. Ree came up beside me at the
3:58:58rail. Our ancestors thought they were,
3:59:01but they're just spirits on a yearly
3:59:04migration to somewhere. Why they pick
3:59:06this day to appear here, no one knows. I
3:59:10felt his eyes upon me and tore my gaze
3:59:12from the shooting stars. Light and
3:59:15shadow passed over his face. The cheers
3:59:18and music of the city far, far below
3:59:20were barely audible over the crowd
3:59:22gathered at the house. "There must be
3:59:25hundreds of them," I managed to say,
3:59:28dragging my stare back to the stars
3:59:30whizzing past. "Thousands," he said.
3:59:33"They'll keep coming until dawn. Or I
3:59:36hope they will. There were less and less
3:59:38of them the last time I witnessed
3:59:40Starfall before Amarantha had locked him
3:59:43away.
3:59:45What's happening to them? I looked in
3:59:47time to see him shrug. Something twanged
3:59:50in my chest. I wish I knew. But they
3:59:54keep coming back despite it. Why? Why
3:59:58does anything cling to something? Maybe
4:00:00they love where they're going so much
4:00:02that it's worth it. Maybe they'll keep
4:00:04coming back until there's only one star
4:00:06left. Maybe that one star will make the
4:00:09trip forever out of the hope that
4:00:11someday, if it keeps coming back often
4:00:14enough, another star will find it again.
4:00:18I frowned at the wine in my hand. That's
4:00:22a very sad thought indeed. Reese rested
4:00:26his forearms on the balcony edge, close
4:00:28enough for my fingers to touch if I
4:00:30dared. A calm, full silence enveloped
4:00:34us. Too many words. I still had too many
4:00:37words in me. I don't know how much time
4:00:40passed, but it must have been a while
4:00:42because when he spoke again, I jolted.
4:00:46Every year that I was under the mountain
4:00:48and Starfall came around, Amarantha made
4:00:51sure that I serviced her the entire
4:00:55night. Starfall is no secret, even to
4:00:58outsiders. Even the Court of Nightmares
4:01:01crawls out of the Hune city to look up
4:01:02at the sky. So, she knew. She knew what
4:01:06it meant to me. I stopped hearing the
4:01:09celebrations around us. I'm sorry. It
4:01:13was all I could offer.
4:01:15I got through it by reminding myself
4:01:17that my friends were safe, that Valaris
4:01:20was safe. Nothing else mattered so long
4:01:23as I had that. She could use my body
4:01:25however she wanted. I didn't care.
4:01:29"So why aren't you down there with
4:01:30them?" I asked, even as I tucked the
4:01:33horror of what had been done to him into
4:01:35my heart.
4:01:37They don't know what she did to me on
4:01:40Starfall. I don't want it to ruin their
4:01:42night.
4:01:44I don't think it would. They'd be happy
4:01:46if you let them shoulder the burden the
4:01:48same way you rely on others to help with
4:01:51your own troubles. We stared at each
4:01:54other, close enough to share breath. And
4:01:56maybe all those words bottled up in me.
4:01:59Maybe I didn't need them right now. My
4:02:02fingers grazed his, warm and sturdy,
4:02:05patient, as if waiting to see what else
4:02:07I might do. Maybe it was the wine. But I
4:02:11stroked a finger down his. And as I
4:02:13turned to him more fully, something
4:02:16blinding and tinkling slammed into my
4:02:18face. I reeled back, crying out as I
4:02:21bent over, shielding my face against the
4:02:23light that I could still see against my
4:02:25shut eyes. Ree let out a startled laugh.
4:02:29A laugh? And when I realized that my
4:02:31eyes hadn't been singed out of their
4:02:33sockets, I whirled on him. I could have
4:02:36been blinded. I hissed, shoving him. He
4:02:39took a look at my face and burst out
4:02:41laughing again. Real laughter, open and
4:02:45delighted and lovely. I wiped at my
4:02:48face, and when I pulled my hands down, I
4:02:50gaped. pale green light like drops of
4:02:54paint glowed in flex on my hand.
4:02:57Splattered star spirit. I didn't know if
4:03:00I should be horrified or amused or
4:03:02disgusted.
4:03:04When I went to rub it off, Reese caught
4:03:06my hands. Don't, he said, still
4:03:09laughing. It looks like your freckles
4:03:11are glowing. My nostrils flared, and I
4:03:14went to shove him again, not caring if
4:03:17my new strength knocked him off the
4:03:19balcony. He could summon wings. he could
4:03:21deal with it. He sidestepped me, veering
4:03:24toward the balcony rail, but not fast
4:03:27enough to avoid the careening star that
4:03:29collided with the side of his face. He
4:03:31leaped back with a curse. I laughed, the
4:03:35sound rasping out of me, not a chuckle
4:03:37or snort, but a cackling laugh, and I
4:03:40laughed again and again as he lowered
4:03:43his hands from his eyes. The entire left
4:03:46side of his face had been hit. like
4:03:48heavenly war paint. That's what it
4:03:50looked like. I could see why he didn't
4:03:52want me to wipe mine away. Reys was
4:03:56examining his hands covered in the dust,
4:03:58and I stepped toward him, peering at the
4:04:00way it glowed and glittered. He went
4:04:03still as death as I took one of his
4:04:05hands in my own and traced a star shape
4:04:08on the top of his palm, playing with the
4:04:10glimmer and shadows until it looked like
4:04:13one of the stars that had hit us. His
4:04:16fingers tightened on mine and I looked
4:04:18up. He was smiling at me and looked so
4:04:22unhighike with the glowing dust on the
4:04:24side of his face that I grinned back. I
4:04:28hadn't even realized what I'd done until
4:04:30his own smile faded and his mouth parted
4:04:32slightly. Smile again, he whispered. I
4:04:36hadn't smiled for him ever or laughed
4:04:40under the mountain. I had never grinned,
4:04:42never chuckled. and afterward.
4:04:46And this male before me, my friend, for
4:04:50all that he had done, I had never given
4:04:52him either. Even when I had just I had
4:04:55just painted something on him for him,
4:04:59I'd painted again. So I smiled at him,
4:05:03broad and without restraint.
4:05:06You're exquisite, he breathed. The air
4:05:09was too tight, too close between our
4:05:12bodies, between our joined hands. But I
4:05:14said, "You owe me two thoughts back from
4:05:18when I first came here. Tell me what
4:05:20you're thinking." Reys rubbed his neck.
4:05:24You want to know why I didn't speak or
4:05:26see you? Because I was so convinced
4:05:28you'd throw me out on my ass. I just He
4:05:32dragged a hand through his hair and
4:05:34huffed a laugh. I figured hiding was a
4:05:37better alternative.
4:05:39Who would have thought the high lord of
4:05:40the night court could be afraid of an
4:05:42illiterate human? I purred. He grinned,
4:05:45nudging me with an elbow. That's one, I
4:05:49pushed. Tell me another thought. His
4:05:52eyes fell on my mouth.
4:05:55I'm wishing I could take back that kiss
4:05:57under the mountain. I sometimes forgot
4:06:00that kiss when he'd done it to keep
4:06:02Amarantha from knowing that Tamlin and I
4:06:04had been in the forgotten hall, tangled
4:06:06up together. Rean's kiss had been
4:06:09brutal, demanding, and yet why? His gaze
4:06:14settled on the hand I'd painted instead,
4:06:16as if it were easier to face. Because I
4:06:18didn't make it pleasant for you, and I
4:06:21was jealous and pissed off, and I knew
4:06:24you hated me. Dangerous territory, I
4:06:28warned myself. No, honesty. That's what
4:06:31it was. Honesty and trust. I'd never had
4:06:34that with anyone.
4:06:36Ree looked up, meeting my gaze, and
4:06:39whatever was on my face, I think it
4:06:42might have been mirrored on his, the
4:06:44hunger and longing and surprise. I
4:06:47swallowed hard, traced another line of
4:06:49stardust along the inside of his
4:06:51powerful wrist. I didn't think he was
4:06:53breathing. "Do you
4:06:57do you want to dance with me?" I
4:06:59whispered. He was silent for long enough
4:07:02that I lifted my head to scan his face,
4:07:04but his eyes were bright, silverlined.
4:07:07"You want to dance?" he rasped, his
4:07:10fingers curling around mine. I pointed
4:07:13with my chin toward the celebration
4:07:15below. Down there with them, where the
4:07:19music beckoned, where life beckoned,
4:07:21where he should spend the night with his
4:07:23friends, and where I wanted to spend it
4:07:25with them, too, even with the strangers
4:07:27in attendance. I did not mind stepping
4:07:30out of the shadows. Did not mind even
4:07:32being in the shadows to begin with, so
4:07:35long as he was with me. My friend
4:07:37through so many dangers, who had fought
4:07:40for me when no one else would, even
4:07:42myself. Of course, I'll dance with you,
4:07:45Ree said, his voice still raw. All night
4:07:48if you wish. Even if I step on your
4:07:51toes, even then. He leaned in, brushing
4:07:56his mouth against my heated cheek. I
4:07:58closed my eyes at the whisper of a kiss,
4:08:01at the hunger that ravaged me in its
4:08:03wake that might ravage Prththeon, and
4:08:05all around us, as if the world itself
4:08:07were indeed falling apart, stars rained
4:08:10down. Bits of stardust glowed on his
4:08:13lips as he pulled away, as I stared up
4:08:16at him, breathless while he smiled. The
4:08:19smile the world would likely never see.
4:08:22the smile he'd given up for the sake of
4:08:24his people, his lands. He said softly.
4:08:27"I am very glad I met you, Fyra." I
4:08:32blinked away the burning in my eyes.
4:08:35"Come on," I said, tugging on his hand.
4:08:38"Let's go join the dance."
4:08:44Chapter 45.
4:08:47The Yrian war camp deep in the northern
4:08:49mountains was freezing. Apparently,
4:08:52spring was still little more than a
4:08:53whisper in the region. Moore winnowed us
4:08:56all in. Reand and Cassian flanking us.
4:08:59We had danced, all of us together, and I
4:09:02had never seen Ree so happy, laughing
4:09:05with Azriel, drinking with Moore,
4:09:07bickering with Cassian. I danced with
4:09:10each of them. And when the night had
4:09:12shifted toward dawn and the music became
4:09:14soft and honeyed, I had let Reese take
4:09:17me in his arms and dance with me slowly
4:09:20until the other guests had left until
4:09:22Moore was asleep on a seti in the dining
4:09:25room until the gold disc of the sun
4:09:27gilded Aaris.
4:09:30He'd flown me back to the townhouse
4:09:32through the pink and purple and gray of
4:09:33the dawn, both of us silent, and had
4:09:36kissed my brow once before walking down
4:09:38the hall to his own room.
4:09:41I didn't lie to myself about why I
4:09:43waited for 30 minutes to see if my door
4:09:45would open or to at least hear a knock,
4:09:48but nothing.
4:09:51We were blureyed but polite at the lunch
4:09:53table hours later, Moore and Cassian
4:09:56unusually quiet, talking mostly to Ammon
4:09:58and Azriel, who had come to bid us
4:10:00farewell.
4:10:02Amron would continue working on the book
4:10:04until we received the second half, if we
4:10:07received it. The shadow singer was
4:10:09heading out to gather information and
4:10:11manage his spies stationed at the other
4:10:13courts and attempting to break into the
4:10:15human one. I managed to speak to them,
4:10:19but most of my energy went into not
4:10:21looking at Reand or thinking about the
4:10:24feeling of his body pressed to mine as
4:10:26we danced for hours, that brush of his
4:10:29mouth on my skin. I'd barely been able
4:10:31to fall asleep because of it. Traitor.
4:10:35Even if I'd left Tamlin, I was a
4:10:37traitor. I'd been gone for two months,
4:10:40just two. In fairy terms, it was
4:10:42probably considered less than a day.
4:10:45Tamlin had given me so much, done so
4:10:48many kind things for me and my family.
4:10:50And here I was, wanting another male,
4:10:53even as I hated Tamlin for what he'd
4:10:55done, how he'd failed me. Traitor. The
4:10:59word continued echoing in my head. As I
4:11:01stood at Moore's side, Reese and Cassian
4:11:04a few steps ahead and peered out at the
4:11:06windb blown camp. Moore had barely given
4:11:09Azriel more than a brief embrace before
4:11:11bidding him goodbye. And for all the
4:11:14world, the spy master looked like he
4:11:16didn't care until he gave me a swift
4:11:18warning look. I was still torn between
4:11:21amusement and outrage at the assumption
4:11:23I'd stick my nose into his business.
4:11:26Indeed. Built near the top of a forested
4:11:29mountain, the Yrian camp was all bare
4:11:31rock and mud, interrupted only by crude,
4:11:34easy to pack tents centered around large
4:11:37fire pits. Near the treeine, a dozen
4:11:39permanent buildings had been erected of
4:11:41the gray mountainstone. Smoke puffed
4:11:44from their chimneys against the brisk,
4:11:46cloudy morning, occasionally swirled by
4:11:48the passing wings overhead.
4:11:51So many winged males soaring past on
4:11:53their way to other camps or in training.
4:11:56Indeed, on the opposite end of the camp,
4:11:59in a rocky area that ended in a sheer
4:12:01plunge off the mountain, were the
4:12:03sparring and training rings, racks of
4:12:05weapons were left out to the elements.
4:12:08In the chalk painted rings, males of all
4:12:10ages now trained with sticks and swords
4:12:12and shields and spears, fast, lethal,
4:12:16brutal. No complaints, no shouts of
4:12:19pain. There was no warmth here, no joy.
4:12:23Even the houses at the other end of the
4:12:25camp had no personal touches, as if they
4:12:27were used only for shelter or storage.
4:12:30And this was where Reese, Azriel, and
4:12:32Cassian had grown up, where Cassian had
4:12:35been cast out to survive on his own. It
4:12:38was so cold that even bundled in my
4:12:40furlined leather, I was shivering. I
4:12:43couldn't imagine a child going without
4:12:45adequate clothing or shelter for a
4:12:47night, much less 8 years.
4:12:51Moore's face was pale, tight. "I hate
4:12:54this place," she said under her breath,
4:12:56the heat of it clouding the air in front
4:12:58of us. "It should be burned to the
4:13:00ground." Cassian and Ree were silent as
4:13:04a tall, broad-shouldered older male
4:13:06approached, flanked by five other Ayrian
4:13:09warriors, wings all tucked in, hands
4:13:11within casual reach of their weapons. No
4:13:14matter that Ree could rip their minds
4:13:16apart without lifting a finger, they
4:13:19each wore siphons of varying colors on
4:13:21the backs of their hands, the stones
4:13:23smaller than Azrael and Cassians, and
4:13:26only one, not like the seven a piece
4:13:28that my two friends wore to manage their
4:13:30tremendous power. The male in front
4:13:34said, "Another camp inspection?" "Your
4:13:37dog," he jerked his chin at Cassian,
4:13:39"was here just the other week. The girls
4:13:42are training." Cassian crossed his arms.
4:13:45"I don't see them in the ring." "They do
4:13:48chores first," the male said, shoulders
4:13:50pushing back and wings flaring slightly.
4:13:53"Then when they've finished, they get to
4:13:55train." A low snarl slipped past Moore's
4:13:58mouth, and the male turned our way. He
4:14:01stiffened. Moore flashed him a wicked
4:14:03smile. "Hello, Lord Develin, the leader
4:14:07of the camp." Then he gave her a
4:14:09dismissive onceover and looked back to
4:14:11Ree. Cassian's warning growl rumbled in
4:14:14my stomach. Ree said at last, "Pleasant
4:14:18as it always is to see you, Devlin,
4:14:20there are two matters at hand. First,
4:14:23the girls, as you were clearly told by
4:14:25Cassian, are to train before chores, not
4:14:28after. Get them out on the pitch now." I
4:14:33shuddered at the pure command in that
4:14:34tone. He continued, "Second, we'll be
4:14:38staying here for the time being. Clear
4:14:40out my mother's old house. No need for a
4:14:42housekeeper. We'll look after ourselves.
4:14:46The house is occupied by my top
4:14:49warriors.
4:14:50Then unoccupy it, Reand said simply. And
4:14:54have them clean it before they do. The
4:14:57voice of the high lord of the night
4:14:59court, who delighted in pain and made
4:15:01his enemies tremble. Delin sniffed at
4:15:04me. I poured every bit of cranky
4:15:06exhaustion into holding his narrowed
4:15:08gaze.
4:15:10another like that creature you bring
4:15:13here. I thought she was the only one of
4:15:15her ilk. Amron restrolled. Sends her
4:15:20regards. And as for this one, I tried
4:15:23not to flinch away from meeting his
4:15:25stare. She's mine, he said quietly, but
4:15:29viciously enough that Devlin and his
4:15:31warriors nearby heard. And if any of you
4:15:34lay a hand on her, you lose that hand,
4:15:36and then you lose your head. I tried not
4:15:39to shiver as Cassian and Moore showed no
4:15:42reaction at all. And once Fra is done
4:15:45killing you, Reese smirked. "Then I'll
4:15:48grind your bones to dust." I almost
4:15:51laughed, but the warriors were now
4:15:53assessing the threat Ree had established
4:15:55me as, and coming up short with answers.
4:15:58I gave them all a small smile anyway,
4:16:01one I'd seen Amar make a hundred times.
4:16:04Let them wonder what I could do if
4:16:05provoked. We're heading out, Ree said to
4:16:08Cassian and Moore, not even bothering to
4:16:10dismiss Develin before walking toward
4:16:12the treeine. We'll be back at nightfall.
4:16:16He gave his cousin a look. Try to stay
4:16:18out of trouble, please. Develin hates us
4:16:21the least of the warlords, and I don't
4:16:23feel like finding another camp. Mother
4:16:26above, the others must be unpleasant if
4:16:30Develin was the mildest of them. Moore
4:16:32winked at us both. I'll try. Reys just
4:16:36shook his head and said to Cassian,
4:16:38"Check on the forces. Then make sure
4:16:40those girls are practicing like they
4:16:42should be. If Delin or the others
4:16:44object, do what you have to." Cassian
4:16:48grinned in a way that showed he'd be
4:16:49more than happy to do exactly that. He
4:16:52was the High Lord's general, and yet
4:16:54Delin called him a dog. I didn't want to
4:16:57imagine what it had been like for
4:16:58Cassian without that title growing up.
4:17:01Then finally, Ree looked at me again.
4:17:03His eyes shuddered. Let's go. You heard
4:17:07from my sisters? A shake of the head.
4:17:10No. Azreel is checking today if they
4:17:12received a response. You and I. The wind
4:17:15rustled his hair as he smirked. We're
4:17:18going to train. Where? He gestured to
4:17:22the sweeping land beyond, to the
4:17:24forested steps he'd once mentioned. Away
4:17:27from any potential casualties. He
4:17:30offered his hand as his wings flared,
4:17:32his body preparing for flight. But all I
4:17:35heard were those two words he'd said,
4:17:37echoing against the steady beat of
4:17:39traitor. Traitor,
4:17:42she's mine.
4:17:46Being in Reese's arms again, against his
4:17:48body, was a test of stubbornness for
4:17:51both of us to see who'd speak about it
4:17:53first. We'd been flying over the most
4:17:56beautiful mountains I'd ever seen, snowy
4:17:58and flecked with pines, heading toward
4:18:01rolling steps beyond them when I said,
4:18:04"You're training female Yrian warriors."
4:18:07Trying to Reese gazed across the brutal
4:18:10landscape. I banned wing clipping a
4:18:12long, long time ago, but at the more
4:18:15zealous camps deep within the mountains,
4:18:18they do it. And when Amarantha took
4:18:20over, even the milder camps started
4:18:23doing it again to keep their women safe.
4:18:26They claimed. For the past 100 years,
4:18:29Cassian has been trying to build an
4:18:31aerial fighting unit amongst the
4:18:32females, trying to prove that they have
4:18:35a place on the battlefield. So far, he's
4:18:38managed to train a few dedicated
4:18:40warriors, but the males make life so
4:18:42miserable that many of them left. And
4:18:45for the girls in training, a hiss of
4:18:48breath. It's a long road, but Delin is
4:18:51one of the few who even lets the girls
4:18:52train without a tantrum. I'd hardly call
4:18:56disobeying orders without a tantrum.
4:18:59Some camps issue decrees that if a
4:19:02female was caught training, she was to
4:19:04be deemed unmarriageable. I can't fight
4:19:06against things like that. Not without
4:19:08slaughtering the leaders of each camp
4:19:10and personally raising each and every
4:19:12one of their offspring. And yet your
4:19:14mother loved them. And you three wear
4:19:17their tattoos. I got the tattoos in part
4:19:20for my mother. In part to honor my
4:19:22brothers who fought every day of their
4:19:24lives for the right to wear them. Why do
4:19:27you let Devlin speak to Cassian like
4:19:29that? Because I know when to pick my
4:19:32fights with Develin. And I know Cassian
4:19:34would be pissed if I stepped in to crush
4:19:36Delin's mind like a grape when he could
4:19:38handle it himself. A whisper of cold
4:19:41went through me. Have you thought about
4:19:44doing it? I did just now, but most camp
4:19:48lords never would have given the three
4:19:49of us a shot at the bloodright. Develin
4:19:52let a half breed and two bastards take
4:19:54it and did not deny us our victory.
4:19:58Pines dusted with fresh snow blurred
4:20:00beneath us. What's the blood right? So
4:20:03many questions today. I squeezed his
4:20:06shoulder hard enough to hurt and he
4:20:08chuckled. You go unarmed into the
4:20:11mountains, magic band, no siphons, wings
4:20:14bound, with no supplies or clothes
4:20:16beyond what you have on you. You and
4:20:19every other Yrian male who wants to move
4:20:21from novice to true warrior. A few
4:20:24hundred head into the mountains at the
4:20:25start of the week. Not all come out at
4:20:28the end. The frost-kissed landscape
4:20:31rolled on forever, unyielding as the
4:20:34warriors who ruled over it. Do you kill
4:20:37each other? Most try to for food and
4:20:41clothes, for vengeance, for glory
4:20:43between feuding clans. Develin allowed
4:20:46us to take the right, but also made sure
4:20:48Cassie and Azrael and I were dumped in
4:20:51different locations.
4:20:53What happened? We found each other,
4:20:56killed our way across the mountains to
4:20:57get to each other. Turns out a good
4:21:00number of Ayrian males wanted to prove
4:21:02they were stronger, smarter than us.
4:21:05Turns out they were wrong. I dared to
4:21:08look at his face. For a heartbeat, I
4:21:10could see it. Blood splattered, savage,
4:21:13fighting and slaughtering to get to his
4:21:15friends to protect and save them. Reese
4:21:19set us down in a clearing, the pine
4:21:20trees towering so high they seemed to
4:21:22caress the underside of the heavy gray
4:21:24clouds passing on the swift wind.
4:21:28So, you're not using magic. But I am, I
4:21:31said, taking a few steps from him. Our
4:21:34enemy is keyed in on my powers. You,
4:21:37however, remain invisible. He waved his
4:21:40hand. Let's see what all your practicing
4:21:42has amounted to. I didn't feel like it.
4:21:46I just said, "When when did you meet
4:21:50Tamlin?" I knew what Ran's father had
4:21:53done. I hadn't let myself think too much
4:21:55about it. About how he'd killed
4:21:57Tamillin's father and brothers and
4:21:59mother. But now, after last night, after
4:22:03the court of nightmares, I had to know.
4:22:06Reys's face was a mask of patience. Show
4:22:09me something impressive, and I'll tell
4:22:11you. Magic for answers. I know what sort
4:22:15of game you're playing. I cut myself off
4:22:18at the hint of a smirk. Very well. I
4:22:21held out my hand before me, palm cuped,
4:22:24and willed silence into my veins, my
4:22:27mind. silence and calm and wait like
4:22:30being underwater. In my hand, a
4:22:33butterfly of water flapped and danced.
4:22:36Ree smiled a bit, but the amusement died
4:22:38as he said. Tamlin was younger than me,
4:22:41born when the war started, but after the
4:22:44war, when he'd matured, we got to know
4:22:47each other at various court functions.
4:22:49He Ree clenched his jaw. He seemed
4:22:53decent for a high lord's son. Better
4:22:55than Baron's brood at the Autumn Court.
4:22:58Tamlin's brothers were equally as bad,
4:23:00though, worse. And they knew Tamillin
4:23:03would take the title one day. And to a
4:23:05half breed who'd had to prove himself,
4:23:08defend his power. I saw what Tamlin went
4:23:11through. I befriended him, sought him
4:23:14out whenever I was able to get away from
4:23:16the war camps or court. Maybe it was
4:23:19pity, but I taught him some techniques.
4:23:24"Did anyone know?" He raised his brows,
4:23:27giving a pointed look to my hand. I
4:23:30scowlled at him and summoned songirds of
4:23:32water, letting them flap around the
4:23:34clearing as they'd flown around my
4:23:36bathing room at the summer court.
4:23:38"Cassian and Azriel knew," Ree went on.
4:23:42"My family knew and disapproved. His
4:23:45eyes were chips of ice. But Tamlin's
4:23:48father was threatened by it, by me. And
4:23:51because he was weaker than both me and
4:23:53Tamlin, he wanted to prove to the world
4:23:55that he wasn't. My mother and sister
4:23:58were to travel to the Yrian war camp to
4:24:00see me. I was supposed to meet them
4:24:02halfway, but I was busy training a new
4:24:05unit and decided to stay.
4:24:08My stomach turned over and over and
4:24:10over, and I wished I had something to
4:24:13lean against. As Ree said, Tamlin's
4:24:15father, brothers, and Tamlin himself,
4:24:18set out into the Yrian wilderness,
4:24:20having heard from Tamlin, from me where
4:24:23my mother and sister would be, that I
4:24:26had plans to see them. I was supposed to
4:24:28be there. I wasn't, and they slaughtered
4:24:32my mother and sister anyway.
4:24:35I began shaking my head, eyes burning. I
4:24:38didn't know what I was trying to deny or
4:24:40erase or condemn. It should have been
4:24:43me, he said. And I understood understood
4:24:47what he'd said that day I'd wept before
4:24:49Cassian in the training pit. They put
4:24:52their heads in boxes and sent them down
4:24:54the river to the nearest camp. Tamlin's
4:24:58father kept their wings as trophies. I'm
4:25:01surprised you didn't see them pinned in
4:25:02the study. I was going to vomit. I was
4:25:06going to fall to my knees and weep. But
4:25:09Reese looked at the menagerie of water
4:25:10animals I'd crafted and said, "What
4:25:13else?"
4:25:15Perhaps it was the cold. Perhaps it was
4:25:17his story. But horrost cracked in my
4:25:20veins, and the wild song of a winter
4:25:22wind howled in my heart. I felt it then,
4:25:26how easy it would be to jump between
4:25:27them, join them together, my powers.
4:25:31Each one of my animals halted midair and
4:25:34froze into perfectly carved bits of ice.
4:25:37One by one they dropped to the earth and
4:25:40shattered. They were one. They had come
4:25:43from the same dark origin, the same
4:25:45eternal well of power. Once long ago
4:25:49before language was invented and the
4:25:51world was new. Ree merely continued,
4:25:54"When I heard when my father heard, I
4:25:58wasn't wholly truthful to you when I
4:26:00told you under the mountain that my
4:26:01father killed Tamlin's father and
4:26:03brothers. I went with him. helped him.
4:26:07We winnowed to the edge of the spring
4:26:09court that night, then went the rest of
4:26:11the way on foot to the manor. I slew
4:26:15Tamillin's brothers on site. I held
4:26:17their minds and rendered them helpless
4:26:20while I cut them into pieces, then
4:26:22melted their brains inside their skulls.
4:26:25And when I got to the high lord's
4:26:26bedroom, he was dead. And my father,
4:26:30my father had killed Tamlin's mother as
4:26:33well. I couldn't stop shaking my head.
4:26:36My father had promised not to touch her,
4:26:39that we weren't the kind of males who
4:26:40would do that. But he lied to me and he
4:26:43did it anyway. And then he went for
4:26:46Tamlin's room. I couldn't breathe.
4:26:49Couldn't breathe. As Ree said, I tried
4:26:52to stop him. He didn't listen. He was
4:26:54going to kill him, too. And I couldn't.
4:26:57After all the death, I was done. I
4:27:00didn't care that Tamlin had been there,
4:27:02had allowed them to kill my mother and
4:27:04sister, that he'd come to kill me
4:27:06because he didn't want to risk standing
4:27:08against them. I was done with death. So,
4:27:11I stopped my father before the door. He
4:27:14tried to go through me. Tamlin opened
4:27:17the door, saw us, smelled the blood
4:27:19already leaking into the hallway, and I
4:27:22didn't even get to say a word before
4:27:24Tamlin killed my father in one blow.
4:27:27I felt the power shift to me even as I
4:27:30saw it shift to him and we just looked
4:27:34at each other as we were both suddenly
4:27:36crowned high lord. And then I ran.
4:27:40He'd murdered Rissan's family. The high
4:27:43lord I'd loved. He'd murdered his
4:27:46friend's family. And when I'd asked how
4:27:48his family died, he'd merely told me a
4:27:50rival court had done it. Reand had done
4:27:53it. And he didn't tell you any of that.
4:27:58I I'm sorry. I breathed, my voice. What
4:28:03do you possibly have to be sorry for? I
4:28:07didn't know. I didn't know that he'd
4:28:09done that. And Ree thought I'd been
4:28:11comparing him. Comparing him against
4:28:14Tamlin as if I held him to be some
4:28:16paragon.
4:28:18"Why did you stop?" he said, motioning
4:28:20to the ice shards on the pine needle
4:28:22carpet. The people he'd loved most gone,
4:28:26slaughtered in cold blood, slaughtered
4:28:29by Tamlin. The clearing exploded in
4:28:32flame. The pine needles vanished. The
4:28:34trees groaned. And even Ree swore as
4:28:37fire swept through the clearing my heart
4:28:39and devoured everything in its path. No
4:28:42wonder he'd made Tamlin beg that day I'd
4:28:44been formally introduced to him. No
4:28:46wonder he'd relished every chance to
4:28:48taunt Tamlin. Maybe my presence here was
4:28:51just to No, I knew that wasn't true. I
4:28:55knew my being here had nothing to do
4:28:56with what was between him and Tamlin,
4:28:58though he no doubt enjoyed interrupting
4:29:00our wedding day. Saved me from that
4:29:03wedding day, actually.
4:29:05Phy said as the fire died. But there it
4:29:10was, crackling inside my veins,
4:29:12crackling beside veins of ice and water
4:29:15and darkness. Embers flared around us,
4:29:19floating in the air, and I sent out a
4:29:21breath of soothing dark, a breath of ice
4:29:23and water, as if it were a wind, a wind
4:29:26at dawn, sweeping clean the world. The
4:29:29power did not belong to the high lords.
4:29:32Not any longer. It belonged to me, as I
4:29:36belonged only to me, as my future was
4:29:38mine to decide, to forge. Once I
4:29:42discovered and mastered what the others
4:29:43had given me, I could weave them
4:29:45together into something new, something
4:29:47of every court and none of them. Flames
4:29:50hissed as it was extinguished so
4:29:52thoroughly that no smoke remained. But I
4:29:55met Reese's stare, his eyes a bit wide
4:29:58as he watched me work. I rasped, "Why
4:30:01didn't you tell me sooner?" the sight of
4:30:04him in his Yrian fighting gear, wings
4:30:06spread across the entire width of the
4:30:08clearing, his blade peeking over his
4:30:10shoulder.
4:30:12There, in that hole in my chest, I saw
4:30:15the image there. At first
4:30:17interpretation, he'd look terrifying.
4:30:19Vengeance and wrath incarnate. But if
4:30:22you came closer, the painting would show
4:30:24the beauty on his face. The wings flared
4:30:27not to hurt, but to carry me from
4:30:29danger, to shield me.
4:30:32I didn't want you to think I was trying
4:30:34to turn you against him. He said the
4:30:37painting. I could see it, feel it. I
4:30:40wanted to paint it. I wanted to paint. I
4:30:44didn't wait for him to stretch out his
4:30:45hand before I went to him, and looking
4:30:47up into his face, I said, "I want to
4:30:50paint you." He gently lifted me into his
4:30:53arms.
4:30:54>> "Nude would be best," he said in my ear.
4:31:01Chapter 46.
4:31:04I was so cold I might never be warm
4:31:06again. Even during winter in the mortal
4:31:09realm, I'd managed to find some kernel
4:31:11of heat. But after nearly emptying my
4:31:13cache of magic that afternoon, even the
4:31:16roaring hearthfire couldn't thaw the
4:31:18chill around my bones. "Did spring ever
4:31:21come to this blasted place?" They pick
4:31:24these locations, Cassian said across
4:31:26from me as we dined on mutton stew
4:31:29around the table tucked into the corner
4:31:30of the front of the stone house. Just to
4:31:33ensure the strongest among us survive.
4:31:37Horrible people, Moore grumbled into her
4:31:39earthnware bowl. I don't blame AZ for
4:31:42never wanting to come here. I take it
4:31:45training the girls went well. Reese
4:31:47strolled from beside me, his thighs so
4:31:49close its warmth brushed my own. Cassian
4:31:52drained his mug of ale. I got one of
4:31:55them to confess they hadn't received a
4:31:57lesson in 10 days. They'd all been too
4:31:59busy with chores, apparently.
4:32:02Noborn fighters in this lot. Three,
4:32:06actually, Moore said. Three out of 10
4:32:08isn't bad at all. The others, I'd be
4:32:11happy if they just learned to defend
4:32:12themselves. But those three, they've got
4:32:15the instinct, the claws. It's their
4:32:18stupid families that want them clipped
4:32:20and breeding. I rose from the table,
4:32:22taking my bowl to the sink tucked into
4:32:24the wall. The house was simple, but
4:32:27still bigger and in better condition
4:32:29than our old cottage. The front room
4:32:32served as kitchen, living area, and
4:32:34dining room with three doors in the
4:32:36back. One for the cramped bathing room,
4:32:38one for the storage room, and one being
4:32:41a back door. Because no true Yrian,
4:32:43according to Ree, ever made a home with
4:32:46only one exit.
4:32:48When do you head for the Hune city
4:32:50tomorrow? Cassian said to her quietly
4:32:53enough that I knew it was probably time
4:32:54to head upstairs.
4:32:56Moore scraped the bottom of her bowl.
4:32:59Apparently Cassian had made the stew. It
4:33:02hadn't been half bad. After breakfast
4:33:05before, I don't know. Maybe in the
4:33:08afternoon when they're all just waking
4:33:10up. Reys was a step behind me, bowl in
4:33:13hand, and motioned to leave my dirty
4:33:15dish in the sink. He inclined his head
4:33:18toward the steep, narrow stairs at the
4:33:20back of the house. They were wide enough
4:33:22to fit only one Yrian warrior, another
4:33:25safety measure, and I glanced at the
4:33:27table one last time before disappearing
4:33:29upstairs.
4:33:31Moore and Cassian both stared at their
4:33:33empty bowls of food, softly talking for
4:33:36once.
4:33:37Every step upward, I could feel Ree at
4:33:40my back, the heat of him, the eb and
4:33:42flow of his power. And in this small
4:33:45space, the scent of him washed over me,
4:33:48beckoned to me. Upstairs was dark,
4:33:52illuminated by the small window at the
4:33:53end of the hall, and the moonlight
4:33:55streaming in through a thin gap in the
4:33:57pines around us. There were only two
4:34:00doors up here, and Ree pointed to one of
4:34:03them. You and Moore can share tonight.
4:34:05Just tell her to shut up if she babbles
4:34:07too much. I wouldn't though. If she
4:34:10needed to talk to distract herself and
4:34:13be ready for what was to come tomorrow,
4:34:15I'd listen until dawn. He put a hand on
4:34:18his own door knob, but I leaned against
4:34:20the wood of my door. It had be so easy
4:34:23to take the three steps to cross the
4:34:25hall, to run my hands over that chest,
4:34:28trace those beautiful lips with my own.
4:34:31I swallowed as he turned to me. I didn't
4:34:35want to think what it meant, what I was
4:34:37doing, what this was, whatever it was
4:34:39between us, because things between us
4:34:42had never been normal. Not from the very
4:34:44first moment we'd met on Kalen May. I'd
4:34:47been unable to easily walk away from him
4:34:49then, when I'd thought he was deadly,
4:34:51dangerous. But now, traitor, traitor,
4:34:55traitor. He opened his mouth, but I had
4:34:58already slipped inside my room and shut
4:35:01the door.
4:35:04Freezing rain trickled through the pine
4:35:06boughs as I stalked through the mists in
4:35:08my yrian fighting leathers, armed with a
4:35:11bow, quiver, and knives, shivering like
4:35:13a wet dog. Ree was 100 ft behind,
4:35:17carrying our packs. We'd flown deep into
4:35:20the forest steps, far enough that we'd
4:35:22have to spend the night out here, far
4:35:24enough that no one and nothing might see
4:35:26another glorious explosion of flame and
4:35:29temper, as Ree had put it. Azreel hadn't
4:35:32brought word from my sisters of the
4:35:34queen's status, so we had time to spare.
4:35:37Though Ree certainly hadn't looked like
4:35:39it when he informed me that morning, but
4:35:42at least we wouldn't have to camp out
4:35:43here. Ree had promised there was some
4:35:46sort of wayfairer's inn nearby.
4:35:49I turned toward where Reese trailed
4:35:51behind me, spotting his massive wings
4:35:53first. Moore had set off before I'd even
4:35:56been awake, and Cassian had been pissy
4:35:58and on edge during breakfast. So much so
4:36:02that I'd been glad to leave as soon as
4:36:03I'd finished my porridge, and felt
4:36:06slightly bad for the Yrians, who had to
4:36:08deal with him that day.
4:36:10Reese paused once he caught up, and even
4:36:13with the trees and rain between us, I
4:36:15could see his brows lift in silent
4:36:17question of why I'd paused. We hadn't
4:36:20spoken of Starfall or the Court of
4:36:22Nightmares. And last night, as I twisted
4:36:25and turned in the tiny bed, I decided
4:36:28fun and distraction. It didn't need to
4:36:31be complicated. Keeping things purely
4:36:33physical, well, it didn't feel like as
4:36:36much of a betrayal. I lifted a hand,
4:36:39signaling Ree to stay where he was.
4:36:42After yesterday, I didn't want him too
4:36:44close, lest I burn him, or worse. He
4:36:47sketched a dramatic bow, and I rolled my
4:36:50eyes as I stalked to the stream ahead,
4:36:52contemplating where I might indeed try
4:36:54to play with Baron's fire. My fire.
4:36:59Every step away, I could feel Reese's
4:37:01stare devouring me. Or maybe that was
4:37:03through the bond. Brushing against my
4:37:05mental shields. Flashes of hunger so
4:37:08insatiable that it was an effort to
4:37:10focus on the task ahead and not the
4:37:12feeling of what his hands had been like
4:37:15stroking my thighs, pushing me against
4:37:17him. I could have sworn I felt a trickle
4:37:20of amusement on the other side of my
4:37:22mental shield, too. I hissed and made a
4:37:25vulgar gesture over my shoulder, even as
4:37:27I let my shield drop just a bit. That
4:37:31amusement turned into full delight and
4:37:33then a lick of pleasure that went
4:37:35straight down my spine. Lower. My face
4:37:38heated and a twig cracked under my boot
4:37:41as loud as lightning. I gritted my
4:37:44teeth. The ground sloped toward a gray
4:37:46gushing stream fast enough that it had
4:37:49to be fed by the towering snow blasted
4:37:51mountains in the distance. Good. This
4:37:54spot was good. An extra supply of water
4:37:56to drown any flames that might escape.
4:37:59plenty of open space. The wind blew away
4:38:02from me, tugging my scent southward,
4:38:04deeper into the forest as I opened my
4:38:06mouth to tell Ree to stay back. With
4:38:09that wind and the roaring stream, it was
4:38:12no surprise that I didn't hear them
4:38:13until they had surrounded me. Phyra, I
4:38:17whirled. Arrow knocked and aimed at the
4:38:19source of the voice. Four spring court
4:38:22sentinels stalked from the trees behind
4:38:24me like wraiths, armed to the teeth and
4:38:27wideeyed. Two I knew, Bronn and Hart,
4:38:31and between them stood Lucian.
4:38:37Chapter 47.
4:38:39If I wanted to escape, I could either
4:38:41face the stream or face them. But
4:38:44Lucian, his red hair was tied back, and
4:38:47there wasn't a hint of finery on him,
4:38:49just armored leather, swords, knives.
4:38:52His metal eye roamed over me, his golden
4:38:55skin pale. We've been hunting for you
4:38:58for over two months. He breathed now
4:39:01scanning the woods, the stream, the sky.
4:39:05Ree Cauldron, saved me. Reys was too far
4:39:08back. And how did you find me? My
4:39:11steady, cold voice wasn't one I
4:39:13recognized, but hunting for me, as if I
4:39:17were indeed prey. If Tamlin was here. My
4:39:21blood went icier than the freezing rain
4:39:23now sleing down my face into my clothes.
4:39:26Someone tipped us off you'd been out
4:39:28here, but it was luck that we caught
4:39:30your scent on the wind. And Lucian took
4:39:33a step toward me. I stepped back, only 3
4:39:36ft between me and the stream. Lucian's
4:39:39eye widened slightly. We need to get out
4:39:42of here. Tamlin's been He hasn't been
4:39:45himself. I'll take you right to No, I
4:39:49breathed. The word rasped through the
4:39:51rain, the stream, the pine forest. The
4:39:54four sentinels glanced between each
4:39:56other, then to the arrow I kept aimed.
4:39:59Lucian took me in again, and I could see
4:40:01what he was now gleaning. The yrian
4:40:04fighting leathers, the color and
4:40:06fullness that had returned to my face,
4:40:08my body, and the silent steel of my
4:40:11eyes. "Fra," he said, holding out a
4:40:15hand. "Let's go home." I didn't move.
4:40:20that stopped being my home the day you
4:40:22let him lock me up inside of it.
4:40:25Lucian's mouth tightened. It was a
4:40:27mistake. We all made mistakes. He's
4:40:30sorry. More sorry than you realize. So
4:40:33am I. He stepped toward me and I backed
4:40:36up another few inches. Not much space
4:40:39remained between me and the gushing
4:40:41waters below. Cassian's training crashed
4:40:44into me as if all the lessons he'd been
4:40:46drilling into me each morning were a net
4:40:48that caught me as I free fell into my
4:40:50rising panic. Once Lucian touched me,
4:40:53he'd winnow us out. Not far, he wasn't
4:40:56that powerful, but he was fast. He
4:40:59jumped miles away, then farther and
4:41:02farther until Reese couldn't reach me.
4:41:04He knew Reys was here. Phyra, Lucian
4:41:08pleaded and dared another step, his hand
4:41:11outraised. My arrow angled toward him,
4:41:14my bowring groaning. I'd never realized
4:41:17that while Lucian had been trained as a
4:41:19warrior, Cassian, Azriel, Moore, and Ree
4:41:22were warriors. Cassian could wipe Lucian
4:41:25off the face of the earth in a single
4:41:27blow. "Put the arrow down," Lucian
4:41:31murmured like he was soothing a wild
4:41:33animal. Behind him, the four sentinels
4:41:36closed in, hurting me, the high lord's
4:41:39pet and possession.
4:41:41Don't, I breathed. Touch me. You don't
4:41:45understand the mess we're in, Phyra. We
4:41:48I need you home now. I didn't want to
4:41:52hear it. Peering at the stream below, I
4:41:55calculated my odds. The look cost me.
4:41:58Lucian lunged, hand out. One touch, that
4:42:02was all it' take. I was not the high
4:42:04lord's pet any longer, and maybe the
4:42:06world should learn that I did indeed
4:42:08have fangs. Lucian's finger grazed the
4:42:11sleeve of my leather jacket, and I
4:42:13became smoke and ash and night. The
4:42:16world stilled and bent, and there was
4:42:18Lucian, lunging so slowly for what was
4:42:21now blank space. As I stepped around
4:42:23him, as I hurdled for the trees behind
4:42:25the sentinels, I stopped, and time
4:42:28resumed its natural flow. Lucian
4:42:31staggered, catching himself before he
4:42:32went over the cliff and whirled, eye
4:42:35wide to discover me now standing behind
4:42:37his sentinels. Brawn and heart flinched
4:42:40and backed away from me and from Reand
4:42:44at my side. Lucian froze. I made my face
4:42:48a mirror of ice, the unfeilling twin to
4:42:51the cruel amusement on Rean's features
4:42:54as he picked at a fleck of lint on his
4:42:56dark tunic. dark, elegant clothes, no
4:42:59wings, no fighting leathers, the
4:43:02unruffled fine clothes, another weapon
4:43:05to hide just how skilled and powerful he
4:43:08was to hide where he came from and what
4:43:10he loved. A weapon worth the cost of
4:43:13magic he'd used to hide it, even if it
4:43:15put us at risk of being tracked.
4:43:18Little Lucian, Ree purred. Didn't the
4:43:22lady of the autumn court ever tell you
4:43:23that when a woman says no, she means it.
4:43:27Prick. Lucian snarled, storming past his
4:43:30sentinels, but not daring to touch his
4:43:33weapons. You filthy, whoring prick. I
4:43:36loosed a growl. Lucian's eyes sliced to
4:43:39me, and he said with quiet horror, "What
4:43:42have you done, Phyra?"
4:43:44Don't come looking for me again, I said
4:43:47with equal softness. He'll never stop
4:43:50looking for you. Never stop waiting for
4:43:52you to come home. The words hit me in
4:43:55the gut like they were meant to. It must
4:43:57have shown in my face because Lucia
4:43:59impressed. What did he do to you? Did he
4:44:02take your mind? And enough? Re said,
4:44:06angling his head with that casual grace.
4:44:08Phyra and I are busy. Go back to your
4:44:12lands before I send your heads as a
4:44:14reminder to my old friend about what
4:44:16happens when spring court flunkies set
4:44:19foot in my territory.
4:44:21The freezing rain slid down the neck of
4:44:23my clothes, down my back. Lucian's face
4:44:26was deathly pale.
4:44:29You made your point, Phyra. Now come
4:44:32home. I'm not a child playing games, I
4:44:36said through my teeth. That's how they'd
4:44:38seen me. in need of coddling,
4:44:40explaining, defending. Careful, Lucian,
4:44:43Reand drawled. Or Phyra, darling, will
4:44:46send you back in pieces, too.
4:44:49We are not your enemies, Phyra, Lucian
4:44:52pleaded. Things got bad. Ay, got out of
4:44:55hand. But it doesn't mean you give up.
4:44:57You gave up, I breathed. I felt even Ree
4:45:01go still. You gave up on me, I said a
4:45:05bit more loudly. You were my friend and
4:45:08you picked him. Picked obeying him even
4:45:11when you saw what his orders and his
4:45:13rules did to me. Even when you saw me
4:45:15wasting away day by day. You have no
4:45:18idea how volatile those first few months
4:45:21were. Lucian snapped. We needed to
4:45:23present a unified obedient front and I
4:45:26was supposed to be the example to which
4:45:28all others in our court were held. You
4:45:31saw what was happening to me, but you
4:45:33were too afraid of him to truly do
4:45:35anything about it. It was fear. Lucian
4:45:39had pushed Tamlin, but to a point. He'd
4:45:42always yielded at the end. I begged you,
4:45:45I said, the words sharp and breathless.
4:45:48I begged you so many times to help me,
4:45:51to get me out of the house, even for an
4:45:53hour. and you left me alone or shoved me
4:45:57into a room with Ianthy or told me to
4:45:59stick it out," Lucian said too quietly.
4:46:03"And I suppose the night court is so
4:46:05much better."
4:46:07I remembered remembered what I was
4:46:10supposed to know, to have experienced
4:46:12what Lucian and the others could never
4:46:14know. Not even if it meant forfeiting my
4:46:17own life. And I would to keep Aaris
4:46:20safe. to keep Moore and Amron and
4:46:23Cassian and Azriel and Ree safe, I said
4:46:27to Lucian, low and quiet and as vicious
4:46:30as the talons that formed at the tips of
4:46:32my fingers, as vicious as the wondrous
4:46:35weight between my shoulder blades.
4:46:38When you spend so long trapped in
4:46:40darkness, Lucian, you find that the
4:46:42darkness begins to stare back. A pulse
4:46:46of surprise, of wicked delight against
4:46:48my mental shields, at the dark,
4:46:50membranous wings I knew were now poking
4:46:52over my shoulders. Every icy kiss of
4:46:55rain sent jolts of cold through me.
4:46:58Sensitive. So sensitive, these yrian
4:47:01wings. Lucian backed up a step. What did
4:47:05you do to yourself? I gave him a little
4:47:08smile. The human girl you knew died
4:47:11under the mountain. I have no interest
4:47:13in spending immortality as a high lord's
4:47:16pet. Lucian started shaking his head.
4:47:19Phyra, tell Tamlin, I said, choking on
4:47:23his name, on the thought of what he'd
4:47:25done to Ree, to his family. If he sends
4:47:28anyone else into these lands, I will
4:47:31hunt each and every one of you down, and
4:47:33I will demonstrate exactly what the
4:47:36darkness taught me." There was something
4:47:39like genuine pain on his face. I didn't
4:47:42care. I just watched him, unyielding and
4:47:45cold and dark. The creature I might one
4:47:47day have become if I had stayed at the
4:47:49spring court. If I had remained broken
4:47:51for decades, centuries, until I learned
4:47:54to quietly direct those shards of pain
4:47:56outward, learned to savor the pain of
4:47:58others. Lucian nodded to his sentinels.
4:48:02Bronn and Hart, wideeyed and shaking,
4:48:05vanished with the other two. Lucian
4:48:08lingered for a moment. Nothing but air
4:48:10and rain between us. He said softly to
4:48:13Reand, "You're dead. You and your entire
4:48:18cursed court."
4:48:20Then he was gone. I stared at the empty
4:48:23space where he'd been, waiting, waiting,
4:48:26not letting that expression off my face
4:48:28until a warm, strong finger traced a
4:48:31line down the edge of my right wing. It
4:48:33felt like like having my ear breathed
4:48:36into. I shuddered, arching as a gasp
4:48:39came out of me. And then Ree was in
4:48:42front of me, scanning my face, the wings
4:48:44behind me. How shapeshifting, I managed
4:48:50to say, watching the rain slide down his
4:48:52golden tan face. And it was distracting
4:48:55enough that the talons, the wings, the
4:48:57rippling darkness faded, and I was left
4:49:00light and cold in my own skin.
4:49:03Shape-shifting at the sight of part of
4:49:05the history. The mail I had not really
4:49:07let myself remember. Shapeshifting. A
4:49:10gift from Tamlin that I had not wanted
4:49:13or needed until now. Reys's eyes
4:49:16softened.
4:49:18That was a very convincing performance.
4:49:22I gave him what he wanted to see, I
4:49:24murmured. We should find another spot.
4:49:28He nodded and his tunic and pants
4:49:30vanished, replaced by those familiar
4:49:32fighting leathers, the wings, the sword.
4:49:35My warrior, not my anything. "Are you
4:49:39all right?" he said as he scooped me
4:49:42into his arms to fly us to another
4:49:43location. I nestled into his warmth,
4:49:46savoring it. "The fact that it was so
4:49:50easy, that I felt so little, upsets me
4:49:52more than the encounter itself.
4:49:55Perhaps that had been my problem all
4:49:57along. Why I hadn't dared to take that
4:50:00final step at Starfall. I was guilty
4:50:02that I didn't feel awful. Not truly, not
4:50:05for wanting him. A few mighty flaps had
4:50:09us soaring up through the trees and
4:50:10sailing low over the forest. Rain
4:50:13slicing into my face.
4:50:15"I knew things were bad," Reand said
4:50:18with quiet rage, barely audible over the
4:50:21freezing bite of the wind and rain. But
4:50:23I thought Lucian at least would have
4:50:26stepped in. "I thought so too," I said,
4:50:30my voice smaller than I intended. He
4:50:33squeezed me gently and I blinked at him
4:50:35through the rain. For once, his eyes
4:50:38were on me, not the landscape below.
4:50:41"You look good with wings," he said and
4:50:44kissed my brow. Even the rain stopped
4:50:47feeling so cold.
4:50:52Chapter 48.
4:50:55Apparently, the nearby inn was little
4:50:57more than a rockus tavern with a few
4:50:59rooms for rent, usually by the hour. And
4:51:02as it was, there were no vacancies,
4:51:05saved for a tiny, tiny room in what had
4:51:08once been part of the attic. Ree didn't
4:51:11want anyone knowing who exactly was
4:51:13amongst the high fay, fairies, yrians,
4:51:16and whoever else was packed in the inn
4:51:18below. Even I barely recognized him, as
4:51:21he, without magic, without anything but
4:51:24adjusting his posture, muted that sense
4:51:26of otherworldly power until he was
4:51:29nothing but a common, very good-looking
4:51:31Yrian warrior. Pissy about having to
4:51:34take the last available room, so high up
4:51:36that there was only a narrow staircase
4:51:38leading to it. No hall, no other rooms.
4:51:42If I needed to use the bathing room, I'd
4:51:45have to venture to the level below,
4:51:47which, given the smells and sounds of
4:51:49the halfozen rooms on that level, I made
4:51:52a point to use quickly on our way up,
4:51:54and then vow not to visit again until
4:51:56morning. A day of playing with water and
4:52:00fire and ice and darkness in the
4:52:02freezing rain had wrecked me so
4:52:04thoroughly that no one looked my way,
4:52:06not even the drunkest and loneliest of
4:52:08patrons in the town's tavern. The small
4:52:11town was barely that, a collection of an
4:52:14inn, an outfitter store, supply store,
4:52:16and a brothel. All geared toward the
4:52:19hunters, warriors, and travelers passing
4:52:21through this part of the forest, either
4:52:23on their way to the Yrian lands or out
4:52:26of them, or just for the fairies who
4:52:28dwelt here, solitary and glad to be that
4:52:31way, too small and too remote for
4:52:34Amarantha or her cronies to have ever
4:52:36bothered with.
4:52:38Honestly, I didn't care where we were so
4:52:41long as it was dry and warm. Reese
4:52:44opened the door to our attic room and
4:52:46stood aside to let me pass. Well, at
4:52:49least it was one of those things. The
4:52:51ceiling was so slanted that to get to
4:52:53the other side of the bed, I'd have to
4:52:55crawl across the mattress. The room so
4:52:58cramped, it was nearly impossible to
4:53:00walk around the bed to the tiny armwire
4:53:02shoved against the other wall. I could
4:53:05sit on the bed and open the armwire
4:53:07easily.
4:53:08The bed? I asked for two, Ree said,
4:53:12hands already up, his breath clouded in
4:53:15front of him. Not even a fireplace, and
4:53:18not enough space to even demand he sleep
4:53:20on the floor. I didn't trust my mastery
4:53:23over flame to attempt warming the room.
4:53:25I'd likely burn this whole filthy place
4:53:27to the ground.
4:53:29If you can't risk using magic, then
4:53:32we'll have to warm each other. I said
4:53:34and instantly regretted it. Body heat, I
4:53:37clarified. And just to wipe that look
4:53:39off his face, I added, "My sisters and I
4:53:43had to share a bed. I'm used to it. I'll
4:53:45try to keep my hands to myself." My
4:53:48mouth went a bit dry. I'm hungry. He
4:53:52stopped smiling at that. I'll go down
4:53:55and get us food while you change. I
4:53:57lifted a brow, he said. Remarkable as my
4:54:00own abilities are to blend in, my face
4:54:03is recognizable. I'd rather not be down
4:54:06there long enough to be noticed.
4:54:08Indeed, he fished a cloak from his pack
4:54:11and slid it on, the panels fitting over
4:54:13his wings, which he wouldn't risk
4:54:15vanishing again. He'd used power earlier
4:54:18in the day, small enough, he said, that
4:54:21it might not be noticed, but we wouldn't
4:54:23be returning to that part of the forest
4:54:25anytime soon. He tugged on the hood and
4:54:28I savored the shadows and menace and
4:54:30wings. Death on swift wings. That's what
4:54:34I'd call the painting. He said softly. I
4:54:38love it when you look at me like that.
4:54:41The purr in his voice heated my blood.
4:54:44Like what? Like my power isn't something
4:54:47to run from. Like you see me. And to a
4:54:51male who had grown up knowing he was the
4:54:53most powerful high lord in Prity's
4:54:55history, that he could shred minds if he
4:54:58wasn't careful, that he was alone. Alone
4:55:01in his power, in his burden, but that
4:55:03fear was his mightiest weapon against
4:55:05the threats to his people. I'd hit home
4:55:08when we'd fought after the court of
4:55:10nightmares.
4:55:12I was afraid of you at first. His white
4:55:15teeth flashed in the shadows of his
4:55:17hood. No, you weren't nervous. Maybe,
4:55:21but never afraid. I felt the genuine
4:55:24terror of enough people to know the
4:55:25difference. Maybe that's why I couldn't
4:55:28keep away.
4:55:30When before I could ask, he walked
4:55:32downstairs, shutting the door behind
4:55:34him. My half-frozen clothes were a
4:55:37misery to peel off as they clung to my
4:55:39rain swollen skin, and I knocked into
4:55:42the slanted ceiling, nearby walls, and
4:55:44slammed my knee into the brass bed post
4:55:46as I changed. The room was so cold I had
4:55:50to get undressed in segments, replacing
4:55:52a freezing shirt for a dry one, pants
4:55:55for fleece lined leggings, soden socks
4:55:57for thick handknit lovelies that went up
4:55:59to my calves when I tucked myself into
4:56:02an oversized sweater that smelled
4:56:04faintly of Reese. I sat cross-legged on
4:56:07the bed and waited. The bed wasn't
4:56:10small, but certainly not large enough
4:56:12for me to pretend I wouldn't be sleeping
4:56:14next to him, especially with the wings.
4:56:17The rain tinkled on the roof mere inches
4:56:20away, a steady beat to the thoughts that
4:56:22now pulsed in my head. The cauldron knew
4:56:25what Lucian was reporting to Tamlin,
4:56:28likely at this very moment, if not hours
4:56:30ago. I'd sent that note to Tamlin, and
4:56:34he'd chosen to ignore it, just as he had
4:56:36ignored or rejected nearly all of my
4:56:38requests, acted out of his deluded sense
4:56:41of what he believed was right for my
4:56:42well-being and safety. and Lucian had
4:56:45been prepared to take me against my
4:56:47will.
4:56:49Females were territorial, dominant,
4:56:51arrogant, but the ones in the spring
4:56:54court, something had festered in their
4:56:56training because I knew deep in my bones
4:56:59that Cassian might push and test my
4:57:01limits. But the moment I said no, he'd
4:57:04back off. And I knew that if that if I
4:57:07had been wasting away and Ree had done
4:57:09nothing to stop it, Cassian or Azreel
4:57:12would have pulled me out. They would
4:57:14have taken me somewhere wherever I
4:57:16needed to be and dealt with Ree later.
4:57:19But Ree,
4:57:21Ree would never have not seen what was
4:57:23happening to me. Would never have been
4:57:25so misguided and arrogant and
4:57:27self-absorbed. He'd known what Ianthy
4:57:30was from the moment he met her. And he'd
4:57:32understood what it was like to be a
4:57:34prisoner and helpless and to struggle
4:57:36every day with the horrors of both. I
4:57:39had loved the high lord who had shown me
4:57:41the comforts and wonders of prithion. I
4:57:44had loved the high lord who let me have
4:57:45the time and food and safety to paint.
4:57:49Maybe a small part of me might always
4:57:51care for him. But Amarantha had broken
4:57:54us both or broken me so that who he was
4:57:57and what I now was no longer fit. And I
4:58:01could let that go. I could accept that.
4:58:04Maybe it would be hard for a while, but
4:58:07maybe it would get better.
4:58:10Reys's feet were near silent, given away
4:58:12only by the slight groan of the stairs.
4:58:15I rose to open the door before he could
4:58:17knock, and found him standing there,
4:58:19tray in his hands. Two stacks of covered
4:58:22dishes sat on it, along with two glasses
4:58:25and a bottle of wine, and tell me that
4:58:28stew I smell. I breathed in, stepping
4:58:31aside and shutting the door while he set
4:58:33the tray on the bed. Right. Not even
4:58:36room for a table up here. Rabbit stew,
4:58:39if the cook's to be believed.
4:58:42I could have lived without hearing that,
4:58:44I said, and Ree grinned. That smile
4:58:47tugged on something low in my gut, and I
4:58:50looked away, sitting down beside the
4:58:52food, careful not to jostle the tray. I
4:58:55opened the lid of the top dishes, two
4:58:57bowls of stew. What's the other one
4:59:01beneath? Meat pie. I didn't dare ask
4:59:04what kind of meat. I shot him a glare,
4:59:07but he was already edging around the bed
4:59:09to the armwire, his pack in hand. Go
4:59:12ahead and eat, he said. I'm changing
4:59:15first. Indeed, he was soaked and had to
4:59:18be freezing and sore. You should have
4:59:21changed before going downstairs. I
4:59:24picked up the spoon and swirled the
4:59:25stew, sighing at the warm tendrils of
4:59:28steam that rose to kiss my chilled face.
4:59:31The rasp and slurp of wet clothes being
4:59:33shucked off filled the room. I tried not
4:59:36to think about that bare golden chest,
4:59:39the tattoos, the hard muscles.
4:59:42You were the one training all day.
4:59:44Getting you a hot meal was the least I
4:59:46could do. I took a sip. bland, but
4:59:50edible, and most importantly, hot. I ate
4:59:54in silence, listening to the rustle of
4:59:56his clothes being dawned, trying to
4:59:58think of ice baths, of infected wounds,
5:00:01of toe fungus, anything but his naked
5:00:03body so close, and the bed I was sitting
5:00:06on. I poured myself a glass of wine,
5:00:09then filled his. At last, Reese squeezed
5:00:13between the bed and jutting corner of
5:00:15the wall, his wings tucked in close. He
5:00:18wore loose, thin pants and a
5:00:20tight-fitting shirt of what looked to be
5:00:22softest cotton. "How do you get it over
5:00:25the wings?" I asked while he dug into
5:00:27his own stew. "The back is made of slats
5:00:30that close with hidden buttons, but in
5:00:32normal circumstances, I just use magic
5:00:35to seal it shut." It seems like you have
5:00:38a great deal of magic constantly in use
5:00:40at once.
5:00:41A shrug. It helps me work off the strain
5:00:44of my power. The magic needs release,
5:00:47draining, or else it'll build up and
5:00:49drive me insane. That's why we call the
5:00:52Yrian stones siphons. They help them
5:00:55channel the power, empty it when
5:00:57necessary. Actually insane. I set aside
5:01:01the empty stew bowl and removed the lid
5:01:03from the meat pie. Actually insane. Or
5:01:07so I was warned. I can feel it though,
5:01:10the pull of it if I go too long without
5:01:12releasing it. That's horrible. Another
5:01:15shrug. Everything has its cost, Fyra. If
5:01:19the price of being strong enough to
5:01:21shield my people is that I have to
5:01:23struggle with that same power, then I
5:01:25don't mind. Amron taught me enough about
5:01:28controlling it. Enough that I owe a
5:01:30great deal to her, including the current
5:01:33shield around my city. While we're here,
5:01:36everyone around him had some use, some
5:01:38mighty skill. And yet there I was,
5:01:41nothing more than a strange hybrid, more
5:01:44trouble than I was worth. You're not, he
5:01:47said. Don't read my thoughts. I can't
5:01:50help what you sometimes shout down the
5:01:52bond. And besides, everything is usually
5:01:55written on your face if you know where
5:01:57to look, which made your performance
5:02:00today so much more impressive. He sat
5:02:03aside his stew just as I finished
5:02:05devouring my meat pie, and I slid back
5:02:08on the bed to the pillows, cupping my
5:02:10glass of wine between my chilled hands.
5:02:13I watched him eat while I drank. Did you
5:02:16think I would go with him? He paused
5:02:18midbite, then lowered his fork. I heard
5:02:22every word between you. I knew you could
5:02:25take care of yourself, and yet he went
5:02:28back to his pie, swallowing a bite
5:02:30before continuing.
5:02:32And yet I found myself deciding that if
5:02:34you took his hand, I would find a way to
5:02:36live with it. It would be your choice. I
5:02:40sipped from my wine, and if he had
5:02:43grabbed me, there was nothing but
5:02:45uncompromising will in his eyes. Then I
5:02:48would have torn apart the world to get
5:02:50you back.
5:02:52A shiver went down my spine, and I
5:02:54couldn't look away from him.
5:02:56I would have fired at him, I breathed,
5:02:59if he had tried to hurt you. I hadn't
5:03:02even admitted that to myself. His eyes
5:03:05flickered. I know. He finished eating,
5:03:08placed the empty tray in the corner, and
5:03:10faced me on the bed, refilling my glass
5:03:13before tending to his. He was so tall he
5:03:16had to stoop to keep from hitting his
5:03:17head on the slanted ceiling. "One
5:03:20thought in exchange for another," I
5:03:22said. "No training involved, please." A
5:03:26chuckle rasped out of him and he drained
5:03:28his glass, setting it on the tray. He
5:03:31watched me take a long drink from mine.
5:03:34"I'm thinking," he said, following the
5:03:37flick of my tongue over my bottom lip.
5:03:40That I look at you and feel like I'm
5:03:42dying, like I can't breathe. I'm
5:03:45thinking that I want you so badly I
5:03:47can't concentrate half the time I'm
5:03:48around you. And this room is too small
5:03:51for me to properly bed you, especially
5:03:53with the wings.
5:03:56My heart stumbled a beat. I didn't know
5:03:58what to do with my arms, my legs, my
5:04:01face. I gulped down the rest of my wine
5:04:03and discarded the glass beside the bed,
5:04:06stealing my spine. As I said, I'm
5:04:09thinking that I can't stop thinking
5:04:12about you and that it's been that way
5:04:14for a long while, even before I left the
5:04:16Supreme Court. And maybe that makes me a
5:04:19traitorous, lying piece of trash, but it
5:04:22doesn't. he said, his face solemn. But
5:04:26it did. I'd wanted to see Reand during
5:04:29those weeks between visits and hadn't
5:04:31cared when Tamlin stopped visiting my
5:04:33bedroom. Tamlin had given up on me, but
5:04:36I'd also given up on him, and I was a
5:04:39lying piece of trash for it, I murmured.
5:04:43We should go to sleep. The patter of the
5:04:46rain was the only sound for a long
5:04:48moment before he said, "All right." I
5:04:52crawled over the bed to the side tucked
5:04:53almost against the slanted ceiling and
5:04:56shimmyed beneath the quilt. Cool, crisp
5:04:59sheets wrapped around me like an icy
5:05:01hand, but my shiver was from something
5:05:03else entirely as the mattress shifted.
5:05:06The blanket moved, and then the two
5:05:08candles beside the bed went out.
5:05:11Darkness hit me at the same moment the
5:05:13warmth from his body did. It was an
5:05:15effort not to nudge toward it. Neither
5:05:18one of us moved, though. I stared into
5:05:21the dark, listening to that icy rain,
5:05:24trying to steal the warmth from him.
5:05:26"You're shivering so hard the bed is
5:05:28shaking," he said. "My hair is wet," I
5:05:32said. It wasn't a lie. Ree was silent.
5:05:36Then the mattress groaned, sinking
5:05:38directly behind me as his warmth poured
5:05:40over me. "No expectations," he said.
5:05:44"Just body heat." I scowlled at the
5:05:46laughter in his voice, but his broad
5:05:49hands slid under and over me, one
5:05:52flattening against my stomach and
5:05:53tugging me against the hard warmth of
5:05:55him, the other sliding under my ribs and
5:05:58arms to band around my chest, pressing
5:06:01his front into me. He tangled his legs
5:06:04with mine, and then a heavier, warmer
5:06:06darkness settled over us, smelling of
5:06:08citrus and the sea.
5:06:11I lifted a hand toward that darkness and
5:06:14met with a soft silky material, his wing
5:06:17cocooning and warming me. I traced my
5:06:20finger along it and he shuddered, his
5:06:23arms tightening around it. Your finger
5:06:27is very cold," he gritted out, the words
5:06:30hot on my neck. I tried not to smile,
5:06:33even as I tilted my neck a bit more,
5:06:35hoping the heat of his breath might
5:06:37caress it again. I dragged my finger
5:06:40along his wing, the nail scraping gently
5:06:43against the smooth surface. Reese
5:06:45tensed, his hand splaying across my
5:06:48stomach. "You cruel, wicked thing," he
5:06:51purred, his nose grazing the exposed bit
5:06:54of neck I'd arched beneath him. "Didn't
5:06:57anyone ever teach you manners?" "I never
5:06:59knew Ayrians were such sensitive
5:07:01babies," I said, sliding another finger
5:07:04down the inside of his wing. Something
5:07:07hard pushed against my behind. Heat
5:07:10flooded me, and I went taut and loose
5:07:12all at once. I stroked his wing again,
5:07:15two fingers now, and he twitched against
5:07:18my backside in time with the caress. The
5:07:21fingers he'd spread over my stomach
5:07:23began to make idle, lazy strokes. He
5:07:26swirled one around my navl, and I inched
5:07:28imperceptibly closer, grinding up
5:07:31against him, arching a bit more to give
5:07:33that other hand access to my breasts.
5:07:36Greedy," he murmured, his lips hovering
5:07:38over my neck. "First you terrorize me
5:07:41with your cold hands. Now you want."
5:07:45What is it you want, Phra?
5:07:48More, more, more, I almost begged him as
5:07:51his fingers traveled down the slope of
5:07:53my breasts while his other hand
5:07:55continued its idle stroking along my
5:07:57stomach, my abdomen. Slowly, so slowly,
5:08:01heading toward the low band of my pants
5:08:03and the building ache beneath it. Rean's
5:08:07teeth scraped against my neck in a lazy
5:08:09caress. "What is it you want, Pharaoh?"
5:08:13he nipped at my earlobe. I cried out
5:08:15just a little, arching fully against
5:08:17him, as if I could get that hand to slip
5:08:20exactly to where I wanted it. I knew
5:08:22what he wanted me to say. I wouldn't
5:08:25give him the satisfaction of it. Not
5:08:27yet. So I said, "I want a distraction."
5:08:32It was breathless. I want fun. His body
5:08:36again tensed behind mine, and I wondered
5:08:39if he somehow didn't see it for the lie
5:08:41it was. If he thought, if he thought
5:08:44that was all I indeed wanted, but his
5:08:46hands resumed their roaming. Then allow
5:08:48me the pleasure of distracting you. He
5:08:52slipped a hand beneath the top of my
5:08:53sweater, diving clean under my shirt.
5:08:56Skin to skin, the calluses of his hands
5:08:59made me groan as they scraped the top of
5:09:01my breast and circled around my peaked
5:09:04nipple. "I love these," he breathed onto
5:09:07my neck, his hand sliding to my other
5:09:10breast. "You have no idea how much I
5:09:13love these." I groaned as he caressed a
5:09:15knuckle against my nipple, and I bowed
5:09:18into the touch, silently, begging him.
5:09:21He was hard as granite behind me, and I
5:09:23grounded against him, eliciting a soft,
5:09:26wicked hiss from him. "Stop that!" he
5:09:29snarled onto my skin. "You'll ruin my
5:09:31fun." I would do no such thing. I began
5:09:35twisting, reaching for him, needing to
5:09:37just feel him. But he clicked his tongue
5:09:40and pushed himself harder against me
5:09:42until there was no room for my hand to
5:09:44even slide in. I want to touch you
5:09:47first, he said, his voice so guttural I
5:09:50barely recognized it. Just let me touch
5:09:54you, he palmed my breast for emphasis.
5:09:57It was enough of a broken plea that I
5:09:59paused, yielding as his other hand again
5:10:01trailed lazy lines on my stomach.
5:10:05I can't breathe when I look at you. Let
5:10:07me touch you because I was jealous and
5:10:09pissed off. She's mine. I shut out the
5:10:13thoughts, the bits and pieces he'd given
5:10:15me. Ree slid his finger along the band
5:10:18of my pants again. A cat playing with
5:10:20its dinner again. Again. Please, I
5:10:25managed to say. He smiled against my
5:10:27neck. There are those missing manners.
5:10:31His hand at last trailed beneath my
5:10:33pants. The first brush of him against me
5:10:35dragged a groan from deep in my throat.
5:10:38He snarled in satisfaction at the
5:10:40wetness he found waiting for him, and
5:10:42his thumb circled that spot at the apex
5:10:45of my thighs, teasing, brushing up
5:10:48against it, but never quite. His other
5:10:50hand gently squeezed my breast at the
5:10:53same moment his thumb pushed down
5:10:54exactly where I wanted. I bucked my
5:10:57hips, my head fully back against his
5:10:59shoulder, now panting as his thumb
5:11:02flicked. I cried out and he laughed low
5:11:05and soft like that. A moan was my only
5:11:09reply. More, more, more. His fingers
5:11:13slid down slow and brazen, straight
5:11:16through the core of me, and every point
5:11:18in my body, my mind, my soul narrowed to
5:11:21the feeling of his fingers, poised there
5:11:23like he had all the time in the world.
5:11:26Bastard. Please, I said again, and
5:11:29ground my ass against him for emphasis.
5:11:32He hissed at the contact and slid a
5:11:34finger inside me. He swore Pharaoh. But
5:11:39I'd already started to move on him, and
5:11:41he swore again in a long exhale. His
5:11:44lips pressed into my neck, kissing up,
5:11:47up toward my ear. I let out a moan so
5:11:50loud it drowned out the rain as he slid
5:11:52in a second finger, filling me so much I
5:11:55couldn't think around it. Couldn't
5:11:57breathe. "That's it," he murmured, his
5:12:00lips tracing my ear. I was sick of my
5:12:03neck and ear getting such attention. I
5:12:05twisted as much as I could and found him
5:12:07staring at me at the hand down the front
5:12:10of my pants, watching me move on him. He
5:12:13was still staring at me when I captured
5:12:15his mouth with my own, biting on his
5:12:17lower lip. Reese groaned, plunging his
5:12:21fingers in deeper, harder. I didn't
5:12:24care. I didn't care one bit about what I
5:12:26was and who I was and where I'd been. As
5:12:29I yielded fully to him, opening my
5:12:31mouth, his tongue swept in, moving in a
5:12:35way that I knew exactly what he'd do if
5:12:37he got between my legs. His fingers
5:12:39plunged in and out, slow and hard, and
5:12:43my very existence narrowed to the feel
5:12:45of them, to the tightness in me,
5:12:47ratcheting up with every deep stroke,
5:12:49every echoing thrust of his tongue in my
5:12:51mouth. "You have no idea how much I" He
5:12:55cut himself off and groaned again. Fra.
5:12:59The sound of my name on his lips was my
5:13:01undoing. Release barreled down my spine,
5:13:05and I cried out, only to have his lips
5:13:07cover mine, as if he could devour the
5:13:10sound. His tongue flicked the roof of my
5:13:12mouth while I shuddered around him,
5:13:14clenching tight. He swore again,
5:13:17breathing hard, fingers stroking me
5:13:19through the last throws of it, until I
5:13:21was limp and trembling in his arms.
5:13:24I couldn't breathe hard enough, fast
5:13:26enough, as Ree withdrew his fingers,
5:13:29pulling back so I could meet his stare.
5:13:32He said, "I wanted to do that when I
5:13:35felt how drenched you were at the Court
5:13:36of Nightmares. I wanted to have you
5:13:39right there in the middle of everyone,
5:13:41but mostly I just wanted to do this."
5:13:46His eyes held mine as he brought those
5:13:48fingers to his mouth and sucked on them
5:13:51on the taste of me. I was going to eat
5:13:53him alive. I slid a hand up to his chest
5:13:56to pin him down, but he gripped my
5:13:58wrist. "When you lick me," he said
5:14:02roughly. "I want to be alone, far away
5:14:05from everyone. Because when you lick me,
5:14:08Phyra," he said, pressing nipping kisses
5:14:11to my jaw, my neck, "I'm going to let
5:14:14myself roar loud enough to bring down a
5:14:17mountain." I was instantly liquid again,
5:14:20and he laughed under his breath. And
5:14:22when I lick you, he said, sliding his
5:14:25arms around me and tucking me in tight
5:14:27to him, I want you spled out on a table
5:14:30like my own personal feast. I whimpered.
5:14:35I've had a long, long time to think
5:14:37about how and where I want you, Ree said
5:14:40onto the skin of my neck, his fingers
5:14:43sliding under the band of my pants, but
5:14:45stopping just beneath. They're home for
5:14:47the evening. I have no intention of
5:14:50doing it all in one night or in a room
5:14:52where I can't even you against the
5:14:54wall. I shuddered. He remained long and
5:14:58hard against me. I had to feel him. Had
5:15:01to get that considerable length inside
5:15:03of me. Sleep, he said. He might as well
5:15:07have commanded me to breathe underwater.
5:15:10But he began stroking my body again, not
5:15:12to arouse, but to soothe. long luxurious
5:15:16strokes down my stomach, my sides. Sleep
5:15:20found me faster than I'd thought. And
5:15:22maybe it was the wine or the aftermath
5:15:24of the pleasure he'd rung from me, but I
5:15:27didn't have a single nightmare.
5:15:33Chapter 49.
5:15:36I awoke warm and rested and calm, safe.
5:15:41Sunlight streamed through the filthy
5:15:42window, illuminating the reds and golds
5:15:45in the wall of wing before me, where it
5:15:47had been all night, shielding me from
5:15:50the cold. Rean's arms were banded around
5:15:53me, his breathing deep and even, and I
5:15:56knew it was just as rare for him to
5:15:58sleep that soundly, peacefully.
5:16:01What we'd done last night? Carefully, I
5:16:04twisted to face him, his arms tightening
5:16:07slightly, as if to keep me from
5:16:08vanishing with the morning mist. His
5:16:11eyes were open when I nestled my head
5:16:13against his arm. Within the shelter of
5:16:16his wing, we watched each other, and I
5:16:19realized I might very well be content to
5:16:21do exactly that forever.
5:16:24I said quietly, "Why did you make that
5:16:27bargain with me? Why demand a week from
5:16:30me every month?" His violet eyes
5:16:33shuddered, and I didn't dare admit what
5:16:35I expected, but it was not because I
5:16:38wanted to make a statement to Amaranth.
5:16:41Because I wanted to piss off Tamlin, and
5:16:43I needed to keep you alive in a way that
5:16:45wouldn't be seen as merciful.
5:16:48"Oh," his mouth tightened. "You know,
5:16:52you know there is nothing I wouldn't do
5:16:54for my people, for my family, and I'd
5:16:57been a pawn in that game." His wing
5:17:00folded back and I blinked at the watery
5:17:02light. "Bath or no bath," he said. I
5:17:07cringed at the memory of the grimy
5:17:08wreaking bathing room a level below.
5:17:11"Using it to see to my needs would be
5:17:13bad enough. I'd rather bathe in a
5:17:16stream," I said, pushing past the
5:17:18sinking in my gut. Reese let out a low
5:17:21laugh and rolled out of bed. "Then let's
5:17:24get out of here." for a heartbeat. I
5:17:27wondered if I dreamed up everything that
5:17:29had happened the night before. From the
5:17:32slight pleasant soreness between my
5:17:34legs, I knew I hadn't. But maybe it had
5:17:37be easier to pretend that nothing had
5:17:39happened. The alternative might be more
5:17:41than I could endure.
5:17:45We flew for most of the day, far and
5:17:48wide, close to where the forested steps
5:17:50rose up to meet the Yrian Mountains. We
5:17:53didn't speak of the night before. We
5:17:55barely spoke at all. Another clearing,
5:17:58another day of playing with my power,
5:18:01summoning wings, winnowing, fire and ice
5:18:04and water, and now wind. The wind and
5:18:08breezes that rippled across the sweeping
5:18:10valleys and wheat fields of the
5:18:11daycourt, then whipped up the snow
5:18:13capping their highest peaks. I could
5:18:16feel the words rising in him as the
5:18:18hours passed. I'd catch him watching me
5:18:20whenever I paused for a break. Catch him
5:18:23opening up his mouth and then shutting
5:18:25it. It rained at one point and then
5:18:28turned colder and colder with the cloud
5:18:31cover. We had yet to stay in the woods
5:18:33past dark, and I wondered what sort of
5:18:35creatures might prowl through them. The
5:18:38sun was indeed sinking by the time Ree
5:18:40gathered me in his arms and took me to
5:18:42the skies. There was only the wind and
5:18:45his warmth and the boom of his powerful
5:18:48wings. I ventured. What is it? His
5:18:52attention remained on the dark pines
5:18:54sweeping past.
5:18:56There is one more story I need to tell
5:18:58you. I waited. He didn't continue. I put
5:19:03my hand against his cheek, the first
5:19:05intimate touch we'd had all day. His
5:19:07skin was chilled, his eyes bleak as they
5:19:10slid to me. "I don't walk away. Not from
5:19:14you," I swore quietly. His gaze
5:19:17softened. Phy Reese roared in pain
5:19:21arching against me. I felt the impact.
5:19:24Felt blinding pain through the bond that
5:19:26ripped through my own mental shields.
5:19:28Felt the shudder of the dozen places the
5:19:30arrows struck him as they shot from bows
5:19:33hidden beneath the forest canopy. And
5:19:35then we were falling. Rescript me. And
5:19:39his magic twisted around us in a dark
5:19:41wind, readying to winnow us out. And
5:19:44failed. failed because those were ash
5:19:47arrows threw him through his wings.
5:19:50They'd tracked us yesterday. The little
5:19:52magic he'd used with Lucian. They'd
5:19:54somehow tracked it and found us even so
5:19:57far away. More arrows. Ree flung out his
5:20:01power. Too late. Arrows shredded his
5:20:04wings, struck his legs, and I think I
5:20:06was screaming. Not for fear as we
5:20:08plummeted, but for him, for the blood
5:20:11and the greenish sheen on those arrows.
5:20:13Not just ash, but poison. A dark wind.
5:20:17His power slammed into me. And then I
5:20:20was being thrown far and wide as he sent
5:20:22me tumbling beyond the arrows range,
5:20:24tumbling through the air. Reese's roar
5:20:27of wrath shook the forest, the mountains
5:20:30beyond. Birds rose up in waves, taking
5:20:33to the skies, fleeing that bellow. I
5:20:36slammed into the dense canopy, my body
5:20:38barking in agony as I shattered through
5:20:40wood and pine and leaf. Down and down.
5:20:44Focus, focus, focus. I flung out a wave
5:20:48of that hard air that had once shielded
5:20:50me from Tamlin's temper. Threw it out
5:20:52beneath me like a net. I collided with
5:20:55an invisible wall so solid I thought my
5:20:58right arm might snap. But I stopped
5:21:00falling through the branches.
5:21:0330 ft below. The ground was nearly
5:21:05impossible to see in the growing
5:21:07darkness. I did not trust that shield to
5:21:10hold my weight for long. I scrambled
5:21:12across it, trying not to look down, and
5:21:15leaped the last few feet onto a wide
5:21:17pine bow. Hurtd over the wood, I reached
5:21:20the trunk and clung to it, panting,
5:21:23reordering my mind around the pain, the
5:21:25steadiness of being on ground. I
5:21:28listened for Ree, for his wings, for his
5:21:32next roar.
5:21:34Nothing. No sign of the archers who he'd
5:21:36been falling to meet, who he'd thrown me
5:21:38far, far away from. Trembling, I dug my
5:21:42nails into the bark as I listened for
5:21:44him. Ash arrows. Poisoned ash arrows.
5:21:49The forest grew ever darker, the trees
5:21:52seeming to wither into skeletal husks.
5:21:54Even the birds hushed themselves.
5:21:57I stared at my palm at the eye inked
5:22:00there and sent a blind thought through
5:22:02it down that bond. Where are you? Tell
5:22:05me and I'll come to you. I'll find you.
5:22:09There was no wall of Onyx adamant at the
5:22:11end of the bond. Only endless shadow.
5:22:14Things great enormous things were
5:22:17rustling in the forest.
5:22:20Reand. No response. The last of the
5:22:23light slipped away. Reand, please.
5:22:27No sound and the bond between us silent.
5:22:31I'd always felt it protecting me,
5:22:33seducing me, laughing at me on the other
5:22:35side of my shields. And now it had
5:22:38vanished.
5:22:40A guttural howl rippled from the
5:22:42distance like rocks scraping against
5:22:44each other. Every hair on my body rose.
5:22:48We never stayed out here past sunset. I
5:22:51took steadying breaths, knocking one of
5:22:53my few remaining arrows into my bow. On
5:22:56the ground, something sleek and dark
5:22:58slithered past. The leaves crunching
5:23:00under what looked to be enormous paws
5:23:02tipped in needle-like claws. Something
5:23:05began screaming. High panicked screeches
5:23:09as if it were being torn apart. Not Ree,
5:23:12something else. I began shaking again,
5:23:15the tip of my arrow gleaming as it
5:23:17shuddered with me. Where are you? Where
5:23:20are you? Where are you? Let me find you.
5:23:23Let me find you. Let me find you. I
5:23:26unstrung my bow. Any bit of light might
5:23:28give me away. Darkness was my ally.
5:23:32Darkness might shield me. It had been
5:23:34anger the first time I'd winnowed. And
5:23:36anger the second time I'd done it. Reese
5:23:39was hurt. They had hurt him, targeted
5:23:42him. And now, now. It was not hot anger
5:23:46that poured through me, but something
5:23:48ancient and frozen and so vicious that
5:23:51it honed my focus into razor sharpness.
5:23:54And if I wanted to track him, if I
5:23:56wanted to get to the spot I'd last seen
5:23:58him, I'd become a figment of darkness,
5:24:01too.
5:24:02I was running down the branch just as
5:24:04something crashed through the brush
5:24:05nearby, snarling and hissing. But I
5:24:08folded myself into smoke and starlight,
5:24:11and winnowed from the edge of my branch
5:24:12and into the tree across from me. The
5:24:15creature below loosed a cry, but I paid
5:24:17it no heed. I was night. I was wind.
5:24:22Tree to tree I winnowed so fast the
5:24:24beasts roaming the forest floor barely
5:24:26registered my presence. And if I could
5:24:29grow claws and wings, I could change my
5:24:32eyes, too. I'd hunted at dusk often
5:24:35enough to see how animal eyes worked,
5:24:38how they glowed. Cool command had my own
5:24:41eyes widening, shifting a temporary
5:24:44blindness as I winnowed between trees
5:24:46again, running down a wide branch and
5:24:48winnowing through the air for the next.
5:24:50I landed and the night forest became
5:24:53bright and the things prowling on the
5:24:55forest floor below. I didn't look at
5:24:58them. No, I kept my attention on
5:25:01winnowing through the trees until I was
5:25:03on the outskirts of the spot where we'd
5:25:05been attacked. All the while tugging on
5:25:08that bond, searching for that familiar
5:25:10wall on the other side of it. Then an
5:25:13arrow was stuck in the branches high
5:25:15above me. I winnowed onto the broad bow,
5:25:18and when I yanked out that length of
5:25:20ashwood, when I felt my immortal body
5:25:22quail in its presence, a low snarl
5:25:25slipped out of me. I hadn't been able to
5:25:28count how many arrows Ree had taken, how
5:25:30many he'd shielded me from, using his
5:25:33own body. I shoved the arrow into my
5:25:36quiver and continued on, circling the
5:25:38area until I spotted another down by the
5:25:41pine needle carpet. I thought frost
5:25:44might have gleamed in my wake as I
5:25:46winnowed in the direction the arrow
5:25:48would have been shot. Finding another
5:25:50and another, I kept them all until I
5:25:54discovered the place where the pine
5:25:55branches were broken and shattered.
5:25:57Finally, I smelled Ree, and the trees
5:26:00around me glimmered with ice as I spied
5:26:02his blood splattered on the branches,
5:26:05the ground, and ash arrows all around
5:26:07the sight. As if an ambush had been
5:26:10waiting, and unleashed a hail of
5:26:12hundreds, too fast for him to detect or
5:26:15avoid, especially if he'd been
5:26:17distracted with me. Distracted all day.
5:26:21I winnowed in bursts through the site,
5:26:23careful not to stay on the ground too
5:26:25long, lest the creatures roaming nearby
5:26:27sent me. He'd fallen hard, the tracks
5:26:31told me, and they'd had to drag him away
5:26:33quickly. They'd tried to hide the blood
5:26:36trail, but even without his mind
5:26:38speaking to me, I could find that scent
5:26:40anywhere. I would find that scent
5:26:43anywhere. They might have been good at
5:26:45concealing their tracks, but I was
5:26:47better. I continued my hunt. An ash
5:26:51arrow now knocked into my bow as I read
5:26:53the signs. Two dozen at least had taken
5:26:56him away, though more had been there for
5:26:59the initial assault. The others had
5:27:01winnowed out, leaving limited numbers to
5:27:03haul him toward the mountains, toward
5:27:05whoever might be waiting. They were
5:27:08moving swiftly deeper and deeper into
5:27:10the woods, toward the slumbering giants
5:27:13of the Yrian Mountains. His blood had
5:27:15flowed all the way. Alive. It told me he
5:27:20was alive. Though if the wounds weren't
5:27:22clotting, the ash arrows were doing
5:27:24their work. I'd brought down one of
5:27:26Tamlin's sentinels with a single
5:27:28well-placed ash arrow. I tried not to
5:27:31think about what a barrage of them could
5:27:32do. His roar of pain echoed in my ears.
5:27:36And through that merciless, unyielding
5:27:38rage, I decided that if Ree was not
5:27:41alive, if he was harmed beyond repair, I
5:27:44didn't care who they were and why they
5:27:46had done it, they were all dead.
5:27:50Tracks veered from the main group.
5:27:52Scouts probably sent to find a spot for
5:27:54the night. I slowed my winnowing,
5:27:56carefully tracing their steps now. Two
5:27:59groups had split, as if trying to hide
5:28:02where they'd gone. Reese's scent clung
5:28:04to both. They'd taken his clothes then
5:28:07because they'd known I'd track them,
5:28:09seen me with him. They'd known I'd come
5:28:11for him. A trap. It was likely a trap. I
5:28:15paused at the top branches of a tree
5:28:17overlooking where the two groups had
5:28:19cleaved, scanning the ground. One headed
5:28:22deeper into the mountains, one headed
5:28:24along them. Mountains were a Yan
5:28:27territory. Mountains would run the risk
5:28:29of being discovered by a patrol. They'd
5:28:32assume that's where I would doubt they
5:28:33would be stupid enough to go. They'd
5:28:35assume I'd think they'd keep to the
5:28:37unguarded, unprolled forest. I weighed
5:28:40my options, smelling the two paths. They
5:28:44hadn't counted on the small second scent
5:28:46that clung there, entwined with his, and
5:28:49I didn't let myself think about it, as I
5:28:51winnowed toward the mountain tracks,
5:28:53outracing the wind. I didn't let myself
5:28:56think about the fact that my scent was
5:28:58on Ree, clinging to him after last
5:29:00night. He changed his clothes that
5:29:02morning, but the smell on his body.
5:29:05Without taking a bath, I was all over
5:29:08him. So I winnowed toward him, toward
5:29:10me, and when the narrow cave appeared at
5:29:13the foot of a mountain, the faintest
5:29:15glimmer of light escaping from its
5:29:16mouth. I halted. A whip cracked, and
5:29:21every word, every thought and feeling
5:29:23went out of me. Another whip and
5:29:25another. I slung my bow over my shoulder
5:29:28and pulled out a second ash arrow. It
5:29:31was quick work to bind the two arrows
5:29:33together, so that a tip gleamed on
5:29:35either end, and to do the same for two
5:29:37more. And when I was done, when I looked
5:29:40at the twin makeshift daggers in either
5:29:42hand, when that whip sounded again, I
5:29:45winnowed into the cave.
5:29:48They'd picked one with a narrow entrance
5:29:50that opened into a wide curving tunnel,
5:29:53setting up their little camp around the
5:29:54bend to avoid detection.
5:29:57The scouts at the front, two highfay
5:29:59males with unmarked armor who I didn't
5:30:01recognize, didn't notice as I went past.
5:30:05Two other scouts patrolled just inside
5:30:07the cave mouth, watching those at the
5:30:10front. I was there and vanished before
5:30:12they could spot me. I rounded the
5:30:15corner, time slipping and bending, and
5:30:17my night dark eyes burned at the light.
5:30:20I changed them, winnowing between one
5:30:22blink and the next, past the other two
5:30:25guards. And when I beheld the four
5:30:27others in that cave, beheld the tiny
5:30:30fire they'd built and what they'd
5:30:32already done to him. I pushed against
5:30:34the bond between us, almost sobbing as I
5:30:37felt that adamant wall. But there was
5:30:39nothing behind it, only silence.
5:30:43They'd found strange chains of bluish
5:30:45stone to spread his arms, suspending him
5:30:47from either wall of the cave. His body
5:30:50sagged from them, his back a ravaged
5:30:52slab of meat. And his wings, they'd left
5:30:56the ash arrows through his wings. Seven
5:30:59of them. His back to me, only the sight
5:31:02of the blood running down his skin told
5:31:04me he was alive. And it was enough. It
5:31:07was enough that I detonated. I winnowed
5:31:11to the two guards holding twin whips.
5:31:13The others around them shouted as I
5:31:15dragged my ash arrows across their
5:31:17throats, deep and vicious, just like I'd
5:31:20done countless times while hunting. One,
5:31:23two. Then they were on the ground, whips
5:31:25limp. Before the guards could attack, I
5:31:28winnowed again to the ones nearest.
5:31:30Blood sprayed. Winnow strike. Winnow
5:31:34strike. Those wings, those beautiful,
5:31:37powerful wings. The guards at the mouth
5:31:39of the cave had come rushing in. They
5:31:42were the last to die. And the blood on
5:31:45my hands felt different from what it had
5:31:46been like under the mountain. This blood
5:31:49I savored. Blood for blood. Blood for
5:31:53every drop they'd spilled of his.
5:31:56Silence fell in the cave as their final
5:31:58shouts finished echoing. And I went out
5:32:00in front of Ree, shoving the bloody ash
5:32:02daggers into my belt. I gripped his
5:32:05face. Pale, too pale. But his eyes
5:32:08opened to slits and he groaned.
5:32:11I didn't say anything as I lunged for
5:32:13the chains holding him, trying not to
5:32:16notice the bloody handprints I'd left on
5:32:18him. The chains were like ice, worse
5:32:21than ice. They felt wrong. I pushed past
5:32:25the pain and strangeness of them and the
5:32:27weakness that barreled down my spine and
5:32:30unlatched him. His knees slammed into
5:32:32the rock so hard I winced, but I rushed
5:32:35to the other arm, still up raised. Blood
5:32:38flowed down his back, his front pooling
5:32:40in the dips between his muscles. "Re," I
5:32:44breathed. I almost dropped to my own
5:32:46knees as I felt a flicker of him behind
5:32:48his mental shields, as if the pain and
5:32:51exhaustion had reduced it to window
5:32:53thinness. His wings, peppered with those
5:32:56arrows, remained spread, so painfully
5:32:58taught that I winced. Ree, we need to
5:33:02winnow home. His eyes opened again and
5:33:05he gasped. Can't. Whatever poison was on
5:33:09those arrows, then his magic, his
5:33:11strength. But we couldn't stay here. Not
5:33:14when the other group was nearby. So I
5:33:17said, "Hold on." And gripped his hand
5:33:19before I threw us into night and smoke.
5:33:22Winnowing was so heavy, as if all the
5:33:25weight of him, all that power dragged me
5:33:27back. It was like waiting through mud.
5:33:30But I focused on the forest, on a moss
5:33:32shrouded cave I'd seen earlier that day
5:33:34while slaking my thirst, tucked into the
5:33:37side of the riverbank. I'd peaked into
5:33:39it, and nothing but leaves had been
5:33:41within. At least it was safe, if not a
5:33:44bit damp. Better than being in the open,
5:33:47and it was our only option.
5:33:49Every mile was an effort. But I kept my
5:33:52grip on his hand, terrified that if I
5:33:54let go, I'd leave him somewhere I might
5:33:56never be able to find. And and then we
5:34:00were there in that cave, and he grunted
5:34:02in agony as we slammed into the wet,
5:34:04cold stone floor. Ree, I pleaded,
5:34:08stumbling in the dark. Such impenetrable
5:34:10dark. And with those creatures around
5:34:12us, I didn't risk a fire. But he was so
5:34:16cold and still bleeding. I willed my
5:34:18eyes to shift again and my throat
5:34:20tightened at the damage. The lashings
5:34:23across his back kept dribbling blood.
5:34:25But the wings.
5:34:27I have to get these arrows out. He
5:34:30grunted again, hands braced on the
5:34:32floor, and the sight of him like that,
5:34:34unable to even make a sly comment or
5:34:37half smile. I went up to his wing. This
5:34:41is going to hurt. I clenched my jaw as I
5:34:44studied the way they'd pierced the
5:34:45beautiful membrane. I'd have to snap the
5:34:48arrows in two and slide each end out.
5:34:51No, not snapping. I'd have to cut it
5:34:54slowly, carefully, smoothly, to keep any
5:34:58shards and rough bits from causing
5:34:59further damage. Who knew what an ash
5:35:02splinter might do if it got stuck in
5:35:04there. Do it, he panted, his voice.
5:35:08There were seven arrows in total, three
5:35:10in his wing, four in the other. They'd
5:35:13removed the ones from his legs for
5:35:15whatever reason. The wounds already half
5:35:17clotted. Blood dripped on the floor. I
5:35:21took the knife from where it was
5:35:22strapped to my thigh, studied the entry
5:35:24wound, and gently gripped the shaft. He
5:35:27hissed. I paused. "Do it," Ree repeated,
5:35:32his knuckles white as he fisted his
5:35:34hands on the ground. I set the small bit
5:35:36of serrated edge against the arrow and
5:35:38began sawing as gently as I could. The
5:35:41blood soaked muscles of his back shifted
5:35:43and tensed. And his breathing turned
5:35:46sharp, uneven, too slow. I was going too
5:35:49slowly. But any faster and it might hurt
5:35:52him more, might damage the sensitive
5:35:54wing.
5:35:56Did you know, I said over the sound of
5:35:58my sawing, "That one summer when I was
5:36:0117, Elaine bought me some paint. We'd
5:36:05had just enough to spend on extra
5:36:07things, and she bought me a nest of
5:36:09presents. She didn't have enough for a
5:36:11full set, but bought me red and blue and
5:36:14yellow. I used them to the last drop,
5:36:17stretching them as much as I could and
5:36:19painted little decorations in our
5:36:21cottage.
5:36:23His breath heaved out of him, and I
5:36:25finally sawed through the shaft. I
5:36:27didn't let him know what I was doing
5:36:29before I yanked out the arrow head in a
5:36:31smooth pull. He swore, body locking up
5:36:35and blood gushed out, then stopped. I
5:36:38almost loosed a sigh of relief. I set to
5:36:41work on the next arrow.
5:36:43I painted the table, the cabinets, the
5:36:46doorway, and we had this old black
5:36:48dresser in our room, one drawer for each
5:36:51of us. We didn't have much clothing to
5:36:53put in there. Anyway, I got through the
5:36:56second arrow faster, and he braced
5:36:58himself as I tugged it out. Blood
5:37:01flowed, then clotted. I started on the
5:37:04third.
5:37:05I painted flowers for Elaine on her
5:37:07drawer, I said, sawing and sawing little
5:37:11roses and beonas and irises. And for
5:37:15Neesa, the arrow clattered to the
5:37:17ground, and I ripped out the other end.
5:37:20I watched the blood flow and stop,
5:37:22watched him slowly lower the wing to the
5:37:24ground, his body trembling. "Nesa," I
5:37:28said, starting on the other wing. I
5:37:31painted flame.
5:37:32>> "This peaceful moment is yours. Rest in
5:37:34it, breathe in it, and let it soothe you
5:37:37before the story [music] resumes.
5:38:12Hey.
5:38:20[music]
5:38:34for her. She was always angry, always
5:38:38burning. I think she and Amron would be
5:38:40fast friends. I think she would like
5:38:43despite herself. And I think Elaine,
5:38:46Elaine would like it, too, though. She'd
5:38:49probably cling to Azriel just to have
5:38:51some peace and quiet. I smiled at the
5:38:54thought, at how handsome they would be
5:38:56together, if the warrior ever stopped
5:38:58quietly loving more. I doubted it.
5:39:02Azreel would likely love more until he
5:39:04was a whisper of darkness between the
5:39:06stars.
5:39:07I finished the fourth arrow and started
5:39:10on the fifth. Reys's voice was raw as he
5:39:13said to the floor, "What did you paint
5:39:16for yourself?" I drew out the fifth,
5:39:19moving to the sixth before saying, "I
5:39:22painted the night sky." He stilled. I
5:39:26went on, I painted stars and the moon
5:39:29and clouds and just endless dark sky. I
5:39:33finished the sixth and was well on my
5:39:35way to sawing through the seventh before
5:39:36I said. I never knew why. I rarely went
5:39:40outside at night. Usually, I was so
5:39:42tired from hunting that I just wanted to
5:39:44sleep. But I wonder, I pulled out the
5:39:48seventh and final arrow. I wonder if
5:39:51some part of me knew what was waiting
5:39:53for me. That I would never be a gentle
5:39:56grower of things or someone who burned
5:39:58like fire. But that I would be quiet and
5:40:01enduring and as faceted as the night.
5:40:04That I would have beauty for those who
5:40:06knew where to look. And if people didn't
5:40:08bother to look, but only to fear it,
5:40:11then I didn't particularly care for them
5:40:13anyway. I wonder if even in my despair
5:40:17and hopelessness, I was never truly
5:40:20alone. I wonder if I was looking for
5:40:23this place, looking for you all.
5:40:27The blood stopped flowing and his other
5:40:29wing lowered to the ground. Slowly, the
5:40:32lashes on his back began to clot. I
5:40:35walked around to where he was bowed over
5:40:37the floor, hands braced on the rock and
5:40:40knelt. his head lifted, pain-filled
5:40:43eyes, bloodless lips.
5:40:46"You saved me," he rasped. "You can
5:40:50explain who they were later." "Ambush,"
5:40:53Ree said anyway, his eyes scanning my
5:40:56face for signs of hurt. "Hyburn soldiers
5:40:59with ancient chains from the king
5:41:01himself to nullify my power. They must
5:41:04have traced the magic I used yesterday.
5:41:07I'm sorry." The words tumbled out of
5:41:10him. I brushed back his dark hair. That
5:41:13was why I hadn't been able to use the
5:41:14bond to speak mind to mind. Rest, I
5:41:19said, and moved to retrieve the blanket
5:41:21from my pack. It had to do. He gripped
5:41:24my wrist before I could rise. His
5:41:26eyelids lowered. Consciousness ripped
5:41:29from him. Too fast. Much too fast and
5:41:32too heavy. I was looking for you too,
5:41:36Ree murmured and passed out.
5:41:42Chapter 50.
5:41:45I slept beside him, offering what warmth
5:41:47I could, monitoring the cave entrance
5:41:50the entirety of the night. The beasts in
5:41:52the forest prowled past in an endless
5:41:54parade, and only in the gray light
5:41:57before dawn did their snarls and hissing
5:41:59fade.
5:42:00Ree was unconscious as watery sunlight
5:42:03painted the stone walls, his skin
5:42:05clammy. I checked his wounds and found
5:42:08them barely healed, an oily sheen oozing
5:42:11from them. And when I put a hand on his
5:42:13brow, I swore at the heat. Poison had
5:42:17coated those arrows, and that poison
5:42:19remained in his body. The Yrian camp was
5:42:22so distant that my own powers, feeble
5:42:24from the night before, wouldn't get us
5:42:26far. But if they had those horrible
5:42:28chains to nullify his powers, had ash
5:42:31arrows to bring him down, then that
5:42:33poison.
5:42:35An hour passed. He didn't get better.
5:42:38No, his golden skin was pale, paling.
5:42:41His breaths were shallow. Ree, I said
5:42:45softly. He didn't move. I tried shaking
5:42:48him. If he could tell me what the poison
5:42:50was, maybe I could try to find something
5:42:52to help him. He did not awaken.
5:42:56Around midday, panic gripped me in a
5:42:59tight fist. I didn't know anything about
5:43:01poisons or remedies. And out here, so
5:43:04far from anyone, would Cassian track us
5:43:07down in time? Would more winnow in? I
5:43:10tried to rouse Ree over and over. The
5:43:13poison had dragged him down deep. I
5:43:15would not risk waiting for help to
5:43:17arrive. I would not risk him. So I
5:43:20bundled him in as many layers as I could
5:43:22spare, yet took my cloak, kissed his
5:43:24brow, and left.
5:43:27We were only a few hundred yards from
5:43:29where I'd been hunting the night before.
5:43:31And as I emerged from the cave, I tried
5:43:33not to look at the tracks of the beasts
5:43:35who had passed through right above us.
5:43:38Enormous, horrible tracks. What I was to
5:43:41hunt would be worse. We were already
5:43:43near running water, so I made my trap
5:43:45close by, building my snare with hands
5:43:48that I refused to let shake. I placed
5:43:51the cloak, mostly new, rich, lovely, in
5:43:54the center of my snare. And I waited an
5:43:58hour, two. I was about to start
5:44:01bargaining with the cauldron, with the
5:44:02mother, when a creeping familiar silence
5:44:05fell over the wood. Rippling toward me,
5:44:08the birds stopped chirping. The wind
5:44:11stopped sighing in the pines, and when a
5:44:13crack sounded through the forest,
5:44:15followed by a screech that hollowed out
5:44:17my ears, I knocked an arrow into my bow,
5:44:20and set off to see the sural.
5:44:25It was as horrific as I remembered.
5:44:28Tattered robes barely concealing a body
5:44:30made of not skin, but what looked to be
5:44:33solid, worn bone. Its lipless mouth held
5:44:36two large teeth, and its fingers, long,
5:44:39spindly, clicked against each other
5:44:41while it weighed the fine cloak I'd laid
5:44:43in the center of my snare, as if the
5:44:45cloth had blown in on a wind. "Fra,
5:44:49curse breaker," it said, turning toward
5:44:52me. In a voice that was both one and
5:44:54many, I lowered my bow. I have need of
5:44:57you. Time. I was running out of time. I
5:45:01could feel it, that urgency begging me
5:45:03to hurry through the bond. What
5:45:06fascinating changes a year has wrought
5:45:09on you, on the world, it said. A year?
5:45:14Yes. It had been over a year now since
5:45:16I'd first crossed the wall. I have
5:45:19questions, I said. It smiled, each of
5:45:22those stained large brown teeth visible.
5:45:26You have two questions.
5:45:29An answer and an order. I didn't waste
5:45:33time. Not with Ree. Not when this wood
5:45:35might be full of enemies hunting for us.
5:45:38What poison was used on those arrows?
5:45:41Blood bane, it said. I didn't know that
5:45:45poison. Had never heard of it. Where do
5:45:47I find the cure? The cereal clicked its
5:45:50bone fingers against each other as if
5:45:52the answer lay inside the sound. In the
5:45:56forest.
5:45:57I hissed, my brows flattening. Please,
5:46:01please don't be cryptic. What is the
5:46:03cure? The sural cocked its head, the
5:46:06bone gleaming in the light. Your blood.
5:46:09Give him your blood, curse breaker. It
5:46:13is rich with the healing gift of the
5:46:15high lord of the dawn. It shall spare
5:46:18him from the bloodbane's wrath.
5:46:21That's it, I pushed. How much blood? A
5:46:25few mouthfuls will do.
5:46:27A hollow, dry wind, not at all like the
5:46:30misty cold veils that usually drifted
5:46:32past, brushed my face. I helped you
5:46:36before. I have helped you now, and you
5:46:39will free me before I lose my patience.
5:46:42Curse breaker. Some primal, lingering
5:46:45human part of me trembled as I took in
5:46:48the snare around its legs, pinning it to
5:46:50the ground. Perhaps this time the Suriel
5:46:53had let itself be caught and knew how to
5:46:55free itself, had learned it the moment
5:46:57I'd spared it from the Naga. A test of
5:47:01honor and a favor for the arrow I'd shot
5:47:04to save it last year. But I knocked an
5:47:07ash arrow into my bow, cringing at the
5:47:10sheen of poison coating it. "Thank you
5:47:12for your help," I said, bracing myself
5:47:15for flight should it charge at me. The
5:47:18sural stained teeth clacked against each
5:47:20other. "If you wish to speed your mate's
5:47:23healing, in addition to your blood, a
5:47:26pink flowered weed sprouts by the river.
5:47:30Make him chew it." I fired my arrow at
5:47:33the snare before I finished hearing its
5:47:35words. The trap sprang free, and the
5:47:38word clicked through me. "Mate, what did
5:47:42you say?" The cereal rose to its full
5:47:45height, towering over me, even from
5:47:47across the clearing. I had not realized
5:47:50that despite the bone, it was muscled,
5:47:53powerful.
5:47:54If you wish to. The serial paused and
5:47:58grinned, showing nearly all of those
5:48:00brown, thick teeth. You did not know.
5:48:03Then
5:48:05say it, I gritted out. The high lord of
5:48:09the night court is your mate.
5:48:12I wasn't entirely sure I was breathing.
5:48:16Interesting.
5:48:17The sural said, "Mate, mate, mate."
5:48:22Reand was my mate. Not lover, not
5:48:25husband, but more than that. A bond so
5:48:28deep, so permanent that it was honored
5:48:30over all others. Rare, cherished. Not
5:48:34Tamlin's mate, Reands.
5:48:37I was jealous and pissed off. You're
5:48:40mine. The words slipped out of me, low
5:48:43and twisted. Does he know? The cereal
5:48:47clenched the robes of its new cloak and
5:48:49its bone fingers. Yes. For a long while.
5:48:54Yes. Since.
5:48:55>> No, he can tell me. I want to hear it
5:48:58from his lips. The serial cocked its
5:49:01head. You are You are feeling too much
5:49:05too fast. I cannot read it. How can I
5:49:09possibly be his mate? Mates were equals,
5:49:12matched at least in some ways. He is the
5:49:16most powerful high lord to ever walk
5:49:18this earth. You are new. You are made of
5:49:23all seven high lords, unlike anything.
5:49:27Are you two not similar in that? Are you
5:49:31not matched,
5:49:33mate? And he knew. He'd known. I glanced
5:49:37toward the river as if I could see all
5:49:39the way to the cave to where Reand
5:49:41slept. When I looked back at the cereal,
5:49:45it was gone.
5:49:49I found the pink weed and ripped it out
5:49:51of the ground as I stalked back to the
5:49:53cave. Mercifully, Ree was half awake,
5:49:56the layers I'd thrown on him now
5:49:58scattered across the blanket, and he
5:50:00gave me a strained smile as I entered. I
5:50:03chucked the weed at him, showering his
5:50:05bare chest with soil. Chew on that. He
5:50:09blinked blurily at me. Mate, but he
5:50:12obeyed, frowning at the plant before he
5:50:15plucked off a few leaves, and started
5:50:17chewing. He grimaced as he swallowed. I
5:50:20tore off my jacket, shoved up my sleeve,
5:50:23and stroed to him. He'd known and kept
5:50:25it from me. Had the others known? Had
5:50:28they guessed? He'd he'd promised not to
5:50:31lie, not to keep things from me. And
5:50:34this this most important thing in my
5:50:37immortal existence. I drew a dagger
5:50:40across my forearm, the cut long and
5:50:42deep, and dropped to my knees before
5:50:44him. I didn't feel the pain. Drink this
5:50:48now. Reheese blinked again, brows
5:50:51raising, but I didn't give him the
5:50:52chance to object before I gripped the
5:50:54back of his head, lifted my arm to his
5:50:56mouth, and shoved him against my skin.
5:51:00He paused as my blood touched his lips.
5:51:02Then his mouth opened wider, his tongue
5:51:05brushing my arm as he sucked in my
5:51:07blood. One mouthful, two, three. I
5:51:11yanked back my arm, the wound already
5:51:13healing, and shoved down my sleeve.
5:51:17You don't get to ask questions, I said,
5:51:20and he looked up at me, exhaustion and
5:51:22pain lining his face, my blood shining
5:51:24on his lips. Part of me hated the words
5:51:27for acting like this while he was
5:51:29wounded, but I didn't care. You only get
5:51:32to answer them and nothing more.
5:51:34Weariness flooded his eyes, but he
5:51:36nodded, biting off another mouthful of
5:51:38the weed and chewing. I stared down at
5:51:41him, the halfyan warrior who was my soul
5:51:44bonded partner.
5:51:46How long have you known that I'm your
5:51:48mate? Restilled. The entire world
5:51:52stilled. He swallowed. Phyra, how long
5:51:56have you known that I'm your mate? You
5:52:00You ins snared the surreal. How he'd
5:52:02pieced it together. I didn't give a
5:52:04I said you don't get to ask
5:52:06questions. I thought something like
5:52:09panic might have flashed over his
5:52:10features. He chewed again on the plant
5:52:13as if it instantly helped, as if he knew
5:52:15that he wanted to be at his full
5:52:17strength to face this. Face me. Color
5:52:20was already blooming on his cheeks.
5:52:22Perhaps from whatever healing was in my
5:52:24blood.
5:52:26I suspected for a while, Ree said,
5:52:29swallowing once more. I knew for certain
5:52:32when Amarantha was killing you. And when
5:52:34we stood on the balcony under the
5:52:36mountain right after we were freed, I
5:52:39felt it snap into place between us. I
5:52:42think when you were made, it it
5:52:45heightened the smell of the bond. I
5:52:47looked at you then, and the strength of
5:52:49it hit me like a blow. He'd gone
5:52:52wideeyed, had stumbled back as if
5:52:55shocked, terrified, and had vanished.
5:52:58That had been over half a year ago, my
5:53:01blood pounded in my ears.
5:53:03When were you going to tell me, Phyra?
5:53:06When were you going to tell me? I don't
5:53:09know. I wanted to yesterday or whenever
5:53:12you noticed that it wasn't just a
5:53:14bargain between us. I hoped you might
5:53:16realize when I took you to bed. And do
5:53:19the others know? Amron and Moore do.
5:53:22Azriel and Cassian suspect. My face
5:53:26burned. They knew. They Why didn't you
5:53:30tell me you were in love with him? you
5:53:33were going to marry him and then you you
5:53:36were enduring everything and it didn't
5:53:38feel right to tell you. I deserved to
5:53:41know. The other night you told me you
5:53:44wanted a distraction. You wanted fun,
5:53:46not a mating bond. And not to someone
5:53:48like me, a mess. So the words I'd spat
5:53:52after the court of nightmares had
5:53:53haunted him. You promised. You promised
5:53:56no secrets, no games. You promised.
5:54:00Something in my chest was caving in on
5:54:02itself. Some part of me I'd thought long
5:54:05gone. I know I did, Ree said, the glow
5:54:08returning to his face. You think I
5:54:11didn't want to tell you? You think I
5:54:13liked hearing you wanted me only for
5:54:14amusement and release? You think it
5:54:17didn't drive me out of my mind so
5:54:19completely that those bastards shot me
5:54:21out of the sky because I was too busy
5:54:23wondering if I should just tell you or
5:54:25wait or maybe take whatever pieces that
5:54:27you offered me and be happy with it or
5:54:30that maybe I should let you go so you
5:54:32don't have a lifetime of assassins and
5:54:34high lords hunting you down for being
5:54:36with me. I don't want to hear this. I
5:54:39don't want to hear you explain how you
5:54:41assumed that you knew best, that I
5:54:43couldn't handle it. I didn't do that. I
5:54:46don't want to hear you tell me that you
5:54:47decided I was to be kept in the dark.
5:54:50While your friends knew, while you all
5:54:52decided what was right for me, Phyra,
5:54:55take me back to the Yrian camp now. He
5:54:58was panting in great rattling gulps.
5:55:01Please. But I stormed to him and grabbed
5:55:03his hand. Take me back now. And I saw
5:55:07the pain and sorrow in his eyes. Saw it
5:55:10and didn't care. Not as that thing in my
5:55:12chest was twisting and breaking. Not as
5:55:14my heart my heart achd so viciously that
5:55:18I realized it had somehow been repaired
5:55:20in these past few months. Repaired by
5:55:22him and now it hurt. Reese saw all that
5:55:26and more on my face and I saw nothing
5:55:29but agony in his as he rallied his
5:55:31strength and grunting in pain winnowed
5:55:34us into the Yrian camp.
5:55:40Chapter 51.
5:55:43We slammed into freezing mud right
5:55:45outside the little stone house. I think
5:55:48he'd meant to winnow us into it, but his
5:55:50powers had given out. Across the yard, I
5:55:54spied Cassian and Moore at the window of
5:55:56the house, eating breakfast. Their eyes
5:55:59went wide, and then they were rushing
5:56:00for the door. "Fra," Ree groaned, bare
5:56:04arms buckling as he tried to rise. I
5:56:07left him lying in the mud and stormed
5:56:09toward the house. The door flung open
5:56:12and Cassianne and Moore were sprinting
5:56:14for us, scanning every inch of our
5:56:16bodies. Cassianne realized I was in one
5:56:19piece and hurdled for Ree, who was
5:56:21struggling to rise, mud covering his
5:56:23bare skin. But more
5:56:26saw my face. I went up to her, cold and
5:56:30hollow. I want you to take me somewhere
5:56:32far away, I said. Right now. I needed to
5:56:37get away. needed to think to have space
5:56:39and quiet and calm. Moore looked between
5:56:42us, biting her lip. "Please," I said,
5:56:46and my voice broke on the word. Behind
5:56:48me, Ree moaned my name again. Moore
5:56:51scanned my face once more and gripped my
5:56:54hand. We vanished into wind and night.
5:56:58Brightness assaulted me, and I gobbled
5:57:00up my surroundings. Mountains and snow
5:57:03all around, fresh and gleaming in the
5:57:05midday light, so clean against the dirt
5:57:08on me. We were high up on the peaks, and
5:57:11about a hundred yards away, a log cabin
5:57:14stood tucked between two upper fangs of
5:57:16the mountains, shielding it from the
5:57:18wind. The house was dark. There was
5:57:20nothing around it for as far as I could
5:57:22see. The house is warded, so no one can
5:57:25winnow in. No one can get beyond this
5:57:28point, actually, without our family's
5:57:30permission.
5:57:31Moore stepped ahead, snow crunching
5:57:34under her boots. Without the wind, the
5:57:36day was mild enough to remind me that
5:57:38spring had dawned in the world, though
5:57:40I'd bet it would be freezing once the
5:57:42sun vanished. I trailed after her,
5:57:45something zinging against my skin.
5:57:48"You're allowed in," Moore said.
5:57:51"Because I'm his mate." She kept waiting
5:57:54through the knee high snow. Did you
5:57:57guess or did he tell you? The sural told
5:58:01me after I went to hunt it for
5:58:03information on how to heal him. She
5:58:06swore. Is he Is he all right? He'll
5:58:10live, I said. She didn't ask any other
5:58:13questions, and I wasn't feeling generous
5:58:15enough to supply further information. We
5:58:18reached the door to the cabin, which she
5:58:20unlocked with a wave of her hand. A main
5:58:23woodpanled room consisting of a kitchen
5:58:26to the right, a living area with a
5:58:28leather sofa covered in furs to the
5:58:30left, a small hall in the back that led
5:58:33to two bedrooms and a shared bathing
5:58:34room and nothing else. We got sent up
5:58:38here for reflection when we were
5:58:40younger, Moore said. Reese used to
5:58:43smuggle in books and booze for me. I
5:58:46cringed at the sound of his name. It's
5:58:49perfect, I said tightly. More waved a
5:58:52hand, and a fire sprang to life in the
5:58:54hearth. Heat flooding the room. Food
5:58:57landed on the counters of the kitchen,
5:58:59and something in the pipes groaned. "No
5:59:02need for firewood," she said. "It'll
5:59:04burn until you leave." She lifted a brow
5:59:07as if to ask when that would be. I
5:59:10looked away. Please don't tell him where
5:59:13I am. He'll try to find you. Tell him I
5:59:16don't want to be found. Not for a while.
5:59:20More bit her lip. It's not my business.
5:59:23Then don't say anything. She did anyway.
5:59:27He wanted to tell you and it killed him
5:59:29not to. But I've never seen him so happy
5:59:33as he is when he's with you. And I don't
5:59:36think that has anything to do with you
5:59:37being his mate.
5:59:39I don't care. She fell silent and I
5:59:43could feel the words she wanted to say
5:59:45building up. So I said, "Thank you for
5:59:48bringing me here." a polite dismissal.
5:59:51Moore bowed her head. I'll check back in
5:59:543 days. There are clothes in the
5:59:56bedrooms and all the hot water you want.
5:59:58The house is spelled to take care of
6:00:00you. Merely wish or speak for things and
6:00:03it'll be done.
6:00:05I only wanted solitude and quiet, but a
6:00:09hot bath sounded like a nice way to
6:00:11start. She left the cottage before I
6:00:13could say anything else. Alone, no one
6:00:17around for miles. I stood in the silent
6:00:20cabin and stared at nothing.
6:00:26Part three, the house of mist.
6:00:33Chapter 52.
6:00:36There was a deep sunken tub in the floor
6:00:38of the mountain cabin, large enough to
6:00:40accommodate Alyrian wings. I filled it
6:00:43with water near scalding, not caring how
6:00:46the magic of this house operated, only
6:00:48that it worked. Hissing and wincing, I
6:00:51climbed in. 3 days without a bath, and I
6:00:55could have wept at the warmth and
6:00:56cleanliness of it. No matter that I'd
6:00:59once gone weeks without one. Not when
6:01:02drawing hot water for it in my family's
6:01:04cottage had been more trouble than it
6:01:05was worth. Not when we didn't even have
6:01:07a bathtub and it required buckets and
6:01:10buckets to get clean. I washed with dark
6:01:13soap that smelled of smoke and pine, and
6:01:15when I was done, I sat there, watching
6:01:18the steam slither amongst the few
6:01:20candles.
6:01:21Mate,
6:01:23the word chased me from the bath sooner
6:01:25than I wanted, and hounded me as I
6:01:27pulled on the clothes I'd found in a
6:01:29drawer of the bedroom. Dark leggings, a
6:01:32large cream colored sweater that hung to
6:01:33mid thigh, and thick socks. My stomach
6:01:37grumbled and I realized I hadn't eaten
6:01:39since the day before because
6:01:42because he'd been injured and I'd gone
6:01:44out of my mind absolutely insane when
6:01:47he'd been taken from me, shot out of the
6:01:49sky like a bird. I'd acted on instinct,
6:01:52on a drive to protect him that had come
6:01:54from so deep in me, so deep in me. I
6:01:59found a container of soup on the wood
6:02:00counter that Moore must have brought in
6:02:02and scred up a cast iron pot to heat it.
6:02:06Fresh, crusty bread sat near the stove,
6:02:08and I ate half of it while waiting for
6:02:10the soup to warm. He'd suspected it
6:02:13before I'd even freed us from amarantha.
6:02:17my wedding day. Had he interrupted to
6:02:19spare me from a horrible mistake or for
6:02:22his own ends because I was his mate and
6:02:24letting me bind myself to someone else
6:02:26was unacceptable.
6:02:29I ate my dinner in silence with only the
6:02:31murmuring fire for company. And beneath
6:02:34the barrage of my thoughts, a throbb of
6:02:37relief.
6:02:38My relationship with Tamlin had been
6:02:40doomed from the start. I had left only
6:02:43to find my mate, to go to my mate. If I
6:02:46were looking to spare us both from
6:02:48embarrassment, from rumor, only that,
6:02:51only that I had found my true mate,
6:02:53would do the trick. I was not a lying
6:02:56piece of traitorous filth. Not even
6:02:58close. Even if Ree Ree had known I was
6:03:01his mate. Well, I'd shared a bed with
6:03:04Tamlin for months and months. He'd known
6:03:07I was sharing a bed with him and hadn't
6:03:09let it show. Or maybe he didn't care.
6:03:12Maybe he didn't want the bond. had hoped
6:03:15it'd vanish. I'd owed nothing to Ree
6:03:18then, had nothing to apologize for. But
6:03:21he'd known I'd react badly, that it had
6:03:23hurt me more than help me. And what if I
6:03:26had known? What if I had known that Ree
6:03:29was my mate while I'd loved Tamlin? It
6:03:32didn't excuse his not telling me. Didn't
6:03:34excuse the recent weeks when I'd hated
6:03:36myself so much for wanting him so badly,
6:03:39when he should have told me. But I
6:03:42understood.
6:03:44I washed the dishes, swept the crumbs
6:03:47off the small dining table between the
6:03:49kitchen and living area, and climbed
6:03:51into one of the beds.
6:03:53Just last night, I'd been curled beside
6:03:55him, counting his breaths to make sure
6:03:57he didn't stop making them. The night
6:04:00before, I'd been in his arms, his
6:04:02fingers between my legs, his tongue in
6:04:04my mouth. And now, though the cabin was
6:04:08warm, the sheets were cold, the bed was
6:04:11large, empty. Through the small glass
6:04:14window, the snow blasted land around me
6:04:16glowed blue in the moonlight. The wind
6:04:19was a hollow moan, brushing great
6:04:21sparkling drifts of snow past the cabin.
6:04:25I wondered if Moore had told him where I
6:04:27was. Wondered if he'd indeed come
6:04:29looking for me.
6:04:31Mate, my mate.
6:04:36Sunlight on snow awoke me and I squinted
6:04:39at the brightness, cursing myself for
6:04:41not closing the curtains. It took me a
6:04:44moment to remember where I was, why I
6:04:46was in this isolated cabin, deep in the
6:04:48mountains of I didn't know what
6:04:51mountains these were. Ree had once
6:04:53mentioned a favorite retreat that Moore
6:04:55and Amaran had burned to cinders in a
6:04:57fight. I wondered if this was it, if it
6:05:00had been rebuilt. Everything was
6:05:03comfortable, worn, but in relatively
6:05:05good shape.
6:05:07Moore and Amron had known. I couldn't
6:05:09decide if I hated them for it. No doubt
6:05:12Ree had ordered them to keep quiet, and
6:05:15they'd respected his wishes. But I made
6:05:18the bed, fixed breakfast, washed the
6:05:21dishes, and then stood in the center of
6:05:23the main living space. I'd run away
6:05:27precisely how Ree expected me to run.
6:05:29How I'd told him anyone in their right
6:05:31mind would run from him. Like a coward,
6:05:34like a fool, I'd left him injured in the
6:05:36freezing mud. I'd walked away from him a
6:05:40day after I'd told him he was the only
6:05:42thing I'd never walk away from. I'd
6:05:44demanded honesty, and at the first true
6:05:47test, I hadn't even let him give it to
6:05:49me. I hadn't granted him the
6:05:51consideration of hearing him out.
6:05:54You see me? Well, I'd refused to see
6:05:57him. Maybe I'd refused to see what was
6:06:00right in front of me. I'd walked away.
6:06:03And maybe, maybe I shouldn't have.
6:06:09Boredom hit me halfway through the day.
6:06:11Supreme unrelenting boredom thanks to
6:06:14being trapped inside while the snow
6:06:16slowly melted under the mild spring day.
6:06:19Listening to it drip, drip, dripping off
6:06:21the roof.
6:06:23It made me nosy, and once I'd finished
6:06:25going through the drawers and closets of
6:06:27both bedrooms, clothes, old bits of
6:06:30ribbon, knives, and weapons tucked
6:06:32between, as if one of them had chucked
6:06:34them in and just forgotten. The kitchen
6:06:36cabinets, food, preserved goods, pots
6:06:39and pans, a stained cookbook, and the
6:06:42living area, blankets, some books, more
6:06:44weapons hidden everywhere. I ventured
6:06:47into the supply closet for a high lord's
6:06:50retreat. The cabin was not common
6:06:53because everything had been made and
6:06:55appointed with care, but casual, as if
6:06:58this were the sole place where they
6:07:00might all come and pile into beds and on
6:07:03the couch and not be anyone but
6:07:04themselves, taking turns with who cooked
6:07:07that night and who hunted and who
6:07:09cleaned and
6:07:11a family. It felt like a family, the one
6:07:15I'd never quite had, had never dared
6:07:17really hope for. had stopped expecting
6:07:19when I'd grown used to the space and
6:07:21formality of living in a manor, to being
6:07:24a symbol for a broken people, a high
6:07:26priestess's golden idol and puppet.
6:07:30I opened the store room door, a blast of
6:07:32cold greeting me, but candles sputtered
6:07:35to life thanks to the magic that kept
6:07:37the place hospitable.
6:07:39Shelves free of dust, another magical
6:07:41perk, no doubt, gleamed with more food
6:07:44stores, books, sporting equipment, packs
6:07:47and ropes, and big surprise, more
6:07:49weapons. I sorted through it all, these
6:07:52remnants of adventures, past and future,
6:07:55and almost missed them as I walked past
6:07:58half a dozen cans of paint. Paper and a
6:08:01few canvases, brushes, old and flecked
6:08:05with paint from lazy hands. There were
6:08:07other art supplies, pastels and
6:08:10watercolors, what looked to be charcoal
6:08:12for sketching. But I stared at the
6:08:15paint, the brushes. Which of them had
6:08:18tried to paint while stuck here or
6:08:20enjoying a holiday with them all? I told
6:08:23myself my hands were trembling with the
6:08:25cold as I reached for the paint and
6:08:27pried open the lid, still fresh,
6:08:30probably from the magic preserving this
6:08:32place. I peered into the dark, gleaming
6:08:35interior of the can. and I'd opened
6:08:38blue. And then I started gathering
6:08:40supplies.
6:08:44I painted all day and when the sun
6:08:47vanished, I painted all through the
6:08:49night. The moon had set by the time I
6:08:51washed my hands and face and neck and
6:08:53stumbled into bed, not even bothering to
6:08:56undress before unconsciousness swept me
6:08:58away. I was up, brush in hand, before
6:09:01the spring sun could resume its work
6:09:03thawing the mountains around me. I
6:09:06paused only long enough to eat. The sun
6:09:09was setting again, exhausted from the
6:09:11dent it had made in the layer of snow
6:09:12outside when a knock sounded on the
6:09:15front door. Splattered in paint, the
6:09:18cream colored sweater utterly wrecked, I
6:09:21froze.
6:09:22Another knock, light but insistent.
6:09:25Then, "Please don't be dead." I didn't
6:09:28know whether it was relief or
6:09:30disappointment that sank in my chest as
6:09:32I opened the door and found more huffing
6:09:35hot air into her cupped hands. She
6:09:37looked at the paint on my skin, in my
6:09:39hair, at the brush in my hand, and then
6:09:42what I had done. Moore stepped in from
6:09:45the brisk spring night and let out a low
6:09:47whistle as she shut the door. Well,
6:09:50you've certainly been busy indeed. I
6:09:54painted nearly every surface in the main
6:09:56room. And not just with broad swaths of
6:09:58color, but with decorations, little
6:10:01images. Some were basic clusters of
6:10:04icicles drooping down the sides of the
6:10:06threshold. They melted into the first
6:10:08shoots of spring, then burst into full
6:10:10blooms of summer before brightening and
6:10:13deepening into fall leaves. I'd painted
6:10:16a ring of flowers around the card table
6:10:18by the window, leaves and crackling
6:10:21flames around the dining table. But in
6:10:23between the intricate decorations, I
6:10:26painted them bits and pieces of Moore
6:10:29and Cassian and Azriel and Amron and
6:10:33Ree. Moore went up to the large hearth
6:10:36where I painted the mantle in black,
6:10:38shimmering with veins of gold and red.
6:10:40Up close, it was a solid pretty bit of
6:10:43paint, but from the couchy
6:10:46wings, she said, "They'll never stop
6:10:49gloating about it." But she went to the
6:10:52window, which I'd framed in tumbling
6:10:54strands of gold and brass and bronze.
6:10:57More fingered her hair, cocking her
6:10:59head. "Nice," she said, surveying the
6:11:02room again. Her eyes fell on the open
6:11:05threshold to the bedroom hallway, and
6:11:07she grimaced. "Why," she said. "Are
6:11:10Amron's eyes there?" Indeed. Right above
6:11:14the door in the center of the archway,
6:11:16I'd painted a pair of glowing silver
6:11:18eyes.
6:11:20Because she's always watching, Moore
6:11:23snorted. That simply won't do. Paint my
6:11:26eyes next to hers so the males of this
6:11:28family will know we're both watching
6:11:30them the next time they come up here to
6:11:31get drunk for a week straight. They do
6:11:34that. They used to before Amarantha.
6:11:39Every autumn, the three of them would
6:11:40lock themselves in this house for five
6:11:42days and drink and drink and hunt and
6:11:45hunt. And they'd come back to Aaris
6:11:48looking halfway to death, but grinning
6:11:50like fools. It warms my heart to know
6:11:52that from now on they'll have to do it
6:11:54with me and Amron staring at them. A
6:11:57smile tugged on my lips. Who does this
6:12:00paint belong to? Am Moore said, rolling
6:12:04her eyes. We were all here one summer
6:12:06and she wanted to teach herself to
6:12:08paint. She did it for about 2 days
6:12:11before she got bored and decided to
6:12:12start hunting poor creatures instead. A
6:12:16quiet chuckle rasped out of me. I stroed
6:12:19to the table which I'd used as my main
6:12:21surface for blending and organizing
6:12:22paints. And maybe I was a coward, but I
6:12:26kept my back to her as I said. Any news
6:12:29from my sisters? Moore started rifling
6:12:32through the cabinets, either to look for
6:12:34food or assess what I needed, she said
6:12:37over a shoulder. No, not yet. Is he
6:12:43hurt? I'd left him in the freezing mud,
6:12:46injured and working the poison out of
6:12:48his system. I tried not to dwell on it
6:12:51while I'd painted. Still recovering, but
6:12:54fine. Pissed at me, of course, but he
6:12:56can shove it. I combined Moore's yellow
6:12:59gold with the red I'd used for the Yrian
6:13:01wings and blended until vibrant orange
6:13:04emerged.
6:13:06Thank you for not telling him I was
6:13:08here. A shrug. Food began popping onto
6:13:12the counter. Fresh bread, fruit,
6:13:14containers of something that I could
6:13:16smell from across the kitchen and made
6:13:18me nearly groan with hunger. You should
6:13:21talk to him, though. Make him stew over
6:13:23it, of course, but hear him out. She
6:13:27didn't look at me as she spoke. Reys
6:13:30always has his reasons, and he might be
6:13:32arrogant as all hell, but he's usually
6:13:34right about his instincts. He makes
6:13:37mistakes, but you should hear him out.
6:13:41I'd already decided that I would, but I
6:13:43said, "How was your visit to the court
6:13:46of nightmares?" She paused, her face
6:13:49going uncharacteristically pale. Fine.
6:13:52It's always a delight to see my parents,
6:13:54as you might guess.
6:13:56Is your father healing? I added the
6:13:59cobalt of Azriel's siphons to the orange
6:14:01and mixed until a rich brown appeared. A
6:14:04small grim smile. Slowly, I might have
6:14:08snapped some more bones when I visited.
6:14:10My mother has since banished me from
6:14:12their private quarters. Such a shame.
6:14:15Some feral part of me beamed in savage
6:14:17delight at that. A pity indeed, I said.
6:14:21I added a bit of frost white to lighten
6:14:23the brown, checked it against the gaze
6:14:26she slid to me, and grabbed a stool to
6:14:28stand on as I began painting the
6:14:30threshold. "Really makes you do this
6:14:33often, and you're visiting them?" Moore
6:14:36leaned against the counter. "Re gave me
6:14:39permission the day he became high lord
6:14:41to kill them all whenever I pleased. I
6:14:44attend these meetings, go to the court
6:14:46of nightmares to remind them of that
6:14:49sometimes and to keep communication
6:14:51between our two courts flowing, however
6:14:54strained it might be. If I were to march
6:14:56in there tomorrow and slaughter my
6:14:58parents, he wouldn't blink. Perhaps be
6:15:01inconvenienced by it, but he would be
6:15:04pleased. I focused on the speck of
6:15:06caramel brown I painted beside Amron's
6:15:09eyes. I'm sorry for all that you
6:15:12endured. Thank you, she said, coming
6:15:15over to watch me. Visiting them always
6:15:18leaves me raw.
6:15:20Cassian seemed concerned. Another prying
6:15:23question. She shrugged. Cassian, I
6:15:26think, would also savor the opportunity
6:15:29to shred that entire court to pieces,
6:15:31starting with my parents. Maybe I'll let
6:15:34him do it one year as a present. Him and
6:15:36Azriel both. It would make a perfect
6:15:38solstice gift. I asked perhaps a bit too
6:15:42casually.
6:15:44You told me about the time with Cassian,
6:15:46but did you and Azriel ever? A sharp
6:15:49laugh. No, Azriel. After that time with
6:15:53Cassian, I swore off any of Reese's
6:15:55friends. Azreel's got no shortage of
6:15:57lovers, though. Don't worry. He's better
6:16:00at keeping them secret than we are, but
6:16:02he has them.
6:16:04So, if he were ever interested, would
6:16:07you? The issue actually wouldn't be me.
6:16:10It'd be him. I could peel off my clothes
6:16:13right in front of him and he wouldn't
6:16:14move an inch. He might have defied and
6:16:16proved those Yrium pricks wrong at every
6:16:19turn. But it won't matter if Ree makes
6:16:21him prince of Aaris. He'll see himself
6:16:24as a bastard born nobody and not good
6:16:26enough for anyone, especially me.
6:16:30But are you interested? Why are you
6:16:34asking such things? Her voice became
6:16:36tight, sharp, more wary than I'd ever
6:16:39heard. I'm still trying to figure out
6:16:42how you all work together. A snort, that
6:16:45weariness gone. I tried not to look too
6:16:47relieved. We have five centuries of
6:16:50tangled history for you to sort through.
6:16:52Good luck. Indeed. I finished her eyes,
6:16:57honey brown to Amron's quicks, but
6:16:59almost an answer, more declared. Paint
6:17:02Azreel's next to mine and Cassians next
6:17:05to Amrons. I lifted my brows. Moore gave
6:17:09me an innocent smile so we can all watch
6:17:12over you. I just shook my head and
6:17:14hopped off the stool to start figuring
6:17:16out how to paint Hazel eyes. Moore said
6:17:19quietly, "Is it so bad to be his mate?
6:17:23To be a part of our court, our family?
6:17:26Tangled history and all?" I blended the
6:17:28paint in the small dish, the colors
6:17:30swirling together like so many entwined
6:17:33lives.
6:17:35No, I breathed. No, it's not. And I had
6:17:40my answer.
6:17:44Chapter 53.
6:17:47Moore stayed overnight, even going so
6:17:50far as to paint some rudimentary stick
6:17:51figures on the wall beside the storeroom
6:17:53door. three females with absurdly long
6:17:57flowing hair that all resembled hers and
6:17:59three winged males who she somehow
6:18:01managed to make look puffed up on their
6:18:03own sense of importance. I laughed every
6:18:06time I saw it. She left after breakfast,
6:18:10having to walk out to where the no
6:18:12winnowing shield ended, and I waved to
6:18:14her distant shivering figure before she
6:18:17vanished into nothing. I stared across
6:18:19the glittering white expanse, thought
6:18:22enough that bald patches peppered it,
6:18:24revealing bits of winter white grass
6:18:26reaching toward the blue sky and
6:18:28mountains. I knew summer had to
6:18:30eventually reach even this melting
6:18:32dreamland, for I'd found fishing poles
6:18:34and sporting equipment that suggested
6:18:36warm weather usage. But it was hard to
6:18:39imagine snow and ice becoming soft grass
6:18:42and wild flowers.
6:18:44Brief as a glimmering spin drift, I saw
6:18:47myself there, running through the meadow
6:18:49that slumbered beneath the thin crust of
6:18:51snow, splashing through the little
6:18:53streams already littering the floor,
6:18:55feasting on fat summer berries as the
6:18:58sun set over the mountains.
6:19:00And then I would go home to where I
6:19:03would finally walk through the artist's
6:19:05quarter and enter those shops and
6:19:07galleries and learn what they knew. And
6:19:09maybe maybe one day I would open my own
6:19:12shop, not to sell my work, but to teach
6:19:15others. Maybe teach the others who were
6:19:18like me, broken in places and trying to
6:19:21fight it, trying to learn who they were
6:19:23around the dark and pain. And I would go
6:19:26home at the end of every day exhausted,
6:19:29but content, fulfilled,
6:19:31happy. I'd go home every day to the
6:19:34townhouse, to my friends, chalk full of
6:19:37stories of their own days, and we'd sit
6:19:39around that table and eat together. And
6:19:42Reand,
6:19:43Reand,
6:19:45he would be there. He'd give me the
6:19:47money to open my own shop. And because I
6:19:49wouldn't charge anyone, I'd sell my
6:19:51paintings to pay him back. Because I
6:19:54would pay him back, mate or no. And he'd
6:19:57be here during the summer, flying over
6:19:59the meadow, chasing me across the little
6:20:01streams and up the sloped grassy
6:20:03mountainside. He would sit with me under
6:20:06the stars, feeding me fat summer
6:20:08berries. And he would be at that table
6:20:11in the townhouse, roaring with laughter.
6:20:14Never again cold and cruel and solemn.
6:20:17Never again anyone's slave or And
6:20:20at night, at night, we'd go upstairs
6:20:23together, and he would whisper stories
6:20:25of his adventures. And I'd whisper about
6:20:28my day. And
6:20:30And there it was, a future. The future I
6:20:34saw for myself, bright as the sunrise
6:20:36over the Sidra, a direction, and a goal,
6:20:40and an invitation to see what else
6:20:42immortality might offer me. It did not
6:20:44seem so listless, so empty anymore. and
6:20:48I would fight until my last breath to
6:20:50attain it, to defend it. So, I knew what
6:20:54I had to do.
6:20:585 days passed and I painted every room
6:21:00in the cottage. More had winnowed in
6:21:03extra paint before she'd left, along
6:21:05with more food than I could possibly
6:21:07eat. But after 5 days, I was sick of my
6:21:10own thoughts for company, sick of
6:21:12waiting, sick of the thawing, dripping
6:21:15snow. Thankfully, Moore returned that
6:21:18night, banging on the door, thunderous
6:21:20and impatient. I'd taken a bath an hour
6:21:23before, scrubbing off paint in places I
6:21:25hadn't even known it was possible to
6:21:27smear it, and my hair was still drying
6:21:29as I flung open the door to the blast of
6:21:32cool air, but more wasn't leaning
6:21:34against the threshold.
6:21:40Chapter 54.
6:21:43I stared at Ree. He stared at me. His
6:21:46cheeks were tinged pink with cold, his
6:21:49dark hair ruffled, and he honestly
6:21:51looked freezing as he stood there, wings
6:21:53tucked in tight, and I knew that one
6:21:56word from me and he'd go flying off into
6:21:58the crisp night. That if I shut the
6:22:00door, he'd go and not push it. His
6:22:03nostrils flared, sending the paint
6:22:05behind me. But he didn't break his
6:22:07stare, waiting.
6:22:10mate. My mate. This beautiful, strong,
6:22:14selfless male who had sacrificed and
6:22:17wrecked himself for his family, his
6:22:19people, and didn't feel it was enough,
6:22:21that he wasn't enough for anyone. Azrael
6:22:24thought he didn't deserve someone like
6:22:26Moore. And I wondered if Ree, if he
6:22:29somehow felt the same about me. I
6:22:32stepped aside, holding the door open for
6:22:34him. I could have sworn I felt a pulse
6:22:37of kneewobbling relief through the bond.
6:22:40But Reese took in the painting I'd done,
6:22:42gobbling down the bright colors that now
6:22:44made the cottage come alive and said,
6:22:47"You painted us." "I hope you don't
6:22:50mind." He studied the threshold to the
6:22:53bedroom hallway. "Azriel, Moore, Amron,
6:22:57and Cassian," he said, marking the eyes
6:23:00I'd painted. "You do know that one of
6:23:03them is going to paint a mustache under
6:23:04the eyes of whoever pisses them off that
6:23:06day." I clamped my lips to keep the
6:23:09smile in. Oh, more already promised to
6:23:12do that. And what about my eyes? I
6:23:16swallowed. All right, then. No dancing
6:23:19around it. My heart was pounding so
6:23:22wildly I knew he could hear it. I was
6:23:25afraid to paint then. Reese faced me
6:23:28fully. Why? No more games. No more
6:23:32banter. At first because I was so mad at
6:23:35you for not telling me. Then because I
6:23:37was worried I'd like them too much and
6:23:39find that you didn't feel the same. Then
6:23:43because I was scared that if I painted
6:23:44them, I'd start wishing you were here so
6:23:46much that I'd just stare at them all
6:23:48day. And it seemed like a pathetic way
6:23:51to spend my time. A twitch of his lips.
6:23:54Indeed. I glanced at the shut door. You
6:23:58flew here? He nodded. Moore wouldn't
6:24:01tell me where you'd gone, and there are
6:24:03only so many places that are as secure
6:24:05as this one. Since I didn't want our
6:24:08Hibburn friends tracking me to you, I
6:24:10had to do it the old-fashioned way. It
6:24:13took a while.
6:24:15You're better. Healed completely.
6:24:18Quickly, considering the bloodbane,
6:24:21thanks to you. I avoided his stare,
6:24:24turning for the kitchen. You must be
6:24:27hungry. I'll heat something up.
6:24:29restraightened. "You'd make me food."
6:24:34"Heat," I said. "I can't cook." It
6:24:37didn't seem to make a difference. But
6:24:39whatever it was, the act of offering him
6:24:41food. I dumped some cold soup into a pan
6:24:44and lit the burner. "I don't know the
6:24:47rules," I said, my back to him. "So, you
6:24:50need to explain them to me." He lingered
6:24:53in the center of the cabin, watching my
6:24:55every move. he said horarssely. It's an
6:25:00important moment when a female offers
6:25:02her mate food. It goes back to whatever
6:25:05beasts we were a long, long time ago.
6:25:07But it still matters. The first time
6:25:10matters. Some mated pairs will make an
6:25:13occasion of it. Throwing a party just so
6:25:15the female can formally offer her maid
6:25:17food. That's usually done amongst the
6:25:20wealthy, but it means that the female
6:25:23accepts the bond. I stared into the
6:25:26soup. Tell me the story. Tell me
6:25:30everything.
6:25:31He understood my offer. Tell me while I
6:25:34cooked, and I'd decide at the end
6:25:36whether or not to offer him that food. A
6:25:39chair scraped against the wood floor as
6:25:41he sat at the table. For a moment, there
6:25:44was only silence, interrupted by the
6:25:46clack of my spoon against the pot. Then
6:25:49Ree said, "I was captured during the war
6:25:53by Amarantha's army. I paused my
6:25:56stirring, my gut twisting. Cassian and
6:25:59Azreel were in different legions, so
6:26:01they had no idea that my forces and I
6:26:03had been taken prisoner, and that
6:26:06Amarantha's captains held us for weeks,
6:26:08torturing and slaughtering my warriors.
6:26:11They put ashbolts through my wings, and
6:26:14they had those same chains from the
6:26:15other night to keep me down. Those
6:26:18chains are one of H Highburn's greatest
6:26:20assets. Stone delved from deep in their
6:26:23land, capable of nullifying a high
6:26:25powers, even mine. So they chained me up
6:26:29between two trees, beating me when they
6:26:32felt like it, trying to get me to tell
6:26:34them where the night court forces were,
6:26:36using my warriors, their deaths and pain
6:26:39to break me. Only I didn't break, he
6:26:43said roughly. And they were too dumb to
6:26:45know that I was an Olyrian. And all they
6:26:48had to do to get me to yield would have
6:26:49been to try to cut off my wings. And
6:26:52maybe it was luck, but they never did.
6:26:55And Amarantha, she didn't care that I
6:26:58was there. I was yet another High Lord's
6:27:00son, and Jurian had just slaughtered her
6:27:02sister. All she cared about was getting
6:27:05to him, killing him. She had no idea
6:27:08that every second, every breath, I
6:27:11plotted her death. I was willing to make
6:27:13it my last stand to kill her at any
6:27:16cost, even if it meant shredding my
6:27:18wings to break free. I'd watched the
6:27:21guards and learned her schedule, so I
6:27:23knew where she'd be. I set a day and a
6:27:26time, and I was ready. I was so damned
6:27:29ready to make an end of it and wait for
6:27:32Cassian and Azriel and more on the other
6:27:34side. There was nothing but my rage and
6:27:37my relief that my friends weren't there.
6:27:40But the day before I was to kill
6:27:42Amarantha to make my final stand and
6:27:45meet my end. She and Jurion faced each
6:27:48other on the battlefield.
6:27:50He paused, swallowing.
6:27:53I was chained in the mud, forced to
6:27:55watch as they battled, to watch as
6:27:58Jurian took my killing blow. Only she
6:28:01slaughtered him. I watched her rip out
6:28:04his eye, then rip off his finger. And
6:28:06when he was prone, I watched her drag
6:28:08him back to the camp. Then I listened to
6:28:11her slowly over days and days tear him
6:28:14apart. His screaming was endless. She
6:28:19was so focused on torturing him that she
6:28:20didn't detect my father's arrival. In
6:28:23the panic, she killed Jurion rather than
6:28:25see him liberated and fled. So my father
6:28:29rescued me and told his men. Told Azriel
6:28:32to leave the ash spikes in my wings as
6:28:35punishment for getting caught. I was so
6:28:37injured that the healers informed me if
6:28:39I tried to fight before my wings healed,
6:28:42I'd never fly again. So, I was forced to
6:28:45return home to recover while the final
6:28:47battles were waged. They made the treaty
6:28:51and the wall was built. We'd long ago
6:28:53freed our slaves in the night court. We
6:28:56didn't trust the humans to keep our
6:28:57secrets. Not when they bred so quickly
6:29:00and frequently that my forefathers
6:29:02couldn't hold all their minds at once.
6:29:05But our world was changed nonetheless.
6:29:08We were all changed by the war. Cassian
6:29:11and Azriel came back different. I came
6:29:13back different. We came here to this
6:29:16cabin. I was still so injured that they
6:29:19carried me here between them. We were
6:29:21here when the messages arrived about the
6:29:23final terms of the treaty.
6:29:26They stayed with me when I roared at the
6:29:28stars that Amarantha, for all she had
6:29:30done, for every crime committed would go
6:29:33unpunished. That the king of Hibburn
6:29:36would go unpunished. Too much killing
6:29:38had occurred on either side for everyone
6:29:40to be brought to justice. They said even
6:29:43my father gave me an order to let it go,
6:29:45to build toward a future of coexistence.
6:29:49But I never forgave what Amarantha had
6:29:51done to my warriors. And I never forgot
6:29:53it either.
6:29:55Tamlin's father. He was her friend. And
6:29:58when my father slaughtered him, I was so
6:30:00damn smug that perhaps she'd feel an
6:30:02inkling of what I'd felt when she
6:30:04murdered my soldiers.
6:30:06My hands were shaking as I stirred the
6:30:08soup. I'd never known, never thought.
6:30:12When Amaranth returned to these shores
6:30:14centuries later, I still wanted to kill
6:30:17her. The worst part was she didn't even
6:30:20know who I was. didn't even remember
6:30:23that I was the high lord's son that
6:30:24she'd held captive. To her, I was merely
6:30:27the son of the man who had killed her
6:30:29friend. I was just the high lord of the
6:30:31night court. The other high lords were
6:30:34convinced she wanted peace and trade.
6:30:37Only Tamlin mistrusted her. I hated him,
6:30:40but he'd known Amarantha personally, and
6:30:43if he didn't trust her, I knew she
6:30:45hadn't changed.
6:30:47So, I planned to kill her. I told no
6:30:50one, not even Amron. I'd let Amarantha
6:30:53think I was interested in trade, in
6:30:55alliance. I decided I'd go to the party
6:30:58thrown under the mountain, for all the
6:31:00courts to celebrate our trade agreement
6:31:02with Hibburn. And when she was drunk,
6:31:05I'd slip into her mind, make her reveal
6:31:07every lie and crime she'd committed, and
6:31:10then I'd turn her brain to liquid before
6:31:13anyone could react. I was prepared to go
6:31:16to war for it.
6:31:18I turned, leaning against the counter.
6:31:20Ree was looking at his hands as if the
6:31:23story were a book he could read between
6:31:25them. But she thought faster, acted
6:31:29faster. She had been trained against my
6:31:32particular skill set and had extensive
6:31:34mental shields. I was so busy working to
6:31:37tunnel through them that I didn't think
6:31:38about the drink in my hand. I hadn't
6:31:41wanted Cassian or Azriel or anyone else
6:31:44there that night to witness what I was
6:31:46to do. So, no one bothered to sniff my
6:31:48drink. And as I felt my powers being
6:31:51ripped away by that spell she'd put on
6:31:54it at the toast, I flung them out one
6:31:56last time, wiping Aaris, the wards, all
6:32:00that was good from the minds of the
6:32:01court of nightmares, the only ones I'd
6:32:04allowed to come with me. I threw the
6:32:06shield around Valaris, blinding it to my
6:32:08friends so that they had to remain or
6:32:11risk that protection collapsing, and
6:32:13used the last dregs to tell them, mind
6:32:15to mind, what was happening, and to stay
6:32:17away. Within a few seconds, my power
6:32:21belonged wholly to Amaranth.
6:32:24His eyes lifted to mine, haunted, bleak.
6:32:28She slaughtered half the court of
6:32:30nightmares right then and there to prove
6:32:32to me that she could. as vengeance for
6:32:35Tamlin's father. And I knew I knew in
6:32:39that moment there was nothing I wouldn't
6:32:40do to keep her from looking at my court
6:32:42again, from looking too long at who I
6:32:45was and what I loved. So I told myself
6:32:48that it was a new war, a different sort
6:32:50of battle. And that night, when she kept
6:32:54turning her attention to me, I knew what
6:32:57she wanted. I knew it wasn't about
6:32:59me so much as it was about
6:33:01getting revenge at my father's ghost.
6:33:04But if that was what she wanted, then
6:33:06that was what she would get. I made her
6:33:09beg and scream and used my lingering
6:33:12powers to make it so good for her that
6:33:14she wanted more, craved more. I gripped
6:33:18the counter to keep from sliding to the
6:33:19ground. Then she cursed Tamlin, and my
6:33:23other great enemy became the one
6:33:25loophole that might free us all. Every
6:33:28night that I spent with Amarantha, I
6:33:30knew that she was half wondering if I'd
6:33:32try to kill her. I couldn't use my
6:33:34powers to harm her and she had shielded
6:33:36herself against physical attacks. But
6:33:39for 50 years, whenever I was inside her,
6:33:42I'd think about killing her. She had no
6:33:46idea. None. Because I was so good at my
6:33:49job that she thought I enjoyed it, too.
6:33:51So, she began to trust me more than the
6:33:54others. Especially when I proved what I
6:33:56could do to her enemies. But I was glad
6:33:59to do it. I hated myself, but I was glad
6:34:02to do it. After a decade, I stopped
6:34:05expecting to see my friends or my people
6:34:08again. I forgot what their faces looked
6:34:10like, and I stopped hoping.
6:34:14Silver gleamed in his eyes, and he
6:34:16blinked it away.
6:34:183 years ago, he said quietly. I began to
6:34:22have these dreams.
6:34:25At first, they were glimpses, as if I
6:34:27were staring through someone else's
6:34:29eyes. A crackling hearth in a dark home,
6:34:32a bail of hay in a barn, a warren of
6:34:34rabbits. The images were foggy, like
6:34:38looking through cloudy glass. They were
6:34:40brief, a flash here and there every few
6:34:43months. I thought nothing of them until
6:34:46one of the images was of a hand. This
6:34:49beautiful human hand holding a brush,
6:34:53painting flowers on a table. My heart
6:34:57stopped beating. And that time I pushed
6:35:00a thought back of the night sky. Of the
6:35:03image that brought me joy when I needed
6:35:05it most. Open night sky, stars, and the
6:35:09moon. I didn't know if it was received,
6:35:12but I tried anyway. I wasn't sure I was
6:35:16breathing.
6:35:17Those dreams, the flashes of that
6:35:20person, that woman, I treasured them.
6:35:23They were a reminder that there was some
6:35:25peace out there in the world, some
6:35:27light, that there was a place and a
6:35:30person who had enough safety to paint
6:35:32flowers on a table. They went on for
6:35:35years until a year ago. I was sleeping
6:35:40next to Amarantha and I jolted awake
6:35:42from this dream. This dream that was
6:35:44clearer and brighter, like that fog had
6:35:46been wiped away. She You were dreaming.
6:35:51I was in your dream watching as you had
6:35:54a nightmare about some woman slitting
6:35:56your throat while you were chased by the
6:35:58bogey. I couldn't reach you, speak to
6:36:01you, but you were seeing our kind, and I
6:36:04realized that the fog had probably been
6:36:06the wall, and that you you were now in
6:36:10Prththeon.
6:36:12I saw you through your dreams, and I
6:36:14hoarded the images, sorting through them
6:36:16over and over, trying to place where you
6:36:19were, who you were. But you had such
6:36:21horrible nightmares, and the creatures
6:36:23belonged to all courts. I'd wake up with
6:36:26your scent in my nose, and it would
6:36:28haunt me all day, every step. But then
6:36:32one night, you dreamed of standing
6:36:34amongst green hills, seeing unlit
6:36:37bonfires for Kalen May.
6:36:40There was such silence in my head. I
6:36:43knew there was only one celebration that
6:36:45large. I knew those hills, and I knew
6:36:48you'd probably be there. So I told
6:36:50Amarantha
6:36:52Ree swallowed.
6:36:54I told her that I wanted to go to the
6:36:56spring court for the celebration to spy
6:36:58on Tamlin and see if anyone showed up
6:37:01wishing to conspire with him. We were so
6:37:04close to the deadline for the curse that
6:37:06she was paranoid, restless. She told me
6:37:09to bring back traitors. I promised her I
6:37:12would. His eyes lifted to mine again. I
6:37:16got there and I could smell you. So, I
6:37:19tracked that scent and and there you
6:37:22were, human. Utterly human and being
6:37:25dragged away by those piece of
6:37:27picss who wanted to. He shook his head.
6:37:30I debated slaughtering them then and
6:37:33there. But then they shoved you and I
6:37:35just moved. I started speaking without
6:37:38knowing what I was saying, only that you
6:37:41were there and I was touching you. And
6:37:44he loosed a shuddtering breath. There
6:37:46you are. I've been looking for you.
6:37:50His first words to me. Not a lie at all.
6:37:53Not a threat to keep those fairies away.
6:37:56Thank you for finding her for me. I had
6:37:59the vague feeling of the world slipping
6:38:01out from under my feet like sand washing
6:38:04away from the shore.
6:38:06You looked at me, Ree said, and I knew
6:38:09you had no idea who I was. That I might
6:38:12have seen your dreams, but you hadn't
6:38:14seen mine. and you were just human. You
6:38:19were so young and breakable and had no
6:38:21interest in me whatsoever. And I knew
6:38:24that if I stayed too long, someone would
6:38:26see and report back and she'd find you.
6:38:30So, I started walking away, thinking
6:38:32you'd be glad to get rid of me. But then
6:38:35you called after me like you couldn't
6:38:37let go of me just yet, whether you knew
6:38:39it or not. And I knew I knew we were on
6:38:43dangerous ground somehow. I knew that I
6:38:47could never speak to you or see you or
6:38:49think of you again. I didn't want to
6:38:52know why you were in Priththeon. I
6:38:53didn't even want to know your name
6:38:55because seeing you in my dreams had been
6:38:57one thing. But in person,
6:39:00right then, deep down, I think I knew
6:39:04what you were. And I didn't let myself
6:39:06admit it. Because if there was the
6:39:08slightest chance that you were my mate,
6:39:11they would have done such unspeakable
6:39:12things to you, Phyra.
6:39:15So, I let you walk away. I told myself
6:39:18after you were gone that maybe maybe the
6:39:21cauldron had been kind and not cruel for
6:39:24letting me see you just once, a gift for
6:39:28what I was enduring. And when you were
6:39:30gone, I found those three picss. I broke
6:39:33into their minds, reshaping their lives,
6:39:36their histories, and dragged them before
6:39:38Amarantha. I made them confess to
6:39:40conspiring to find other rebels that
6:39:42night. I made them lie and claimed that
6:39:45they hated her. I watched her carve them
6:39:47up while they were still alive,
6:39:49protesting their innocence. I enjoyed it
6:39:53because I knew what they wanted to do to
6:39:55you. And I knew that it would have pald
6:39:57in comparison to what Amarantha would
6:39:59have done if she'd found you.
6:40:02I wrapped a hand around my throat. I had
6:40:05my reasons to be out then. He'd once
6:40:08said to me under the mountain, "Do not
6:40:11think, Fra, that it did not cost me."
6:40:15Ree kept staring at the table as he
6:40:17said, "I didn't know that you were with
6:40:20Tamlin, that you were staying at the
6:40:23spring court. Amarantha sent me that day
6:40:26after the summer solstice because I'd
6:40:27been so successful on Kalen May. I was
6:40:31prepared to mock him, maybe pick a
6:40:33fight, but then I got into that room,
6:40:36and the scent was familiar, but hidden.
6:40:38And then I saw the plate and felt the
6:40:40glamour. And there you were, living in
6:40:44my second most enemy's house, dining
6:40:46with him, wreaking of his scent, looking
6:40:49at him like like you loved him. The
6:40:53whites of his knuckles showed,
6:40:55and I decided that I had to scare
6:40:57Tamlin. I had to scare you and Lucian,
6:41:00but mostly Tamlin because I saw how he
6:41:03looked at you too. So what I did that
6:41:06day, his lips were pale, tight. I broke
6:41:11into your mind and held it enough that
6:41:13you felt it that it terrified you, hurt
6:41:16you. I made Tamlin beg as Amarantha had
6:41:20made me beg to show him how powerless he
6:41:22was to save you. And I prayed my
6:41:25performance was enough to get him to
6:41:26send you away, back to the human realm,
6:41:29away from Amarantha. Because she was
6:41:32going to find you. If you broke that
6:41:34curse, she was going to find you and
6:41:36kill you. But I was so selfish. I was so
6:41:40stupidly selfish that I couldn't walk
6:41:42away without knowing your name. And you
6:41:45were looking at me like I was a monster.
6:41:47So I told myself it didn't matter
6:41:49anyway. But you lied when I asked. I
6:41:53knew you did. I had your mind in my
6:41:56hands and you had the defiance and
6:41:58foresight to lie to my face. So, I
6:42:01walked away from you again. I vomited my
6:42:04guts up as soon as I left. My lips
6:42:07wobbled and I pressed them together.
6:42:10I checked back once to ensure you were
6:42:13gone. I went with them the day they
6:42:15sacked the manor to make my performance
6:42:17complete. I told Amarantha the name of
6:42:20that girl, thinking you'd invented it. I
6:42:23had no idea.
6:42:25I had no idea she'd send her cronies to
6:42:27retrieve Clare. But if I admitted my
6:42:30lie, he swallowed hard. I broke into
6:42:34Clare's head when they brought her under
6:42:35the mountain. I took away her pain and
6:42:38told her to scream when expected to. So
6:42:41they they did those things to her, and I
6:42:44tried to make it right. But after a
6:42:47week, I couldn't let them do it, hurt
6:42:49her like that anymore. So while they
6:42:52tortured her, I slipped into her mind
6:42:54again and ended it. She didn't feel any
6:42:58pain. She felt none of what they did to
6:43:00her. Even at the end, but
6:43:04I still see her and my men and the
6:43:07others that I killed for Amarantha.
6:43:10Two tears slid down his cheeks, swift
6:43:13and cold. He didn't wipe them away as he
6:43:16said. I thought it was done after that.
6:43:20With Clare's death, Amarantha believed
6:43:22you were dead. So, you were safe and far
6:43:25away and my people were safe. And Tamlin
6:43:27had lost. So, it was done. We were done.
6:43:32But then, I was in the back of the
6:43:35throne room that day the Adore brought
6:43:37you in. And I have never known such
6:43:39horror, Fyra, as I did when I watched
6:43:42you make that bargain. irrational,
6:43:44stupid terror. I didn't know you. I
6:43:48didn't even know your name. But I
6:43:50thought of those painters hands, the
6:43:52flowers I'd seen you create, and how
6:43:54she'd delight in breaking your fingers
6:43:56apart. I had to stand and watch as the
6:43:59Ador and its cronies beat you. I had to
6:44:02watch the disgust and hatred on your
6:44:03face as you looked at me, watched me
6:44:05threaten to shatter Lucian's mind. And
6:44:08then, then I learned your name. Hearing
6:44:12you say it, it was like an answer to a
6:44:15question I'd been asking for 500 years.
6:44:19I decided then and there that I was
6:44:21going to fight and I would fight dirty
6:44:24and kill and torture and manipulate. But
6:44:27I was going to fight. If there was a
6:44:29shot of freeing us from Amarantha, you
6:44:32were it. I thought I thought the
6:44:35cauldron had been sending me these
6:44:36dreams to tell me that you would be the
6:44:38one to save us. Save my people. So, I
6:44:41watched your first trial, pretending,
6:44:44always pretending to be the person you
6:44:46hated. When you were hurt so badly
6:44:49against the worm, I found my way in with
6:44:52you. A way to defy Amarantha, to spread
6:44:55the seeds of hope to those who knew how
6:44:57to read the message, and a way to keep
6:44:59you alive without seeming too
6:45:01suspicious. And a way to get back at
6:45:03Tamlin, to use him against Amarantha,
6:45:06yes, but to get back at him for my
6:45:09mother and sister and for having you.
6:45:13When we made that bargain, you were so
6:45:15hateful that I knew I'd done my job
6:45:17well. So, we endured it. I made you
6:45:21dress like that so Amarantha wouldn't
6:45:23suspect, and made you drink the wine so
6:45:25you would not remember the nightly
6:45:27horrors in that mountain. And that last
6:45:29night when I found you two in the hall,
6:45:33I was jealous. I was jealous of him and
6:45:36pissed off that he'd used that one shot
6:45:38of being unnoticed not to get you out,
6:45:40but to be with you. And Amarantha saw
6:45:44that jealousy. She saw me kissing you to
6:45:47hide the evidence. But she saw why. For
6:45:50the first time, she saw why. So that
6:45:53night after I left you, I had to service
6:45:57her. She kept me there longer than
6:46:00usual, trying to squeeze the answers out
6:46:02of me. But I gave her what she wanted to
6:46:05hear. That you were nothing. That you
6:46:07were human garbage. That I'd use and
6:46:10discard you. Afterward, I wanted to see
6:46:13you one last time alone. I thought about
6:46:18telling you everything, but who I'd
6:46:20become, who you thought I was. I didn't
6:46:23dare shatter that deception.
6:46:26But your final trial came, and when she
6:46:29started torturing you, something snapped
6:46:31in a way I couldn't explain. Only that
6:46:34seeing you bleeding and screaming undid
6:46:36me. It broke me at last. And I knew as I
6:46:40picked up that knife to kill her. I knew
6:46:43right then what you were. I knew that
6:46:46you were my mate and you were in love
6:46:48with another male and had destroyed
6:46:50yourself to save him. and that that I
6:46:53didn't care. If you were going to die, I
6:46:56was going to die with you. I couldn't
6:46:58stop thinking it over and over as you
6:47:00screamed, as I tried to kill her. You
6:47:03were my mate. My mate, my mate. But then
6:47:07she snapped your neck. Tears rolled down
6:47:10his face and I felt you die, he
6:47:14whispered. Tears were sliding down my
6:47:17own cheeks. And this beautiful,
6:47:19wonderful thing that had come into my
6:47:21life, this gift from the cauldron, it
6:47:24was gone. In my desperation, I clung to
6:47:28that bond. Not the bargain. The bargain
6:47:31was nothing. The bargain was like a
6:47:33cobweb. But I grabbed that bond between
6:47:36us, and I tugged. I willed you to hold
6:47:38on, to stay with me. Because if we could
6:47:41get free, if we could get free, then all
6:47:43seven of us were there. We could bring
6:47:45you back. And I didn't care if I had to
6:47:48slice into all of their minds to do it.
6:47:50I'd make them save you. His hands were
6:47:53shaking. You'd freed us with your last
6:47:56breath and my power. I wrapped my power
6:47:59around the bond. The mating bond. I
6:48:02could feel you flickering there, holding
6:48:04on.
6:48:06Home. Home had been at the end of the
6:48:09bond. I'd told the bone carver. Not
6:48:11Tamlin, not the Spring Court, but Reand.
6:48:16So Amarantha died, and I spoke to the
6:48:19High Lord's mind to mind, convincing
6:48:22them to come forward to offer that spark
6:48:24of power. None of them disagreed. I
6:48:27think they were too stunned to think of
6:48:29saying no. And I again had to watch as
6:48:33Tamlin held you, kissed you. I wanted to
6:48:37go home to Valaris, but I had to stay to
6:48:40make sure things were set in motion,
6:48:42that you were all right. So, I waited as
6:48:44long as I could. Then, I sent a tug
6:48:47through the bond. Then, you came to find
6:48:50me. I almost told you then, but you were
6:48:54so sad and tired. And for once, you
6:48:58looked at me like like I was worth
6:49:00something. So, I promised myself that
6:49:03the next time I saw you, I'd free you of
6:49:06the bargain because I was selfish and
6:49:08knew that if I let go right then, he'd
6:49:11lock you up and I'd never get to see you
6:49:13again. When I went to leave you, I think
6:49:17transforming you into Fay made the bond
6:49:19lock into place permanently. I'd known
6:49:21it existed, but it hit me then. Hit me
6:49:25so strong that I panicked. I knew if I
6:49:27stayed a second longer, I'd damn the
6:49:30consequences and take you with me and
6:49:32you'd hate me forever.
6:49:35I landed at the night court right as
6:49:37Moore was waiting for me. And I was so
6:49:39frantic, so unhinged that I told her
6:49:43everything. I hadn't seen her in 50
6:49:45years. And my first words to her were,
6:49:47"She's my mate." And for 3 months, for 3
6:49:51months, I tried to convince myself that
6:49:53you were better off without me. I tried
6:49:55to convince myself that everything I'd
6:49:57done had made you hate me. But I felt
6:50:01you through the bond, through your open
6:50:03mental shields. I felt your pain and
6:50:06sadness and loneliness. I felt you
6:50:09struggling to escape the darkness of
6:50:11Amarantha the same way I was. I heard
6:50:14you were going to marry him, and I told
6:50:17myself you were happy. I should let you
6:50:19be happy, even if it killed me. Even if
6:50:22you were my mate, you'd earned that
6:50:24happiness.
6:50:26The day of your wedding, I planned to
6:50:28get riproing drunk with Cassian, who had
6:50:31no idea why. But but then I felt you
6:50:34again. I felt your panic and despair and
6:50:38heard you beg someone, anyone, to save
6:50:40you. I lost it. I winnowed to the
6:50:44wedding and barely remembered who I was
6:50:45supposed to be, the part I was supposed
6:50:47to play. All I could see was you in your
6:50:50stupid wedding dress. So thin. So so
6:50:54thin and pale. And I wanted to kill him
6:50:57for it. But I had to get you out. Had to
6:51:00call in that bargain just once to get
6:51:02you away. To see if you were all right.
6:51:06Reese looked up at me, eyes desolate.
6:51:09It killed me, Pharaoh, to send you back.
6:51:12To see you waste away month by month. It
6:51:15killed me to know he was sharing your
6:51:17bed. Not just because you were my mate,
6:51:20but because I He glanced down, then up
6:51:23at me again. I knew. I knew I was in
6:51:28love with you that moment I picked up
6:51:29the knife to kill Amaranth.
6:51:32When you finally came here, I decided I
6:51:36wouldn't tell you any of it. I wouldn't
6:51:38let you out of the bargain because your
6:51:40hatred was better than facing the two
6:51:42alternatives. that you felt nothing for
6:51:45me or that you you might feel something
6:51:48similar. And if I let myself love you,
6:51:51you would be taken from me. The way my
6:51:54family was, the way my friends were. So
6:51:57I didn't tell you. I watched as you
6:52:00faded away until that day. That day he
6:52:04locked you up. I would have killed him
6:52:06if he'd been there. But I broke some
6:52:08very, very fundamental rules in taking
6:52:11you away. Amron said if I got you to
6:52:14admit that we were mates, it would keep
6:52:16any trouble from our door. But I
6:52:18couldn't force the bond on you. I
6:52:21couldn't try to seduce you into
6:52:22accepting the bond either. Even if it
6:52:25gave Tamlin license to wage war on me.
6:52:28You had been through so much already. I
6:52:31didn't want you to think that everything
6:52:32I did was to win you, just to keep my
6:52:34lands safe. But I couldn't I couldn't
6:52:38stop being around you and loving you and
6:52:40wanting you. I still can't stay away. He
6:52:44leaned back, loosing a long breath.
6:52:48Slowly, I turned around to where the
6:52:50soup was now boiling and ladled it into
6:52:53a bowl. He watched every step I took to
6:52:56the table, the steaming bowl in my
6:52:58hands. I stopped before him, staring
6:53:01down, and I said, "You love me?" Ree
6:53:06nodded, and I wondered if love was too
6:53:09weak a word for what he felt, what he'd
6:53:11done for me, for what I felt for him. I
6:53:14set the bowl down before him. Then eat.
6:53:22Chapter 55.
6:53:25I watched him consume every spoonful,
6:53:27his eyes darting between where I stood
6:53:30and the soup. When he was done, he set
6:53:33down his spoon.
6:53:35Aren't you going to say anything?" he
6:53:37said at last. "I was going to tell you
6:53:40what I'd decided the moment I saw you on
6:53:42the threshold." Reese twisted in his
6:53:45seat toward me. "And now,
6:53:49aware of every breath, every movement, I
6:53:52sat in his lap, his hands gently braced
6:53:55my hips as I studied his face. And now I
6:53:58want you to know, Reand, that I love
6:54:01you. I want you to know." His lips
6:54:04trembled and I brushed away the tear
6:54:06that escaped down his cheek. I want you
6:54:09to know, I whispered, that I am broken
6:54:12and healing, but every piece of my heart
6:54:15belongs to you. And I am honored,
6:54:18honored to be your mate. His arms
6:54:21wrapped around me, and he pressed his
6:54:22forehead to my shoulder, his body
6:54:25shaking. I stroked a hand through his
6:54:27silken hair. "I love you," I said again.
6:54:30I hadn't dared say the words in my head,
6:54:33and I'd endure every second of it over
6:54:35again so I could find you. And if war
6:54:38comes, we'll face it together. I won't
6:54:41let them take me from you, and I won't
6:54:43let them take you from me either." Ree
6:54:47looked up, his face gleaming with tears.
6:54:49He went still as I leaned in, kissing
6:54:52away one tear, then the other, as he had
6:54:55once kissed away mine. When my lips were
6:54:58wet and salty with them, I pulled back
6:55:00far enough to see his eyes. "You're
6:55:03mine," I breathed. His body shuddered
6:55:06with what might have been a sobb, but
6:55:08his lips found my own. It was gentle,
6:55:12soft, the kiss he might have given me if
6:55:14we'd been granted time and peace to meet
6:55:16across our two separate worlds, to court
6:55:19each other. I slid my arms around his
6:55:22shoulders, opening my mouth to him, and
6:55:24his tongue slipped in, caressing my own.
6:55:27Mate, my mate. He hardened against me,
6:55:32and I groaned into his mouth. The sound
6:55:34snapped whatever leash he'd had on
6:55:36himself, and Reand scooped me up in a
6:55:39smooth movement before laying me flat on
6:55:41the table, amongst and on top of all the
6:55:44paints. He deepened the kiss and I
6:55:47wrapped my legs around his back, hooking
6:55:49him closer. He tore his lips from my
6:55:52mouth to my neck, where he dragged his
6:55:54teeth and tongue down my skin as his
6:55:57hands slid under my sweater and went up,
6:55:59up to cup my breasts. I arched into the
6:56:02touch and lifted my arms as he peeled
6:56:05away my sweater in one easy motion. Ree
6:56:08pulled back to survey me, my body naked
6:56:11from the waist up. Paint soaked into my
6:56:14hair, my arms, but all I could think of
6:56:17was his mouth as it lowered to my breast
6:56:19and sucked, his tongue flicking against
6:56:22my nipple. I plunged my fingers into his
6:56:25hair, and he braced a hand beside my
6:56:27head, smack at top a pallet of paint. He
6:56:30let out a low laugh, and I watched,
6:56:33breathless, as he took that hand and
6:56:35traced a circle around my breast, then
6:56:37lower until he painted a downward arrow
6:56:40beneath my belly button. Lest you forget
6:56:43where this is going to end," he said. I
6:56:46snarled at him, a silent order, and he
6:56:49laughed again, his mouth finding my
6:56:51other breast. He ground his hips against
6:56:54me, teasing, teasing me so horribly that
6:56:57I had to touch him. Had to just feel
6:56:59more of him. There was paint all over my
6:57:02hands, my arms, but I didn't care. As I
6:57:05grabbed at his clothes, he shifted
6:57:07enough to let me remove them. weapons
6:57:09and leather thudding to the ground,
6:57:12revealing that beautiful tattooed body,
6:57:14the powerful muscles and wings now
6:57:16peeking above them. My mate, my mate.
6:57:20His mouth crashed into mine, his bare
6:57:23skin so warm against my own, and I
6:57:25gripped his face, smearing paint there,
6:57:28too, smearing it in his hair until great
6:57:31streaks of blue and red and green ran
6:57:33through it. His hands found my waist,
6:57:36and I bucked my hips off the table to
6:57:38help him remove my socks, my leggings.
6:57:41Reese pulled back again, and I let out a
6:57:43bark of protest that choked off into a
6:57:46gasp as he gripped my thighs and yanked
6:57:48me to the edge of the table, threw
6:57:50paints and brushes and cups of water,
6:57:53hooked my legs over his shoulders to
6:57:55rest on either side of those beautiful
6:57:57wings, and knelt before me. knelt on
6:58:01those stars and mountains inked on his
6:58:03knees. He would bow for no one and
6:58:06nothing but his mate, his equal. The
6:58:10first lick of Rean's tongue set me on
6:58:12fire. I want you spled out on the table
6:58:15like my own personal feast. He growled
6:58:18his approval at my moan, my taste, and
6:58:21unleashed himself on me entirely. a hand
6:58:24pinning my hips to the table, he worked
6:58:26me in great sweeping strokes, and when
6:58:29his tongue slid inside me, I reached up
6:58:31to grip the edge of the table, to grip
6:58:33the edge of the world that I was very
6:58:35near to falling off. He licked and
6:58:38kissed his way to the apex of my thighs,
6:58:41just as his fingers replaced where his
6:58:43mouth had been, pumping inside me as he
6:58:45sucked, his teeth scraping ever so
6:58:48slightly. I bowed off the table as my
6:58:51climax shattered through me, splintering
6:58:53my consciousness into a million pieces.
6:58:56He kept licking me, fingers still
6:58:58moving. Ree, I rasped. Now I wanted him
6:59:03now, but he remained kneeling, feasting
6:59:06on me, that hand pinning me to the
6:59:08table. I went over the edge again, and
6:59:11only when I was trembling, half sobbing,
6:59:13limp with pleasure, did Ree rise from
6:59:16the floor. He looked me over, naked,
6:59:19covered in paint, his own face and body
6:59:22smeared with it, and gave me a slow,
6:59:24satisfied male smile. "You're mine," he
6:59:28snarled and hefted me up into his arms.
6:59:31"I wanted the wall. I wanted him to just
6:59:34take me against the wall, but he carried
6:59:36me into the room I'd been using and set
6:59:38me down on the bed with heartbreaking
6:59:40gentleness." Holy naked, I watched as he
6:59:44unbuttoned his pants, and the
6:59:45considerable length of him sprang free.
6:59:48My mouth went dry at the sight of it. I
6:59:51wanted him, wanted every glorious inch
6:59:53of him in me, wanted to claw at him
6:59:56until our souls were forged together. He
6:59:59didn't say anything as he came over me,
7:00:01wings tucked in tight. He'd never gone
7:00:03to bed with a female while his wings
7:00:05were out, but I was his mate. He would
7:00:08yield only for me, and I wanted to touch
7:00:11him. I leaned up, reaching over his
7:00:14shoulder to caress the powerful curve of
7:00:16his wing. Ree shuddered, and I watched
7:00:19his twitch. "Play later," he
7:00:22groaned out. "Indeed." His mouth found
7:00:25mine, the kiss open and deep, a clash of
7:00:28tongues and teeth. He lay me down on the
7:00:31pillows, and I locked my legs around his
7:00:34back, careful of the wings. though I
7:00:36stopped caring as he nudged at my
7:00:38entrance and paused.
7:00:41Play later. I snarled into his mouth.
7:00:44Reese laughed in a way that skittered
7:00:46along my bones and slid in and in and
7:00:50in. I could hardly breathe, hardly think
7:00:53beyond where our bodies were joined. He
7:00:55stilled inside me, letting me adjust,
7:00:58and I opened my eyes to find him staring
7:01:00down at me. "Say it again," he murmured.
7:01:04I knew what he meant. "You're mine," I
7:01:08breathed. Ree pulled out slightly and
7:01:10thrust back in slow. So torturously
7:01:13slow. "You're mine," I gasped out again.
7:01:17He pulled out, then thrust in. "You're
7:01:20mine." Again, faster, deeper this time.
7:01:24I felt it then. The bond between us like
7:01:27an unbreakable chain, like an undimable
7:01:29ray of light. With each pounding stroke,
7:01:32the bond glowed clearer and brighter and
7:01:35stronger. "You're mine," I whispered,
7:01:38dragging my hands through his hair, down
7:01:40his back, across his wings. My friend
7:01:44through many daggers, my lover, who had
7:01:46healed my broken and weary soul, my
7:01:49mate, who had waited for me against all
7:01:51hope despite all odds. I moved my hips
7:01:55in time with his. He kissed me over and
7:01:58over, and both of our faces turned damp.
7:02:00Every inch of me burned and tightened,
7:02:03and my control slipped entirely as he
7:02:05whispered, "I love you." Release tore
7:02:08through my body, and he pounded into me
7:02:11hard and fast, drawing out my pleasure
7:02:13until I felt and saw and smelled that
7:02:16bond between us, until our sense merged,
7:02:19and I was his and he was mine, and we
7:02:22were the beginning and middle and end.
7:02:24We were a song that had been sung from
7:02:26the very first ember of light in the
7:02:28world. Ree roared as he came, slamming
7:02:32into the hilt. Outside, the mountains
7:02:35trembled, the remaining snow rushing
7:02:37from them in a cascade of glittering
7:02:39white, only to be swallowed up by the
7:02:41waiting night below. Silence fell,
7:02:44interrupted only by our panting breaths.
7:02:47I took his paint smeared face between my
7:02:50own colorful hands and made him look at
7:02:52me. His eyes were radiant like the stars
7:02:56I'd painted once long ago. And I smiled
7:02:59at Ree as I let that mating bond shine
7:03:02clear and luminous between us.
7:03:07"I don't know how long we lay there,"
7:03:09lazily touching each other, as if we
7:03:12might indeed have all the time in the
7:03:14world. "I think I fell in love with
7:03:16you," Ree murmured, stroking a finger
7:03:19down my arm. The moment I realized you
7:03:22were cleaving those bones to make a trap
7:03:24for the midden guard worm. Or maybe the
7:03:27moment you flipped me off for mocking
7:03:29you. It reminded me so much of Cassian.
7:03:32For the first time in decades, I wanted
7:03:35to laugh.
7:03:37You fell in love with me? I said flatly.
7:03:40Because I reminded you of your friend,
7:03:42he flicked my nose. I fell in love with
7:03:45you, smartass. Because you were one of
7:03:47us. Because you weren't afraid of me.
7:03:50And you decided to end your spectacular
7:03:52victory by throwing that piece of bone
7:03:54at Amarantha like a javelin. I felt
7:03:57Cassian's spirit beside me in that
7:03:59moment and could have sworn I heard him
7:04:01say, "If you don't marry her, you stupid
7:04:04prick. I will." I have to laugh, sliding
7:04:07my paint covered hand over his tattooed
7:04:10chest. Paint, right? We were both
7:04:13covered in it. So was the bed. Reheed my
7:04:17eyes and gave me a grin that was
7:04:19positively wicked.
7:04:21How convenient that the bathtub is large
7:04:23enough for two. My blood heated and I
7:04:26rose from the bed only to have him move
7:04:28faster, scooping me up in his arms. He
7:04:32was splattered with paint, his hair
7:04:34crusted with it and his poor beautiful
7:04:36wings. Those were my handprints on them.
7:04:40Naked, he carried me into the bath where
7:04:42the water was already running. the magic
7:04:44of this cabin acting on our behalf. He
7:04:48stroed down the steps into the water,
7:04:50his hiss of pleasure a brush of air
7:04:52against my ear, and I might have moaned
7:04:54a little myself when the hot water hit
7:04:57me as he sat us both down in the tub. A
7:05:00basket of soaps and oils appeared along
7:05:02the stone rim, and I pushed off him to
7:05:04sink further beneath the surface. The
7:05:07steam wafted between us and Reese picked
7:05:10up a bar of that pine tar smelling soap
7:05:12and handed it to me, then passed a wash
7:05:15rag. Someone, it seems, got my wings
7:05:17dirty. My face heated, but my gut
7:05:20tightened. Ayrian males in their wings,
7:05:23so sensitive. I twirled my finger to
7:05:26motion him to turn around. He obeyed,
7:05:29spreading those magnificent wings enough
7:05:31for me to find the paint stains.
7:05:34carefully. So carefully, I soaked up the
7:05:37washcloth and began wiping the red and
7:05:39blue and purple away. The candle light
7:05:42danced over his countless faint scars,
7:05:45nearly invisible, saved for harder bits
7:05:47of membrane. He shuddered with each
7:05:50pass, hands braced on the lip of the
7:05:52tub. I peeked over his shoulder to see
7:05:54the evidence of that sensitivity, and
7:05:56said, "At least the rumors about
7:05:58wingspan correlating with the size of
7:06:00other parts were right." His back
7:06:03muscles tensed as he choked on a laugh.
7:06:06Such a dirty, wicked mouth. I thought of
7:06:08all the places I wanted to put that
7:06:10mouth and blushed a bit. I think I was
7:06:13falling in love with you for a while, I
7:06:16said, the words barely audible over the
7:06:18trickle of water as I washed his
7:06:20beautiful wings. But I knew on Starfall,
7:06:23or came close to knowing and was so
7:06:25scared of it that I didn't want to look
7:06:27closer. I was a coward. You had
7:06:31perfectly good reasons to avoid it.
7:06:33>> No, I didn't. Maybe thanks to Tamlin.
7:06:37Yes. But it had nothing to do with you,
7:06:39Ree. Nothing to do with you. I was never
7:06:42afraid of the consequences of being with
7:06:44you, even if every assassin in the world
7:06:47hunts us. It's worth it. You are worth
7:06:51it. His head dipped a bit, and he said
7:06:54horarssely, "Thank you."
7:06:57My heart broke for him then, for the
7:06:59years he'd spent thinking the opposite.
7:07:02I kissed his bare neck, and he reached
7:07:04back to drag a finger down my cheek. I
7:07:07finished the wings and gripped his
7:07:09shoulder to turn him to face me.
7:07:12What now? Wordlessly, he took the soap
7:07:15from my hands and turned me, rubbing
7:07:17down my back, scrubbing lightly with the
7:07:20cloth. It's up to you, Ree said. We can
7:07:24go back to Aaris and have the bond
7:07:26verified by a priestess. No one like
7:07:28Ianthy, I promise. And be declared
7:07:31officially mated. We could have a small
7:07:33party to celebrate dinner with our
7:07:36cohorts. Unless you'd rather have a
7:07:39large party, though I think you and I
7:07:41are in agreement about our aversion for
7:07:43them. His strong hands needed muscles
7:07:45that were tight and aching in my back,
7:07:48and I groaned. We could also go before a
7:07:51priestess and be declared husband and
7:07:53wife as well as mates if you want a more
7:07:55human thing to call me. What will you
7:07:59call me mate? He said though also
7:08:02calling you my wife sounds mighty
7:08:04appealing too. His thumbs massaged the
7:08:07column of my spine. Or if you want to
7:08:10wait, we can do none of those things.
7:08:12We're mated. Whether it's shouted across
7:08:15the world or not, there's no rush to
7:08:17decide.
7:08:19I turned. I was asking about Jurian, the
7:08:22king, the queens, and the cauldron, but
7:08:24I'm glad to know I have so many options
7:08:26where our relationship stands, and that
7:08:29you'll do whatever I want. I must have
7:08:31you completely wrapped around my finger.
7:08:34His eyes danced with feline amusement.
7:08:37Cruel, beautiful thing. I snorted, the
7:08:40idea that he found me beautiful at all.
7:08:43You are, he said. You're the most
7:08:45beautiful thing I've ever seen. I
7:08:48thought that from the first moment I saw
7:08:49you on Kalen May. And it was stupid.
7:08:53Stupid for beauty to mean anything at
7:08:55all, but my eyes burned. Which is good,
7:08:59he added. Because you thought I was the
7:09:02most beautiful male you'd ever seen, so
7:09:04it makes us even. I scowlled and he
7:09:07laughed, hands sliding to grip my waist
7:09:09and tug me to him. He sat down on the
7:09:12built-in bench of the tub, and I
7:09:14straddled him, idally stroking his
7:09:16muscled arms. "Tomorrow," reset,
7:09:20features becoming grave. "We're leaving
7:09:23tomorrow for your family's estate." The
7:09:25queen sent word. "They return in 3
7:09:28days." "I started." "You're telling me
7:09:31this now?" "I got sidetracked," he said,
7:09:34his eyes twinkling. And the light in
7:09:37those eyes, the quiet joy, they knocked
7:09:40the breath from me. A future. We would
7:09:43have a future together. I would have a
7:09:45future. A life. His smile faded into
7:09:49something odd, something reverent. And I
7:09:53reached out to cup his face in my hands,
7:09:55to find my skin glowing faintly, as if
7:09:59some inner light shone beneath my skin,
7:10:01leaking out into the world. warm and
7:10:04white light like the sun, like a star.
7:10:08Those wonderfilled eyes met mine, and
7:10:10Ree ran a finger down my arm. Well, at
7:10:13least now I can gloat that I literally
7:10:15make my mate glow with happiness. I
7:10:18laughed and the glow flared a little
7:10:20brighter. He leaned in, kissing me
7:10:22softly, and I melted for him, wrapping
7:10:25my arms around his neck. He was rock
7:10:28hard against me, pushing against where I
7:10:30sat, poised right above him. All it
7:10:33would take would be one smooth motion
7:10:35and he'd be inside me. But Reese stood
7:10:38from the water, both of us dripping wet,
7:10:40and I hooked my legs around him as he
7:10:42walked us back into the bedroom. The
7:10:44sheets had been changed by the domestic
7:10:46magic of the house, and they were warm
7:10:48and smooth against my naked body, as he
7:10:51sat me down and stared at me. "Shining?
7:10:55I was shining bright and pure as a
7:10:57star." "Daycourt," I asked. I don't
7:11:01care, he said roughly, and removed the
7:11:04glamour from himself. It was a small
7:11:06magic, he'd once told me, to keep the
7:11:09damper on who he was, what his power
7:11:11looked like. As the full majesty of him
7:11:14was unleashed, he filled the room, the
7:11:16world, my soul with glittering ebony
7:11:19power. Stars and wind and shadows, peace
7:11:23and dreams, and the honed edge of
7:11:25nightmares. Darkness rippled from him
7:11:27like tendrils of steam as he reached out
7:11:29a hand and laid it flat against the
7:11:31glowing skin of my stomach. That hand of
7:11:34night spled, the light leaking through
7:11:36the wafting shadows, and I hoisted
7:11:39myself up on my elbows to kiss him.
7:11:42Smoke and mist and dew. I moaned at the
7:11:45taste of him, and he opened his mouth
7:11:47for me, letting me brush my tongue
7:11:49against his, scrape it against his
7:11:52teeth. Everything he was had been laid
7:11:54before me. One final question. I wanted
7:11:58it all. I gripped his shoulders, guiding
7:12:01him onto the bed, and when he lay flat
7:12:03on his back, I saw the flash of protest
7:12:05at the pinned wings, but I cruned,
7:12:08"Eyrian baby!" and ran my hands down his
7:12:11muscled abdomen farther. He stopped
7:12:14objecting. He was enormous in my hand,
7:12:17so hard yet so silken that I just ran a
7:12:20finger down him in wonder. He hissed,
7:12:23twitching as I brushed my thumb
7:12:25over the tip. I smirked as I did it
7:12:27again. He reached for me, but I froze
7:12:30him with a look. My turn, I told him.
7:12:34Reys gave me a lazy male smile before he
7:12:37settled back, tucking a hand behind his
7:12:39head, waiting. Cocky bastard. So, I
7:12:43leaned down and put my mouth on him. He
7:12:46jerked at the contact with a barked
7:12:48and I laughed around him, even as
7:12:50I took him deeper into my mouth. His
7:12:53hands were now fisted in the sheets,
7:12:55white knuckled as I slid my tongue over
7:12:58him, grazing slightly with my teeth. His
7:13:01groan was fire to my blood. Honestly, I
7:13:04was surprised he waited the full minute
7:13:06before interrupting me. Pouncing was a
7:13:09better word for what Ree did. One second
7:13:11he was in my mouth, my tongue flicking
7:13:14over the broad head of him. The next his
7:13:17hands were on my waist and I was being
7:13:19flipped onto my front. He nudged my legs
7:13:21apart with his knees, spreading me as he
7:13:24gripped my hips, tugging them up, up
7:13:27before he sheathed himself deep in me
7:13:29with a single stroke. I moaned into the
7:13:32pillow at every glorious inch of him,
7:13:34rising onto my forearms as my fingers
7:13:36grappled into the sheets. Ree pulled out
7:13:39and plunged back in, eternity exploding
7:13:42around me in that instant, and I thought
7:13:45I might break apart from not being able
7:13:47to get enough of him. "Look at you," he
7:13:50murmured as he moved in me and kissed
7:13:52the length of my spine. I managed to
7:13:55rise up enough to see where we were
7:13:56joined, to see the sunlight shimmer off
7:13:59me against the rippling night of him,
7:14:01merging and blending, enriching, and the
7:14:04sight of it wrecked me so thoroughly
7:14:06that I climaxed with his name on my
7:14:08lips. Ree hauled me up against him, one
7:14:11hand cupping my breast as the other
7:14:13rolled and stroked that bundle of nerves
7:14:15between my legs. And I couldn't tell
7:14:17where one climax ended and the second
7:14:19began as he thrust in again and again.
7:14:23His lips on my neck, on my ear. I could
7:14:26die from this, I decided from wanting
7:14:29him, from the pleasure of being with
7:14:30him. He twisted us, pulling out only
7:14:33long enough to lie on his back and haul
7:14:35me over him. There was a glimmer in the
7:14:38darkness, a flash of lingering pain, a
7:14:41scar, and I understood why he wanted me
7:14:44like this, wanted to end it like this,
7:14:47with me a stride him. It broke my heart.
7:14:50I leaned forward to kiss him softly,
7:14:53tenderly. As our mouths met, I slid onto
7:14:56him, the fit so much deeper, and he
7:14:59murmured my name into my mouth. I kissed
7:15:02him again and again, and rode him
7:15:04gently. Later, there would be other
7:15:07times to go hard and fast. But right
7:15:09now, I wouldn't think of why this
7:15:12position was one he wanted to end in, to
7:15:14have me banish the stained dark with the
7:15:16light. But I would glow. For him, I'd
7:15:19glow. For my own future, I'd glow. So I
7:15:23sat up, hands braced on his broad chest,
7:15:26and unleashed that light in me, letting
7:15:28it drive out the darkness of what had
7:15:30been done to him. My mate, my friend.
7:15:33Ree barked my name, thrusting his hips
7:15:36up, stars wheeled as he slammed deep. I
7:15:39think the light pouring out of me might
7:15:41have been starlight. Or maybe my own
7:15:43vision fractured as release barreled
7:15:45into me again, and Reese found his,
7:15:48gasping my name over and over as he
7:15:50spilled himself in me. When we were
7:15:52done, I remained at top him, fingertips
7:15:55digging into his chest, and marveled at
7:15:58him, at us. He tugged on my wet hair.
7:16:02We'll have to find a way to put a damper
7:16:04on that light. I can keep the shadows
7:16:06hidden easily enough. Ah, but you only
7:16:10lose control of those when you're
7:16:11pissed. And since I have every intention
7:16:13of making you as happy as a person can
7:16:15be, I have a feeling we'll need to learn
7:16:18to control that wondrous glow.
7:16:21Always thinking, always calculating.
7:16:24Reese kissed the corner of my mouth. You
7:16:27have no idea how many things I've
7:16:28thought up when it comes to you. I
7:16:31remember mention of a wall. His laugh
7:16:34was a sensual promise. Next time, Phyra,
7:16:38I'll you against the wall. Hard
7:16:40enough to make the pictures fall off.
7:16:42Resparked a laugh. Show me again what
7:16:45you can do with that wicked mouth. I
7:16:48obliged him.
7:16:52It was wrong to compare because I knew
7:16:54probably every high lord could keep a
7:16:56woman from sleeping all night. But Reand
7:16:59was ravenous. I got perhaps an hour
7:17:03total of sleep that night, though I
7:17:05suppose I was to equally share the
7:17:07blame. I couldn't stop, couldn't get
7:17:10enough of the taste of him in my mouth,
7:17:12the feel of him inside of me. More,
7:17:14more, more, until I thought I might
7:17:17burst out of my skin from pleasure.
7:17:20It's normal, Ree said around a mouthful
7:17:22of bread as we sat at the table for
7:17:24breakfast. We'd barely made it into the
7:17:27kitchen. He'd taken one step out of bed,
7:17:30giving me a full view of his glorious
7:17:32wings, muscled back, and that beautiful
7:17:34backside, and I'd leaped on him. We'd
7:17:37tumbled to the floor, and he'd shredded
7:17:39the pretty little area rug beneath his
7:17:41talons as I rode him. "What's normal?" I
7:17:45said, I could barely look at him without
7:17:47wanting to combust.
7:17:49the frenzy," he said carefully, as if
7:17:53fearful the wrong word might send us
7:17:55both hurdling for each other before we
7:17:57could get sustenance into our bodies.
7:18:00When a couple accepts the mating bond,
7:18:02it's overwhelming. Again, hearkening
7:18:05back to the beasts we once were.
7:18:08Probably something about ensuring the
7:18:09female was impregnated. My heart paused
7:18:12at that. Some couples don't leave the
7:18:15house for a week. Males get so volatile
7:18:17that it can be dangerous for them to be
7:18:19in public anyway. I've seen males of
7:18:22reason and education shatter a room
7:18:24because another male looked too long in
7:18:26their mate's direction too soon after
7:18:28they'd been mated. I hissed out of
7:18:31breath. Another shattered room flashed
7:18:33in my memory. Ree said softly, knowing
7:18:37what haunted me. I'd like to believe I
7:18:40have more restraint than the average
7:18:41male. But be patient with me, Phyra, if
7:18:45I'm a little on edge. That he'd admit
7:18:48that much. You don't want to leave this
7:18:51house. I want to stay in that bedroom
7:18:55and you until we're both horse.
7:18:58That fast, I was ready for him, aching
7:19:01for him. But but we had to go. Queens
7:19:05cauldron jurian war
7:19:08about pregnancy I said and might as well
7:19:12have thrown a bucket of ice over both of
7:19:14us. We didn't I'm not taking a tonic. I
7:19:18haven't been. I mean he sat down his
7:19:21bread. Do you want to start taking it
7:19:24again? If I did if I started today it
7:19:27would negate what we'd done last night.
7:19:29But if I am a high lord's mate, I'm
7:19:33expected to bear you offspring, aren't
7:19:35I? So perhaps I shouldn't. You are not
7:19:39expected to bear me anything, he
7:19:41snarled. Children are rare. Yes, so rare
7:19:45and so precious. But I don't want to
7:19:47have them unless you want to. Unless we
7:19:50both want to. And right now with this
7:19:52war coming with H Highburn, I'll admit
7:19:55that I'm terrified at the thought of my
7:19:57mate being pregnant with so many enemies
7:19:59around us. I'm terrified of what I might
7:20:02do if you're pregnant and threatened or
7:20:05harmed.
7:20:06Something tight in my chest eased even
7:20:09as a chill went down my back as I
7:20:11considered that power, that rage I'd
7:20:13seen at the night court unleashed upon
7:20:15the earth.
7:20:17Then I'll start taking it today once we
7:20:20get back. I rose from the table on shaky
7:20:22knees and headed for the bedroom. I had
7:20:25to bathe. I was covered in him. My mouth
7:20:28tasted of him despite breakfast. Ree
7:20:31said softly from behind me. I would be
7:20:34happy beyond reason though if you one
7:20:37day did honor me with children to share
7:20:40that with you. I turned back to him. I
7:20:44want to live first. I said with you. I
7:20:48want to see things and have adventures.
7:20:50I want to learn what it is to be
7:20:52immortal, to be your mate, to be part of
7:20:54your family. I want to be ready for
7:20:58them, and I selfishly want to have you
7:21:00all to myself for a while." His smile
7:21:03was gentle, sweet. You take all the time
7:21:07you need, and if I get you all to myself
7:21:09for the rest of eternity, then I won't
7:21:11mind that at all. I made it to the edge
7:21:14of the bath before Ree caught me,
7:21:16carried me into the water, and made love
7:21:19to me slow and deep amid the billowing
7:21:22steam.
7:21:27Chapter 56.
7:21:30Reese winnowed us to the Yrian camp. We
7:21:32wouldn't be staying long enough to be at
7:21:34risk. And with 10,000 Yrian warriors
7:21:37surrounding us on the various peaks,
7:21:39Reese doubted anyone would be stupid
7:21:41enough to attack.
7:21:43We just appeared in the mud outside the
7:21:45little house when Cassie and Draw from
7:21:47behind us. Well, it's about time. The
7:21:51savage wild snarl that ripped out of Ree
7:21:54was like nothing I'd heard, and I
7:21:56gripped his arm as he whirled on
7:21:57Cassian. Cassian looked at him and
7:22:00laughed, but the Yrian warriors in the
7:22:03camp began shooting into the sky,
7:22:05hauling women and children with them.
7:22:08Hard ride. Cassian tied back his dark
7:22:10hair with a worn strap of leather. Per
7:22:14natural quiet now leaked from Reese
7:22:16where the snarl had erupted a moment
7:22:17before. And rather than see him turn the
7:22:20camp to rubble, I said, when he bashes
7:22:23your teeth in, Cassian, don't come
7:22:25crying to me. Cassian crossed his arms.
7:22:29Mating bond chafing a bit. Ree said
7:22:32nothing. Cassian snickered. Fra doesn't
7:22:36look too tired. Maybe she could give me
7:22:38a ride. Reese exploded, wings and
7:22:41muscles and snapping teeth, and they
7:22:43were rolling through the mud, fists
7:22:45flying, and and Cassian had known
7:22:48exactly what he was saying and doing, I
7:22:51realized as he kicked Ree off him, as
7:22:53Ree didn't touch that power that could
7:22:55have flattened these mountains. He'd
7:22:57seen the edge in Reese's eyes and known
7:22:59he had to dull it before we could go any
7:23:01further. Ree had known, too, which was
7:23:05why we'd winnowed here first and not
7:23:07Valaris. They were a sight to behold.
7:23:10Two Yrian males fighting in the mud and
7:23:12stones, panting and spitting blood. None
7:23:16of the other Yrianss dared land. Nor
7:23:18would they, I realized, until Ree had
7:23:21worked off his temper, or left the camp
7:23:23entirely. If the average male needed a
7:23:26week to adjust, what was required of
7:23:29Reand? A month, two, a year? Cassian
7:23:34laughed as Ree slammed a fist into his
7:23:36face, blood spraying. Cassian slung one
7:23:39right back at him, and I cringed as
7:23:41Reese's head knocked to the side. I'd
7:23:44seen Ree fight before, controlled and
7:23:46elegant, and I'd seen him mad, but never
7:23:49so feral. They'll be at it for a while,
7:23:53Moore said, leaning against the
7:23:54threshold of the house. She held open
7:23:57the door. Welcome to the family, Phyra.
7:24:00And I thought those might have been the
7:24:02most beautiful words I'd ever heard.
7:24:07Reese and Cassian spent an hour
7:24:09pummeling each other into exhaustion.
7:24:11And when they trudged back into the
7:24:13house, bloody and filthy, one look at my
7:24:16mate was all it took for me to crave the
7:24:18smell and feel of him.
7:24:20Cassian and Moore instantly found
7:24:22somewhere else to be, and Ree didn't
7:24:25bother taking my clothes all the way off
7:24:27before he bent me over the kitchen table
7:24:30and made me moan his name loud enough
7:24:32for the Yrians still circling high above
7:24:34to hear. But when we finished, the
7:24:37tightness in his shoulders and the
7:24:39tension coiled in his eyes had vanished,
7:24:42and a knock on the door from Cassian had
7:24:44Reese handing me a damp washcloth to
7:24:46clean myself. A moment later, the four
7:24:49of us had winnowed to the music and
7:24:51light of Valaris, to home.
7:24:57The sun had barely set as Reese and I
7:25:00walked hand in hand into the dining room
7:25:01of the House of Wind, and found more,
7:25:04Azriel, Amaran, and Cassian already
7:25:06seated, waiting for us. As one, they
7:25:10stood. As one, they looked at me, and as
7:25:13one, they bowed. It was Amron who said,
7:25:17"We will serve and protect." They each
7:25:20placed a hand over their heart, waiting
7:25:23for my reply. Ree hadn't warned me, and
7:25:26I wondered if the words were supposed to
7:25:28come from my heart, spoken without
7:25:30agenda or guile. So, I voiced them.
7:25:34"Thank you," I said, willing my voice to
7:25:36be steady. "But I'd rather you were my
7:25:39friends before the serving and
7:25:40protecting." Moore said with a wink, "We
7:25:44are, but we will serve and protect." My
7:25:47face warmed and I smiled at them. "My
7:25:51family."
7:25:52Now that we've settled that, restrolled
7:25:55from behind me. "Can we please eat? I'm
7:25:58famished." Amaran opened her mouth with
7:26:00a rise smile, but added, "Do not say
7:26:03what you were going to say, Amaran." Ree
7:26:06gave Cassianne a sharp look. Both of
7:26:09them were still bruised, but healing
7:26:10fast. Unless you want to have it out on
7:26:13the roof. Amaran clicked her tongue and
7:26:16instead jerked her chin at me. I heard
7:26:18you grew fangs in the forest and killed
7:26:21some hyburned beasts. Good for you,
7:26:23girl. She saved his sorry asses more
7:26:26like it, Moore said, filling her glass
7:26:28of wine. Poor little Reese got himself
7:26:31in a bind. I held out my own glass for
7:26:34Moore to fill. He does need unusual
7:26:37amounts of coddling. Azreel choked on
7:26:39his wine and I met his gaze, warm for
7:26:42once, soft even. I felt Ree tense behind
7:26:46me and quickly looked away from the spy
7:26:48master. A glance at the guilt in Reese's
7:26:52eyes told me he was sorry and fighting
7:26:54it. So strange, the hay with their
7:26:57mating and primal instincts, so at odds
7:27:00with their ancient traditions and
7:27:01learning.
7:27:03We left for the mortal lands soon after
7:27:05dinner. Moore carried the orb. Cassianne
7:27:08carried her, Azreel flying close, and
7:27:11Ree. Ree held me tightly, his arms
7:27:14strong and unyielding around me. We were
7:27:17silent as we soared over the dark water,
7:27:20as we went to show the queens the secret
7:27:22they'd all suffered so much for so long
7:27:25to keep.
7:27:30Chapter 57.
7:27:34Spring had at last dawned on the human
7:27:36world. Crocuses and daffodils poking
7:27:39their heads out of the thawed earth.
7:27:41Only the eldest and the goldenhaired
7:27:43queens came. This time they were
7:27:46escorted by just as many guards.
7:27:47However,
7:27:49I once again wore my flowing ivory gown
7:27:52and crown of gold feathers once again
7:27:54beside Reand as the queens and their
7:27:56centuries winnowed into the sitting
7:27:58room. But now Reese and I stood hand in
7:28:01hand, unflinching, a song without end or
7:28:05beginning. The eldest queen slid her
7:28:07cunning eyes over us, our hands, our
7:28:10crowns, and merely sat without our
7:28:12bidding, adjusting the skirts of her
7:28:14emerald gown around her. The golden
7:28:17queen remained standing for a moment
7:28:19longer, her shining curly head angling
7:28:22slightly, her red lips twitched upward
7:28:24as she claimed the seat beside her
7:28:26companion.
7:28:27Ree did not so much as lower his head to
7:28:30them as he said, "We appreciate you
7:28:33taking the time to see us again." The
7:28:36younger queen merely gave a little nod,
7:28:38her amber gaze leaping over to our
7:28:40friends behind us. Cassian and Azriel on
7:28:43either side of the bay of windows where
7:28:45Elaine and Neesa stood in their finery.
7:28:48Elaine's garden in bloom behind them.
7:28:51Neesa's shoulders were already locked.
7:28:53Elaine bit her lip. Moore stood on
7:28:56Reese's other side, this time in blue
7:28:59green that reminded me of the Cidra's
7:29:01calm waters, the onyx box containing the
7:29:04Veraritoss in her tan hands.
7:29:07The ancient queen, surveying us all with
7:29:09narrowed eyes, let out a huff. After
7:29:13being so gravely insulted the last time,
7:29:17a simmering glare thrown at Neesa. My
7:29:20sister leveled a look of pure unyielding
7:29:22flame right back at her. The old woman
7:29:25clicked her tongue. We debated for many
7:29:28days whether we should return. As you
7:29:31can see, three of us found the insult to
7:29:34be unforgivable.
7:29:36Liar to blame it on Neesa to try to sew
7:29:39discord between us for what Neesa had
7:29:41tried to defend. I said with surprising
7:29:44calm. If that is the worst insult any of
7:29:48you have ever received in your lives,
7:29:50I'd say you're all in for quite a shock
7:29:52when war comes. The younger one's lips
7:29:55twitched again. Amber eyes a light, a
7:29:58lion incarnate. She purred to me. So he
7:30:02won your heart after all, curse breaker.
7:30:05I held her stare as Reese and I both sat
7:30:08in our chairs, more sliding into one
7:30:10beside him. I do not think, I said, that
7:30:14it was mere coincidence that the
7:30:16cauldron let us find each other on the
7:30:18eve of war returning between our two
7:30:20peoples.
7:30:22The cauldron and two peoples. The golden
7:30:27one toyed with a ruby ring on her
7:30:28finger. Our people do not invoke a
7:30:31cauldron. Our people do not have magic.
7:30:35The way I see it, there is your people
7:30:38and ours. You are little better than
7:30:41those children of the blessed. She
7:30:43lifted a groomed brow. What does happen
7:30:46to them when they cross the wall? She
7:30:49angled her head at Ree, at Cassian and
7:30:51Azriel. Are they prey? Or are they used
7:30:55and discarded and left to grow old and
7:30:57infirm while you remain young forever?
7:31:00Such a pity. So unfair that you, curse
7:31:03breaker, received what all those fools
7:31:06no doubt begged for. immortality,
7:31:09eternal youth. What would Lord Reand
7:31:12have done if you had aged while he did
7:31:14not? Reh said evenly. Is there a point
7:31:19to your questions other than to hear
7:31:21yourself talk? A low chuckle and she
7:31:24turned to the ancient queen, her yellow
7:31:26dress rustling with the movement. The
7:31:29old woman simply extended a wrinkled
7:31:31hand to the box in Moore's slender
7:31:33fingers. Is that the proof we asked for?
7:31:37Don't do it. My heart began bleeding.
7:31:40Don't show them. Before Moore could so
7:31:43much as nod, I said, "Is my love for the
7:31:46high lord not proof enough of our good
7:31:47intentions? Does my sister's presence
7:31:50here not speak to you? There is an iron
7:31:53engagement ring upon my sister's finger,
7:31:55and yet she stands with us." Elaine
7:31:58seemed to be fighting the urge to tuck
7:32:00her hand behind the skirts of her pale
7:32:02pink and blue dress, but stayed tall
7:32:04while the queen surveyed her. I would
7:32:06say that it is proof of her idiocy. The
7:32:09golden one sneered. To be engaged to a
7:32:12fayhating man and to risk the match by
7:32:15associating with you. Do not, Nesa
7:32:19hissed with quiet venom. Judge what you
7:32:22know nothing about. The golden one
7:32:25folded her hands in her lap. The viper
7:32:27speaks again. She raised her brows at
7:32:30me. Surely the wise move would have been
7:32:33to have her sit this meeting out.
7:32:36She offers up her house and risks her
7:32:38social standing for us to have these
7:32:40meetings. I said she has the right to
7:32:42hear what is spoken in them, to stand as
7:32:45a representative of the people of these
7:32:47lands. They both do. The crone
7:32:50interrupted the younger before she could
7:32:52reply, and again waved that wrinkled
7:32:55hand at Moore. Show us, then prove us
7:32:59wrong.
7:33:00Ree gave Moore a subtle nod. No, no, it
7:33:04wasn't right not to show them. Not to
7:33:07reveal the treasure that was Valaris,
7:33:09that was my home.
7:33:11War is sacrifice, Ree said into my mind
7:33:14through the small sliver I now kept open
7:33:16for him. If we do not gamble, we risk
7:33:20losing Prththeon and more. Moore opened
7:33:24the lid of the black box. The silver orb
7:33:27inside glimmered like a star under
7:33:29glass. This is the Veraritoss, Moore
7:33:33said in a voice that was young and old.
7:33:36The gift of my first ancestor to our
7:33:38bloodline. Only a few times in the
7:33:41history of Prththeon have we used it.
7:33:43Have we unleashed its truth upon the
7:33:46world. She lifted the orb from its
7:33:48velvet nest. It was no larger than a
7:33:51ripe apple and fit within her cupped
7:33:53palms as if her entire body, her entire
7:33:56being had been molded for it.
7:33:59Truth is deadly. Truth is freedom. Truth
7:34:03can break and mend and bind. The veritas
7:34:06holds in it the truth of the world. I am
7:34:09the Morgan, she said, her eyes not holy
7:34:12of this earth. The hair on my arms rose.
7:34:16You know I speak truth. She set the
7:34:19veross onto the carpet between us. Both
7:34:22queens leaned in. But it was Ree who
7:34:25said, "You desire proof of our goodness,
7:34:28our intentions, so that you may trust
7:34:31the book in our hands." The Veritoss
7:34:34began pulsing, a web of light spreading
7:34:36with each throbb. There is a place
7:34:39within my lands, a city of peace and art
7:34:42and prosperity. As I doubt you or your
7:34:45guards will dare pass through the wall,
7:34:48then I will show it to you. Show you the
7:34:50truth of these words. show you this
7:34:53place within the orb itself.
7:34:55Moore stretched out a hand, and a pale
7:34:58cloud swirled from the orb, merging with
7:35:00its light as it drifted past our ankles.
7:35:03The queens flinched, the guards edging
7:35:06forward with hands on their weapons. But
7:35:08the clouds continued roing as the truth
7:35:10of it, of leaked from the orb, from
7:35:14whatever it dragged up from Moore, from
7:35:16Ree, from the truth of the world. And in
7:35:20the gray gloom, a picture appeared. It
7:35:23was Velaris, as seen from above, as seen
7:35:26by Ree flying in, a speck in the coast.
7:35:29But as he dropped down, the city and the
7:35:32river became clearer, vibrant. Then the
7:35:35image banked and swerved as if Ree had
7:35:37flown through his city just this
7:35:39morning. It shot past boats and peers,
7:35:42past the homes and streets and theaters,
7:35:45past the rainbow of velaris so colorful
7:35:48and lovely in the new spring sun. People
7:35:51happy and thoughtful, kind and
7:35:53welcoming, waved to him. Moment after
7:35:57moment, images of the palaces, of the
7:35:59restaurants, of the house of wind, all
7:36:02of it, all of it, that secret wondrous
7:36:04city, my home. And I could have sworn
7:36:08that there was love in that image. I
7:36:11could not explain how the Veraritoss
7:36:12conveyed it, but the colors. I
7:36:15understood the colors and the light,
7:36:17what they conveyed, what the orb somehow
7:36:20picked up from whatever link it had to
7:36:21Reese's memories.
7:36:23The illusion faded. Color and light and
7:36:26cloud sucked back into the orb. That is
7:36:30Aaris, Ree said. For 5,000 years, we
7:36:34have kept it a secret from outsiders.
7:36:36And now you know that is what I protect
7:36:39with the rumors, the whispers, the fear.
7:36:42Why I fought for your people in the war,
7:36:45only to begin my own supposed reign of
7:36:48terror once I ascended my throne and
7:36:50ensured everyone heard the legends about
7:36:52it. But if the cost of protecting my
7:36:55city and people is the contempt of the
7:36:57world, then so be it. The two queens
7:37:00were gaping at the carpet as if they
7:37:02could still see the city there. Moore
7:37:05cleared her throat. The golden one, as
7:37:08if Moore had barked, started and dropped
7:37:10an ornate lace handkerchief on the
7:37:12ground. She leaned to pick it up, cheeks
7:37:15a bit red, but the crone raised her eyes
7:37:17to us. Your trust is appreciated.
7:37:23We waited. Both of their faces turned
7:37:26grave, unmoved, and I was glad I was
7:37:29sitting, as the eldest added at last,
7:37:31"We will consider. There is no time to
7:37:35consider, more countered. Every day lost
7:37:38is another day that Hibburn gets closer
7:37:40to shattering the wall. We will discuss
7:37:43amongst our companions and inform you at
7:37:46our leisure. Do you not understand the
7:37:49risks you take in doing so? Re said no
7:37:52hint of condescension. Only only perhaps
7:37:55shock. You need this alliance as much as
7:37:58we do. The ancient queen shrugged her
7:38:01frail shoulders. Did you think we would
7:38:04be moved by your letter? Your plea? She
7:38:07jerked her chin to the guard closest,
7:38:09and he reached into his armor to pull
7:38:11out a folded letter. The old woman read,
7:38:14"I write to you not as a high lord, but
7:38:17as a male in love with a woman who was
7:38:19once human. I write to you to beg you to
7:38:22act quickly, to save her people, to help
7:38:26save my own. I write to you so one day
7:38:29we might know true peace. So I might one
7:38:32day be able to live in a world where the
7:38:35woman I love may visit her family
7:38:37without fear of hatred and reprisal. A
7:38:40better world. She sat down the letter.
7:38:44Ree had written that letter weeks ago
7:38:47before we'd made it. Not a demand for
7:38:49the queens to meet, but a love letter. I
7:38:52reached across the space between us and
7:38:54took his hand, squeezing gently. Reys's
7:38:58fingers tightened around my own. But
7:39:01then the ancient one said, "Who is to
7:39:03say that this is not all some grand
7:39:05manipulation?"
7:39:07"What?" Moore blurted. The Golden Queen
7:39:10nodded her agreement and dared say to
7:39:12Moore, "A great many things have changed
7:39:15since the war, since your so-called
7:39:17friendships with our ancestors.
7:39:20Perhaps you are not who you say you are.
7:39:23Perhaps the High Lord has crept into our
7:39:25minds to make us believe you are the
7:39:28Morgan."
7:39:29Ree was silent. We all were. Until Nesa
7:39:33said too softly, "This is the talk of
7:39:35mad women, of arrogant, stupid fools."
7:39:39Elaine grabbed for Nesa's hand to
7:39:41silence her, but Nesa stalked forward a
7:39:44step, face white with rage. "Give them
7:39:46the book." The queens blinked,
7:39:49stiffening. My sister snapped. "Give
7:39:52them the book." And the eldest queen
7:39:55hissed. "No." The word clanged through
7:39:58me, but Neesa went on, flinging out an
7:40:01arm to encompass us, the room, the
7:40:04world. There are innocent people here in
7:40:07these lands. If you will not risk your
7:40:09necks against the forces that threaten
7:40:11us, then grant those people a fighting
7:40:13chance. Give my sister the book." The
7:40:17crone sighed sharply through her nose.
7:40:19"An evacuation may be possible. You
7:40:23would need 10,000 ships, Neesa said, her
7:40:26voice breaking. You would need an
7:40:28armada. I have calculated the numbers.
7:40:31And if you are readying for war, you
7:40:33will not send your ships to us. We are
7:40:36stranded here. The crone gripped the
7:40:39polished arms of her chair as she leaned
7:40:41forward a bit. Then I suggest asking one
7:40:45of your winged males to carry you across
7:40:47the sea, girl. Neesa's throat bobbed.
7:40:51Please. I didn't think I'd ever heard
7:40:54that word from her mouth. Please do not
7:40:57leave us to face this alone. The eldest
7:41:00queen remained unmoved. I had no words
7:41:03in my head. We had shown them. We had we
7:41:07had done everything. Even Ree was
7:41:09silent, his face unreadable. But then
7:41:12Cassian crossed to Neesa, the guards
7:41:14stiffening as the Yrian moved through
7:41:16them as if they were stalks of wheat in
7:41:18a field.
7:41:20He studied Neesa for a long moment. She
7:41:22was still glaring at the queens, her
7:41:24eyes lined with tears, tears of rage and
7:41:28despair from that fire that burned her
7:41:30so violently from within. When she
7:41:33finally noticed Cassian, she looked up
7:41:35at him. His voice was rough as he said.
7:41:39500 years ago, I fought on battlefields
7:41:42not far from this house. I fought beside
7:41:45human and fairy alike, bled beside them.
7:41:49I will stand on that battlefield again,
7:41:51Neesa Archeron, to protect this house,
7:41:54your people. I can think of no better
7:41:56way to end my existence than to defend
7:41:59those who need it most.
7:42:01I watched a tear slide down Neesa's
7:42:04cheek, and I watched as Cassian reached
7:42:06up a hand to wipe it away. She did not
7:42:09flinch from his touch. I don't know why,
7:42:12but I looked at more. Her eyes were
7:42:15wide, not with jealousy or irritation,
7:42:17but something perhaps like awe. Neesa
7:42:22swallowed and at last turned away from
7:42:23Cassian. He stared at my sister a moment
7:42:26longer before facing the queens. Without
7:42:29signal, the two women rose. Moore
7:42:33demanded on her feet as well. Is it a
7:42:35sum you're after? Name your price, then
7:42:39the golden queen snorted as their guards
7:42:41closed in around them. We have all the
7:42:43riches we need. We will now return to
7:42:46our palace to deliberate with our
7:42:48sisters. You're already going to say no.
7:42:52More pushed. The golden queen smirked.
7:42:55Perhaps. She took the crron's withered
7:42:57hand. The ancient queen lifted her chin.
7:43:01We appreciate the gesture of your trust.
7:43:05Then they were gone.
7:43:07more swore. And I looked at Ree, my own
7:43:10heartbreaking, about to demand why he
7:43:13hadn't pushed, why he hadn't said more.
7:43:16But his eyes were on the chair where the
7:43:17golden queen had been seated. Beneath
7:43:20it, somehow hidden by her voluminous
7:43:22skirts while she'd sat was a box. A box
7:43:26that she must have removed from wherever
7:43:28she was hiding it when she leaned down
7:43:30to pick up her handkerchief.
7:43:32Ree had known it, had stopped speaking
7:43:34to get them out as fast as possible. How
7:43:37and where she'd smuggled in that lead
7:43:39box was the least of my concerns. Not as
7:43:42the voice of the second and final piece
7:43:44of the book filled the room, sang to me.
7:43:48Life and death and rebirth, sun and moon
7:43:52and dark, rot and bloom and bones.
7:43:56Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of
7:43:59night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged
7:44:03beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch
7:44:06me, sing me.
7:44:09>> Madness where the first half had been
7:44:12cold, cunning, this box. This was chaos
7:44:15and disorder and lawlessness, joy and
7:44:18despair. Ree smoothly picked it up and
7:44:21set it on the golden queen's chair. He
7:44:23did not need my power to open it because
7:44:26no high lord's spells had been keyed to
7:44:28it. Ree flipped back the lid. A note lay
7:44:32at top the golden metal of the book. I
7:44:34read your letter about the woman you
7:44:36love. I believe you and I believe in
7:44:39peace. I believe in a better world. If
7:44:43anyone asks, you stole this during the
7:44:46meeting. Do not trust the others. The
7:44:49sixth queen was not ill. That was it.
7:44:53Ree picked up the book of breathing.
7:44:56Light and dark and gray and light and
7:44:58dark and gray. He said to my two
7:45:02sisters, Cassie and sticking close to
7:45:04Nesta. It is your choice, ladies,
7:45:07whether you wish to remain here or come
7:45:09with us. You have heard the situation at
7:45:12hand. You have done the math about an
7:45:14evacuation.
7:45:15A nod of approval as he met Neesa's gray
7:45:18blue stare. Should you choose to remain,
7:45:21a unit of my soldiers will be here
7:45:23within the hour to guard this place.
7:45:25Should you wish to come live with us in
7:45:27that city we just showed them, I'd
7:45:30suggest packing now. Neesa looked to
7:45:33Elaine, still silent and wideeyed. The
7:45:36tea she'd prepared, the finest, most
7:45:39exotic tea money could buy, sat
7:45:41undisturbed on the table. Elaine
7:45:44thumbmed the iron ring on her finger.
7:45:47"It is your choice," Neesa said with
7:45:50unusual gentleness. For her, Neesa would
7:45:53go to Prththeon. Elaine swallowed a
7:45:56dough caught in a snare. I I can't. I
7:46:02But my mate nodded kindly with
7:46:05understanding. The centuries will be
7:46:07here and remain unseen and unfelt. They
7:46:10will look after themselves. Should you
7:46:12change your minds, one will be waiting
7:46:14in this room every day at noon and at
7:46:17midnight for you to speak. My home is
7:46:20your home. Its doors are always open to
7:46:22you.
7:46:24Neesa looked between Ree and Cassian,
7:46:26then to me. Despair still pald her face,
7:46:30but she bowed her head and said to me,
7:46:34"That was why you painted stars on your
7:46:36drawer."
7:46:40Chapter 58.
7:46:43We immediately returned to Valaris, not
7:46:46trusting the queens to go long without
7:46:48noticing the book's absence, especially
7:46:50if the vague mention of the sixth
7:46:52alluded to further foul play amongst
7:46:54them. Amron had the second half within
7:46:57minutes, not even bothering to ask about
7:46:59the meeting before she vanished into the
7:47:01dining room of the townhouse and shut
7:47:03the doors behind her. So, we waited and
7:47:07waited.
7:47:11Two days passed. Amron still hadn't
7:47:13cracked the code. Ree and Moore left in
7:47:16the early afternoon to visit the court
7:47:18of nightmares to return the Veraritoss
7:47:20to Kier without his knowing and ensure
7:47:23that the steward was indeed readying his
7:47:25forces. Cassian had reports that the
7:47:28Yrian legions were now camped across the
7:47:30mountains, waiting for the order to fly
7:47:32out to wherever our first battle might
7:47:34be. there would be one. I realized even
7:47:38if we nullified the cauldron using the
7:47:40book, even if I was able to stop that
7:47:43cauldron and the king from using it to
7:47:45shatter the wall and the world, he had
7:47:48armies gathered. Perhaps we'd take the
7:47:50fight to him once the cauldron was
7:47:52disabled.
7:47:54There was no word from my sisters, no
7:47:57report from Azriel's soldiers that
7:47:59they'd changed their minds. My father, I
7:48:02remembered, was still trading in the
7:48:03continent, for the mother knew what
7:48:05goods, another variable in this. And
7:48:08there was no word from the queens. It
7:48:11was of them that I most frequently
7:48:13thought, of the two-faced, goldeneyed
7:48:15queen with not just a lion's coloring,
7:48:18but a lion's heart, too. I hoped I saw
7:48:21her again.
7:48:23With Ree and Moore gone, Cassian and
7:48:25Azriel came to stay at the townhouse as
7:48:28they continued to plan our inevitable
7:48:30visit to Hibburn. After that first
7:48:32dinner, when Cassian had broken out one
7:48:34of Reese's very old bottles of wine so
7:48:37we could celebrate my mating in style,
7:48:40I'd realized they'd come to stay for
7:48:41company, to dine with me, and the Yrians
7:48:45had taken it upon themselves to look
7:48:47after me. Ree said as much that night
7:48:50when I'd written him a letter and
7:48:51watched it vanish. Apparently, he didn't
7:48:54mind his enemies knowing he was at the
7:48:56Court of Nightmares. If Hibburn's forces
7:48:58tracked him there, good luck to them.
7:49:01I'd written to Ree. How do I tell
7:49:04Cassian and Azriel I don't need them
7:49:06here to protect me. Company is fine, but
7:49:09I don't need centuries. He'd written
7:49:12back. You don't tell them. You set
7:49:15boundaries if they cross a line, but you
7:49:17are their friend and my mate. They will
7:49:20protect you on instinct. If you kick
7:49:22their asses out of the house, they'll
7:49:24just sit on the roof. I scribbled, "You
7:49:28males are insufferable." Ree had just
7:49:31said, "Good thing we make up for it with
7:49:33impressive wingspans."
7:49:36Even with him across the territory, my
7:49:38blood had heated, my toes curling. I'd
7:49:41barely been able to hold the pen long
7:49:43enough to write. I'm missing that
7:49:46impressive wingspan in my bed inside me.
7:49:49He'd replied, "Of course you are." I'd
7:49:52hissed, jotting down, prick. I'd almost
7:49:56felt his laughter down the bond, our
7:49:58mating bond. Ree wrote back, "When I
7:50:01return, we're going to that shop across
7:50:04the Sidra, and you're going to try on
7:50:06all those lacy little under things for
7:50:08me." I fell asleep thinking about it,
7:50:11wishing my hand was his, praying he'd
7:50:14finish at the Court of Nightmares and
7:50:15return to me soon. Spring was bursting
7:50:18all across the hills and peaks around
7:50:21Aaris. I wanted to sail over the yellow
7:50:23and purple blooms with him.
7:50:26The next afternoon, Ree was still gone.
7:50:29Amron was still buried in the book.
7:50:31Azreel off on a patrol of the city and
7:50:33nearby shoreline, and Cassian and I
7:50:35were, of all things, just finishing up
7:50:38an early afternoon performance of some
7:50:40ancient revered fa symphony. The
7:50:43amphitheater was on the other side of
7:50:45the Cidra, and though he'd offered to
7:50:47fly me, I wanted to walk, even if my
7:50:50muscles were barking in protest after
7:50:52his brutal lesson that morning. The
7:50:55music had been lovely. Strange, but
7:50:58lovely, written at a time, Cassian had
7:51:00told me, when humans had not even walked
7:51:03the earth. He found the music puzzling,
7:51:06off-kilter, but I'd been entranced.
7:51:10Walking back across one of the main
7:51:12bridges spanning the river, we remained
7:51:14in companionable silence. We dropped off
7:51:17more blood for Amarind, who said thank
7:51:19you and get the hell out, and were now
7:51:21headed toward the Palace of Thread and
7:51:23Jewels, where I wanted to buy both of my
7:51:25sisters presents for helping us. Cassian
7:51:29had promised to send them down with the
7:51:30next scout dispatched to retrieve the
7:51:32latest report. I wondered if he'd send
7:51:35anything to Neesa while he was at it. I
7:51:38paused at the center of the marble
7:51:40bridge, Cassian halting beside me as I
7:51:43peered down at the blue green water
7:51:45idling past. I could feel the threads of
7:51:48the current far below, the strains of
7:51:50salt and fresh water twining together,
7:51:53the swaying weeds coating the muscle
7:51:55flecked floor, the tickling of small
7:51:58skittering creatures over rock and mud.
7:52:01Could Tarquin sense such things? Did he
7:52:03sleep in his island palace on the sea
7:52:06and swim through the dreams of fishes?
7:52:09Cassie embraced his forearms on the
7:52:11broad stone railing, his red siphons
7:52:13like living pools of flame. I said,
7:52:16perhaps because I was a busy body who
7:52:18liked to stick my nose into other
7:52:20people's affairs.
7:52:22It meant a great deal to me what you
7:52:24promised my sister the other day.
7:52:27Cassian shrugged, his wings rustling.
7:52:30I'd do it for anyone. It meant a lot to
7:52:33her, too. Hazel eyes narrowed slightly,
7:52:37but I casually watched the river. "Nesa
7:52:41is different from most people," I
7:52:43explained. "She comes across as rigid
7:52:45and vicious, but I think it's a wall, a
7:52:48shield, like the ones Ree has in his
7:52:51mind." Against what? Feeling? I think
7:52:56Neesa feels everything. Sees too much.
7:52:59Sees and feels it all. and she burns
7:53:02with it. Keeping that wall up helps from
7:53:05being overwhelmed, from caring too
7:53:07greatly. She barely seems to care about
7:53:10anyone other than Elaine. I met his
7:53:13stare, scanning that handsome tan face.
7:53:16She will never be like more. I said she
7:53:19will never love freely and gift it to
7:53:21everyone who crosses her path. But the
7:53:24few she does care for, I think Neesa
7:53:27would shred the world apart for them.
7:53:29shred herself apart for them. She and I
7:53:32have our issues. But Elaine, my mouth
7:53:37quirked to the side. She will never
7:53:39forget, Cassian, that you offered to
7:53:41defend Elaine, defend her people. As
7:53:45long as she lives, she will remember
7:53:47that kindness.
7:53:49He straightened, wrapping his knuckles
7:53:51against the smooth marble.
7:53:53Why are you telling me this? I just
7:53:56thought you should know. for whenever
7:53:59you see her again and she pisses you
7:54:00off, which I'm certain will happen. But
7:54:03know that deep down she is grateful and
7:54:07perhaps does not possess the ability to
7:54:09say so. Yet the feeling, the heart is
7:54:12there. I paused, debating pushing him,
7:54:15but the river flowing beneath us
7:54:17shifted.
7:54:19Not a physical shifting, but a tremor in
7:54:22the current, in the bedrock, in the
7:54:24skittering things crawling on it, like
7:54:26ink dropped in water. Cassian instantly
7:54:30went on alert as I scanned the river,
7:54:32the banks on either side. What the hell
7:54:35is that? He murmured. He tapped the
7:54:37siphon on each hand with a finger. I
7:54:40gaped as scaled black armor began
7:54:42unfolding and slithering up his wrists,
7:54:44his arms, replacing the tunic that had
7:54:47been there. layer after layer, coating
7:54:50him like a second skin, flowing up to
7:54:52his shoulders. The additional siphons
7:54:54appeared, and more armor spread across
7:54:57his neck, his shoulders, down his chest
7:54:59and waist. I blinked, and it had covered
7:55:02his legs than his feet.
7:55:05The sky was cloudless, the streets full
7:55:07of chatter and life. Cassian kept
7:55:10scanning, a slow rotation over Aaris.
7:55:13The river beneath me remained steady,
7:55:16but I could feel it roying as if trying
7:55:18to flee from from the sea. I breathed.
7:55:22Cassian's gaze shot straight ahead to
7:55:25the river before us to the towering
7:55:27cliffs in the distance that marked the
7:55:28raging waves where it met the ocean. And
7:55:31there on the horizon, a smear of black,
7:55:35swift moving, spreading wider as it grew
7:55:37closer. "Tell me those are birds," I
7:55:41said. My power flooded my veins, and I
7:55:44curled my fingers into fists, willing it
7:55:46to calm, to steady. "There's no Ayan
7:55:49patrol that's supposed to know about
7:55:51this place," he said as if it were an
7:55:54answer. His gaze cut to me. "We're going
7:55:57back to the townhouse right now." The
7:55:59smear of black separated, fracturing
7:56:02into countless figures. Too big for
7:56:04birds. Far too big. I said, "You have to
7:56:07sound the alarm." But people were. Some
7:56:10were pointing, some were shouting.
7:56:13Cassian reached for me, but I jumped
7:56:15back. Ice danced at my fingertips. Wind
7:56:18howled in my blood. I'd pick them off
7:56:20one by one. Get Azreel and Amron. They'd
7:56:24reached the sea cliffs. Countless
7:56:26long-limmed flying creatures, some
7:56:28bearing soldiers in their arms, an
7:56:31invading host. Cassian. But an Ayan
7:56:34blade had appeared in Cassian's hand,
7:56:36twin to the one across his back, a
7:56:38fighting knife now shown in the other.
7:56:40He held them both out to me. Get back to
7:56:43the townhouse right now. I most
7:56:46certainly would not go. If they were
7:56:48flying, I could use my power to my
7:56:50advantage. Freeze their wings, burn
7:56:53them, break them, even if there were so
7:56:55many. Even if so fast as if they were
7:56:59carried on a fell wind, the force
7:57:01reached the outer edges of the city and
7:57:04unleashed arrows upon the shrieking
7:57:05people rushing for cover in the streets.
7:57:08I grabbed his outstretched weapons, the
7:57:10cool metal hilts hissing beneath my
7:57:12forge hot palms. Cassian lifted his
7:57:15hands into the air. Red light exploded
7:57:18from his siphon, blasting up and away,
7:57:20forming a hard wall in the sky above the
7:57:23city, directly in the path of that
7:57:25oncoming force. He ground his teeth,
7:57:28grunting as the winged legion slammed
7:57:30into his shield, as if he felt every
7:57:32impact. The translucent red shield
7:57:35shoved out farther, knocking them back.
7:57:38We both watched in mute horror as the
7:57:40creatures lunged for the shield, arms
7:57:42out. They were not just any manner of
7:57:45fairy. Any rising magic in me sputtered
7:57:48and went out at the side of them. They
7:57:50were all like the Ador, all long
7:57:53limbmed, grayskinned, with serpentine
7:57:56snouts and razor sharp teeth. And as the
7:57:58legion of its ilk punched through
7:58:00Cassian's shield as if it were a cobweb,
7:58:02I beheld on their spindly gray arms
7:58:05gauntlets of that bluish stone I'd seen
7:58:07on Ree glimmering in the sun. stone that
7:58:10broke and repelled magic straight from
7:58:13the unholy trove of the king of Hibburn.
7:58:16One after one after one, they punched
7:58:19through his shield. Cassian sent another
7:58:21wall barreling for them. Some of the
7:58:24creatures peeled away and launched
7:58:25themselves upon the outskirts of the
7:58:27city, vulnerable outside of his shield.
7:58:30The heat that had been building in my
7:58:32palms faded to clammy sweat. People were
7:58:35shrieking, fleeing, and I knew his
7:58:37shields would not hold. Go!" Cassian
7:58:40roared. I lurched into motion, knowing
7:58:43he likely lingered because I stayed,
7:58:45that he needed Azriel and Amron. And
7:58:49high above us, three of them slammed
7:58:51into the dome of the red shield, clawing
7:58:53at it, ripping through layer after layer
7:58:56with those stone gauntlets. That's what
7:58:58had delayed the king these months,
7:59:00gathering his arsenal, weapons to fight
7:59:03magic, to fight Hi, who would rely on
7:59:06it. A hole ripped open and Cassian threw
7:59:09me to the ground, shoving me against the
7:59:11marble railing, his wings spreading wide
7:59:14over me, his legs as solid as the bands
7:59:16of carved rock at my back. Screams on
7:59:19the bridge, hissing laughter, and then a
7:59:22wet, crunching thud. Cassian said.
7:59:26He moved a step, and I lunged from
7:59:29under him to see what it was. Who it
7:59:32was? Blood shown on the white marble
7:59:34bridge, sparkling like rubies in the
7:59:36sun. There, on one of those towering,
7:59:39elegant lamp posts flanking the bridge.
7:59:42Her body was bent, her back arched on
7:59:45the impact, as if she were in the throws
7:59:47of passion. Her golden hair had been
7:59:50shorn to the skull. Her golden eyes had
7:59:52been plucked out. She was twitching
7:59:54where she had been impaled on the post,
7:59:57the metal pole straight through her slim
7:59:59torso, gore clinging to the metal above
8:00:01her.
8:00:02Someone on the bridge vomited, then kept
8:00:05running. But I could not break my stare
8:00:07from the golden queen or from the ador
8:00:10who swept through the hole it had made
8:00:12and a lighted top the blood soaked lamp
8:00:14post. Regards, it hissed of the mortal
8:00:18queens and Jurion. Then the ador leaped
8:00:22into flight, fast and sleek, heading
8:00:25right for the theater district we'd
8:00:27left. Cassian had pressed me back down
8:00:29against the bridge and he surged toward
8:00:31the ador. He halted, remembering me, but
8:00:34I rasped, "Go, run home now." That was
8:00:39the final order and his goodbye as he
8:00:41shot into the sky after the ador who had
8:00:44already disappeared into the screaming
8:00:46streets. Around me, hole after hole was
8:00:49punched through that red shield, those
8:00:51winged creatures pouring in, dumping the
8:00:53hyburn soldiers they had carried across
8:00:55the sea. Soldiers of every shape and
8:00:58size, lesser fairies. The Golden Queen's
8:01:02gaping mouth was opening and closing
8:01:03like a fish on land. Save her. Help her.
8:01:07My blood. I could I took a step. Her
8:01:11body slumped. And from wherever in me
8:01:13that power originated, I felt her death
8:01:16whisper past. The screams, the beating
8:01:19wings, the whoosh and thought of arrows
8:01:22erupted in the sudden silence. I ran. I
8:01:25ran for my side of the cidra, for the
8:01:27townhouse. I didn't trust myself to
8:01:29winnow. Could barely think around the
8:01:31panic barking through my head. I had
8:01:34minutes perhaps before they hit my
8:01:36street. Minutes to get there and bring
8:01:38as many inside with me as I could. The
8:01:40house was warded. No one would get in,
8:01:43not even these things. Fairies were
8:01:46rushing past, racing for shelter, for
8:01:48friends and family. I hit the end of the
8:01:51bridge, the steep hills rising up.
8:01:54Hibburn soldiers were already at top the
8:01:56hill at the two palaces laughing at the
8:01:59screams the pleading as they broke into
8:02:01buildings dragging people out. Blood
8:02:04dribbled down the cobblestones in little
8:02:06rivers. They had done this. Those queens
8:02:10had had given the city of art and music
8:02:12and food over to these monsters. The
8:02:16king must have used the cauldron to
8:02:18break its wards. A thunderous boom
8:02:21rocked the other side of the city, and I
8:02:23went down at the impact, blades flying,
8:02:26hands ripping open on the cobblestones.
8:02:28I whirled toward the river, scrambling
8:02:30up, lunging for my weapons. Cassian and
8:02:34Azriel were both in the skies now. And
8:02:36where they flew, those winged creatures
8:02:38died. Arrows of red and blue light shot
8:02:41from them and those shields. Twin
8:02:44shields of red and blue merged,
8:02:46sizzling, and slammed into the rest of
8:02:48the aerial forces. Flesh and wings tore.
8:02:51Bone melted until hands encased in stone
8:02:54tumbled from the sky. Only hands
8:02:57clattering on rooftops, splashing into
8:03:00the river. All that was left of them,
8:03:02what two Yrian warriors had worked their
8:03:04way around. But there were countless
8:03:07more who had already landed. Too many
8:03:10roofs were wrenched apart, doors
8:03:12shattered, screaming rising and then
8:03:14silenced. This was not an attack to sack
8:03:17the city. It was an extermination. And
8:03:20rising up before me, merely a few blocks
8:03:23down, the rainbow of Aaris was bathed in
8:03:26blood. The Ador and his ilk had
8:03:28converged there, as if the queens had
8:03:30told him where to strike, where in
8:03:32Valaris would be the most defenseless,
8:03:35the beating heart of the city. Fire was
8:03:37rippling, black smoke staining the sky.
8:03:40Where was Ree? Where was my mate? Across
8:03:44the river, thunder boomed again. And it
8:03:46was not Cassian or Azriel who held the
8:03:49other side of the river, but Amron. Her
8:03:52slim hands had only to point and
8:03:54soldiers would fall. Fall as if their
8:03:56own wings failed them. They slammed into
8:03:59the streets, thrashing, choking,
8:04:01clawing, shrieking, just as the people
8:04:04of Aaris had shrieked. I whipped my head
8:04:06to the rainbow a few blocks away, left
8:04:09unprotected, defenseless. The street
8:04:12before me was clear, the lone safe
8:04:14passage through hell. A female screamed
8:04:17inside the artist's quarter, and I knew
8:04:20my path. I flipped my yrian blade in my
8:04:23hand and winnowed into the burning and
8:04:24bloody rainbow. This was my home. These
8:04:28were my people. If I died defending
8:04:30them, defending that small place in the
8:04:32world where art thrived, then so be it.
8:04:35And I became darkness and shadow and
8:04:38wind. I winnowed into the edge of the
8:04:41rainbow as the first of the Hibburn
8:04:43soldiers rounded its farthest corner,
8:04:45spilling onto the river avenue,
8:04:47shredding the cafes where I had lounged
8:04:49and laughed. They did not see me until I
8:04:52was upon them, until my Yrian blade
8:04:54cleaved through their heads one after
8:04:57another. Six went down in my wake, and
8:05:00as I halted at the foot of the rainbow,
8:05:02staring up into the fire and blood and
8:05:04death. Too many. Too many soldiers. I'd
8:05:08never make it, never kill them all. But
8:05:11there was a young female, green-skinned
8:05:13and live, an ancient rusted bit of pipe
8:05:16raised above her shoulder, standing her
8:05:18ground in front of her storefront, a
8:05:21gallery. People crouched inside the shop
8:05:23were sobbing. Before them, laughing at
8:05:26the fairy, at her raised scrap of metal,
8:05:29circled five winged soldiers, playing
8:05:32with her, taunting her. Still, she held
8:05:35the line. Still her face did not
8:05:38crumple. Paintings and pottery were
8:05:40shattered around her, and more soldiers
8:05:42were landing, spilling down, butchering.
8:05:46Across the river, thunder boomed. Amron
8:05:49or Cassian or Azriel, I didn't know. The
8:05:52river. Three soldiers spotted me from up
8:05:54the hill, raced for me, but I ran faster
8:05:58back for the river at the foot of the
8:05:59hill for the singing Cidra. I hit the
8:06:02edge of the key, the water already
8:06:04stained with blood, and slammed my foot
8:06:06down in a mighty stomp. And as if in
8:06:09answer, the Cidra rose. I yielded to
8:06:12that throwming power inside my bones and
8:06:15blood and breath. I became the Cidra,
8:06:18ancient and deep, and I bent it to my
8:06:20will. I lifted my blades, willing the
8:06:24river higher, shaping it, forging it.
8:06:26Those hyburn soldiers stopped dead in
8:06:28their tracks as I turned toward them.
8:06:31And wolves of water broke from behind
8:06:33me. The soldiers whirled, fleeing, but
8:06:36my wolves were faster. I was faster as I
8:06:39ran with them in the heart of the pack.
8:06:41Wolf after wolf roared out of the cidra,
8:06:44as colossal as the one I had once
8:06:46killed, pouring into the streets, racing
8:06:48upward. I made it five steps before the
8:06:51pack was upon the soldiers taunting the
8:06:53shop owner. I made it seven steps before
8:06:56the wolves brought them down. Water
8:06:58shoving down their throats, drowning
8:07:00them. I reached the soldiers and my
8:07:03blades sang as I severed their choking
8:07:05heads from their bodies. The shopkeeper
8:07:08was sobbing as she recognized me, her
8:07:10rusted bar still raised, but she nodded
8:07:13only once. I ran again, losing myself
8:07:17amongst my water wolves. Some of the
8:07:19soldiers were taking to the sky,
8:07:21flapping upward, backtracking. So my
8:07:24wolves grew wings and talons and became
8:07:27falcons and hawks and eagles. They
8:07:29slammed into their bodies, their armor,
8:07:32drenching them. The airborne soldiers,
8:07:34realizing they hadn't been drowned,
8:07:36halted their flight and laughed,
8:07:38sneering. I lifted a hand skyward and
8:07:42clenched my fingers into a fist. The
8:07:45water soaking them, their wings, their
8:07:47armor, their faces. It turned to ice.
8:07:51Ice that was so cold it had existed
8:07:53before light, before the sun had warmed
8:07:55the earth. Ice of a land cloaked in
8:07:58winter. Ice from the parts of me that
8:08:00felt no mercy, no sympathy for what
8:08:02these creatures had done and were doing
8:08:04to my people. Frozen solid, dozens of
8:08:08the winged soldiers fell to the earth as
8:08:10one and shattered upon the cobblestones.
8:08:13My wolves raged around me, tearing and
8:08:16drowning and hunting. And those that
8:08:18fled them, those that took to the skies,
8:08:21they froze and shattered, froze and
8:08:23shattered, until the streets were laden
8:08:26with ice and gore and broken bits of
8:08:28wing and stone. Until the screaming of
8:08:30my people stopped, and the screams of
8:08:32the soldiers became a song in my blood.
8:08:35One of the soldiers rose up above the
8:08:37brightly painted buildings. I knew him.
8:08:41The Adore was flapping, frantic, blood
8:08:43of the innocent coating his gray skin,
8:08:46his stone gauntlets. I sent an eagle of
8:08:48water shooting for him. But he was
8:08:50quicker, nimble. He evaded my eagle and
8:08:54my hawk and my falcon, soaring high,
8:08:56clawing his way through the air, away
8:08:59from me, my power from Cassian and
8:09:02Azriel, holding the river and the
8:09:04majority of the city, away from Amron,
8:09:06using whatever dark power she possessed
8:09:09to send so many droves of them crashing
8:09:11down without visible injury. None of my
8:09:14friends saw the Ador sailing up, sailing
8:09:17free. It would fly back to Hibburn, to
8:09:20the king. It had chosen to come here to
8:09:23lead them for spite, and I had no doubt
8:09:25that the golden lioness queen had
8:09:27suffered at its hands, as Clare had.
8:09:30"Where are you?" Reys's voice sounded
8:09:33distantly in my head through the sliver
8:09:35in my shield. "Where are you?" The ador
8:09:38was getting away. With each heartbeat,
8:09:40it flew higher and higher. "Where?" I
8:09:43sheathed the Yrium blade and fighting
8:09:45knife through my belt and scrambled to
8:09:47pick up the arrows that had fallen on
8:09:49the street, shot at my people. Ash
8:09:52arrows coated in familiar greenish
8:09:55poison. Bloodbane.
8:09:57I'm exactly where I need to be, I said
8:10:00to Ree. And then I winnowed into the
8:10:03sky.
8:10:07Chapter 59.
8:10:09I winnowed to a nearby rooftop. an ash
8:10:12arrow clenched in either hand, scanning
8:10:15where the ador was high above, flapping,
8:10:17"Fra!" I slammed a mental shield of
8:10:20Adamant up against that voice, against
8:10:22him. "Not now, not this moment." I could
8:10:26vaguely feel him pounding against that
8:10:28shield, roaring at it. But even he could
8:10:31not get in. The Adore was mine. In the
8:10:35distance, rushing toward me, toward
8:10:37Valaris, a mighty darkness devoured the
8:10:40world. Soldiers in its path did not
8:10:42emerge again. My mate, death incarnate,
8:10:46night triumphant. I spotted the Adore
8:10:49again, veering toward the sea, toward
8:10:51Hibburn, still over the city. I
8:10:54winnowed, throwing my awareness toward
8:10:56it like a net, spearing mind to mind,
8:10:59using the tether like a rope, leading me
8:11:01through time and distance and wind. I
8:11:04latched onto the oily smear of its
8:11:06malice, pinpointing my being, my focus
8:11:09onto the core of it, a beacon of
8:11:11corruption and filth. When I emerged
8:11:14from wind and shadow, I was right at top
8:11:17the ador. It shrieked, wings curving as
8:11:20I slammed into it, as I plunged those
8:11:22poisoned ash arrows through each wing,
8:11:25right through the main muscle. The addor
8:11:27arched in pain, its forked tongue
8:11:29cleaving the air between us. The city
8:11:32was a blur below, the Cidra, a mere
8:11:34stream from the height. In the span of a
8:11:37heartbeat, I wrapped myself around the
8:11:39Adore. I became a living flame that
8:11:42burned everywhere I touched became
8:11:44unbreakable as the adamant wall inside
8:11:46my mind. Shrieking, the Ador thrashed
8:11:50against me, but its wings with those
8:11:52arrows with my grip. Freefall down into
8:11:56the world into blood and pain. The wind
8:11:59tore at us. The Ador could not break
8:12:02free of my flaming grasp or from my
8:12:04poisoned arrows skewering its wings,
8:12:07laming him. Its burning skin stung my
8:12:10nose. As we fell, my dagger found its
8:12:13way into my hand. The darkness consuming
8:12:16the horizon shot closer, as if spotting
8:12:18me. "Not yet. Not yet." I angled my
8:12:22dagger over the Ador's bony, elongated
8:12:25rib cage. "This is for Ree." I hissed in
8:12:28its pointed ear. The reverberation of
8:12:31steel on bone barked into my hand.
8:12:33Silvery blood warmed my fingers. The
8:12:36ador screamed. I yanked out my dagger.
8:12:39Blood flying up, splattering my face.
8:12:42This is for Clare. I plunged my blade in
8:12:45again, twisting. Buildings took form.
8:12:48The cidra ran red, but the sky was
8:12:50empty, free of soldiers. So were the
8:12:53streets. The Ador was screaming and
8:12:55hissing, cursing and begging as I ripped
8:12:58free the blade. I could make out people,
8:13:01make out their shapes. The ground
8:13:03swelled up to meet us. The Ador was
8:13:05bucking so violently it was all I could
8:13:07do to keep it in my forge hot grip.
8:13:10Burning skin ripped away, carried above
8:13:12us. And this, I breathed, leaning close
8:13:16to say the words into its ear, into its
8:13:18rotted soul. I slid my dagger in a third
8:13:22time, relishing the splintering of bones
8:13:24and flesh. This is for me. I could count
8:13:28the cobblestones, see death beckoning
8:13:31with open arms. I kept my mouth beside
8:13:33its ear, close as a lover, as our
8:13:36reflection in a pool of blood became
8:13:38clear. "I'll see you in hell," I
8:13:41whispered, and left my blade in its
8:13:43side. Wind rippled the blood upon the
8:13:46cobblestones mere inches away, and I
8:13:48winnowed out, leaving the Ador behind.
8:13:54I heard the crack and splatter, even as
8:13:57I sifted through the world, propelled by
8:13:59my own power and the velocity of my
8:14:01plummet. I emerged a few feet away, my
8:14:04body taking longer than my mind to catch
8:14:07up. My feet and legs gave out, and I
8:14:10rocked back into the wall of a pink
8:14:12painted building behind me. so hard the
8:14:14plaster dented and cracked against my
8:14:16spine, my shoulders. I panted,
8:14:20trembling, and on the street ahead, what
8:14:23lay broken and oozing on the
8:14:24cobblestones. The Ador's wings were a
8:14:27twisted ruin. Beyond that, scraps of
8:14:30armor, splintered bone, and burned flesh
8:14:33were all that remained. That wave of
8:14:36darkness, Rissan's power at last hit my
8:14:39side of the river. No one cried out at
8:14:42the star-flected cascade of night that
8:14:44cut off all light. I thought I heard
8:14:47vague grunting and scraping as if it had
8:14:49sought out hidden soldiers lingering in
8:14:51the rainbow. But then the wave vanished.
8:14:56Sunlight. A crunch of boots before me.
8:14:59The beat and whisper of mighty wings. A
8:15:01hand on my face tilting up my chin as I
8:15:04stared and stared at the splattered ruin
8:15:06of the ador. Violet eyes met mine. Ree.
8:15:11Ree was here. And And I had He leaned
8:15:16forward, his brow sweatcoated, his
8:15:19breathing uneven. He gently pressed a
8:15:22kiss to my mouth to remind us both. Who
8:15:25we were, what we were. My icy heart
8:15:29thawed. The fire in my gut was soothed
8:15:31by a tendril of dark, and the water
8:15:33trickled out of my veins and back into
8:15:35the cidra. Ree pulled back, his thumb
8:15:39stroking my cheek. People were weeping,
8:15:42keening. But no more screams of terror,
8:15:45no more bloodshed and destruction.
8:15:48My mate murmured, "Fra curse breaker,
8:15:52the defender of the rainbow."
8:15:55I slid my arms around his waist and
8:15:57sobbed. And even as his city wailed, the
8:16:01high lord of the night court held me
8:16:03until I could at last face this
8:16:05blood-drenched new world.
8:16:11Chapter 60.
8:16:14Valaris is secure, reset in the black
8:16:16hours of the night. The wards the
8:16:19cauldron took out have been remade. We
8:16:22had not stopped to rest until now. For
8:16:24hours, we'd worked along with the rest
8:16:26of the city to heal, to patch up, to
8:16:29hunt down answers any way we could, and
8:16:32now we were all again gathered, the
8:16:34clock chiming 3:00 in the morning.
8:16:37I didn't know how Ree was standing as he
8:16:39leaned against the mantle in the sitting
8:16:41room. I was near limp on the couch
8:16:43beside Moore, both of us coated in dirt
8:16:45and blood like the rest of them.
8:16:48Sprawled in an armchair built for Yrian
8:16:50wings, Cassian's face was battered and
8:16:53healing slowly enough that I knew he'd
8:16:55drained his power during those long
8:16:57minutes when he'd defended the city
8:16:59alone. But his hazel eyes still glowed
8:17:02with the embers of rage. Amaran was
8:17:05hardly better off. The tiny female's
8:17:08gray clothes hung mostly in strips, her
8:17:10skin beneath pale as snow. Half asleep
8:17:14on the couch across from mine, she
8:17:16leaned against Azriel, who kept casting
8:17:18alarmed glances at her, even as his own
8:17:20wounds leaked a bit. A top his scarred
8:17:23hands, Azreel's blue siphons were dull,
8:17:26muted, utterly empty.
8:17:30As I had helped the survivors in the
8:17:32rainbow tend to their wounded, count
8:17:34their dead, and begin repairs. Ree had
8:17:37checked in every now and then while he'd
8:17:38rebuilt the wards with whatever power
8:17:40lingered in his arsenal. During one of
8:17:43our brief breaks, he'd told me what
8:17:45Amaran had done on her side of the
8:17:47river. With her dark power, she had spun
8:17:50illusions straight into the soldiers
8:17:52minds. They believed they had fallen
8:17:54into the Cidra and were drowning. They
8:17:57believed they were flying a thousand ft
8:17:59above and had dived fast and swift for
8:18:02the city, only to find the street mere
8:18:04feet away, and the crunch of their
8:18:06skulls. The cruer ones, the wickedest
8:18:09ones. She had unleashed their own
8:18:11nightmares upon them until they died
8:18:13from terror, their hearts giving out.
8:18:17Some had fallen into the river, drinking
8:18:19their own spreading blood as they
8:18:21drowned. Some had disappeared wholly.
8:18:25"Valaris might be secure," Cassian
8:18:27replied, not even bothering to lift his
8:18:30head from where it rested against the
8:18:31back of the chair. "But for how long?
8:18:34Hibburn knows about this place thanks to
8:18:36those worm queens. Who else will they
8:18:39sell the information to? How long until
8:18:41the other courts come sniffing or Hiburn
8:18:44uses that cauldron again to take down
8:18:46our defenses?
8:18:48Reese closed his eyes, his shoulders
8:18:50tight. I could already see the weight
8:18:52pushing down on that dark head. I hated
8:18:55to add to that burden, but I said, "If
8:18:58we all go to Hibburn to destroy the
8:19:00cauldron, who will defend the city?"
8:19:03Silence. Reys's throat bobbed. Amron
8:19:07said, "I'll stay."
8:19:09Cassian opened his mouth to object, but
8:19:12Ree slowly looked at his second. Amaran
8:19:14held his gaze as she added, "If Ree must
8:19:18go to Hibburn, then I am the only one of
8:19:20you who might hold the city until help
8:19:22arrives." "Today was a surprise, a bad
8:19:26one. When you leave, we will be better
8:19:28prepared. The new wards we built today
8:19:31will not fall so easily."
8:19:34more loose a sigh. "So, what do we do
8:19:38now?" Amaran simply said, "We sleep. We
8:19:43eat." And it was Azriel who added, his
8:19:46voice raw with the aftermath of battle
8:19:48rage, "and then we retaliate."
8:19:54Reys did not come to bed, and when I
8:19:56emerged from the bath, the water clouded
8:19:59with dirt and blood. He was nowhere to
8:20:01be found. But I felt for the bond
8:20:03between us and trudged upstairs, my
8:20:05stiff legs barking in pain. He was
8:20:08sitting on the roof in the dark. His
8:20:11great wings were spread behind him,
8:20:13draped over the tiles. I slid into his
8:20:15lap, looping my arms around his neck. He
8:20:19stared at the city around us. So few
8:20:22lights. So few lights left tonight.
8:20:26I did not look. I only traced the lines
8:20:28of his face, then brushed my thumb over
8:20:31his mouth. "It is not your fault," I
8:20:34said quietly. His eyes shifted to mine,
8:20:37barely visible in the dark. "Isn't it?"
8:20:41I handed the city over to them. I said I
8:20:43would be willing to risk it, but I don't
8:20:46know who I hate more, the king, those
8:20:49queens, or myself.
8:20:52I brushed the hair out of his face. He
8:20:54gripped my hand, halting my fingers.
8:20:58You shut me out, he breathed. You
8:21:01shielded against me completely. I
8:21:04couldn't find a way in. I'm sorry. Reese
8:21:08let out a bitter laugh. Sorry. Be
8:21:11impressed. That shield. What you did to
8:21:13the Ador? He shook his head. You could
8:21:17have been killed.
8:21:19Are you going to scold me for it? His
8:21:21brows furrowed. Then he buried his face
8:21:23in my shoulder. How could I scold you
8:21:26for defending my people? I want to
8:21:29throttle you, yes, for not going back to
8:21:31the townhouse, but you chose to fight
8:21:34for them. For Aaris? He kissed my neck.
8:21:38I don't deserve you. My heart strained.
8:21:42He meant it. Truly felt that way. I
8:21:46stroked his hair again and I said to him
8:21:48the words the only sounds in the silent
8:21:51dark city. We deserve each other and we
8:21:54deserve to be happy. Ree shuddered
8:21:57against me and when his lips found mine.
8:22:00I let him lay me down upon the roof
8:22:02tiles and make love to me under the
8:22:04stars.
8:22:08Amron cracked the code the next
8:22:10afternoon. The news was not good. to
8:22:13nullify the cauldron's power," she said
8:22:15by way of greeting, as we crowded around
8:22:17the dining table in the townhouse,
8:22:19having rushed in from the repairs we'd
8:22:21all been making on very little sleep.
8:22:23"You must touch the cauldron and speak
8:22:26these words." She had written them all
8:22:29down for me on a piece of paper. "You
8:22:31know this for certain," Re said. He was
8:22:34still bleeded from the attack, from
8:22:36healing and helping his people all day.
8:22:39Amron hissed. I'm trying not to be
8:22:41insulted. Reand Moore elbowed her way
8:22:44between them, staring at the two
8:22:46assembled pieces of the book of
8:22:48breathing. What happens if we put both
8:22:50halves together? Don't put them
8:22:53together, Amaran simply said with either
8:22:56piece laid out, their voices blended and
8:22:59sang and hissed. Evil and good and
8:23:01madness, dark and light and chaos.
8:23:05You put the pieces together, she
8:23:07clarified when Ree gave her a
8:23:09questioning look. And the blast of power
8:23:12will be felt in every corner and hole in
8:23:14the earth. You won't just attract the
8:23:16king of Hibburn. You'll draw enemies far
8:23:19older and more wretched. Things that
8:23:22have long been asleep and should remain
8:23:25so. I cringed a bit. Ree put a hand on
8:23:29my back. Then we move in now, Cassian
8:23:32said. His face had healed, but he limped
8:23:35a bit from an injury I couldn't see
8:23:36beneath his fighting leathers. He jerked
8:23:39his chin to Ree. Since you can't winnow
8:23:41without being tracked, Mor and Az will
8:23:44winnow us all in. Pharaoh breaks the
8:23:46cauldron and we get out. We'll be there
8:23:48and gone before anyone notices, and the
8:23:50king of Hibburn will have a new piece of
8:23:52cookware. I swallowed. It could be
8:23:55anywhere in his castle. We know where it
8:23:58is, Cassie encountered. I blinked.
8:24:02Azreel said to me, "We've been able to
8:24:04narrow it down to the lower levels.
8:24:06Through his spying, they're planning for
8:24:08this trip all these months. Every inch
8:24:11of the castle and surrounding lands is
8:24:13heavily guarded, but not impossible to
8:24:16get through. We've worked out the timing
8:24:18of it for a small group of us to get in
8:24:21and out, quick and silent, and be gone
8:24:24before they know what's happening." more
8:24:26said to him. But the king of Hibburn
8:24:29could notice Reese's presence the moment
8:24:31he arrives. And if Phyra needs time to
8:24:34nullify the cauldron, and we don't know
8:24:36how much time, that's a risky variable.
8:24:39Cassian said, "We've considered that."
8:24:42So, you and Ree will winnow us in off
8:24:44the coast. We fly in while he stays.
8:24:47They'd have to winnow me, I realized,
8:24:49since I still had not yet mastered doing
8:24:51it over long distances, at least not
8:24:54with many stops in between. As for the
8:24:57spell, Cassian continued, "It's a risk
8:25:00we'll have to take."
8:25:02Silence fell as they waited for Reese's
8:25:04answer. My mate scanned my face, eyes
8:25:08wide. Azreel pushed. "It's a solid plan.
8:25:12The king doesn't know our sense. We
8:25:14wreck the cauldron and vanish before he
8:25:16notices. It'll be a graver insult than
8:25:19the bloodier direct route we'd been
8:25:21considering. Ree, we beat them
8:25:23yesterday. So when we go into that
8:25:25castle, vengeance indeed danced in that
8:25:28normally placid face. We'll leave a few
8:25:31reminders that we won the last damn war
8:25:34for a reason. Cassian nodded grimly,
8:25:37even more, smiled a bit. Are you asking
8:25:41me? Ree finally said far too calmly. To
8:25:45stay outside while my mate goes into his
8:25:48stronghold.
8:25:50Yes, Azriel said with equal calm.
8:25:52Cassian shifting himself slightly
8:25:54between them. If Phyra can't nullify the
8:25:57cauldron easily or quickly. We steal it.
8:26:00Send the pieces back to the bastard when
8:26:02we're done breaking it apart. Either
8:26:04way, Fra calls you through the bond when
8:26:07we're done. You and Moore winnow us out.
8:26:10They won't be able to track you fast
8:26:11enough if you only come to retrieve us.
8:26:14Reand dropped onto the couch beside me
8:26:16at last, losing a breath. His eyes slid
8:26:19to me. If you want to go, then you go,
8:26:23Phyra. If I hadn't been already in love
8:26:26with him, I might have loved him for
8:26:28that, for not insisting I stay, even if
8:26:30it drove his instincts mad. For not
8:26:33locking me away in the aftermath of what
8:26:35had happened yesterday. And I realized I
8:26:39realized how badly I'd been treated
8:26:40before. If my standards had become so
8:26:43low, if the freedom I'd been granted
8:26:45felt like a privilege and not an
8:26:47inherent right. Reese's eyes darkened,
8:26:50and I knew he read what I thought, felt.
8:26:54You might be my mate, he said, but you
8:26:57remain your own person. You decide your
8:26:59fate, your choices, not me. You chose
8:27:03yesterday. You choose every day forever.
8:27:08And maybe he only understood because he
8:27:10too had been helpless and without
8:27:12choices, had been forced to do such
8:27:14horrible things and locked up. I
8:27:17threaded my fingers through his and
8:27:19squeezed. Together, together we'd find
8:27:22our peace, our future. Together, we'd
8:27:25fight for it.
8:27:27Let's go to Hibburn, I said.
8:27:32I was halfway up the stairs an hour
8:27:34later when I realized that I still had
8:27:36no idea what room to go to. I'd gone to
8:27:39my bedroom since we'd returned from the
8:27:41cabin. But what of his? With Tamlin,
8:27:45he'd kept his own rooms and slept in
8:27:47mine, and I supposed I supposed it' be
8:27:50the same. I was almost to my bedroom
8:27:53door when Reand drawled from behind me.
8:27:56We can use your room if you like, but he
8:28:00was leaning against his open bedroom
8:28:02door. Either your room or mine, but
8:28:05we're sharing one from now on. Just tell
8:28:08me whether I should move my clothes or
8:28:10yours, if that's all right with you.
8:28:13Don't you you don't want your own space?
8:28:17No, he said baldly. Unless you do. I
8:28:21need you protecting me from our enemies
8:28:22with your water wolves. I snorted. He'd
8:28:26made me tell him that part of my tale
8:28:28over and over. I jerked my chin toward
8:28:31his bedroom. Your bed is bigger. And
8:28:34that was that. I walked in to find my
8:28:37clothes already there, a second armwire
8:28:39now beside his. I stared at the massive
8:28:42bed, then at all the open space around
8:28:45us. Reese shut the door and went to a
8:28:48small box on the desk, then silently
8:28:50handed it to me. My heart thundered as I
8:28:53opened the lid. The star sapphire
8:28:56gleamed in the candle light as if it
8:28:58were one of the Starfall spirits trapped
8:29:00in stone.
8:29:02Your mother's ring. My mother gave me
8:29:05that ring to remind me she was always
8:29:07with me, even during the worst of my
8:29:09training. And when I reached my
8:29:11majority, she took it away. It was an
8:29:14heirloom of her family, had been handed
8:29:16down from female to female over many,
8:29:19many years. My sister wasn't born yet,
8:29:22so she wouldn't have known to give it to
8:29:24her. But my mother gave it to the
8:29:27weaver. And then she told me that if I
8:29:29were to marry or mate, then the female
8:29:31would either have to be smart or strong
8:29:33enough to get it back. And if the female
8:29:36wasn't either of those things, then she
8:29:38wouldn't survive the marriage. I
8:29:41promised my mother that any potential
8:29:42bride or mate would have the test. And
8:29:45so it sat there for centuries.
8:29:49My face heated. You said this was
8:29:52something of value. It is to me and my
8:29:55family. So, my trip to the weaver, it
8:29:59was vital that we learn if you could
8:30:00detect those objects. But I picked the
8:30:03object out of pure selfishness.
8:30:06So, I won my wedding ring without even
8:30:08being asked if I wanted to marry you.
8:30:11Perhaps. I cocked my head. Do Do you
8:30:15want me to wear it? only if you want to.
8:30:19When we go to Hibburn, let's say things
8:30:22go badly, will anyone be able to tell
8:30:24that we're mated? Could they use that
8:30:26against you? Rage flickered in his eyes.
8:30:30If they see us together and consent us
8:30:32both, they'll know.
8:30:35And if I show up alone wearing a nightc
8:30:38court wedding ring, he snarled softly. I
8:30:41closed the box, leaving the ring inside.
8:30:45After we nullify the cauldron, I want to
8:30:47do it all. Get the bond declared, get
8:30:50married, throw a stupid party, and
8:30:52invite everyone in Aaris. All of it.
8:30:56Reese took the box from my hands and set
8:30:58it down on the nightstand before hurting
8:31:00me toward the bed. And if I wanted to go
8:31:03one step beyond that. I'm listening, I
8:31:07purred as he laid me on the sheets.
8:31:13Chapter 61.
8:31:16I'd never worn so much steel. Blades had
8:31:19been strapped all over me, hidden in my
8:31:21boots, my inside pockets, and then there
8:31:24was the Yrian blade down my back. Just a
8:31:27few hours ago, I'd known such
8:31:29overwhelming happiness after such horror
8:31:31and sorrow. Just a few hours ago, I'd
8:31:35been in his arms while he made love to
8:31:36me. And now Reand, my mate and high lord
8:31:40and partner, stood beside me in the
8:31:42foyer. Moore and Azriel and Cassian,
8:31:45armed and ready in their scale-like
8:31:47armor. All of us too quiet. Amron said,
8:31:51"The king of Hibburn is old, Ree. Very
8:31:54old. Do not linger." A voice near my
8:31:58chest whispered. "Hello, lovely, wicked
8:32:01liar." the two halves of the book of
8:32:04breathing, each part tucked into a
8:32:06different pocket. In one of them, the
8:32:08spell I was to say had been written out
8:32:10clearly. I hadn't dared speak it, though
8:32:13I had read it a dozen times.
8:32:16We'll be in and out before you miss us,
8:32:18Reand said. Guardis well. Amron studied
8:32:22my gloved hands and weapons. That
8:32:25cauldron, she said, makes the book seem
8:32:28harmless. If the spell fails or if you
8:32:31cannot move it, then leave. I nodded.
8:32:34She surveyed us all again. Fly well. I
8:32:38supposed that was as much concern as
8:32:40she'd show. We turned to Moore, whose
8:32:43arms were out waiting for me. Cassian
8:32:46and Ree would winnow with Azriel, my
8:32:48mate, dropped off a few miles from the
8:32:50coast before the Yrianss found more in
8:32:52me seconds later.
8:32:55I moved toward her, but Reese stepped in
8:32:57front of me, his face tense. I rose up
8:33:00on my toes and kissed him. I'll be fine.
8:33:04We'll all be fine. His eyes held mine
8:33:07through the kiss, and when I broke away,
8:33:09his gaze went right to Cassian. Cassian
8:33:12bowed. With my life, High Lord, I'll
8:33:15protect her with my life. Reys looked to
8:33:18Azriel. He nodded, bowing, and said,
8:33:21"With both our lives. It was
8:33:24satisfactory enough to my mate, who at
8:33:26last looked at more. She nodded once,
8:33:29but said, "I know my orders." I wondered
8:33:33what those might be, why I hadn't been
8:33:35told, but she gripped my hand. Before I
8:33:38could say goodbye to Amron, we were
8:33:40gone.
8:33:44Gone. And plunging through open air
8:33:46toward a night dark sea. A warm body
8:33:49slammed into mine, catching me before I
8:33:51could panic and perhaps winnow myself
8:33:53somewhere. Easy, Cassian said, banking
8:33:56right. I looked below to see more still
8:33:59plummeting, then winnow again into
8:34:01nothing. No sign or glimmer of Reese's
8:34:04presence near or behind us. A few yards
8:34:07ahead, Azriel was a swift shadow over
8:34:10the black water toward the land mass we
8:34:12were now approaching. Hibburn.
8:34:15No lights burned on it, but it felt old,
8:34:19as if it were a spider that had been
8:34:21waiting in its web for a long, long
8:34:23time.
8:34:25"I've been here twice," Cassian
8:34:27murmured. "Both times I was counting
8:34:29down the minutes until I could leave. I
8:34:32could see why. A wall of bone white
8:34:35cliffs arose, their tops flat and
8:34:37grassy, leading away to a terrain of
8:34:39sloping barren hills and an overwhelming
8:34:42sense of nothingness.
8:34:44Amarantha had slaughtered all her slaves
8:34:46rather than free them. She had been a
8:34:48commander here, one of many. If that
8:34:51force that had attacked Valaris was a
8:34:53vanguard, I swallowed, flexing my hands
8:34:57beneath my gloves. That's his castle
8:34:59ahead, Cassian said through clenched
8:35:01teeth, swerving. Around a bend in the
8:35:04coast, built into the cliffs and perched
8:35:07above the sea, was a lean, crumbling
8:35:09castle of white stone. Not imperious
8:35:12marble, not elegant limestone, but
8:35:15off-white bone colored. Perhaps a dozen
8:35:19spires clawed at the night sky. A few
8:35:21lights flickered in the windows and
8:35:23balconies. No one outside. No patrol.
8:35:27Where is everyone? Guard shift. They'd
8:35:30planned this around it. There's a small
8:35:33sea door at the bottom. More will be
8:35:35waiting for us there. It's the closest
8:35:37entrance to the lower levels. I'm
8:35:40assuming she can't winnow us in. Too
8:35:43many wards to risk the time it had cost
8:35:44for her to break through them. Ree might
8:35:47be able to, but we'll meet him at the
8:35:49door on the way out. My mouth went a bit
8:35:52dry. Over my heart, the book said,
8:35:55"Home. Take me home." And indeed, I
8:35:59could feel it. With every foot we flew
8:36:01in faster and faster, dipping down so
8:36:04the spray from the ocean chilled me to
8:36:05my bones. I could feel it. ancient,
8:36:09cruel, without allegiance to anyone but
8:36:12itself. The cauldron. They needn't have
8:36:15bothered learning where it was held
8:36:16inside this castle. I had no doubt I'd
8:36:19be drawn right to it. I shuddered. Easy,
8:36:23Cassian said again. We swept in toward
8:36:25the base of the cliffs to the sea door
8:36:27before a platform. Moore was waiting,
8:36:30soared out, the door open. Cassian
8:36:33loosed a breath, but Azreel reached her
8:36:35first, landing swiftly and silently, and
8:36:38immediately prowled into the castle to
8:36:40scout the hall ahead. Moore waited for
8:36:43us, her eyes on Cassian as we landed.
8:36:46They didn't speak, but their glance was
8:36:48too long to be anything but casual. I
8:36:51wondered what their training, their
8:36:52honed senses detected.
8:36:55The passage ahead was dark, silent.
8:36:58Azreel appeared a heartbeat later.
8:37:01guards her down. There was blood on his
8:37:03knife. An ash knife. As his cold eyes
8:37:06met mine. Hurry.
8:37:11I didn't need to focus to track the
8:37:13cauldron to its hiding place. It tugged
8:37:16on my every breath, hauling me to its
8:37:18dark embrace. Anytime we reached a
8:37:21crossroads, Cassian and Azriel would
8:37:23branch out, usually returning with
8:37:25bloodied blades, faces grim, silently
8:37:28warning me to hurry.
8:37:30They'd been working these weeks through
8:37:32whatever sources Azrael had to get this
8:37:35encounter down to an exact schedule. If
8:37:38I needed more time than they'd allotted,
8:37:40if the cauldron couldn't be moved, it
8:37:42might all be for nothing. But not these
8:37:45deaths. No, those I did not mind at all.
8:37:49These people, these people had hurt Ree.
8:37:52They brought tools with them to
8:37:53incapacitate him. They had sent that
8:37:55legion to wreck and butcher my city.
8:37:58I descended through an ancient dungeon,
8:38:01the stones dark and stained. Moore kept
8:38:04at my side, constantly monitoring the
8:38:06last line of defense. If Cassian and
8:38:10Azreel were hurt, I realized she was to
8:38:12make sure I got out by whatever means.
8:38:15Then return, but there was no one in the
8:38:18dungeon. Not that I encountered once the
8:38:20Yrianss were done with them. They had
8:38:22executed this masterfully.
8:38:25We found another stairwell leading down,
8:38:27down, down. I pointed, nausea rolling.
8:38:32There. It's down there. Cassian took the
8:38:36stairs, Ayrian blade stained with dark
8:38:38blood. Neither Moore nor Azriel seemed
8:38:41to breathe until Cassian's low whistle
8:38:43bounced off the stairwell stones from
8:38:45below. Moore put a hand on my back, and
8:38:48we descended into the dark. Home. The
8:38:52book of breathing's sighed. Home.
8:38:56Cassian was standing in a round chamber
8:38:58beneath the castle, a ball of fite
8:39:00floating above his shoulder. And in the
8:39:03center of the room, a top a small deis
8:39:06sat the cauldron.
8:39:11Chapter 62.
8:39:14The cauldron was absence and presence,
8:39:16darkness and whatever the darkness had
8:39:19come from, but not life, not joy or
8:39:23light or hope. It was perhaps the size
8:39:26of a bathtub, forged of dark iron, its
8:39:29three legs, those three legs the king
8:39:31had ransacked those temples to find,
8:39:33crafted like creeping branches covered
8:39:35in thorns. I had never seen something so
8:39:38hideous and alluring. Moore's face had
8:39:42drained of color. Hurry, she said to me.
8:39:45We've got a few minutes. Azriel scanned
8:39:48the room, the stairs we'd stroed down,
8:39:50the cauldron, its legs. I made to
8:39:53approach the deis, but he extended an
8:39:55arm into my path. Listen. So we did. Not
8:40:00words, but a throbbing like blood pulsed
8:40:03through the room like the cauldron had a
8:40:05heartbeat. Like calls to like. I moved
8:40:10toward it. More was at my back, but
8:40:12didn't stop me as I stepped up onto the
8:40:14deis. Inside, the cauldron was nothing
8:40:17but inky, swirling black. Perhaps the
8:40:20entire universe had come from it. Azreel
8:40:23and Cassie tensed as I laid a hand on
8:40:25the lip. Pain. Pain and ecstasy and
8:40:29power and weakness flowed into me.
8:40:32Everything that was and wasn't. Fire and
8:40:35ice, light and dark, deluge and drought,
8:40:38the map for creation.
8:40:40Reeling back into myself, I readied to
8:40:43read that spell. The paper trembled as I
8:40:46pulled it from my pocket as my fingers
8:40:48brushed the half of the book inside.
8:40:50Sweet tonged liar, lady of many faces.
8:40:54One hand on half of the book of
8:40:55breathing, the other on the cauldron. I
8:40:58took a step outside myself, a jolt
8:41:00passing through my blood as if I were no
8:41:02more than a lightning rod. Yes, you see
8:41:06now, princess of Kerrion. You see what
8:41:09you must do,
8:41:12Phyra. Moore murmured in warning. But my
8:41:15mouth was foreign. My lips might as well
8:41:18have been as far away as Valaris, while
8:41:20the cauldron and the book flowed through
8:41:22me, communing. The other one, the book
8:41:25hissed. Bring the other one. Let us be
8:41:28joined. Let us be free. I slid the book
8:41:32from my pocket, tucking it into the
8:41:34crook of my arm as I tugged the second
8:41:36half free. Lovely girl, beautiful bird,
8:41:41so sweet, so generous. Together,
8:41:44together, together. Fra. Moore's voice
8:41:48cut through the song of both halves.
8:41:51Amron had been wrong. Separate, their
8:41:54power was cleaved. Not enough to take on
8:41:56the abyss of the cauldron's might. But
8:41:58together, yes, together, the spell would
8:42:02work when I spoke it. whole. I would
8:42:04become not a conduit between them, but
8:42:07rather their master. There was no moving
8:42:10the cauldron. It had to be now.
8:42:13Realizing what I was about to do, Moore
8:42:15lunged for me with a curse. Too slow. I
8:42:18laid the second half of the book a top
8:42:20the other. A silent ripple of power
8:42:23hollowed out my ears, buckled my bones,
8:42:26then nothing.
8:42:28From far away, Moore said, "We can't
8:42:31risk. Give her a minute." Cassian cut
8:42:34her off. I was the book and the cauldron
8:42:37and sound and silence. I was a living
8:42:40river through which one flowed into the
8:42:42other, eddying and ebbing over and over.
8:42:46A tide with no beginning or end. The
8:42:48spell, the words. I looked to the paper
8:42:51in my hand, but my eyes did not see. My
8:42:54lips did not move. I was not a tool, not
8:42:58a pawn. I would not be a conduit, not be
8:43:01the lackey of these things. I'd
8:43:03memorized the spell. I would say it,
8:43:06breathe it, think it. From the pit of my
8:43:09memory, the first word formed. I slogged
8:43:12toward it, reaching for that one word.
8:43:14That one word that would be a tether
8:43:16back into myself, into who I was. Strong
8:43:19hands tugged me back, wrenching me away.
8:43:22Murky light and moldy stone poured into
8:43:25me, the room spinning as I gasped down
8:43:27breath, finding Azriel shaking me, eyes
8:43:30so wide I could see the white around
8:43:32them. What had happened? What? Steps
8:43:35sounded above. Azriel instantly shoved
8:43:38me behind him, bloodied blade lifting.
8:43:41The movement cleared my head enough to
8:43:43feel something wet and warm trickle down
8:43:45my lip and chin. Blood. My nose had been
8:43:48bleeding. But those steps grew louder,
8:43:51and my friends had their weapons angled
8:43:53as a handsome brown-haired male
8:43:55swaggered down the steps. Human, his
8:43:58ears were round, but his eyes. I knew
8:44:02the color of those eyes. I'd stared at
8:44:05one encased in crystal for 3 months.
8:44:08Stupid fool, he said to me. Jurion, I
8:44:13breathed.
8:44:17Chapter 63.
8:44:20I gauged the distance between my friends
8:44:22and Jurion, weighed my sword against the
8:44:25twin ones, crossed over his back.
8:44:27Cassian took a step toward the
8:44:28descending warrior and snarled. You
8:44:32jurion snickered worked your way up the
8:44:34ranks, did you? Congratulations. I felt
8:44:38him sweep toward us. Like a ripple of
8:44:40night and wrath, Ree appeared at my
8:44:42side. The book was instantly gone, his
8:44:45movement so slick as he took it from me
8:44:47and tucked it into his own jacket that I
8:44:49barely registered it had happened. But
8:44:52the moment that metal left my hands.
8:44:54Mother above. What had happened? I'd
8:44:58failed. Failed so completely. Been so
8:45:00pathetically overwhelmed by it. You look
8:45:03good, Jurian. Ree said, strolling to
8:45:06Cassie's side, casually positioning
8:45:09himself between me and the ancient
8:45:10warrior for a corpse. "Last time I saw
8:45:14you," Jurian sneered. "You were warming
8:45:17Amarantha's sheets." "So, you remember,"
8:45:21Reand mused, even as my rage flared.
8:45:24"Interesting,"
8:45:26Jurian's eyes sliced to Moore. "Where is
8:45:29Miriam?" "She's dead," Moore said
8:45:32flatly. That lie that had been told for
8:45:35500 years. She and Dracon drowned in the
8:45:38Arthrian Sea. The impassive face of the
8:45:41princess of nightmares. "Liar!" Jurian
8:45:44crrewed. "You were always such a liar,
8:45:47Morgan." Azreel growled, the sound
8:45:50unlike any I'd heard from him before.
8:45:53Jurian ignored him, chest starting to
8:45:55heave. "Where did you take Miriam?"
8:45:59"Away from you," Moore breathed. I took
8:46:02her to Prince Dracon. They were mated
8:46:04and married that night you slaughtered
8:46:06Clifyia, and she never thought of you
8:46:08again. Wrath twisted his tan face.
8:46:11Jurion, hero of the human legions, who
8:46:14along the way had turned himself into a
8:46:16monster as awful as those he'd fought.
8:46:19Ree reached back to grab my hand. We'd
8:46:22seen enough. I gripped the rim of the
8:46:24cauldron again, willing it to obey, to
8:46:26come with us. I braced for the wind and
8:46:29darkness. only they didn't come. Moore
8:46:33gripped Cassian and Azriel's hands and
8:46:36stayed still. Jurian smiled. Reand
8:46:40drawled, hand tightening in mine. New
8:46:43trick. Jurian shrugged. I was sent to
8:46:46distract you while he worked his spell.
8:46:49His smile turned Lupine. You won't leave
8:46:52this castle until he allows you to or in
8:46:55pieces. My blood ran cold. Cassian and
8:46:59Azriel crouched into fighting stances,
8:47:01but Ree cocked his head. I felt his dark
8:47:04power rise and rise as if he'd splatter
8:47:07Jurian then and there. But nothing
8:47:09happened. Not even a brush of night
8:47:12fleck wind. Then there's that, Jurian
8:47:15said. Didn't you remember? Perhaps you
8:47:18forgot. It was a good thing I was there,
8:47:21awake for every moment. Reand, she stole
8:47:24his book of spells to take your powers.
8:47:28inside me like a key clicking in a lock.
8:47:31That molten core of power just halted.
8:47:34Whatever tether to it between my mind
8:47:36and soul was snipped. No, squeezed so
8:47:40tight by some invisible hand that
8:47:41nothing could flow. I reached for
8:47:44Reese's mind, for the bond. I slammed
8:47:47into a hard wall, not of Adamant, but a
8:47:49foreign, unfeilling stone. He made sure.
8:47:53Jurian went on as I banged against that
8:47:56internal wall, tried to summon my own
8:47:58gifts to no avail. That particular book
8:48:01was returned to him. She didn't know how
8:48:04to use half of the nastier spells. Do
8:48:07you know what it is like to be unable to
8:48:09sleep, to drink or eat or breathe or
8:48:12feel for 500 years? Do you understand
8:48:16what it is like to be constantly awake,
8:48:18forced to watch everything she did?
8:48:22It had made him insane. Tortured his
8:48:24soul until he went insane. That's what
8:48:27the sharp gleam was in his eyes. "It
8:48:29couldn't have been so bad," Ree said,
8:48:32even as I knew he was unleashing every
8:48:34ounce of will on that spell that
8:48:36contained us bound us. "If you're now
8:48:38working for her master, a flash of two
8:48:42white teeth, your suffering will be long
8:48:45and thorough." "Sounds delightful," Re
8:48:48said, now turning us from the room. a
8:48:50silent shout to run. But someone
8:48:53appeared at top the stairs. I knew him
8:48:56in my bones. The shoulderlength black
8:48:59hair, the ruddy skin, the clothes that
8:49:01edged more toward practicality than
8:49:03finery. He was of surprisingly average
8:49:06height but muscled like a young man. But
8:49:09his face, which looked perhaps like a
8:49:11human man in his 40s, blandly handsome
8:49:15to hide the depthless, hateful black
8:49:17eyes that burned there. The king of
8:49:19Hibburn said, "The trap was so easy. I'm
8:49:23honestly a bit disappointed you didn't
8:49:25see it coming." Faster than any of us
8:49:28could see. Jurian fired a hidden ashbolt
8:49:30through Azriel's chest. More screamed.
8:49:37We had no choice but to go with the
8:49:38king. The ashbolt was coated in
8:49:40bloodbane that the king of Hibburn
8:49:42claimed flowed where he willed it. If we
8:49:45fought, if we did not come with him
8:49:47upstairs, the poison would shoot to his
8:49:49heart and with our magic locked down
8:49:52without the ability to winnow. If I
8:49:55could somehow get to Azriel, give him a
8:49:57mouthful of my blood. But it would take
8:49:59too long, require too many moving parts.
8:50:03Cassian and Ree hauled Azriel between
8:50:05them, his blood splattering on the floor
8:50:07behind us as we went up the twisting
8:50:09stairways of the king's castle. I tried
8:50:12not to step in it as Mo and I followed
8:50:14behind. Jurian at our backs. Moore was
8:50:18shaking, trying hard not to, but shaking
8:50:21as she stared at the protruding end of
8:50:22that arrow, visible between the gap in
8:50:25Azriel's wings.
8:50:27None of us dared strike the king of
8:50:29Hibburn where he stalked ahead, leading
8:50:31the way. He'd taken the cauldron with
8:50:33him, vanishing it with a snap of his
8:50:35fingers and a ry look at me. We knew the
8:50:39king wasn't bluffing. It would take one
8:50:41move on their part for Azriel to die.
8:50:44The guards were out now. And courters,
8:50:47high fay and creatures, I didn't know
8:50:50where they fit in. Who smiled like we
8:50:52were their next meal. Their eyes were
8:50:54all dead, empty. No furniture, no art,
8:50:58as if this castle were the skeleton of
8:51:00some mighty creature. The throne room
8:51:03doors were open, and I boked a throne
8:51:06room. The throne room that had honed
8:51:09Amarantha's penchant for public displays
8:51:11of cruelty.
8:51:13Fail lights slithered along the bone
8:51:15white walls. The windows looking out to
8:51:17the crashing sea far below.
8:51:20The king mounted a day carved of a
8:51:22single block of dark emerald. His throne
8:51:24assembled from the bones of. I felt the
8:51:27blood drain from my face. Human bones,
8:51:31brown and smooth with age. We stopped
8:51:34before it. Jurian learing at our backs,
8:51:36the throne room doors shut. The king
8:51:39said to no one in particular, "Now that
8:51:42I've upheld my end of the bargain, I
8:51:45expect you to uphold yours." From the
8:51:48shadows near a side door, two figures
8:51:51emerged. I began shaking my head as if I
8:51:54could unsee it as Lucian and Tamlin
8:51:57stepped into the light.
8:52:02Chapter 64.
8:52:05Reand went still as death. Cassian
8:52:08snarled, hanging between them. Azreel
8:52:11tried and failed to lift his head, but I
8:52:14was staring at Tamlin at that face I had
8:52:16loved and hated so deeply as he halted a
8:52:19good 20 ft away from us. He wore his
8:52:22bandelier of knives, Yrian hunting
8:52:25blades, I realized. His golden hair was
8:52:28cut shorter, his face more gaunt than
8:52:30I'd last seen it, and his green eyes,
8:52:34wide as they scanned me from head to
8:52:36toe, wide as they took in my fighting
8:52:38leathers, the Yrian sword and knives,
8:52:41the way I stood within my group of
8:52:42friends, my family. He'd been working
8:52:46with the king of Hibburn.
8:52:48No, I breathed. But Tamlin dared one
8:52:51more step closer, staring at me as if I
8:52:54were a ghost. Lucian metal eye worring
8:52:57stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
8:52:59"No," I said again, this time louder.
8:53:03"What was the cost?" Reand said softly
8:53:06from my side. I clawed and tore at the
8:53:09wall, separating our minds, heaved and
8:53:11pulled against that fist, stifling my
8:53:13magic. Tamlin ignored him, looking at
8:53:16the king at last. "You have my word."
8:53:20The king smiled. I took a step toward
8:53:22Tamlin. What have you done? The king of
8:53:26Hibburn said from his throne. We made a
8:53:28bargain. I give you over and he agrees
8:53:31to let my forces enter Prythion through
8:53:33his territory and then use it as a base
8:53:37as we remove that ridiculous wall. I
8:53:40shook my head. Lucian refused to meet
8:53:42the pleading stare I threw his way.
8:53:44You're insane. Cassian hissed. Tamlin
8:53:48held out a hand. Fra, an order like I
8:53:52was no better than a summoned dog. I
8:53:54made no movement. I had to get free. Had
8:53:57to get that damn power free. You, the
8:54:01king said, pointing a thick finger at
8:54:03me. Are a very difficult female to get a
8:54:06hold of. Of course, we've also agreed
8:54:08that you'll work for me once you've been
8:54:10returned home to your husband. But is it
8:54:13husband to be or husband? I can't
8:54:16remember. Lucian glanced between us all,
8:54:19face paling. Tamlin, he murmured, but
8:54:23Tamlin didn't lower the hand stretched
8:54:25toward me. I'm taking you home. I backed
8:54:28up a step toward where Reand still held
8:54:31Azrael with Cassian. There's that other
8:54:34bit, too. The other thing I wanted, the
8:54:37king went on. Well, Jurion wanted two
8:54:40birds with one stone, really. The high
8:54:43lord of night dead. And to learn who his
8:54:45friends were. It drove Jurian quite mad,
8:54:48honestly, that you never revealed it
8:54:50during those 50 years. So now you know,
8:54:54Jurian, and now you can do what you
8:54:56please with them. Around me, my friends
8:55:00were tense, taught. Even Azreel was
8:55:02subtly moving a bloodied, scarred hand
8:55:04closer to his blades. His blood pulled
8:55:07at the edge of my boots. I said
8:55:09steadily, clearly to Tamlin, "I'm not
8:55:13going anywhere with you." You'll say
8:55:16differently, my dear, the king
8:55:18countered. When I complete the final
8:55:20part of my bargain, horror coiled in my
8:55:23gut. The king jerked his chin at my left
8:55:25arm. Break that bond between you two.
8:55:29Please, I whispered. How else is Tamlin
8:55:32to have his bride? He can't very well
8:55:34have a wife who runs off to another male
8:55:36once a month. Ree remained silent,
8:55:39though his grip tightened on Azriel,
8:55:42observing, weighing, sorting through the
8:55:44lock on his power. The thought of that
8:55:46silence between our souls being
8:55:48permanent. My voice cracked as I said to
8:55:51Tamlin, still at the opposite end of the
8:55:53crude half circle we'd formed before the
8:55:55Deis. Don't let him. I told you. I told
8:56:00you that I was fine, that I left. You
8:56:03weren't well, Tamlin snarled. He used
8:56:06that bond to manipulate you. Why do you
8:56:08think I was gone so often? I was looking
8:56:11for a way to get you free and you left.
8:56:14I left because I was going to die in
8:56:16that house. The king of Hibburn clicked
8:56:18his tongue. Not what you expected, is
8:56:22it? Tamlin growled at him, but again
8:56:25held out his hand toward me. Come home
8:56:27with me now. No, Phyra. An unflinching
8:56:32command. Reys was barely breathing,
8:56:35barely moving. And I realized realized
8:56:39it was to keep his scent from becoming
8:56:41apparent. Our scent, our mating bond.
8:56:45Jurian's sword was already out, and he
8:56:48was looking at more as if he was going
8:56:49to kill her first. Azriel's [snorts]
8:56:52blood drained face twisted with rage as
8:56:54he noticed that stare. Cassian, still
8:56:56holding him upright, took them all in,
8:56:59assessing, readying himself to fight, to
8:57:02defend. I stopped beating at the fist on
8:57:04my power, stroked it gently, lovingly.
8:57:08I am fay and not fay, all and none, I
8:57:12told the spell that gripped me. You do
8:57:15not hold me. I am as you are, real and
8:57:18not little more than gathered wisps of
8:57:21power. You do not hold me.
8:57:25I'll come with you, I said softly to
8:57:28Tamlin, to Lucian, shifting on his feet.
8:57:31If you leave them alone, let them go.
8:57:35You do not hold me. Tamlin's face
8:57:37contorted with wrath. They're monsters.
8:57:40They're He didn't finish as he stalked
8:57:43across the floor to grab me, to drag me
8:57:45out of here, then no doubt winnow away.
8:57:48You do not hold me. The fist gripping my
8:57:51power relaxed, vanished. Tamlin lunged
8:57:54for me over the few feet that remained.
8:57:56So fast. Too fast. I became mist and
8:58:00shadow. I winnowed beyond his reach. The
8:58:03king let out a low laugh as Tamlin
8:58:05stumbled and went sprawling as Rean's
8:58:07fist connected with his face. Panting, I
8:58:11retreated right into Rean's arms as one
8:58:13looped around my waist as Azreel's blood
8:58:16on him soaked into my back. Behind us,
8:58:19more leaped in to fill the space Ree had
8:58:21vacated, slinging Azriel's arm over her
8:58:24shoulders. But that wall of hideous
8:58:26stone remained in my mind and still
8:58:29blocked Reese's own power. Tamlin rose,
8:58:32wiping the blood now trickling from his
8:58:34nose as he backed to where Lucian held
8:58:36his position with a hand on his sword.
8:58:39But just as Tamlin neared his emissary,
8:58:41he staggered a step. His face went white
8:58:44with rage. And I knew Tamlin understood
8:58:47a moment before the king laughed. I
8:58:50don't believe it. Your bride left you
8:58:53only to find her mate. The mother has a
8:58:56warped sense of humor, it seems. And
8:58:59what a talent. Tell me, girl, how did
8:59:02you unravel that spell? I ignored him,
8:59:05but the hatred in Tamlin's eyes made my
8:59:07knees buckle. I'm sorry, I said, and
8:59:11meant it. Tamlin's eyes were on Reand,
8:59:14his face near feral. You, he snarled,
8:59:18the sound more animal than Fay. What did
8:59:21you do to her? Behind us, the doors
8:59:24opened and soldiers poured in. Some
8:59:26looked like the Ador. Some looked worse.
8:59:29More and more filling up the room, the
8:59:31exits, armor and weapons clanking. Moore
8:59:35and Cassian, Azreel sagging and heavy
8:59:37litted between them. Scanned each
8:59:39soldier and weapon, sizing up our best
8:59:42odds of escape. I left them to it as Ree
8:59:45and I faced Tamlin. I'm not going with
8:59:47you, I spat at Tamlin. And even if I
8:59:50did, you spineless, stupid fool for
8:59:53selling us out to him. Do you know what
8:59:55he wants to do with that cauldron? Oh,
8:59:58I'm going to do many, many things with
9:00:00it, the king said, and the cauldron
9:00:03appeared again between us. Starting now.
9:00:07Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. I could
9:00:10not tell if the voice was mine or the
9:00:12cauldrons. I didn't care. I unleashed
9:00:15myself. Talons and wings and shadows
9:00:17were instantly around me, surrounded by
9:00:20water and fire. Then they vanished,
9:00:22stifled as that invisible hand gripped
9:00:24my power again, so hard I gasped. Aw,
9:00:28the king said to me, clicking his
9:00:30tongue, that look at you, a child of all
9:00:34seven courts, like and unlike all. How
9:00:37the cauldron purr in your presence. Did
9:00:41you plan to use it, destroy it? With
9:00:44that book, you could do anything you
9:00:46wished. I didn't say anything. The king
9:00:49shrugged. You'll tell me soon enough. I
9:00:52made no bargain with you. No, but your
9:00:55master did, so you will obey. Molten
9:00:59rage poured into me. I hissed at Tamlin.
9:01:02If you bring me from here, if you take
9:01:04me from my mate, I will destroy you. I
9:01:07will destroy your court and everything
9:01:10you hold dear. Tamlin's lips thinned,
9:01:12but he said simply, "You don't know what
9:01:15you're talking about." Lucian cringed.
9:01:18The king jerked his chin to the guards
9:01:20by the side door through which Tamlin
9:01:22and Lucian had appeared. "No, she
9:01:25doesn't." The doors opened again. "There
9:01:28will be no destroying," the king went on
9:01:31as people, as women walked through those
9:01:33doors. Four women, four humans, the four
9:01:37remaining queens. Because the king said,
9:01:41the queen's guards falling into rank
9:01:43behind them, hauling something in the
9:01:45core of their formation. You will find
9:01:48Phyra Archeron that it is in your best
9:01:51interest to behave. The four queens
9:01:54sneered at us with hate in their eyes.
9:01:56Hate? And parted to let their personal
9:01:59guards through. Fear like I had never
9:02:02known entered my heart as the men
9:02:04dragged my sisters gagged and bound
9:02:07before the king of Hibburn.
9:02:13Chapter 65.
9:02:16This was some new hell, some new level
9:02:18of nightmare. I even went so far as to
9:02:21try to wake myself up. But there they
9:02:24were in their night gowns, the silk and
9:02:26lace dirty, torn. Elaine was quietly
9:02:30sobbing, the gag soaked with her tears.
9:02:33Neesa, hair disheveled as if she'd
9:02:35fought like a wild cat, was panting as
9:02:38she took us in, took in the cauldron.
9:02:41You made a very big mistake, the king
9:02:43said to Reand. My mate's arms banded
9:02:46around me. The day you went after the
9:02:48book, I had no need of it. I was content
9:02:51to let it lie hidden. But the moment
9:02:53your forces started sniffing around, I
9:02:57decided who better than to be my liaison
9:02:59to the human realm than my newly reborn
9:03:02friend Jurion. He'd just finished all
9:03:05those months of recovering from the
9:03:06process and longed to see what his
9:03:09former home had become. So he was more
9:03:11than happy to visit the continent for an
9:03:14extended visit. Indeed, the queens
9:03:17smiled at him, bowed their heads.
9:03:19Reese's arms tightened in silent
9:03:21warning. The brave, cunning Jurian who
9:03:25suffered so badly at the end of the war.
9:03:27Now my ally, here to help me convince
9:03:30these queens to aid in my cause. For a
9:03:33price of his own, of course, but it has
9:03:36no bearing here. And wiser to work with
9:03:38me, my men, than to allow you monsters
9:03:42in the night court to rule and attack.
9:03:45Jurion was right to warn their majesties
9:03:47that you'd try to take the book, that
9:03:49you would feed them lies of love and
9:03:51goodness. when he had seen what the high
9:03:53lord of the night court was capable of.
9:03:56The hero of the human forces, reborn as
9:03:59a gesture to the human world of my good
9:04:02faith. I do not wish to invade the
9:04:04continent, but to work with them. My
9:04:07powers ensconced their court from prying
9:04:10eyes just to show them the benefits. A
9:04:13smirk at Azriel, who could hardly lift
9:04:16his head to snarl back. Such impressive
9:04:19attempts to infiltrate their sacred
9:04:21palace, Shadow Singer, and utter proof
9:04:23to their majesties, of course, that your
9:04:26court is not as benevolent as you seem.
9:04:29Liar. I hissed and whirled on the
9:04:32queens, daring only a step away from
9:04:34Ree. They are liars, and if you do not
9:04:37let my sisters go, I will slaughter. Do
9:04:40you hear the threats? the language they
9:04:42use in the night court. The king said to
9:04:45the mortal queens, their guards now
9:04:47around us in a half circle. Slaughter
9:04:50ultimatums. They wish to end life. I
9:04:54desire to give it. The eldest queen said
9:04:57to him, refusing to acknowledge me my
9:05:00words. Then show us. Prove this gift you
9:05:04mentioned. Reand tugged me back against
9:05:07him. He said quietly to the queen.
9:05:10You're a fool. The king cut in. Is she?
9:05:14Why submit to old age and ailments when
9:05:16what I offer is so much better? He waved
9:05:19a hand toward me. Eternal youth. Do you
9:05:22deny the benefits? A mortal queen
9:05:25becomes one who might reign forever. Of
9:05:28course, there are risks. The transition
9:05:30can be difficult, but a strong willed
9:05:33individual could survive.
9:05:36The youngest queen, the dark-haired one,
9:05:38smiled slightly. arrogant youth and
9:05:41bitter old age. Only the two others, the
9:05:45ones who wore white and black, seemed to
9:05:47hesitate, stepping closer to each other
9:05:49and their towering guards. The ancient
9:05:52queen lifted her chin. Show us,
9:05:55demonstrate it can be done, that it is
9:05:58safe. She had spoken of eternal youth
9:06:01that day, had spat in my face about it,
9:06:04two-faced The king nodded. Why
9:06:07did you think I asked my dear friend
9:06:10Ayanthy to see who Fyra Archeron would
9:06:13appreciate having with her for eternity?
9:06:16Even as horror filled my ears with
9:06:18roaring silence, I glanced at the
9:06:20queens, the question no doubt written on
9:06:23my face. The king explained, "Oh, I
9:06:26asked them first. They deemed it too
9:06:29uncou to betray two young misguided
9:06:31women. I, had no such qualms. Consider
9:06:35it my wedding present for you both," he
9:06:38added to Tamlin. But Tamlin's face
9:06:40tightened. "What?" The king cocked his
9:06:43head, savoring every word. "I think the
9:06:46high priestess was waiting until your
9:06:48return to tell you. But didn't you ever
9:06:51ask why she believed I might be able to
9:06:53break the bargain? Why she had so many
9:06:56musings on the idea? So many millennia
9:06:59have the high priestesses been forced to
9:07:01their knees for the high lords. And
9:07:04during those years she dwelt in that
9:07:06foreign court. Such an open mind she
9:07:09has. Once we met, once I painted for her
9:07:12a portrait of a Prtheian free of high
9:07:14lords where the high priestesses might
9:07:17rule with grace and wisdom. She didn't
9:07:20take much convincing.
9:07:22I was going to vomit. Tamlin, to his
9:07:25credit, looked like he might, too.
9:07:27Lucian's face had slackened. She sold
9:07:30out. She sold out Fra's family to you. I
9:07:35had told Ianthy everything about my
9:07:37sisters. She had asked asked who they
9:07:40were, where they lived, and I had been
9:07:42so stupid, so broken. I had fed her
9:07:46every detail. Sold out. The king snorted
9:07:50or saved from the shackles of mortal
9:07:52death. Ianthy suggested they were both
9:07:55strong willed women like their sister.
9:07:58No doubt they'll survive. and prove to
9:08:00our queens it can be done if one has the
9:08:04strength. My heart stopped. Don't you?
9:08:08The king cut me off. I would suggest
9:08:10bracing yourselves. And then hell
9:08:13exploded in the hall. Power white and
9:08:16unending and hideous barreled into us.
9:08:19All I knew was Rean's body covering mine
9:08:21as we were all thrown to the floor. The
9:08:24shout of pain as he took the brunt of
9:08:25the king's power. Cassian twisted, wings
9:08:29flaring wide as he shielded Azriel. His
9:08:32wings. His wings. Cassian's scream as
9:08:35his wings shredded under talons of pure
9:08:38magic. Was the most horrific sound I'd
9:08:40ever heard. More surged for him, but too
9:08:43late. Reys was moving in an instant, as
9:08:46if he'd lunged for the king. But power
9:08:48hit us again and again. Ree slammed to
9:08:51his knees. My sisters were shrieking
9:08:54over their gags, but Elaine's cry. A
9:08:57warning. A warning to to my right, now
9:09:00exposed, Tamlin ran for me to grab me at
9:09:04last. I hurled a knife at him as hard as
9:09:06I could. He had to dive to miss it, and
9:09:09he backed away at the second one I had
9:09:11ready, gaping at me at Ree, as if he
9:09:14could indeed see the mating bond between
9:09:16us. But I whirled as soldiers pressed
9:09:19in, cutting us off. Whirled and saw
9:09:22Cassian and Azriel on the ground. Jurian
9:09:25laughing softly at the blood gushing
9:09:27from Cassian's ravaged wings. Shreds of
9:09:30them remained. I scrambled for him. My
9:09:33blood. It might be enough. Be more on
9:09:36her knees beside Cassian. Hurdled for
9:09:39the king with a cry of pure wrath. He
9:09:41sent a punch of power to her. She dodged
9:09:44a knife angled in her hand. And Azriel
9:09:47cried out in pain. She froze, stopped a
9:09:51foot from the throne, her knife
9:09:52clattered to the floor. The king rose.
9:09:56"What a mighty queen you are!" he
9:09:59breathed, and Moore backed away step by
9:10:02step. "What a prize!" the king said,
9:10:05that black gaze devouring her. Azrael's
9:10:09head lifted from where he was sprawled
9:10:10in his own blood, eyes full of rage and
9:10:13pain as he snarled at the king. Don't
9:10:15you touch her. Moore looked at Azriel
9:10:18and there was real fear there. Fear and
9:10:21something else. She didn't stop moving
9:10:24until she again kneled beside him and
9:10:26pressed a hand to his wound. Azriel
9:10:28hissed but covered her bloody fingers
9:10:31with his own. Reys positioned himself
9:10:34between me and the king as I dropped to
9:10:36my knees before Cassian. I ripped at the
9:10:38leather covering my forearm. Put the
9:10:41prettier one in first, the king said,
9:10:43more already forgotten. I twisted, only
9:10:47to have the king's guards grab me from
9:10:49behind. Ree was instantly there, but
9:10:51Azreel shouted, back arching as the
9:10:54king's poison worked its way in. "Please
9:10:57refrain," the king said, "From getting
9:10:59any stupid ideas, Reand," he smiled at
9:11:03me. "If any of you interfere, the shadow
9:11:07singer dies. pity about the other
9:11:09brutees wings. He gave my sisters a
9:11:12mockery of a bow. Ladies, eternity
9:11:15awaits. Prove to their majesties the
9:11:18cauldron is safe for strong willed
9:11:21individuals.
9:11:23I shook my head, unable to breathe, to
9:11:26think a way out of it. Elaine was
9:11:28shaking, sobbing as she was hauled
9:11:30forward toward the cauldron. Neesa began
9:11:33thrashing against the men that held her.
9:11:36Tamlin said, "Stop." The king did no
9:11:39such thing. Lucian, beside Tamlin, again
9:11:42put a hand on his sword. Stop this.
9:11:44Neesa was bellowing at the guards, at
9:11:47the king, as Elaine yielded step after
9:11:49step toward that cauldron as the king
9:11:52waved his hand and liquid filled it to
9:11:54the brim. No, no. The queens only
9:11:57watched, stonefaced, and Ree and Moore,
9:12:00separated from me by those guards, did
9:12:03not dare to even shift a muscle. Tamlin
9:12:05spat at the king. "This is not part of
9:12:08our deal. Stop this now." "I don't
9:12:11care," the king said simply. Tamlin
9:12:14launched himself at the throne as if
9:12:16he'd rip him to shreds. That white hot
9:12:18magic slammed into him, shoving him to
9:12:21the ground, leashing him. Tamlin
9:12:24strained against the collar of light on
9:12:25his neck around his wrists. His golden
9:12:28power flared to no avail. I tore at the
9:12:32fist still gripping my own, sliced at it
9:12:34over and over. Lucian staggered a step
9:12:37forward as Elaine was gripped between
9:12:40two guards and hoisted up. She began
9:12:42kicking then weeping while her feet
9:12:44slammed into the sides of the cauldron
9:12:46as if she'd push off it as if she'd
9:12:48knock it down. That is enough. Lucian
9:12:51surged for Elaine for the cauldron. And
9:12:54the king's power leashed him too. On the
9:12:56ground beside Tamlin, his single eye
9:12:59wide, Lucian had the good sense to look
9:13:01horrified as he glanced between Elaine
9:13:03and the high lord. "Please," I begged
9:13:06the king, who motioned Elaine to be
9:13:08shoved into the water. "Please, I will
9:13:11do anything. I will give you anything."
9:13:14I shot to my feet, stepping away from
9:13:16where Cassian lay prostrate, and looked
9:13:18to the queens. "Please, you do not need
9:13:21proof. I am proof that it works. Jurion
9:13:24is proof it is safe. The ancient queen
9:13:27said, "You are a thief and a liar. You
9:13:31conspired with our sister. Your
9:13:33punishment should be the same as hers.
9:13:36Consider this a gift instead." Elaine's
9:13:39foot hit the water and she screamed.
9:13:41Screamed in terror that hit me so deep I
9:13:44began sobbing. "Please," I said to none
9:13:47of them. Neesa was still fighting, still
9:13:49roaring through her gag. Elaine, who
9:13:52Nesa would have killed and hoarded and
9:13:54stolen for. Elaine, who had been gentle
9:13:57and sweet. Elaine, who was to marry a
9:14:00lord's son who hated fairies. The guards
9:14:03shoved my sister into the cauldron in a
9:14:05single movement. My cry hadn't finished
9:14:08sounding before Elaine's head went
9:14:09under. She did not come up. Neesa
9:14:13screaming was the only sound. Cassian
9:14:16blindly lurched toward it, toward her,
9:14:18moaning in pain. The king of Hibburn
9:14:21bowed slightly to the queens. Behold,
9:14:25Ree, a wall of guards still cleaving us,
9:14:28curled his fingers into a fist, but he
9:14:30did not move, as Mo and I did not dare
9:14:33move, not with Azrael's life dangling in
9:14:35the king's grasp, and as if it had been
9:14:38tipped by invisible hands. The cauldron
9:14:40turned on its side. More water than
9:14:43seemed possible, dumped out in a
9:14:45cascade. Black smokecoated water. And
9:14:49Elaine, as if she'd been thrown by a
9:14:51wave, washed onto the stones face down.
9:14:55Her legs were so pale, so delicate. I
9:14:58couldn't remember the last time I'd seen
9:15:00them bear. The queens pushed forward.
9:15:04Alive. She had to be alive. Had to have
9:15:07wanted to live. Elaine sucked in a
9:15:10breath, her fine boned back rising, her
9:15:12wet night gown nearly sheer. And as she
9:15:15rose from the ground onto her elbows,
9:15:17the gag in place as she twisted to look
9:15:19at me. Neesa began roaring again. Pale
9:15:23skin started to glow. Her face had
9:15:26somehow become more beautiful,
9:15:28infinitely beautiful. And her ears,
9:15:31Elaine's ears were now pointed beneath
9:15:33her soden hair. The queens gasped. And
9:15:36for a moment all I could think of was my
9:15:39father. What he would do, what he would
9:15:42say when his most beloved daughter
9:15:44looked at him with a fa face.
9:15:47So we can survive. The dark-haired
9:15:49youngest breathed, eyes bright. I fell
9:15:52to my knees, the guards not bothering to
9:15:55grab me as I sobbed. What he'd done.
9:15:58What he'd done. The Hellcat now, if
9:16:01you'll be so kind, the king of Hibburn
9:16:03said. I whipped my head to Neesa as she
9:16:06went silent. The cauldron writed itself.
9:16:09Cassianne again stirred, slumping on the
9:16:12floor, but his hand twitched toward
9:16:14Neesa. Elaine was still shivering on the
9:16:17wet stones, her night gown shoved up to
9:16:19her thighs, her small breasts fully
9:16:22visible beneath the soaked fabric.
9:16:24Guards snickered. Lucian snarled at the
9:16:27king over the bite of magic in his
9:16:28throat. Don't just leave her on the
9:16:30damned floor. There was a flare of light
9:16:33and a scrape, and then Lucian was
9:16:35stalking toward Elaine, freed of his
9:16:37restraints. Tamlin remained leashed on
9:16:40the ground, a gag of white iridescent
9:16:42magic in his mouth now, but his eyes
9:16:44were on Lucian as as Lucian took off his
9:16:48jacket, kneeling before Elaine. She
9:16:50cringed away from the coat, from him.
9:16:53The guards hauled Nesa toward the
9:16:55cauldron. There were different kinds of
9:16:57torture. I realized there was the
9:17:00torture that I had endured, that Ree had
9:17:02endured. And then there was this. The
9:17:05torture that Ree had worked so hard
9:17:07those 50 years to avoid the nightmares
9:17:10that haunted him, to be unable to move,
9:17:12to fight while our loved ones were
9:17:14broken. My eyes met with those of my
9:17:17mate. Agony rippled in that violet
9:17:20stare. Rage and guilt and utter agony,
9:17:23the mirror to my own. Neesa fought every
9:17:26step of the way. She did not make it
9:17:29easy for them. She clawed and kicked and
9:17:31bucked, and it was not enough, and we
9:17:34were not enough to save her. I watched
9:17:37as she was hoisted up. Elaine remained
9:17:40shuddering on the ground, Lucian's coat
9:17:42draped around her. She did not look at
9:17:45the cauldron behind her, not as Neesa's
9:17:47thrashing feet slammed into the water.
9:17:50Cassian stirred again, his shredded
9:17:52wings twitching and spraying blood. his
9:17:55muscles quivering at Neesa's shouts, her
9:17:58raging. His eyes fluttered open, glazed
9:18:01and unseeing, an answer to some call in
9:18:03his blood, a promise he'd made her, but
9:18:06pain knocked him under again. Neesa was
9:18:10shoved into the water up to her
9:18:11shoulders. She bucked even as the water
9:18:14sprayed. She clawed and screamed her
9:18:16rage. Her defiance put her under. The
9:18:20king hissed. The guards, straining,
9:18:22shoved her slender shoulders, her brown
9:18:25gold head, and as they pushed her head
9:18:27down, she thrashed one last time,
9:18:30freeing her long pale arm. Teeth bared,
9:18:33Neesa pointed one finger at the king of
9:18:35Hibburn. One finger, a curse, and a
9:18:39damning, a promise. And as Neesa's head
9:18:42was forced under the water as that hand
9:18:44was violently shoved down, the king of
9:18:47Hibburn had the good sense to look
9:18:49somewhat unnerved.
9:18:51Dark water lapped for a moment. The
9:18:53surface went flat. I vomited on the
9:18:56floor. The guards at last let Reand
9:18:59kneel beside me in the growing pool of
9:19:01Cassian's blood. Let him tuck me into
9:19:04him as the cauldron again tilted. Water
9:19:07poured forth. Lucian hoisting Elaine in
9:19:10his arms and out of the way. The bonds
9:19:12on Tamlin vanished along with the gag.
9:19:14He was instantly on his feet, snarling
9:19:17at the king. Even the fist on my mind
9:19:19lightened to a mere caress, as if he
9:19:22knew he'd won. I didn't care. Not as
9:19:25Neesa was sprawled upon the stones. I
9:19:28knew that she was different. From
9:19:30however Elaine had been made, Neesa was
9:19:33different. Even before she took her
9:19:36first breath, I felt it. As if the
9:19:38cauldron, in making her, had been forced
9:19:41to give more than it wanted. As if Neesa
9:19:43had fought even after she went under and
9:19:46had decided that if she was to be
9:19:47dragged into hell, she was taking that
9:19:49cauldron with her. As if that finger
9:19:52she'd pointed was now a death promise to
9:19:54the king of Hibburn.
9:19:56Nesa took a breath. And when I beheld my
9:19:59sister with her somehow magnified
9:20:01beauty, her ears, when Neesa looked to
9:20:04me, rage, power, cunning. Then it was
9:20:09gone. Horror and shock crumpling her
9:20:12face. But she didn't pause, didn't halt.
9:20:15She was free. She was loose. She was on
9:20:18her feet, tripping over her slightly
9:20:20longer, leaner limbs, ripping the gag
9:20:22from her mouth. Nesa slammed into
9:20:24Lucian, grabbing Elaine from his arms,
9:20:27and screamed at him as he fell back,
9:20:29"Get off her!" Elaine's feet slipped
9:20:32against the floor, but Neesa gripped her
9:20:34upright, running her hands over Elaine's
9:20:36face, her shoulders, her hair. "Ela!
9:20:40Elaine! Elaine!" she sobbed. Cassian
9:20:43again stirred, trying to rise to answer
9:20:46Neesa's voice as she held my sister and
9:20:49cried her name again and again. But
9:20:52Elaine was staring over Neesa's shoulder
9:20:55at Lucian, whose face she had finally
9:20:57taken in. Dark brown eyes met one eye of
9:21:01russet and one of metal. Neesa was still
9:21:04weeping, still raging, still inspecting
9:21:06Elaine. Lucian's hands slackened at his
9:21:09sides. His voice broke as he whispered
9:21:12to Elaine, "You're my mate."
9:21:18Chapter 66.
9:21:21I didn't let Lucian's declaration sink
9:21:23in. Neesa, however, whirled on him. "She
9:21:27is no such thing," she said and shoved
9:21:30him again. Lucian didn't move an inch.
9:21:33His face was pale as death as he stared
9:21:35at Elaine. My sister said nothing, the
9:21:38iron ring glinting dullly on her finger.
9:21:40The king of Hibburn murmured.
9:21:42"Interesting!
9:21:44So very interesting," he turned to the
9:21:47queens. See, I showed you not once, but
9:21:51twice that it is safe. Who should like
9:21:53to be made first? Perhaps you'll get a
9:21:55handsome fa lord as your mate, too. The
9:21:59youngest queen stepped forward, her eyes
9:22:01indeed darting between all the fay men
9:22:03assembled, as if they were hers for the
9:22:06picking. The king chuckled. Very well,
9:22:09then. Hate flooded me. So violent, I had
9:22:12no control over it. No song in my heart,
9:22:15but its war cry. I was going to kill
9:22:18them. I was going to kill all of them.
9:22:20"If you're so willing to hand out
9:22:22bargains," Ree suddenly said, rising to
9:22:25his feet and tugging me with him.
9:22:27"Perhaps I'll make one with you." "Oh!"
9:22:31Reese shrugged. "No, no more bargains,
9:22:34no more sacrifices, no more giving
9:22:37himself away piece by piece. No more."
9:22:40And if the king refused, if there was
9:22:42nothing to do but watch my friends die,
9:22:45I could not accept it. I could not
9:22:47endure it. Not that. And for Ree, for
9:22:51the family I'd found, they had not
9:22:53needed me. Not really, only to nullify
9:22:56the cauldron. I had failed them, just as
9:23:00I had failed my sisters, whose lives I'd
9:23:02now shattered. I thought of that ring
9:23:04waiting for me at home. I thought of the
9:23:07ring on Elaine's finger from a man who
9:23:09would now likely hunt her down and kill
9:23:11her if Lucian let her leave at all. I
9:23:14thought of all the things I wanted to
9:23:16paint and never would. But for them, for
9:23:20my family, both of blood and my own
9:23:22choosing, for my mate. The idea that hit
9:23:25me did not seem so frightening. And so I
9:23:28was not afraid.
9:23:30I dropped to my knees in a spasm,
9:23:32gripping my head as I nashed my teeth
9:23:34and sobbed, sobbed, and panted, pulling
9:23:37at my hair. The fist of that spell
9:23:40didn't have time to seize me again as I
9:23:42exploded past it. Ree reached for me,
9:23:45but I unleashed my power. A flash of
9:23:47that white pure light, all that could
9:23:49escape with the damper from the king's
9:23:51spell. A flash of the light that was
9:23:53only for Ree. Only because of Ree. I
9:23:56hoped he understood. It erupted through
9:23:59the room. The gathered force hissing and
9:24:01dropping back. Even Ree had frozen. The
9:24:05king and queens openmouthed. My sisters
9:24:07and Lucian had whirled too. But there,
9:24:11deep within day's light, I gleaned it. A
9:24:14purifying clear power. Curse breaker.
9:24:18Spellb breaker. The light wiped through
9:24:20every physical trapping, showing me the
9:24:22snarls of spells and glamours, showing
9:24:25me the way through. I burned brighter,
9:24:28looking, looking. Buried inside the bone
9:24:31walls of the castle, the wards were
9:24:33woven strong. I sent that blinding light
9:24:36flaring once more, a distraction and
9:24:38slight of hand, as I severed the wards
9:24:40at their ancient arteries. Now I only
9:24:44had to play my part. The light faded,
9:24:47and I was curled on the floor, head in
9:24:49my hands. Silence. Silence as they all
9:24:53gawkked at me. Even Jurion had stopped
9:24:55gloating from where he now leaned
9:24:57against the wall. But my eyes were only
9:25:00on Tamlin as I lowered my hands, gulping
9:25:02down air, and blinked. I looked at the
9:25:05host and the blood and the night court,
9:25:08and then finally back at him as I
9:25:10breathed. Tamlin. He didn't move an
9:25:13inch. Beyond him, the king gaped at me.
9:25:16Whether he knew I'd ripped his wards
9:25:18wide open, whether he knew it was
9:25:20intentional was not my concern. Not yet.
9:25:23I blinked again as if clearing my head.
9:25:26Tamlin. I peered at my hands, the blood,
9:25:30and when I beheld Ree. When I beheld my
9:25:32grim-faced friends and my drenched
9:25:34immortal sisters. There was nothing but
9:25:37shock and confusion on Reese's face as I
9:25:40scrambled back from him, away from them,
9:25:42toward Tamlin. Tamlin, I managed to say
9:25:46again. Lucian's eye widened as he
9:25:49stepped between me and Elaine. I whirled
9:25:51on the king of Hibburn. Where? I again
9:25:54faced Reand. What did you do to me? I
9:25:58breathed low and guttural, backing
9:26:00toward Tamlin. What did you do? Get them
9:26:04out. Get my sisters out. Play. Please
9:26:08play along. Please. There was no sound,
9:26:12no shield, no glimmer of feeling in our
9:26:14bond. The king's power had blocked it
9:26:17out too thoroughly. There was nothing I
9:26:19could do against it. Curse breaker or
9:26:21no. But Ree slid his hands into his
9:26:24pockets as he purred. How did you get
9:26:26free?
9:26:28What? Jurian seethed, pushing off the
9:26:30wall and storming toward us. But I
9:26:33turned toward Tamlin and ignored the
9:26:35features and smell and clothes that were
9:26:37all wrong. He watched me wearily. Don't
9:26:40let him take me again. Don't let him.
9:26:43Don't. I couldn't keep the sobs from
9:26:45shuddering out. Not as the full force of
9:26:47what I was doing hit me. Phyra, Tamlin
9:26:51said softly, and I knew I had won. I
9:26:54sobbed harder. Get my sisters out, I
9:26:58begged Reese through the silent bond. I
9:27:00ripped the wards open for you. All of
9:27:02you, get them out. Don't let him take
9:27:05me, I sobbed again. I don't want to go
9:27:08back. And when I looked at more at the
9:27:11tears streaming down her face as she
9:27:13helped Cassian get upright, I knew she
9:27:15realized what I meant. But the tears
9:27:18vanished, became sorrow for Cassian as
9:27:20she turned a hateful, horrified face to
9:27:22Reand and spat. What did you do to that
9:27:26girl? Reese cocked his head. How did you
9:27:29do it, Phra? There was so much blood on
9:27:32him. One last game. This was one last
9:27:35game we were to play together. I shook
9:27:38my head. The queens had fallen back,
9:27:40their guards forming a wall between us.
9:27:43Tamlin watched me carefully. So did
9:27:45Lucian. So I turned to the king. He was
9:27:48smiling like he knew. But I said, "Break
9:27:52the bond." Reand went still as death. I
9:27:56stormed to the king, knees barking as I
9:27:58dropped to the floor before his throne.
9:28:00"Break the bond. The bargain. The mating
9:28:04bond. He made me do it. Made me swear
9:28:06it." "No," Rand said. I ignored him even
9:28:11as my heart broke. Even as I knew that
9:28:13he hadn't meant to say it. Do it, I
9:28:16begged the king. Even as I silently
9:28:18prayed he wouldn't notice his ruined
9:28:20wards, the door I'd left wide open. I
9:28:22know you can. Just free me. Free me from
9:28:26it. No, Rand said, but Tamlin was
9:28:30staring between us. And I looked at him,
9:28:32the high lord I had once loved, and I
9:28:35breathed. No more. No more death. No
9:28:38more killing. I sobbed through my
9:28:40clenched teeth, made myself look at my
9:28:43sisters. No more. Take me home and let
9:28:47them go. Tell him it's part of the
9:28:49bargain and let them go. But no more,
9:28:52please. Cassian slowly, every movement
9:28:55pained, stirred enough to look over a
9:28:57shredded wing at me. And in his
9:28:59painlazed eyes, I saw it, the
9:29:02understanding. The court of dreams. I
9:29:05had belonged to a court of dreams and
9:29:08dreamers. And for their dreams, for what
9:29:11they had worked for, sacrificed for, I
9:29:14could do it. Get my sisters out, I said
9:29:18to Ree one last time, sending it into
9:29:20that stone wall between us. I looked to
9:29:23Tamlin. No more. Those green eyes meant
9:29:27mine, and the sorrow and tenderness in
9:29:29them was the most hideous thing I'd ever
9:29:31seen. Take me home, Tamlin said flatly
9:29:35to the king. Let them go. Break her bond
9:29:39and let's be done with it. Her sisters
9:29:41come with us. You've already crossed too
9:29:43many lines. Jurian began objecting, but
9:29:47the king said, "Very well." "No," was
9:29:51all Ree said again. Tamlin snarled at
9:29:53him. "I don't give a if she's your
9:29:55mate. I don't give a if you think
9:29:57you're entitled to her. She is mine. And
9:30:00one day I am going to repay every bit of
9:30:03pain she felt, every bit of suffering
9:30:06and despair. One day, perhaps when she
9:30:09decides she wants to end you, I'll be
9:30:12happy to oblige her. Walk away. Just go.
9:30:15Take my sisters with you. Reys was only
9:30:18staring at me. Don't. But I backed away
9:30:22until I hit Tamlin's chest. Until his
9:30:24hands, warm and heavy, landed on my
9:30:27shoulders. Do it," he said to the king.
9:30:30"No," Re said again, his voice breaking.
9:30:33But the king pointed at me, and I
9:30:36screamed. Tamlin gripped my arms as I
9:30:38screamed and screamed at the pain that
9:30:40tore through my chest, my left arm.
9:30:43Reand was on the ground, roaring, and I
9:30:46thought he might have said my name.
9:30:47Might have bellowed it as I thrashed and
9:30:49sobbed. I was being shredded. I was
9:30:52dying. I was dying. No. No. I didn't
9:30:55want it. I didn't want to. A crack
9:30:58sounded in my ears, and the world
9:31:00cleaved in two as the bond snapped.
9:31:07Chapter 67.
9:31:10I fainted.
9:31:12When I opened my eyes, mere seconds had
9:31:14passed. Moore was now hauling away Ree,
9:31:17who was panting on the floor, eyes wild,
9:31:20fingers clenching and unclenching.
9:31:23Tamlin yanked off the glove on my left
9:31:25hand. Pure bare skin greeted him. No
9:31:28tattoo. I was sobbing and sobbing, and
9:31:31his arms came around me. Every inch of
9:31:34them felt wrong. I nearly gagged on his
9:31:36scent. Moore let go of Rean's jacket
9:31:39collar, and he crawled, crawled back
9:31:42toward Azriel and Cassian, their blood
9:31:44splashing on his hands, on his neck as
9:31:47he hauled himself through it. His
9:31:49rasping breaths sliced into me. My soul.
9:31:52The king merely waved a hand at him. You
9:31:55are free to go, Reand. Your friend's
9:31:58poison is gone. The wings, on the other,
9:32:01I'm afraid, are a bit of a mess. Don't
9:32:04fight it. Don't say anything, I begged
9:32:07him as Reese reached his brothers. Take
9:32:10my sisters. The wards are down. Silence.
9:32:14So I looked just once at Reand and
9:32:18Cassian and Moore and Azriel.
9:32:21They were already looking at me, faces
9:32:24bloody and cold and enraged. But beneath
9:32:27them, I knew it was love beneath them.
9:32:30They understood the tears that rolled
9:32:32down my face as I silently said goodbye.
9:32:35Then more, swift as an adder, winnowed
9:32:38to Lucian, to my sisters, to show Ree, I
9:32:41realized what I'd done, the hole I'd
9:32:43blasted for them to escape. She slammed
9:32:45Lucian away with a palm to the chest,
9:32:48and his roar shook the halls as Moore
9:32:50grabbed my sisters by the arm and
9:32:52vanished. Lucian's bellow was still
9:32:54sounding as Ree lunged, gripping Azriel
9:32:57and Cassian and did not even turn toward
9:32:59me as they winnowed out. The king shot
9:33:02to his feet, spewing his wrath at his
9:33:04guards, at Jurion for not grabbing my
9:33:07sisters, demanding to know what had
9:33:09happened to the castle wards. I barely
9:33:12heard him. There was only silence in my
9:33:15head. Such silence where there had once
9:33:17been dark laughter and wicked amusement.
9:33:20A wind blasted wasteland. Lucian was
9:33:23shaking his head, panting, and whirled
9:33:25to us. Get her back. He snarled at
9:33:28Tamlin over the ranting of the king. A
9:33:30mate. A mate already going wild to
9:33:33defend what was his. Tamlin ignored him.
9:33:36So I did, too. I could barely stand, but
9:33:39I faced the king as he slumped into his
9:33:42throne, gripping the arms so tightly the
9:33:44whites of his knuckles showed. "Thank
9:33:47you," I breathed, a hand on my chest,
9:33:50the skin so pale, so white. "Thank you,"
9:33:54he merely said to the gathered queens,
9:33:56now a healthy distance away. "Begin,"
9:34:00the queens looked at each other, then
9:34:01their wide-eyed guards, and snaked
9:34:04toward the cauldron, their smiles
9:34:05growing. wolves circling prey. One of
9:34:09them sniped at another for pushing her.
9:34:11The king murmured something to them all
9:34:13that I didn't bother to hear. Jurian
9:34:15stalked over to Lucian amid the rising
9:34:17squabble, laughing under his breath. Do
9:34:20you know what yrian bastards do to
9:34:23pretty females? You won't have a mate
9:34:25left. At least not one that's useful to
9:34:28you in any way. Lucian's answering growl
9:34:31was nothing short of feral. I spat at
9:34:33Jurian's feet. You can go to hell. You
9:34:36hideous prick. Tamlin's hands tightened
9:34:39on my shoulders. Lucian spun toward me
9:34:42and that metal eye worred and narrowed.
9:34:45Centuries of cultivated reason clicked
9:34:47into place. I was not panicking at my
9:34:50sisters being taken. I said quietly, "We
9:34:53will get her back." But Lucian was
9:34:56watching me wearily. Too wearily. I said
9:34:59to Tamlin, "Take me home." But the king
9:35:02cut in over the bickering of the queens.
9:35:05Where is it? I preferred the amused,
9:35:08arrogant voice to the flat, brutal one
9:35:10that sliced through the hall. You You
9:35:13were to wield the book of breathing, the
9:35:15king said. I could feel it in here with
9:35:18the entire castle shuddered as he
9:35:20realized I had not been holding it in my
9:35:22jacket. I just said to him, "Your
9:35:25mistake." His nostrils flared. Even the
9:35:29sea far below seemed to recoil in terror
9:35:31at the wrath that whitened his ruddy
9:35:33face. But he blinked and it was gone. He
9:35:36said tightly to Tamlin, "When the book
9:35:39is retrieved, I expect your presence
9:35:41here. Power smelling of lilac and cedar
9:35:45and the first bits of green swirled
9:35:47around me, readying us to winnow away
9:35:50through the wards. They had no inkling
9:35:52I'd smashed apart. So I said to the king
9:35:55and Jurian and the queens assembled,
9:35:58already at the lip of the cauldron and
9:35:59hissing over who would go in first, I
9:36:02will light your pers myself for what you
9:36:05did to my sisters. Then we were gone.
9:36:13Chapter 68. Reand.
9:36:17I slammed into the floor of the
9:36:18townhouse and Amron was instantly there,
9:36:21hands on Cassian's wings, swearing at
9:36:23the damage, then at the hole in Azriel's
9:36:26chest. Even her healing couldn't fix
9:36:29both. No, we'd need a real healer for
9:36:32each of them and fast. Because if
9:36:34Cassian lost those wings, I knew he'd
9:36:36prefer death. Any Yan would. Where is
9:36:40she? Amron demanded. Where is she? Where
9:36:43is she? Where is she? Get the book out
9:36:46of here, I said, dumping the pieces onto
9:36:49the ground. I hated the touch of them,
9:36:51their madness and despair and joy.
9:36:54Amaran ignored the order. More hadn't
9:36:57appeared, dropping off or hiding Neesa
9:36:59and Elaine wherever she deemed safest.
9:37:02"Where is she?" Amaran said again,
9:37:05pressing a hand into Cassian's ravaged
9:37:07back. I knew she didn't mean more. As if
9:37:11my thoughts had summoned her, my cousin
9:37:13appeared, panting, haggarded. She
9:37:16dropped to the floor before Azriel, her
9:37:18bloodaked hands shaking as she ripped
9:37:20the arrow free of his chest, blood
9:37:22showering the carpet. She shoved her
9:37:25fingers over the wound, light flaring as
9:37:27her power knit bone and flesh and vein
9:37:29together. "Where is she?" Amaran snapped
9:37:33one more time. I couldn't bring myself
9:37:35to say the words, so Moore said them for
9:37:38me as she knelt over Azriel, both of my
9:37:40brothers mercifully unconscious.
9:37:44Tamlin offered passage through his lands
9:37:46and our heads on platters to the king in
9:37:48exchange for trapping Fyra, breaking her
9:37:51bond, and getting to bring her back to
9:37:53the spring court. But betrayed Tamlin,
9:37:56told the king where to find Fra's
9:37:58sisters. So the king had Fyra's sisters
9:38:00brought with the queens to prove he
9:38:02could make them immortal. He put them in
9:38:05the cauldron. We could do nothing as
9:38:07they were turned. He had us by the
9:38:09balls. Those quicks eyes shot to me.
9:38:13Reand. I managed to say we were out of
9:38:16options. And Fyra knew it. So she
9:38:19pretended to free herself from the
9:38:21control Tamlin thought I'd kept on her
9:38:22mind. Pretended that she hated us and
9:38:27told him she'd go home. But only if the
9:38:29killing stopped. If we went free.
9:38:33And the bond. Amron breathed. Cassian's
9:38:37blood shining on her hands as she slowed
9:38:39its dribbling. Moore said, "She asked
9:38:42the king to break the bond. He obliged."
9:38:46"I thought I might be dying. Thought my
9:38:48chest might actually be cleaved in two."
9:38:51"That's impossible,"
9:38:53>> Amaran said. "That sort of bond cannot
9:38:55be broken. The king said he could do it.
9:38:58The king is a fool, Amaran barked. That
9:39:02sort of bond cannot be broken. No, it
9:39:06can't, I said. They both looked at me. I
9:39:09cleared my head, my shattering heart,
9:39:12breaking for what my mate had done.
9:39:14Sacrificed for me and my family, for her
9:39:17sisters, because she hadn't thought,
9:39:19hadn't thought she was essential, even
9:39:22after all she had done. The king broke
9:39:25the bargain between us. Hard to do, but
9:39:28he couldn't tell that it wasn't the
9:39:29mating bond. More started. Does Does
9:39:33Fyra know? Yes, I breathed. And now my
9:39:37mate is in our enemy's hands. Go get
9:39:40her, Amron hissed. Right now. No, I
9:39:44said, and hated the word. They gaped at
9:39:47me and I wanted to roar at the sight of
9:39:49the blood coating them at my unconscious
9:39:51and suffering brothers on the carpet
9:39:53before them. But I managed to say to my
9:39:56cousin, "Weren't you listening to what
9:39:58Phyra said to him? She promised to
9:40:01destroy him from within." Moore's face
9:40:04pald, her magic flaring on Azriel's
9:40:07chest. "She's going into that house to
9:40:10take him down. To take them all down." I
9:40:13nodded. She is now a spy with a direct
9:40:16line to me. What the king of Hibburn
9:40:19does, where he goes, what his plans are,
9:40:22she will know and report back. For
9:40:25between us, faint and soft, hidden so
9:40:28none might find it. Between us lay a
9:40:31whisper of color and joy and light and
9:40:33shadow, a whisper of her, our bond.
9:40:37She's your mate, Amaran bid at me. Not
9:40:40your spy. Go get her.
9:40:43She is my mate and my spy, I said too
9:40:47quietly. And she is the high lady of the
9:40:50night court.
9:40:52What? Moore whispered. I caressed a
9:40:55mental finger down that bond now hidden
9:40:57deep, deep within us, and said, "If they
9:41:00had removed her other glove, they would
9:41:02have seen a second tattoo on her right
9:41:04arm, the twin to the other. inked last
9:41:08night when we crept out, found a
9:41:10priestess, and I swore her in as my high
9:41:13lady. "Not not consort," Amarron
9:41:18blurted, blinking. I hadn't seen her
9:41:20surprised in centuries. "Not consort,
9:41:24not wife." "Fra is high lady of the
9:41:27night court. My equal in every way. She
9:41:30would wear my crown, sit on a throne
9:41:33beside mine, never sidelined, never
9:41:36designated to breeding and parties and
9:41:38child rearing. My queen, as if in
9:41:41answer, a glimmer of love shuddered down
9:41:44the bond, I clamped down on the relief
9:41:46that threatened to shatter any calm I
9:41:48feigned having.
9:41:50"You mean to tell me?" Moore breathed.
9:41:53"That my high lady is now surrounded by
9:41:56enemies." A lethal sort of calm crept
9:41:59over her tear stained face. "I mean to
9:42:02tell you," I said, watching the blood
9:42:04clot on Cassian's wings with Amron's
9:42:06tending. Beneath Moore's own hands,
9:42:09Azreel's bleeding at last eased. "Enough
9:42:12to keep them alive until the healer got
9:42:14here." "I mean to tell you," I said
9:42:17again, my power building and rubbing
9:42:19itself against my skin, my bones,
9:42:22desperate to be unleashed upon the
9:42:24world. that your high lady made a
9:42:27sacrifice for her court and we will move
9:42:30when the time is right. Perhaps Lucian
9:42:33being Elaine's mate would help. Somehow
9:42:35I'd find a way and then I'd assist my
9:42:39mate in ripping the spring courty
9:42:42those mortal queens and the king of
9:42:44Hibburn to shreds slowly.
9:42:47Until then, Amron demanded what of the
9:42:51cauldron of the book. Until then, I
9:42:55said, staring toward the door as if I
9:42:57might see her walk through it, laughing
9:42:59and vibrant and beautiful.
9:43:02We go to war.
9:43:07Chapter 69. Phy
9:43:12Tamlin landed us in the gravel of the
9:43:14front drive. I'd forgotten how quiet it
9:43:17was here, how small, empty. Spring
9:43:21bloomed, the air gentle and scented with
9:43:23roses, still lovely, but there were the
9:43:27front doors he'd sealed me behind. There
9:43:29was the window I'd banged on trying to
9:43:31get out. A pretty rose-covered prison.
9:43:35But I smiled, head throbbing, and said
9:43:37through my tears. I thought I'd never
9:43:40see it again. Tamlin was just staring at
9:43:43me as if not quite believing it. I
9:43:45thought you would never either. And you
9:43:48sold us out. sold out every innocent in
9:43:51this land for that. All so you could
9:43:53have me back.
9:43:55Love. Love was a bomb as much as it was
9:43:58a poison. But it was love that burned in
9:44:00my chest. Right alongside the bond that
9:44:03the king of Hibburn hadn't so much as
9:44:05touched, because he hadn't known how
9:44:07deep and far he'd have to delve to
9:44:08cleave it, to cleave me and Reand apart.
9:44:12It had hurt, hurt like hell to have the
9:44:15bargain between us ended. And Ree had
9:44:17done his job perfectly. his horror
9:44:19flawless. We had always been so good at
9:44:22playing together. I had not doubted him,
9:44:25had not said anything but yes when he'd
9:44:27taken me down to the temple the night
9:44:29before, and I'd sworn my vows to him, to
9:44:33Valaris, to the night court. And now a
9:44:37gentle loving stroke down that bond,
9:44:40concealed beneath that wasteland where
9:44:42the bargain had been. I sent a glimmer
9:44:44of feeling back down the line, wishing I
9:44:47could touch him, hold him, laugh with
9:44:49him. But I kept those thoughts clear
9:44:52from my face, kept anything but quiet
9:44:54relief from it as I leaned into Tamlin,
9:44:57sighing. It feels feels as if some of it
9:45:01was a dream or a nightmare. But but I
9:45:05remembered you and when I saw you there
9:45:08today, I started clawing at it, fighting
9:45:10because I knew it might be my only
9:45:12chance. And how did you break free of
9:45:15his control? Lucian said flatly from
9:45:18behind us. Tamlin gave him a warning
9:45:20growl. I'd forgotten he was there. My
9:45:24sister's mate. The mother I decided did
9:45:26have a sense of humor. I wanted it. I
9:45:30don't know how. I just wanted to break
9:45:33free of him, so I did. We stared each
9:45:36other down, but Tamlin brushed a thumb
9:45:39over my shoulder. Are Are you hurt? I
9:45:43tried not to bristle. I knew what he
9:45:45meant. That he thought Reand would do
9:45:47anything like that to anyone. I I don't
9:45:51know, I stammered. I don't I don't
9:45:54remember those things. Lucian's metal
9:45:57eye narrowed as if he could sense the
9:45:59lie. But I looked up at Tamlin and
9:46:02brushed my hand over his mouth, my bare
9:46:04empty skin. "You're real," I said. "You
9:46:09freed me." It was an effort not to turn
9:46:12my hands into claws and rip out his
9:46:14eyes. Traitor, liar, murderer.
9:46:18"You freed yourself," Tamlin breathed.
9:46:21He gestured to the house. "Rest and then
9:46:24we'll talk. I need to find Ianthy and
9:46:28make some things very very clear. I I
9:46:32want to be a part of it this time, I
9:46:34said, halting when he tried to herd me
9:46:37back into that beautiful prison. No more
9:46:40no more shutting me out. No more guards,
9:46:43please. I have so much to tell you about
9:46:45them. Bits and pieces, but I can help.
9:46:49We can get my sisters back. Let me help.
9:46:53help lead you in the wrong direction.
9:46:55Help bring you and your court to your
9:46:57knees and take down Jurian and those
9:46:59conniving traitorous queens and then
9:47:01tear Ianthy into tiny tiny pieces and
9:47:04bury them in a pit no one can find.
9:47:08Tamlin scanned my face and finally
9:47:10nodded. We'll start over. Do things
9:47:14differently. When you were gone, I
9:47:16realized I'd been wrong. So wrong,
9:47:19Phyra. And I'm sorry.
9:47:22Too late. Too damned late. But I rested
9:47:26my head on his arm as he slipped it
9:47:28around me and led me toward the house.
9:47:31It doesn't matter. I'm home now.
9:47:34Forever. He promised. Forever. I
9:47:38parroed, glancing behind to where Lucian
9:47:41stood in the gravel drive. his gaze on
9:47:43me, face hard, as if he'd seen through
9:47:46every lie. As if he knew of the second
9:47:49tattoo beneath my glove and the glamour
9:47:51I now kept on it, as if he knew that
9:47:54they had led a fox into a chicken coupe,
9:47:56and he could do nothing. Not unless he
9:47:59never wanted to see his mate, Elaine,
9:48:01again. I gave Lucian a sweet, sleepy
9:48:05smile. So, our game began. We hit the
9:48:08sweeping marble stairs to the front
9:48:10doors of the manor. And so Tamlin
9:48:14unwittingly led the high lady of the
9:48:15night court into the heart of his
9:48:18territory.
9:48:23The end.
9:48:25Read by Elizabeth Evans. We hope you
9:48:28have enjoyed this production of A Court
9:48:30of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Mass.
9:48:34Recorded books are available wherever
9:48:36audio books are sold.
9:48:38Thank you for listening to recorded
9:48:39books.

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