Page 88 of Blade of the Nightking

The floor was cool beneath my feet as I crossed to the window. I drew back the curtain and pushed it open.

For the first time since I'd arrived, Noctharis was alive. People bustled through the distant streets. Along the docks, fishing boats rocked gently at their moorings while larger vessels carved slow paths across the water beyond, returning with the morning's catch. Merchants lined the quay, arranging their wares and calling to those passing by.

I watched them go about their lives now that the Lord of Flame was gone. Aedric’s presence had driven them into hiding, into silence born of fear. I’d seen the same in Thistra. But now they ventured cautiously back into the streets, like birds returning to the sky after a hawk had passed.

Unexpected anger flared in me at the sight. These people—who’d endured Rìan, who’d lived beneath his rule and known his cruelty firsthand—how could they fear someone like Aedric, who’d liberated the continent? How could they be so ungrateful for everything he’d done, everything he’d sacrificed, treating him as the enemy instead of the savior he was?

I pulled the collar of his shirt back over my nose.

I could do this. I could face Rìan. I could help him unravel Levinica's vision, piece by piece, until the bond was broken.

And when it was, I would escape. I would find my way back to Aedric. When the moment came, I would run and never look back. Whatever the cost.

I prayed Hamish had made it safely back to the mainland.

I peeled the shirt over my head slowly, clutching the fabric one last time before laying it aside. Fighting another swell of despair, I crossed into the bathing room and filled the tub. The steam rose in soft curls as I lowered myself into the water, letting it close over me. Dried blood and tears dissolved beneath my hands as I scrubbed at my skin harder than necessary.

It was only when I reached for the ewer to rinse that the bargain mark reappeared. This time it encircled my wrist in a thick, unbroken band, sickeningly reminiscent of a shackle. The sight of it turned my stomach. I climbed from the bath at once, unable to bear looking at it a moment longer.

The dress I chose was simple and gray, its long sleeves falling to my wrists to conceal the ink beneath them. Faint metallic threads woven through the bodice caught the light as I moved. When I glanced at my reflection, my eyes stood out starkly against the muted fabric—blue-green and vivid despite the dark circles beneath them.

Dressed and ready for whatever awaited me in Rìan's Court, I settled into the armchair by the window and waited.

Time passed in a slow, uncertain stretch, the light shifting gradually as the sun climbed higher, but no one came. At last, I crossed the room and opened the door.

The corridor beyond lay empty, not a single guard or attendant in sight. I stepped into the hallway, awareness crawling over my skin—the unmistakable feeling of being watched. Warily, I eyed the shadows that pooled thickly in the corners and beneath the high arches.

I passed a handful of servants in the halls, the wide corridors still too empty, the silence settling over them again the moment their footsteps faded. There was no sign that the Dark Prince had returned to his Court. I expected whispers, hushed glances, some undercurrent of fear or unease—but there was nothing. No one spoke his name.

In fact, no one spoke at all.

It made no sense.

I found myself in the same dining hall I’d eaten in with Hamish the day before. The servants were steadier than they’d been then, though still cautious around me, their movements careful, their eyes avoiding mine. I ate my soup alone, with no sign of Veylan or Rìan or even Levinica. It was as though I’d been forgotten entirely.

The servant girl brought me wine when I asked for it and filled my glass without hesitation. I tipped it back immediately. To steady my hands, I told myself.

The second glass went quickly. Then the third. Before long, the bottle was empty.

The sun began its slow descent, stretching across the hall in long, golden bands, and still I sat alone. Hours of waiting had worn me thin. My nerves felt rubbed raw, my ribcage too tight for a full breath.

Eventually, the cracks in my chest widened again, and I let them.

Tears slid down my face, silent and steady, as I stared out at the Virellan Sea beyond the windows, its darkening waves as empty as Aedric's eyes.

The servants watched from a distance, wary and uncertain; none came near, none offered a word of comfort. I didn’t want them to.

I set down my wine glass and pushed myself to my feet, the room tilting slightly beneath me. I steadied myself on the edge of the table and ordered another bottle of wine sent to my room before turning away and making my way back through the halls.

Some unseen pull guided my steps long before I understood where they were leading. I didn't realize where I was going until the massive enchanted doors of the library rose before me.

Something wrenched in my chest, stealing my breath.My lip curled instinctively as recognition struck.

Rìan.

I could feel him through the doors, his presence pulling at me, a low, constant tension that made me grit my teeth. I hated it. I hated him. I stood there for a moment, swaying faintly, the wine still clouding my head as loathing burned through me.

Awareness stirred at the end of the bond.