I reached out my hand, hesitantly brushing the magic, only to yank my fingers back in pain. It burned too savagely for me to withstand. The sound of crackling and popping quieted down, and Corvin’s voice bellowed, “COME ON, ELVIRA, LIVE!” I looked around, but there was just me, in the flames.Live.He wanted me to live. I suddenly felt a touch less cold.
Perhaps if I were brave enough, strong enough, to surrender to the magic, to the flames, then I might survive to see Corvin again. To run a hand lovingly down Nix’s soft fur. To be inaugurated as the Midnight Sovereign, a title which I fought so hard to reclaim. To watch the moonflowers on my island bloom as the moon shone peacefully overhead. To find meaning in helping the people of the realm.
I’d been so alone this past year on the island. So alone. And now, with a second chance at life right in front of me, I could hardly accept that after Kaylin’s passing I’d let myself believe, even for a fleeting moment, that I no longer had anything to live for—not when there was so much left I wanted to do, not when there were so many memories left to create with Nix and Corvin, not when I had something to offer the world.
I’d died pursuing love and a sense of purpose. And I could live for them as well.
It would be painful, letting the magic wash over me. Life was painful; it was also worth it.
I rose unsteadily to my feet and took a step into the flames. The magic roared, draping itself over my curves, a red-golden translucent gown clinging to my skin. It burned. It burned so keenly I thought the pain might drop me back down to my knees.Then let it burn. Let it burn away all my fear. Let it burn away all my doubt. Let it burn away all my loneliness. Let it even burn away the shroud of death.
I’m ready to be made anew.
My eyes fluttered open. I was lying in a grand entrance hall. The floor beneath me was smooth, a glossy white marble speckled with silvery flecks. A red phoenix feather floated above me, vanishing in a burst of cinders the moment I lifted my head.Corvin’s anguished, tear-streaked face hovered above mine. As soon as our gazes locked, he let out a shuddering sob, gathering my naked body into his arms. I hugged him back in a flimsy embrace, still too weak to hold him as tightly as I wanted. Exhaustion flooded my bones. “Sleepy…” I murmured to Corvin, my head coming to rest soothingly against his firm chest, my eyes drifting closed once more.
When I awoke next, I was lying in a soft bed, clothed and covered in clean linen, with Nix sleeping peacefully by my side. Once again, I marveled at how big he’d grown. When I’d met him, he was a measly five pounds. Now, he must be over sixty. And still getting bigger every day.
I stroked his fur, savoring its softness against my fingertips. Like it was the very first time I’d ever enjoyed the sensation.Grateful—I was so grateful to be alive. So grateful Nix was here with me. Here. Which was…where exactly? I sat up in bed, peering around the room, and noticed Corvin asleep in the bed next to mine.
We were in an infirmary, surrounded by a row of beds and the clean, fresh scent of medicinal herbs. Intermixed, perhaps not unsurprisingly, with the sharp tang of magic. A beautiful mural depicting Pegasi soaring through the sky was painted on the ceiling overhead. From the glass window across from me, I caught a glimpse of a fluffy white cloud, floating slowly out of sight. We were either on the top floor of a very tall mansion. Or—
“Good morning,” someone greeted cheerfully.
A man I’d failed to notice, lying in the bed next to Corvin’s, propped himself up into a sitting position, smiling at me expectantly. His son’s smile. The resemblance was uncanny.He must be Corvin’s father.They looked too much alike for himto be anybody else. But whereas Corvin went clean shaven, his father had a mustache and a thick black beard, cropped short to his face. His beard was sprinkled with silver-gray hairs, and I judged him to be middle-aged. “Is Corvin alright?” I asked him, concern for his son the first words out of my mouth.
His smile grew. “The healers assure me he’ll make a full recovery. Though he hasn’t yet awakened since the feat of magic he performed. How much do you remember?”
I slumped back against my pillow. “Not a lot. I was attacked, stabbed. I remember that much. Then everything went cold. Corvin, his magic—he saved my life, didn’t he? Are you…his father? You look just like him.”
The man broke out into a coughing fit, and I remembered Corvin’s father was not well. “Pardon me,” he said weakly, taking another moment before answering. “Yes, I am Corvin’s father. He’s my only child, and my greatest blessing. Although Kygraw, my top advisor, who I’m sure you’ll eventually meet, has always been like a second father to my son.” His breathing turned ragged as another cough rattled through his chest, but he continued on. “I didn’t witness Corvin saving your life myself. I’m afraid I missed the excitement, confined to my bedchamber. This illness…well, I’m fortunate you’ve caught me on a good day so that we can converse. And that I had myself moved to the infirmary to watch over my son.” His voice grew heavy with regret. “Although these days, he spends far too much of his time watching over me instead.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, giving him a soft smile. “Do you happen to know justhowCorvin saved me?”
He chuckled. “Know? The entire kingdom is buzzing with the news. Resurrection magic called forth from a phoenix feather.” He gazed lovingly over at his son. “That’s why he’s sleeping still—it’s extremely draining, life-threatening even, to control such powerful magic. If the healers hadn’t been there to help stabilizehim afterward… He must love you very much. I want you to know—the people my son loves are always, always welcome in my home.”
The unexpected kindness of his words sent hot tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
“Thank you; that means a lot to me,” I responded gratefully. “About your home—where are we exactly?”
A deep sense of pride filled his voice. “It’s my honor, Elvira, to welcome you to my kingdom, the Kingdom of Zroterra. Commonly referred to as the Sky Kingdom. I am its founder, and its king—Corvax Ravenell. To answer your question, I believe we are floating somewhere high above Sivell at the moment. The kingdom has a hard time standing still, much like its residents.” He chuckled at the observation.
Corvin’s father was a king. But that meant—
I couldn’t keep the shock out of my voice. “Then Corvin…he’s a prince?” I asked, the room spinning.
An entire kingdom. Hidden from the realm. Floating amongst the clouds. It hardly seemed possible. Corvin Ravenell, Prince of the Sky Kingdom. And not just any prince, either.A crown prince.Not distantly tied to a royal family. The sole heir to an entire throne. What did that mean for Corvin? What did that mean for us? I looked over, tracing the lines of his face. He looked pale, his sleep fitful. I bit my lip, unused to seeing him this way, wishing he was awake so that he could be the one to explain things to me. So that he could tell me everything was going to be alright.
King Ravenell gave me a knowing, sympathetic smile. “Yes, he’s a prince. I feel it might be helpful for me to explain something about our home to you. A powerful glamour keeps us hidden, invisible to the outside world. Like most magic, it demands a cost. The glamour protecting us prevents us from talking outright about the Sky Kingdom. To reveal its existenceto anyone is to weaken the magic. Too many indiscretions, and the glamour could fail outright. For that reason, we take the secrecy of our kingdom very seriously. It’s a lesson instilled in our children from birth. A lesson that Corvin learned in the most painful way possible.”
“And why do you wish to remain hidden so badly?” I asked.
“This kingdom has been centuries in the making. My people, the Zrocan, were chased from our ancestral home. Those were dark times. There was so much loss, so much death. We built a new home together in the sky, far away from Uvrakar, far away from the dragons. And then, I met another refugee, Corvin’s mother, as she was fleeing the Winter Court. We fell in love. And our dream expanded. To build an even larger home, a community, for all those who took to the sky with broken hearts and bruised wings, seeking sanctuary. Steadily, we grew in numbers. For so long we stayed hidden out of fear for our own safety. After what happened to my Alyndra, after Corvin’s mother was killed, I thought we may never reveal ourselves.”
“A dragon scout attacked her?”
“Yes, the kingdom was floating above Uvrakar that week. Corvin was a child, out exploring too far from home. When Alyndra realized he was missing, she went immediately to find him, leaving word for me. I got there too late to save her, and she died that day, protecting our son.” A tear leaked down his cheek. “Perhaps if I’d possessed a phoenix feather back then.”
I swiped at the matching tear rolling down my face. “What changed? Why reveal yourselves now?”
