“The courtyard seems rather busy,” I remarked as we walked slowly back toward the door.
“Many people are busy with preparations.”
“Preparations?” I echoed.
“To celebrate the start of our winter season. The celebration always begins with the selection of next year’s Royal Ternion—our feather collectors are anxiously awaiting their chance to present their collections. Of course, we had planned this year for a much larger celebration to happen, our official introduction to the realm. It’s such a shame that Corvin is too weak to make the inauguration ceremony after all of our planning. But Zroterra has waited hundreds of years to reveal itself; we can wait another year longer.”
“The start of winter…the inauguration…” The color drained from my face. “Wait a moment, what day is it today? Kygraw—how long was I asleep? Tell me it’s not already…”
“I’m sorry, Elvira, I thought you knew—today is the Winter Solstice.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Islowly shuffled back into my infirmary bed, my body overcome with exhaustion. My mind, on the other hand, was running at full speed, everything spinning out of control after learning I’d been asleep for several days and today was already the Winter Solstice.
I was going to miss the inauguration. Miss my opportunity to officially announce myself as the next Midnight Sovereign to the land and its rulers. All the challenges I’d faced these last few moons were supposed to prepare me for this moment. For stepping through the gateway when it appeared at sunset and into the life I knew I was meant to lead. Instead, the gateway would appear as soon as evening approached, but I wouldn’t be there to greet it, finding myself too far away from home.
There must be some way I can make it back to my island.Ideas tumbled haphazardly around my head. If I flew there now, I might just make it home by sunset. There was no guarantee, but my mind revolted against doing nothing, against sitting still, against allowing myself to miss the inauguration ceremony, without having fought my hardest to make it through that gateway.
After all, I had new allies I could call upon. Friends with wings.I could ask a Zrocan to take me,but I got the feeling they weren’t supposed to shift their wings openly in the realm, that Corvin bent a few rules in the face of danger to help us survive.I could ask to borrow a Pegasus,but I didn’t know how to navigate the vast skyline without getting hopelessly lost.
I looked around the room, my eyes lingering on the winged tiger lounging nearby.I could see if Ajax feels well enough to fly me,but rejected the idea, knowing Nix might throw an actual fit if I took off with Archlord Ramon’s old companion so soon after his latest attempt on my life, even if Ajax did claim to have changed his allegiance.
I remembered that the king mentioned we were soaring above Sivell.Perhaps Fiere the phoenix could help guide me home.It was my least plausible idea since I didn’t even know how to find the phoenix again in the first place.
“What’s wrong, Little Moon? You’ve barely spoken since your return,” Nix asked with concern, interrupting my quiet contemplation.
“I’m going to miss the inauguration,” I responded, my frustration boiling over as tears came streaming down my face. “There’s no way I can make it back to the island now. The sun will be setting soon. I was supposed to step through that gateway this year. I was supposed to prove to the realm, to myself, that I have what it takes to become the next Midnight Sovereign. Except now, I’m going to have to wait until next year’s Winter Solstice. I know I should be grateful just to be alive right now, but I can’t help wantingmore.”
Nix’s voice was gentle as he said, “You should be proud of yourself, Elvira. You’ve shown formidable resolve. Accomplished a great deal these last few moons, even in the face of insurmountable odds. Next year, the gateway will appear again, and you will be there to step through it. You have what it takes to become a true Midnight Sovereign. Of that, I have no doubt.”
“Thank you for saying that,” I responded, my tears drying up as my frustration softened, touched by Nix’s supportive words.
Beside me, Corvin stirred awake. “Moonflower?” he asked, sitting up in bed, his words slightly slurred at first. “Why are you crying?”
“You’re awake!” I blurted happily, throwing off my blanket and running over to Corvin, without answering his question, too preoccupied with wrapping my arms around him instead and pressing our bodies close. We sat together on his bed, my head burying itself into his shoulder, his hands stroking idle circles across my back.
“You’re alive,” he breathed in response, pulling me more fully onto his lap in order to kiss me. My lips parted, and he pressed his mouth tenderly against mine.
Corvin gently brushed my cheek with his knuckle. “Why were you crying?” he asked again.
I gave him a soft smile. “Because we both overslept—and now it’s the Winter Solstice.”
“The inauguration…” His mouth flattened into a disappointed line. “You’re going to miss the ceremony?”
“We both are. I spoke to your father. I know you’re the prince of Zroterra. That the kingdom was going to reveal its existence, but will have to wait another year now. I’m sorry, Corvin. If it weren’t for me, you would be stepping through your gateway like planned, not recovering in bed. I never wanted to cause you or your people any trouble.”
He gripped my outer thighs, tugging me closer to him. “Those bastards who attacked you—this is their fault. You’re blameless,” he continued, his voice intensely angry. “You’ve done nothing wrong. I almost—I almost lost you for good—”
I peered directly into his eyes, straddling him on the bed, our faces inches from one another. “Corvin—I’m alright. You didn’t lose me. You saved my life. I’m here because of you. I just—I want you to know how grateful I am. That I was thinking aboutyou and our adventures together this year, lying there in that alleyway.”
He choked out his next words. “You don’t know what it was like. Finding you there, covered in blood.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, kissing him again. “I’m so sorry. We’re okay now. We’re safe now.”
“Safe?!You’re not safe. They will come for you again.” A storm of emotions flickered across Corvin’s face. “You deserve to be at the inaugurationthisyear. Those assassins…you need the land’s recognition. Next year is too far away. We need to get you through that gatewaytonight.”
I flashed him a pained smile. “I’ve been wracking my brain, but the island is too far away. I’m never going to make it back in time. I don’t suppose you have a feather capable of transporting us anywhere in the realm, do you?” I asked half-heartedly, turning my head to look out the infirmary window. “Because the sun will be setting any moment now.”
