She smiled. “Youstopped him,” she said, delicately pinching the locket’s chain between her fingers. She stretched her arms over hisshoulders to fasten it around his neck, removing his token as she did. “I think it’s safe to say youreallydon’t need this anymore, right?” she asked, slipping the stone into her pocket.
Cedric shook his head, and despite the weight of what just happened, delight zipped up Elyria’s spine when his hands moved to her waist. He gripped her tight, pulling her to him, like he needed to feel her under his palms.
Like she was the very thing tethering him to the present.
“What do we do now?” he breathed against her ear, eliciting a shiver. She clasped her arms around him, sidling closer.
“ ‘We’ as in, you and me? Or ‘we’ as in, the whole stars-damned continent?”
He chuckled, and she felt the movement of his chest in her own. “First one, then the other?” he suggested.
“I have some ideas for both.” She grazed his lips with her own, the barest hint of a kiss, before her smile fell. “Though as much as I’d love to focus on the former, the latter seemsslightlymore important.”
He pulled back with a reluctant sigh, his hands remaining at her waist. “Since when are you the voice of reason?”
It was her turn to laugh now, and he lit up at the sound. “Stranger things have happened.”
“That they have.” His voice was serious, low, something like a promise laced between the words.
The back of her throat prickled when their eyes met once more. She swallowed. “At any rate, once we figure out how to reunite this”—she inclined her chin at the locket—“with the crown half Nox is guarding, and once we seal the Chasms for good?—”
“Onceyouseal the Chasms,” Cedric said.
“—then we’ll have plenty of time forotherthings.” She pursed her lips. “I suppose we’ll have to head back to Elderglade, get Larkess to unweave her magic.”
“I suppose so.”
“I can’t say I’m thrilled at the prospect of seeing Zephyr again, but at least she’ll have to be relieved to hear the news.”
“The sanctuary is safe,” Cedric murmured, though the edges of his mouth turned down a moment later. “Do you think it will need to stayhidden forever? Think there is a true possibility that you and I, thatwecould...”
She heard the things he didn’t say, like he was scared to speak them into existence.
Elyria drew a finger down his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows. “We will figure it out. Now that Malchior is gone, we have time to?—”
“Ellie!”
“Ric!”
Kit, Tenny, and Nox burst through the door to the tower.
With a flare of her wings, Kit leapt ahead of the other two, skidding to a stop in front of Cedric and Elyria, her chest heaving. “Are you all right?” she asked between gasped breaths.
“We’re alive,” replied Elyria.
Nox smoothed the lapels of their jacket as they surveyed the scene before them. “I am relieved to see that is the case,” they said evenly, no emotion or inflection in their tone.
Elyria snorted a breathy laugh. Kit thwacked the nocterrian’s arm.
But Cedric wasn’t looking at any of them. Wasn’t looking at Nox, or Kit, or Elyria.
His eyes were wide, a dozen emotions flitting down the bond as Tenny rushed over.
“Ric, I’m so glad you’re—” She gasped. Dropped to her knees. Let out a small, broken sound.
And Elyria could’ve sworn she heard Tenny’s heart breaking as she took in the sight of her father’s body, charred and unmoving, splayed out on the other side of the room.
“Tenny.” Cedric’s voice cracked as he dropped to the floor beside her, one arm braced around her shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
