Elyria had never been more grateful to hear Dentarius’ clipped voice as it pulled her from her spiraling thoughts.
He hesitated, then added under his breath, “We need the king on our side, Elyria. The reports I’ve received since we left Aerithia have been nothing short of troubling. Whispers from the Midlands, villages emptied.” His gaze flicked toward the gilded dais. “Keep your wits about you. I don’t know what Malchior is working toward, or what he’s waiting for, but every sign points to the fact that we are running out of time to locate him before we find out the hard way.”
Elyria tore her eyes from Cedric, Tenny, and Tristan, who now stood in a row, arms linked together, facing the ballroom doors. A herald blasted notes of royal welcome on a trumpet, and Kit was suddenly at Elyria’s other side, chin lifted, shoulders squared. Finally, the king had arrived. Finally, they’d get their audience. And as Dentarius guided them both to the front of the crowd gathering before the dais on the opposite side of the ballroom, Elyria was glad for the reminder of whatshe was here for in the first place.
It wasn’t to gaze adoringly at the human knight whose life she’d saved. A human who had a life, had friends, had a purpose wholly separate from her own. The man was living his ownAfter.
She needed to, too.
King Callumof Havensreach looked to be of average height, his presence commanding despite his unassuming stature. Broad shouldered with dark hair that was graying at his temples and smile lines that carved around both sides of his mouth, he looked...kind, actually. Though, to be fair, Elyria had learned long ago that appearances meant little when it came to court and politics.
She stiffened as the herald’s voice rang out, quieting the final dregs of lingering conversation that had been echoing through the crowd. “His Royal Majesty, King Callum V, Virtuous Defender of the Realm, Steward of the Eastern Chasm, Guardian of the Flame?—”
The list went on.
Quartered hell, the titles these humans gave themselves.
Still, Elyria forced a polite expression onto her face, keeping her shoulders straight as the king sat on his throne, Barcroff standing just behind him to one side, Lord Church to the other. Royal guards lined the full length of the back wall.
Elyria cast a quick look around the ballroom to see where Nox and Thraigg had gone, locating them in essentially the same spot they’d been all night. The two Arcanians continued picking at the platters of food on a nearby table, sipping from their goblets and watching the royal procession with amusement, thoroughly unbothered. Perhaps they simply were enjoying the fact that the room’s attention was no longer on them. Celestials knew Elyria was grateful for the same.
Another trio emerged in front of the crowd of attendees, just a few paces from where Elyria stood. The quick pulse in her chest told her without looking that Cedric, Tenny, and Tristan had moved forward to greet the king as well. She looked anyway.
She saw Tenny first, beaming at her father on the dais behind theking, her arm still looped around Tristan’s. Cedric’s, she had dropped, Elyria realized just as Tenny looked over and grinned at her. She looked so stars-damnedhappy, Elyria couldn’t help the soft smile that emerged in response. Fuck it all if the girl wasn’t making it easy for Elyria to release that earlier flare of jealousy. Everything about Tenny just seemed sogenuine,and Elyria wanted nothing more than to find her endlessly annoying. But in fact, the only thing shedidfind annoying was the fact that she wasn’tannoyed at all.
Apparently there was just no helping it.
Just as there was no helping the wink Tristan shot her when Elyria looked at him next.
Finally, she let her gaze drift to Cedric, who was facing forward, eyes fixed on the king. The smooth scent of sandalwood and embers filled the air, and she could feel the pull of her shadows creeping in her veins, her fingers twitching toward him.
She could’ve sworn she saw his fingers twitch in return. Could’ve sworn she saw his lips part, like he could tell she wanted to reach for him.
“Welcome, welcome!” boomed the king. “Welcome all to this momentous night! This momentous age! I hope the food, wine, and company has been to everyone’s liking this evening.”
The crowd cheered.
“There is, after all, so very much to celebrate,” he continued. “New friends being made”—Elyria swallowed a scoff—“and new paths ahead being forged. Two centuries of division bridged. You can thank myself and King Lachlandris in Nyrundelle for that.”
The crowd laughed.
“While I, myself,” King Callum continued, “have my own thanks to offer. To the victors of the Crucible, our most honored guests.” He gestured for Cedric and Elyria to step forward.
Cedric did so immediately. It took Dentarius’ palm on Elyria’s back pushing her forward—rude—for her to do the same.
She didn’t miss the sharp breath the king sucked in as she approached the dais, but wasn’t sure whether it was from fear or wonder. She found she couldn’t be bothered to care either way. Not as the back of Cedric’s hand brushed her own—an infinitesimal contact. Barely more than a graze.
But it was enough. Enough to feel her magic spark to life at his touch, her shadows singing in her chest.
The collective gasp that rang out was the first sign that something wasn’t right. The way the guards surged forward was the second.
“Ellie!” Kit’s voice was a frantic, harsh whisper. Elyria didn’t understand the panic in it.
Not until she looked down and saw the way her hands were covered in dark smoke, ribbons of black twisting up her arms, encircling her torso—a loving embrace. She wanted to jump for joy at the sight. Her shadows had not corporealized even once in the time since she’d left the Lost City. Since she’d lefthim. Their reappearance seemed a confirmation of something she wasn’t quite ready to face.
Thankfully, the increasing panic from the surrounding nobles and the sound of weapons being unsheathed were a quick reminder that now was not the time foranyof that.
Elyria snuffed out her shadows with a single thought, letting them dissipate into the ether as she bowed low at the waist.
