I was only partially jesting. Nadir had been invaluable help to all of us in our most desperate time.
“Auster was a powerful man. He threatened all my establishments if I didn’t give him what he wanted. He’d heard about my tinkering with the fae incapacitating material and he was relentless in his pursuit of it, knowing it would harm Rainyte greater than any other weapon.”
I understood, yet I still resented Nadir’s role in creating the material.
A strangled sound from the debris caught my attention, and when a piece of wood lifted, I gasped, racing through the snow toward it.
Nyte was right behind me, helping to lift the thick piece of wood off Kairos, and Zath helped me pull him out of the wreckage. He was bleeding across his temple, and his face was twisted in pain.
“Can you stand?” I asked, only to assess if he had broken bones.
Kairos shifted, propping his weight onto one elbow. He caught his breath. “I think so.”
I let go of a breath of relief. “Thank you. Your gift is invaluable and quite incredible.”
His eyes turned pained. “Not that incredible. I’m sorry I couldn’t hold time long enough to save your friend.”
I shook my head. “You gave him a moment to say goodbye.” To ask me to look out for his children which I vowed to with the rest of my life.
I said, “You’re probably wishing you stayed in Volanis.”
Kairos chuckled but it turned to a wince of pain. Zath helped him stand.
“Are you kidding? This is the most action and intrigue I’ve experienced in my life. I’m just wondering what’s next.”
That brought back the challenge and obstacle still in the way of reclaiming the throne of Vesitire and vanquishing the gods. I glanced at Nyte who aligned determination with me, though not without notes of fear and uncertainty.
“Next… we have one more god to kill.”
50Nyte
I was tricking Astraea’s pain receptors, but still she looked away, fighting her nausea with an occasional gag as I carefully removed pieces of leather from her burnt chest and arm. We were back in the castle of Vesitire, but Dusk had already moved in to attack.
“All done with the worst part,” I said, plucking the last charred black piece. Her body relaxed a little; she was so damned brave.
I cleaned her skin gently before applying a healing and numbing salve; then I dressed the wounds with bandages. Despite my protests, Astraea was adamant to change into new leathers and join the fighting that had already broken out outside. The enemy forces weren’t within the walls, and we hoped to keep it that way.
“Where are the others?” she asked, pulling on a new shirt.
“Zath and Rose are within the inner wall legion; we’re hoping they won’t need to fight. The vampire and fae armies are fighting outside the walls, led by Laviana, Davina, and Elliot. Lilith is taking charge of the healing tents on the field. Drystan is leading a charge with those on dragonback; Nadia is with him.”
“Dusk only wants me. I’m going to seek him out and end this.”
I caught her elbow before she could charge out.
“We should stick to the strategy. Dusk isn’t being as arrogant as Dawn; he’s surrounded himself with allies and armies that will overwhelm you before you can reach him.”
“Not if I’m smart. I can lure him away.”
“It’s not worth the risk—”
Screams breaking from outside in the city grabbed our attention. We didn’t exchange another word before we ran onto the balcony.
People were scrambling through the streets as if they could outrun the terrifying wave that grew higher than the lower city wall.
“Fedora,” I growled. “Let me handle her.”
I was about to summon Eltanin, but Astraea grabbed my hand.
