“Ramses, were you in Olundy with us?”
For a split second, guilt flashes across his face. “No, your majesty. My—my mother and sister couldn’t travel, so I stayed here with them.”
I knew I could see loyalty in him, even if it wasn’t for me.
Evander shifts on his feet, his wings ruffling lightly with his movement. “Ramses led the remaining citizens into the mountains when the demons began making their way up through the capital. He saved many lives.”
“I’m pleased he did.” I smile at Ramses, and the tension leaves his shoulders. “Wait—you said up through the capital?” My chin tips up and towards the side.
“Yes, my queen. They began their assault in the bay and worked their way up the island.”
My brow furrows as I store that tidbit of information, but bob my head. “Thank you for your service to our realm, Ramses.”He bows low, and I nod, not feeling completely worthy of such respect.
Needing fresh air, I walk to the terrace. Lachlan and Luna follow and keep a close eye on me as I pace. The crisp air and bright sun ease some of the weight on my chest. We are one step closer to solving our magic problem. My boots thud against the stone as I walk back and forth beside the stone and filigree metal railing. We know how they’ve done it, and we know we can undo it. So that’s something, at least.
My attention swings from the ground in front of me to the sprawling city down the hillside, and I stop. The rest remains unknown. Who is trying to come through? How will Tane manage? And what the hell is going on outside of our realm? A leaf flutters down from the tree beside the terrace. Autumn is right around the corner. The season of changes. All I’ve faced are changes. I remember the first time I came here, thinking it was all a coma dream or that I had died.
Lachlan brushes his fingers against mine, interrupting my thoughts. “I’ll track down a healer for Tane. But do ye ha’ an idea of what the next steps are? What do ye need from me?”
The thought of anyone else getting hurt the same way Tane did—I can’t. I can’t have anyone else risking their safety. It makes my stomach roil.
“I know we sent Mina to Olundy to track down crystals there, but I think … you and I should travel to Ishtar and Scota to begin searching for quartz there.”
“I ken what ye mean.”
“And what am I supposed to do?” Luna asks, looking from me to Lachlan. She looks different, either from the sunlight or the magic regenerating here. Her face is still exquisite, but not as gaunt. The sun kindles a rosy blush high on her cheekbones.
“Can you go through the rest of the books we took from thecave and see if there is anything we missed? Anything about extracting venom? Or maybe the rest of their plans?”
“You want me to just read?” She asks dully, her brows lowering over her pale green eyes.
“Well, is there something else you’d like to be doing?” I ask sharply.
She huffs, rolling her eyes and looking out at the capital below us. “I’ll do research,andI’ll also check on the forges and districts. The rest of your tasks, so you can fully focus on restoring magic.”
“That would be perfect, thank you.”
“I’ll get the boat ready after I send a healer to Tane,” Lachlan throws over his shoulder, striding from the terrace. His large black wings morph into tattoos that stretch down his arms and wrists.
Luna follows my gaze and snorts. But I ignore her as my thoughts linger on him. I’m so grateful for him. For being here, for helping me.
“I think there might be something important about the words they carved onto the table.” Luna’s words sound distant, and I pull my eyes from Lachlan’s retreating form.
“Hmm?”
She sighs, shaking her head. “The words on the table, they read just like a prophecy. It could be important.”
“Remind me again what it said?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “A ruler of two worlds shall rise up and lead.”
I tap a finger to my lip, staring out at the city below again. “Could that have been about them? He was a shifter, and she was an asphidra?”
Luna’s lip curls in disgust. “I highly doubt that. You killed the asphidra, and he left the corpse behind. Clearly, she was just a means to an end.” She shakes her head. “No, I think this prophecy is about you.”
Her words have my eyes widening as I reel back. “Me?”
“Yes. You. Your mother was from here, and your father was not. Two worlds.” She holds up her fingers like I don’t know what the number means.
