It still doesn’t change that you and I have each other, and she can’t say the same.Kallon left her girlfriend to help me, and while I survived, she didn’t.
I talked to Kal,he said after a moment.She doesn’t think it’s anyone’s fault. Everyone that was fighting knew the risks, and even if Kallon stayed with Raeya, the outcome could have been the same.
Tezya’s words hit me, but I saw it for what it was. He didn’t even believe it himself. The guilt was eating away at him too.
Is she okay?I asked.
No, but she has Savannah, for now, and Rainer.His words “for now” had my mind racing. Did that mean we were leaving? That we were going back to Allium?
Yes,he answered, knowing exactly where my thoughts drifted.We’re leaving in a couple of weeks to go back.
What about everyone else?Peter and Vallie instantly flooded my mind next.
All okay. Everyone else is okay. Peter was badly injured at the end, but he’ll live.
And Greyland?I started, but stopped, knowing it was Tezya’s little brother too.
Alive.
I nodded, relief flooding me because I couldn’t stomach any more death. But in reality so many lives were lost because of this. How many families were suffering now? How many lost their parents, siblings, significant others? I prayed it would all be worth it.
I hope so too,Tezya said gently.The fighting stopped, but there’s still a large number of people that aren’t happy with the changes. Everyone has agreed to return to Allium, but once we’re there it’s going to be difficult. We’ll have to implement our new plan for governing immediately and pray more wars don’t break out because of it.
I nodded, now understanding this was what Dravenburg meant when he said we needed to be prepared before we fought. The Advenians were split down the middle. Most agreed withus, having lived through some of the suffrage, but the ones who benefited before—the ones who were high ranked and thrived from the old system—they’d be harder to convince. This was far from over.
Athler?I asked, realizing I hadn’t seen the King’s second during the battle.
He was the one controlling the humans while we were with the King. Savannah and Arcane were able to capture him.
Capture?I repeated.So he’s alive?
Tezya nodded.Everyone agreed there were too many deaths to add more right now. He’s in the dungeons with five Alluse users and two air users. Plus, Sav has been giving him heavy sedatives so he doesn’t wake up. Once we get to Allium, we’ll figure out what to do with him and everyone else.
What about your brother?I asked.
He’s also someone we will have to figure out what to do with.
You mean you’re keeping him locked up?Shock coursed through me. I knew Arcane was technically a prisoner prior to everything starting, but he helped us, he fought with us… I saw it through Tezya’s memories. All the humans would have died if he hadn’t agreed to come back with Kallon to help.
I know,Tezya said.I don’t like it either. But he’s not in the dungeons at least. He’s being confined to his room with an insane amount of luxury and endless wine so he’s fine for now.
I shifted on the bed, sitting up even higher before slowly removing the itchy bedding. I wanted to see everyone. I had to see they were alive with my own eyes.
“Rumor, wait—” Tezya started, and I jumped, shocked at him speaking out loud after being inside my head. “There’s more.”
“What?” I asked, slumping back down onto the cot, mentally preparing myself as I held my breath.
“You and Sie, you both saved me.” I waited, terrified for where he was going with this. “You locked onto the ring through our bond, and you were using all your enhancement onme. I didn’t realize what you were doing until it was too late. I thought I was going past my own reserves, but I wasn’t…”
“But I did,” I finished for him.
He nodded. “You used up all your reserves. You’re lucky to be alive right now, but…” He paused.
“Tezya just spit it out and tell me,” I said, hating the hesitancy.
“Your enhancement is gone.”
His words settled into my core, but I couldn’t fully comprehend them. Not yet anyway. I reached into my powers and immediately the call to water came. I could feel it in everyone’s bodies behind the curtain that was pulled shut, in the pitcher of water next to me, I could sense the little bit of sweat down Tezya’s forehead. But whenever I tried to access the powers around me—I came up blank. My enhancement was gone. It felt like I was searching my mind for a memory I couldn’t remember.
