I didn’t know what the damn prophecy showed her, but I felt responsible. Dovelyn didn’t want to find the grave. She didn’t want to uncover the prophecy, and I practically forced her to by making Dravenburg take a vote. I knew she’d be outnumbered. That everyone would want a chance at an advantage against the King.
I hadn’t realized it would affect her this much. Maybe this was why our mother took away Dovelyn’s memories in the first place. Maybe she didn’t take her own life to spare me from the prophecy, but to prevent this from happening to Dove, and I ruined everything.
My sister’s suffering was because of me.
It’s not your fault,Scottie’s voice filled my head a moment later. I glanced up and saw her standing at the entrance of the war tent. She was looking right at me but hadn’t opened her mouth, our connection doing the work for her. I couldn’t muster a reply because we both knew it was. Instead, I gave her a weak smile and took her hand in mine before walking into the tent together.
Scottie had changed into new clothes, but there was nothing we could do to hide what we had done earlier. We never got the chance to clean up the tent after hours of using it, and it showed.
Dravenburg glared at me the moment we entered, and I swore his ears were producing steam. “You completely ruined it. You ripped my map.”
Scottie winced. I squeezed her hand but didn’t let go. “Actually, it was my map,” was all I said as I led us toward the front. Every Advenian important to the camp was either sitting or standing inside. Scottie’s cheeks were flaming red by the time we made it to Dravenburg.
Relax, it’s fine. We did nothing wrong,I told her, gesturing for her to take a seat.
Tell that to Dravenburg. I’m pretty sure he wants to kill me right now.
I laughed out loud and everyone turned to look at me. Dravenburg did look ready to murder us, and Savannah kept staring at the map and frowning. I took the seat next to Scottie, forcing myself not to think about what we’d done earlier. I was half tempted to kick everyone out again, but I knew Dravenburg was right for calling a meeting—we needed to talk.
I pushed my thoughts of her away. Getting a hard-on in the middle of the meeting wasn’t high on my list.
Instead, I focused on how we could win this war, preferably before it even began. I didn’t particularly want to fight the men Itrained from the Luxian army, and the fewer battles fought, the more lives saved. Some of the soldiers from Lux would probably switch sides once they realized what was happening, but most were loyal to the King.
Dravenburg cleared his throat, starting the meeting. “For anyone who didn’t witness it, can someone recite Princess Dovelyn’swords?”
Savannah uncrossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, reaching for a piece of paper she had folded in the pocket of her jeans. “I wrote it down after about the tenth time Dove chanted it.” Her father nodded for her to read it. “The world must start anew. Forged in peace, one shall be born with the powers of two. Light and Dark will come together. The chosen one will be the tether. Beneath the Goddesses’ feet, is the information you seek. To manipulate Pylemo’s gifted fire, the son must use it against his claimed sire. But without a sacrifice from Light and blood spilled from Dark, the chosen one will lose his spark.”
Everyone was quiet, letting her words sink in. I hadn’t been able to process it until now. All my focus went into making sure my sister was okay. But now I couldn’t stop thinking about what winning this war—what killing the King—would take.
“Well, the beginning is pretty obvious,” Kal spoke. “Tezya was born with two powers, and he helped shape Brighta, bringing Tennebrisians and Luxians together. He also possesses the Goddess’ favored ability of fire, and his claimed sire is the Lux King, so Tezya needs to be the one to kill him. What I don’t get is, what’s the sacrifice from Light and blood from Dark?”
No one answered as her question settled around the room.
“We need to go back to Lux,” I finally said.
“Are you crazy?” Scottie seethed. Her hair whipped across my shoulder as she snapped her head in my direction.
“We don’t have a choice, Rumor,” I answered gently. “I’ve used my fire on the King countless times. He also possesses the ability, as well as air to make shields, so it does nothing to him.We need to figure out what Dovelyn was alluding to. She called it Goddesses’ fire, so it has to be something more than me just using my ability, and I think the answer is in Lux.”
“I agree with Tezya,” Wells said. I hadn’t noticed him standing there until he spoke.
“Wells.” I smiled as I stood and walked toward Savannah’s younger brother, clapping him over the back. He pulled me into a hug, tucking his head into my shoulder. Dravenburg, Wells, and Sav were the only mortals in the camp. Most of the time, I forgot Savannah wasn’t one of us with her reckless behavior. But looking at Wells, it was undeniable. He was as human as you could get.
“I’ve missed you, Tez.” He smiled as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger. He looked nothing like his sister. His brown glasses matched his spiral curls atop his head. His eyes were the same shape as Savannah’s, but where her coloring was a hazel-gray, his was a pale brown. They stood about the same height and both had lean frames, but Savannah was corded in muscles from years of training with Advenians in the rings, while Wells was all skin and bones. The only things he lifted were vials and serums in his lab. The only real resemblance they had to each other was their skin tone. But Savannah’s skin was tanned from hours under the sun, while Wells was naturally dark.
“Save the greetings and pointless chit-chat for later,” Dravenburg grumbled, rubbing his thick, graying beard. “Why do you think he should go, Wells?”
“Because the Lux King needs to die, and the answer on how to do that will be at the Goddesses’ feet.”
“There are many statues of Pylemo. How do we know they’re referring to one in Lux? I’m sure Tennebris is loaded with them too,” Rainer said, pulling his hair up into a high bun—his telltale sign he was concentrating.
“Ex Cinere Renasci.”
“What—?”
“It means rebirth from ashes,” Wells answered Rainer. “It’s the name of the statue by the bay. Pylemo is the Goddess of fertility and Tezya’s ability is fire, so that statue is the most logical choice.”
Dravenburg stiffened. He was furious when he first discovered Arcane used to sneak him into the Luxian city any time the King was in Tennebris for meetings. Everyone knew Wells and Arcane had a past. They still loved each other, even though neither of them would admit it.
