Elder Aïna steps forward with Mina, Naïa, and Essin. They bow, and the others follow their lead.
Theron lowers himself and I dismount, my boots crunching against the ground. I feel nothing. No triumph or anger. Nothing but a hollow numbness.
“Elder Aïna,” I say. “The Lidéren was once someone else.”
Elder Aïna’s expression shifts, and her eyes widen as she murmurs, “The ancient language.”
I continue, my voice strong enough so everyone can hear. “Today, we uncovered the truth of the barrier’s creation. The generation that gave us life was destroyed by the children of the Snake. Tonight, we will honor our people. We will perform the farewell ritual.”
Mina raises a paw to her chest. “Your Majesty,”
“Prepare everything,” I command. “The wax, the herbs, the wood. Tonight, we’ll honor the fallen and their stories. We will give them the farewell they deserve.”
The warriors who returned with us, their faces are etched with exhaustion and grief. My gaze lingers on Theron, and my chest tightens. He looks distant, his strength and presence overshadowed by the sorrow in his eyes. The others wear the same broken expressions.
“We will remember them,” I say firmly. “Your parents. Your loved ones. Their sacrifices won’t be forgotten. And while we can’t punish those responsible—they’ve long since died—we will end their legacy.”
Pressing my hand over my heart, just like I’ve seen them do, I step closer to the group. “We will hunt down every son and father. We will burn their lands and take what rightfully belongs to us. Vathéria will be ours, as it was always meant to be.” I clench my fists. “That ismypromise toyou.”
A low growl ripples through the vólkins surrounding me. It’s the sound of revenge.
This is what we need. Tomorrow, in the first trial, their anger will become their strength. It will carry them through the fire. And in battle, it will be their weapon.
I turn to Theron. He supported me when I was at my lowest, and now it’s my turn to be there for him. I take his paw in my hands, and his grip tightens.
When our eyes meet, I see the sorrow he can’t hide. It’s raw, etched into every line of his face. My heart aches for him.
“Do you know what your parents loved?” I ask as others disperse, leaving us be. “Let’s honor them with it... for their farewell.”
Theron leads me down a path I’ve never taken before, far from the streams, our home, and even the sacred glade.
“Where are we going?” I ask, my hand wrapped around his paw.
“To a place I visit often,” he answers. His expression is calm, but there’s more to it. “As you read in the document, my mother was a noble. I always knew that. Elder Aïna told me she loved the finer things in life. When she met my father, he promised her every luxury she could imagine.”
A small smile pulls at my lips. Ánya loved expensive things—it suits the image I have of her. Thinking of Theron growing up in a house filled with nobility makes sense. He’s so composed and dignified, a noble vólkin to his core. Even the way he arranges my meals, the way he refuses to let the different foods in my bowl touch, reflects that.
“How did they meet?” I ask, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as we walk. The vólkin homes are far behind us now.
“Elder Aïna doesn’t remember the details for every couple, but she said the women all escaped their villages in some way,”
“Just like my mother,”
Theron nods and turns his gaze ahead.
I follow his line of sight to a large hill rising on the edge of Ávera. “Are we going up that hill?”
“Almost.”
The path ahead, leading to a high cliff overlooking the ocean to the west of Ávera, is clearer than the forest we left behind. The trees thin out as we go, and the cooler wind bites at my skin. Walking keeps me warm.
Theron points to what looks like the mouth of a cave.
“Here?” I ask.
“I found this cave when I was a youngling,” he says. “Elder Aïna told me it wasn’t by chance. She said the cave called to me for a reason.”
We pass through dense bushes, which Theron holds aside to make the path easier for me. The cave’s entrance comes into view, wide and framed by greenery. The way the light filters through the bushes outside creates patterns that dance on the stone walls within. It’s beautiful.
