Olbric storms past me, walking so fast it’s like he’s trying to outrun me. I follow him to the abjuration tower, but it’s not until we reach the stairs that he finally acknowledges me.
“I don’t need a fucking nanny,” he snaps, voice full of venom.
“No, you need someone to slap some sense into you,” I shoot back. “Or was what that guard delivered not hard enough for you?”
Olbric’s anger builds around him as he bursts out of the stairwell, storming towards his room. “I thought you were myfriend, Galiva!”
“I am! And as your friend, I’m telling you that you need tothink about this.”
Olbric whirls on me. “Arlonpromisedme!” Tears well to his eyes, but he wipes them away like he’s angry at them. “When I came here, he swore to protect me! And instead, he’s dragging me back to Marikadar!”
It’s a struggle to rein my own frustrations back in. “To avoid a godsdamnedwar!”
Olbric looks struck, but I don’t let up. He’s a godsdamned Shykh’s son. Heknowswhat these talks mean.
“I warned you that this assignment was a hard ask. If these talks don’t happen, then that’sit,” I say, leveling a finger at his chest.“If a conflict breaks out,weare the front line. That means you, me, Cancassi, Dom,all of usare destined for a battlefield. Butyour presencein Marikadar is how we even have achanceto avoid that.”
He opens his mouth a few times, as if searching for the words. “What if I’m not allowed to come back, Gal?” He swallows as his eyes spill over. “What if Barric makes me stay?”
He says his father’s name with such fear that it breaks my heart. My frustrations melt away, and I swear as I pull him into a fierce hug.
“I know you’re scared. I-I’m scared too,” I admit, and maybe for the first time, the reality of our situation truly sinks in. Our world is on the verge of being upended. These talkshaveto succeed.
“We’re living with a lot of ‘what ifs’ right now, but I need you to trust Arlon like you always have,” I say at last. “The King gave him no choice in this, but you have to trust that he’ll protect you.” I pull back to an arm’s length before I cup his face. “Focus on the other ‘what ifs.’ Like what if you help us avoid a war? What if you get to see your sisters again? Your mother?”
A fresh wave of tears spills free as he draws in a shuddering breath. “You weren’t joking. This assignment is averyhard ask.”
I squeeze his arms even as my heart twists. “I know. But we can’t do this without you. Can you trust that we’ll keep you safe?”
He swears, pulling out of my grip. “What about Dom? Who’s going to keephimsafe?” He wipes his tears away before looking at me with reddened eyes. “I-I can’t let him go alone in this.”
I brush a wayward hair behind his ear before I lean up to press a kiss to his lips. “Let me handle that.”
MY HEART HAMMERS AGAINSTmy ribs, echoing Mo’s thundering hooves as we race down the path away from the Crux. Behind me, there’s shouting before another crash of magic makes my blood run cold. I look back but nearly get knocked to the ground by a low branch as we reach the tree line. I force my eyes forward, keeping my head down as I urge Mo on.
The fork comes into sight, and I ease Mo to a stop. For a second, the sound of his heavy breaths is the only thing I can hear. The rush of adrenaline fades, and I swing out of the saddle, but my shaking legs nearly fold as I hit the ground. Mo dances next to me, as agitated as I am, but I give him a placating pat to try and calm him down.
“Hey, it’s alright,” I say even as I wish I could make myself believe it.
Hooves sound on the path, and I whirl, fear surging. But then Valar rounds the bend, riderless before she clatters to a stop by Mo. I hurry forward to grab her reins, and she calms as I give her a gentle pat.
I don’t know what to do. I watch the road as the minutes tick by in a slow sort of agony.
Olbric has to come. Hehasto.
Both Mo and Valar look at me expectantly, but I’m rooted to the spot, indecision overwhelming me. The path to the Crux yawns before me before the world around me seems to tilt. The horses are no longer beside me, and instead of forest, I’m surrounded by rock and the soft shine of magic.
A cave, threaded through with magiline. Strands of it hang from the ceiling like dripping fingers, even larger ones bursting from the ground just like in the heart of the Crux. But the biggest rest at the back of the cavern, massive pillars that fill the space, ends crossing near the ceiling.
A sound builds in the cavern, ringing through the raw magiline. A voice, soft as a whisper.
Go home, Dominai. Please.
The plea sends a chill down my spine before the air in front of me shimmers like heat wavering over the Immen plains. I jump back as Arlon’s face appears in the mirage, blinking hard as the woods fall back into place around me.
“Where are you, Dom?”
I’m disoriented for only a moment. I open my mouth to speak, but it’s only as I go to say it that I realize I’ve made up my mind.
