Before I could clear my throat to speak, a vacuum of darkness swallowed him whole, and he was gone. If it weren’t for the way his words lingered in the air, I could’ve convinced myself he’d never been there at all. But he had been there. He’d listened. And he wasn’t wrong—all Rhyne wanted was my head on a spike. I’d been fighting against my own death for so long that the concept of giving in had always seemed foreign. Like admitting defeat. And yet… I slumped back to the ground and stared out over the darkening marsh, my world reorienting around the assassin’s parting words.
Thaleus would soon be gone. Amira was gone. Nearly everyone I loved, gone. They were only blips of brightness in my life, stolen away before I was ready to say goodbye. How many other families and loved ones were suffering through the same heartache?
Maybe Amira was waiting for me in the gods’ realm. Maybe a world without me truly was better. Those deathly shadows that had swallowed Kostya whole hadn’t seemed so dangerous. He’d almost seemed to welcome the way they moved, the way they cocooned him in a solitary reprieve reality couldn’t offer.
Think of your parents.I pictured my father’s eyes, a frozen blue that mirrored my own. The stern gaze that turned soft with wrinkles when he smiled. My mother’s warm embrace that always welcomed me home. Followed by a stern, yet loving smack to the back of my head when I did something she disapproved of. If I were to die, they’d be heartbroken. I was their only son. And yet…
This war would never end while I still breathed.
Rocketing to my feet, I stripped the armor from my body and cast it to the ground. In a simple tunic and light breeches, I was entirely unprotected. A gentle breeze kissed the exposed skin of my arms, and it felt like home. Like affirmation. With my armor went the blade, and I paused for a moment at the lack of its weight. But no—where I was going, weapons weren’t needed. And then I started walking with more purpose than I’d felt on the battlefield that morning. This war would end tonight. I’d make sure of it.
I walked until the muddy marshland shifted to sediment-filled banks of black sand. We hadn’t destroyed the entirety of Rhyne’s forces, and those who’d retreated were in the midst of loading gear and bodies onto ships. Flickering fires cast the beach in an orange hue, and the quiet murmurs of soldiers created a lull that competed with the ocean waves. For a moment, I paused and focused on that sound. On the ebb and flow of the tide creeping over the sand and washing away the remnants of the war. Of the blood and horrors these people had faced.
Raising my hands above my head, I walked to the first campfire I could find. I had no delusions they’d take me alive. I’d offered my imprisonment before to end the war, and they’d spit on the letter and sent it back, sealed with the wax and emblem of the royal family.
This would be different. A strange sense of peace flowed through to my fingertips, and for the first time in years, relief relaxed my lips into a gentle smile.
Ten
Leena
Present day
The natural beauty of Hireath stilled my heart every time I caught sight of those glistening falls. Trees netted together against the morning sky, casting shadows across the aqua basin of water. Walkways and bridges packed with Charmers stretched from gargantuan oaks. Tree houses with large open windows were anchored to heavy branches, and larger communal spaces with wide-open archways burrowed into the trunks. But the crown jewel? The shimmering castle of ivory and stone carved into the mountain with the streaming falls cresting down its side.
I breathed deeply, and the mist-coated air, thick with the scent of minerals, hit the back of my tongue. Iky sauntered to my side, an unconscious Calem still cradled like a child in his arms. Gaige ran a hand along his jaw and eyed my friend.
“Let’s find Kaori first.”
“Agreed.” Gently, I brushed my fingers along Calem’s forehead. Sticky heat met my touch, and droplets of sweat clung to his hair. Magic was cooking him alive.
We took off toward the keep, its cobblestone courtyard packed with flowers in full bloom. With winter upon us, the normal petals of lavender, fuchsia, and teal had given way to deep mahogany, plum, and vivid sapphire. A maiden carved of the same stone as the castle poured water from a vase into a wide fountain, and Charmers lingered on benches ringing the space. Beasts twined between their ankles, and their soft calls competed with the backdrop of crashing water from the falls.
While the water would never freeze, the trees would soon be dusted with icicles, and Charmers would hang decorated snowflakes from their doors. The first frost was near, and there was a palpable hum of excitement in the air. The veil to the gods’ realm, and therefore Celeste, was thinnest on crisp winter nights. Charmers would gather with loved ones to offer thanks for everything she’d offered.
Magical.Even with the horrors I’d endured, there was something special about coming back, especially during this time of year. A few curious glances targeted Calem and Iky, but no one was brave enough to ask. Passing through the open archways into the main floor of the keep, we rounded a corner and took the first set of ivory stairs.
“Kaori’s quarters are on the second floor.” Gaige peeled off after one flight of steps, and we paused in the foyer.
It’d been the same with Wynn. An entire floor dedicated to him. I craned my neck upward and tried to see through the ceiling. Would they offer me those quarters if I joined the Council? Bile soured my tongue. There had to be other floors, other spaces available. I hadn’t thought to count the flights.
Light footsteps sounded against the smooth slabs, and Kaori appeared in the mouth of the nearest archway. Her sleek, sable hair was glossy in the morning sun, and she wore a white charmeuse gown. Gold stitching lined the V-shaped cut around her collarbone and dripped down her sternum in filigree patterns. Velvety and red, the inside of her collar curled up against her chin, and cap sleeves fit snug against her slender shoulders. She was ethereal.
Her dark eyes swept over us and snagged on Calem. With a strangled breath, she waved over her shoulder and retreated in the direction from which she came. “In here.”
We followed the billowing tail of her gown into a formal seating area. Pale-blue armchairs encircled a low, walnut coffee table, and a chaise longue complete with indigo pillows was situated between two sets of double glass doors thrown open to the falls. She ushered us toward the chaise, and Iky placed Calem on the cream-colored cushions. As soon as his head met the pillow, I sent Iky back to the beast realm with a flood of rosewood light.
“When did it happen?” Kaori sank to the floor beside Calem and rested a delicate hand across his forehead.
“Yesterday.” I wrapped my fingers in my bestiary and chewed on the inside of my cheek.
Gaige’s heavy stare flickered between us. “He’ll be okay. Right?”
“It’s not too late.” Kaori’s fingers combed through Calem’s hair, fanning it out on either side of his face. If it weren’t for the glistening sheen of sweat across his bronzed skin, he’d almost seem peaceful.
“I should let Yazmin know we’re here. She’ll want to know about your decision, Leena.” Gaige tilted his chin in goodbye and turned, retreating from the room without looking back.
Kaori pinned me with an inquisitive stare. “Decision?”
