When Damien shows up, I order him to take Zaro and Anthony’s bodies to a secure location where no one else will see them. I slowly guide Nio away as Damien shifts and gently scoops the two of them in between his large claws. Once I hear the sound of his wings quiet in the distance, I pull Nio away from me.
“I know you’re hurting. I know you’ve experienced great loss today, but your people need you. Ion, needs you.” He nods, shaking himself out of the grief. It’s still there, threatening to drown him, but as a ruler, he knows how to carry the weight of it with him.
“What are you thinking?”
“I sent Ion to get as many people on the ships as possible and head for Illarium. He’ll have the help he needs from the military, so you need to be on the beach where the Sector units are being taken. I’ve ordered them to be seized, not killed.” His face hardens at the last part. “I know you want vengeance for your brother, but this is not the time, and these people are not your enemy, my father is.”
He's still rigid with anger but I can tell he understands. The revenge he seeks will have to wait, along with the rest of ours.
Once he’s gone, I continue using my shadows and power to free people from the layers of building that have piled high in the center of the war-torn valley. Even those dressed in Sector clothing are helped.
Damien returns, bringing supplies back with him. Reign immediately grabs one of the packs filled with essentials and takes off towards one of the injured groaning several yards away.
“Dani!”
Damien has shifted back, and he nearly knocks me over when he goes running for Danielle. She’s covered from head to toe in blood. Most of which is probably not hers considering the fact that she’s still standing. Reign seems to have taken notice, but she stays focused, making sure to finish the job at hand. Once she seems satisfied, she hands the bandaged man over to be escorted to the Healing House. Only then, does she head for Damien and Danielle.
When we catch up to them, Damien is trying his best to calm her.
“Shh, it’s okay. You’re okay,” he strokes the sides of her soot and blood-covered face, but she continues hyperventilating.
“We tried,” she cries between gasps.
Her face is full of dread and despair. Damien wraps her in his arms, but her body doesn’t stop shaking. Reign looks to me with hurt in her eyes and I know she’s feeling Danielle’s pain. Watching her unravel before us is a reminder of all the feelings lying just below the surface, waiting to be set free.
While Damien runs his hands through her hair and rubs her back in circles, she slowly begins to gain control over her breathing. Eventually she pulls away from him and looks to us.
She shakes her head as the streams of tears continue down her face.
“She’s asking for you,” is all she manages but it’s enough.
Reign takes off in a sprint down the rocky path, screaming for her sister at the top of her lungs. I follow after her, doing my best to push down the growing panic clawing its way up.
“Here!”
Someone I don’t recognize waves us down and my heart plummets when I see Zane’s body convulsing with grief. I reach for Reign’s hand and vaporate us the rest of the way. Before my smoke fully clears, I see her.
“Amaya!” Her name rips from the innermost part of Reign’s throat as she drops to her knees.
“You came.” It’s only a whisper but Zane hands Amaya over to Reign for her to cradle in her last moments.
“Of course,” she cries, rocking Amaya back and forth in her arms. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I could’ve—”
Amaya reaches for her face, stopping her. “There was nothing you could’ve done.”
I step forward, closer to the three of them, but when I see her, I too, am taken to my knees. Whatever beast did this to her will pay if it hasn’t already. I’ve seen all kinds of death in my day. Every wound one could possibly imagine has been seen by these eyes. But nothing like this has ever happened to someone I truly care about. It’s nothing short of a miracle that Amaya is even able to speak after what has happened to her.
Even with a healer’s help, it wouldn’t be enough. The cuts separating the parts of her body that had kept her insides concealed are too deep to heal. Even a mender would need weeks to reverse this kind of damage.
Reign must’ve come to the same conclusion because the wails that escape her throat are enough to make someone gomad. They tear through the valley, echoing the sound of her breaking heart.
“You promised.”
Amaya’s voice is quieter now. Weaker.
“What are you saying?” Reign asks, leaning closer.
“You.” Amaya struggles to lift her finger but as she does, Reign whips her head around to me.
