A harsh gust of intense heat has me throwing up my shadows. When I draw them back, I see her. In her truest form. A fury of undeniable power. Her wings pulse, keeping her in place as her fiery hair floats around her, no longer held captiveby a hair tie. It’s only the second time I’ve seen her in her full phoenix and she’s just as mesmerizing as the first time.
When her sun-like eyes fly open, they immediately fall to her body. She holds her arms out in front of her, twisting them as she examines her new appearance. Her eyes dart from one place to the other, eventually landing on me.
“I’m—”
“A phoenix.”
The image of her smiling as she moves her wings back and forth is one that will forever be imprinted on my heart. Childlike giggles escape her as she begins moving through the sky. A trail of fire lingers behind her as she climbs higher and higher. There’s no fear or hesitation as she spins and dips, commanding her wings effortlessly. In this moment, she’s everything she was always meant to be. Free and unyielding.
A bird without a cage.
A girl without shackles.
I’m not sure how long I watch her soar through the empty grey sky, painting it with streaks of fire. It feels like forever and yet not long enough. When she lands, the ground quakes with her power and it’s as if the earth is her pedestal. The fiery armor she wears as her skin, fades, leaving only the girl with deep crimson curls standing in front of me. Both versions of her beautiful. Both versions of her dangerous. And both versions of her I will spend my life memorizing by heart.
“That was amazing!” She covers her mouth with both hands to suppress the squeals trying to escape. “I mean,” she says breathlessly out of exhilaration. “I had no idea it would feelthatgood! It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced! I just did it. I didn’t think about it like you said! It felt so natural.”
“You were incredible.”
Her giddiness suddenly falls away and the wind almost stills as if waiting for her to speak.
“I want to see the Oracle again.” Out of all of the things I thought she might say in this moment, that wasn’t even on the list. “I need answers about who I am orwhatI am. We’ve scoured the library and asked the masses, but there’s been nothing. The only information I’ve gotten is from the Oracle, so I want to go back.”
“It’s not that simple,” I begin cautiously. “The Oracle has a price for such information. We have no idea what kind of payment will be expected.”
“I know but I’m willing to at least find out what that price is.” She steps closer to me, looking up at me with pleading eyes that make me want to give her the world. “Please, Ryder. I need to know.”
“Portals can be unpredictable. When we entered last time, we had the blood tie. This time will be different.”
“Then just take me to the portal and I’ll go alone.”
I shake my head at her absurdness. “Where you go, I go. Just give me a couple of days to pinpoint the exact location of the portal so we aren’t wandering through the Dread Woods again, okay?”
“Thank you!” She wraps her arms around my neck but quickly removes them before I have the chance to embrace her.
Chapter 36
Reign
“Come on! I have a surprise to show you!” Amaya pulls me out of my bed, dragging me by the arm.
“Where are we going?” I moan, suddenly wishing I didn’t give her a spare key to my room.
Where could she possibly be taking me at 11 o’clock at night? It’s already been such a long day and my body is begging to be caressed by silk sheets and a plush mattress.
“You’ll see!” I follow her all the way to the far end of the Hall, stopping at one of the hidden passageways I have yet to come out of. Before she leads us through its threshold, she turns around to me. “Ryder and I have been working on it for weeks.”
“Working on what?” I ask as she takes me by the hand, pulling me up the last few stairs that lead above ground.
She steps to my side, fanning out her arm in front of me in a slight bow.
“Welcome to the first ever Skycap.”
Just like in the Infinite Sea Territories, bonfires spread across the open wasteland as members of every Entity gather around, embracing their gifts. A dark violet dragon swoops down in front of us and I instinctively duck. In the distance a group of wolves race each other down the ash covered terrain while a group of witches bend fire and water a few feet away.
“Sooo… what do you think?” Amaya asks, turning to me with a proud grin. “Since we don’t have the sea here, Skycap seemed like a better name.”
“Consider me impressed!” I answer, locking my arm through hers.
