I repeated those words as I flew toward Aurum Quarter—to a new beginning.
The second myfeet touched solid ground, I collapsed, sinking to the sand as I thanked Aeternus.
I’d survived The Rift.
I swear, at that moment, I could have kissed the ground beneath my feet.
Solid ground.
I’d made it.
I’d done it.
All on my own.
Callum squatted beside me, his forearms resting on his thighs as his boots came into view along the sand I was currently contemplating kissing. I tilted my chin up, holding his gaze.
“I amneverdoing that again.”
His low chuckle filled the air as he nodded, eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Welcome to Aurum Quarter, starlight.” His voice held anote of excitement as he extended his hand, helping me up so that I could take in the Quarter for the first time.
My jaw dropped as I took in my surroundings. All around me, tall skyscrapers graced the skyline. Their glass windows reflected the light of the two suns. Angels flew across the sky in a carefree manner, their golden wings glinting as their feathers reflected the sunlight. Every building seemed to be lined with gold, the Quarter itself glittering in the afternoon light.
Skybridges levitated between buildings, angels flying under the passes with ease as they soared through the sky. The sun’s glittering rays caught on the buildings as hues of gold danced across the horizon, taking my breath away.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered as I kept looking around. In the distance, I could spot a pilaeria pitch, hovering over the Quarter—a match broadcasting from the display screens on the outer edges of the pitch. I could hear the roars and cheers even from here as fans watched the match occurring.
“Over there”—Callum gestured toward the west—“is the Aurelian Guild Headquarters. I’ll need to stop by there soon.” He then pointed to the north. “If you fly far enough to the north, you will find the Temple of the Eternal. Then, behind that, the House of Aurum. And the pilaeria pitch is currently floating above the Sol District—the main downtown of Solis Quarter.”
“You know I’m going to forget this all pretty quickly,” I joked as I shot him a grin. “It’s a lot to take in. Not to mention, I’m still recovering from mydeath flight.”
He shot me a flash of a smile back. “Well then, it’s a good thing you only need to remember one place right now.”
“And that is?” I questioned, my lips pursing as I waited for an answer.
“The Lighthaven District,” he said, pointing to a section of buildingsclosest to us.
“Is that where my family was taken?” I asked softly, looking up to meet his eyes.
“No.” His response was straightforward. “They were taken to Guild headquarters. Elion will want to speak with everyone to help them get acquainted with Aurum Quarter. It’s going to be an adjustment for them—for all of you.”
I nodded. “When can I see them?”
He chuckled as he tilted my chin up, holding me in place. “Anytime you want, Raelyna. We may be starbound, but you arefreehere. You can come and go wherever, whenever. I just thought you might want to freshen up before you see your family.”
I looked down at my attire, seeing the mixture of dust and grime built up on my clothing—the smears of blood from where Lucanus had cut me—and I nodded as he extended his hand out toward me.
As I stood, I felt my muscles protest the movement, my ribs flaring slightly from where Lucanus had thrown a punch the previous night.
I let Callum guide me through the skies, the warmth of the suns warming my chilled skin as we flew over glimmering buildings, the various hues of gold sparkling in the light. I watched on from high overhead as children ran through the streets, laughing and playing. There was a market in the distance, vendors happily shouting as they sold their goods. Cafés were bustling, with outdoor seating overflowing, as angels moved throughout the Quarter.
It wasn’t long before Callum was guiding me lower, and soon we were touching down on the rooftop of a towering skyscraper, the glass of the building reflecting the suns’ light in a near-blinding manner. My feet landed on an outdoor rug as we touched down, and I slowly retracted my wings, the muscles in my back sagging in relief as I took in the space. Small plants sat in pots along the rooftop, and a few lounge chairs werepositioned there, facing the afternoon sun. There was a grill built into one wall, with a table and chairs resting close to it. There was even a TV mounted to the wall beside the grill, with a waterproof cover to protect it from the elements. It was idyllic and serene, a sort of peaceful reprieve in the midst of the bustle of the Quarter.
“What is the place?” I asked.
“You like it?” Cal’s voice rumbled as he walked toward the glass door, sliding his finger across the entry lock. I watched as a device slid from the doorway, scanning his fingerprints, before he entered a code into the keypad. I heard a faintclick, the button unlocking for him as the glass doorway slid open, and we walked into an elevator.
