Page 167 of Keldori By Daybreak

“I felt him die,” she said. “He fell through ice and drowned, and his last thoughts were of me. No amount of time can dull that.”

“Gams—”

“When your mother was very little, she’d ask about her father, same way you used to. I would tell her about Darragh.” She smiled to herself. “He died saving his sister’s daughter, and when I built Keel Watch Harbor, I watched his sister’s descendants filter through. My Grimguards. Riley especially reminded me of him. But Liam—”

She shook her head.

“Ciarán,” I reminded her.

“Yes. Ciarán.” She smirked. “I’ve never met such a tenderhearted Grimguard.”

I chewed on my lip, wavering over my next words, unsure how much I wanted to reveal to Gams or admit to myself. “Can Grimguards really not be with Saergrims?”

“Did you not see how readily I would’ve left the worlds to Ferrin for you?” Gams laughed softly. “Love is essential, but it tests our resolve. Our duty, while self-inflicted, is one of sacrifice to the Rift. A Grimguard’s duty is to aid in that sacrifice. Do not make the poor boy choose between you and the worlds. Doing so nearly destroyed Darragh, and like I said, Ciarán is tenderhearted.”

“He’s stronger than you give him credit for,” I snapped.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t. His heart is possibly what reminds me of Darragh the most.”

Gams was great to talk to when it came to issues with Mom or friends at school, but I’d never seen either of the matriarchs in my life in a relationship. I had no further desire to talk about romantic affection with her. I wasn’t sure of my own feelings on the matter, having not given myself much of a chance to dissect them with the end of the worlds looming on the horizon.

“Una seems to like Ciarán at least,” I said, shifting the subject.

“Una?” Gams’s gaze softened over her flurrying magick. “Darragh’s Una?”

When I nodded, her face broke into a grin.

“She’s saved both our lives a few times now,” I said. “Scared the crap out of me at first. I thought she was going to eat Ciarán.”

“I would very much like to see her when you get to Keel Watch to refreeze me.”

“Right. Because I am coming, you know.”

“Oh, I know. There is no one more stubborn than my granddaughter.” She beamed at me. “No one stands a chance when you’ve made up your mind. Not even me. So I know even if I beg you not to, you’ll be here.”

I pressed my forehead to hers. In two weeks, this would be a memory. In two weeks, I’d be sitting in her kitchen while her Nightmare made me and my friends soup and painted us chickens.

“I’ll see you soon. I promise.”

“I know you will. Whatever happens next, Wren, I know you can handle it. You killed Ergoth. There is nothing in Skalterra left that can stop you.” She let go of her storm again to wrap both arms around me. “I love you. Now hurry home. And thank you for getting rid of the blue. It was fine, but I much prefer you this way. What an honor to see you grow into yourself, no matter how this ends.”

“The blue—?” I pulled away from her and grabbed at my hair with just enough time to register that it was my usual brown rather than my Nightmare’s bright blue.

Gams, the ice, and the Rift all faded away. Rather than waking up straight away as I usually did after being a Nightmare, sleep took me, wrapping me in a welcome embrace.

Maybe my body was still too exhausted to wake up after releasing the molten rock under Skalterra to kill Ergoth. Maybe Gams had sent me to sleep on purpose, knowing I needed the rest for whatever came next.

Whatever the case, it didn’t last nearly long enough. A sudden jolt dropped me onto wooden planks.

I startled into a sitting position on the floor of a dark carriage, and then cried out as pain lanced my ribs.

They were broken again.

“Look who’s waking up at last!” A voice, feminine and self-assured, sang overhead from a cloud of wild ginger curls. “The little Saergrim. I’ve got a job for you.”

A golden monocle glinted, and Tamora, Grand Baron of the Rightsland Barony, grinned down at me, petting Jonquil where she held her in her arms.

35. Advanced Negotiation