Page 85 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

Raea is still shaking from the cold clothes clinging to her body. I reach for her, pausing before we reach the pod to pull her into my arms, using the warm air to help dry her off. She shivers and buries her face into my chest.

My father hovers nearby, his gaze burning a hole in my back, but for the first time in my life, I don't feel small. He spent years trying to mold me into a hollow version of himself, using his words like a scalpel. But as I look at Raea—dry and safe in my arms—I realize the ink beneath my skin and the woman at my side are parts of me he can never touch. His power over me died in the Drift.

Within minutes, she’s dry enough that we can get her back to the palace and into something warm. I have no clue what’s going to happen once we get back.

Originally, we had planned to debrief what Astor and Calia had to say. We’ve both been quietly mulling it over, but I think we both knew we needed more minds involved. Otherwise, we’d both get stuck. It’s what happened with the prophecy.

“Love you,” she whispers, tilting her chin up. “No matter what happens next, we do this together, and I want you to know, I’m always on your team.”

I have no words, so instead I bring my lips to hers. “Mine.”

She nods. “Yours.”

With that, I take her hand, leading us back to the pod. It opens at our approach. We don’t even bother to glance at my father as he enters behind us. I program the console to take us back to the palace.

As it lifts off, lightning coils around the creature, filtering through its wings and body as it flies ahead to lead us through the dark.

My body is radiating with nerves. It’s been a quiet trip, and Raea has been nibbling on her lip as she wrings her hands in her lap. The pod lowers back into its original spot, and I reach over, seeking her touch. She takes my hand in hers and looks up at me. Those big green and gold eyes convey so much more than words ever could.

There’s a part of me that almost wishes my father had stayed gone, but that’s unfair to my family.

“Ready?” I ask.

My father is already stepping from the pod.

Raea nods and follows me out. The walk across the wide stone bridge that leads to the palace is filled with tension and the roaring sound of the waterfall that falls off the edge.

The glass sections of the palace illuminate the area, reflecting the light of the large moon. Raea exhales as the doors open for her. She crosses the wards ahead of me, still clinging tightly. My father grumbles behind me, and when I turn to face him, he’s stuck at the doors.

“What is this?” he hisses. “Bastian and his tricks. Fetch the old fool.”

I inhale, shoving down the intense rage that threatens to explode out of me. He can’t return from the dead and expect everyone to bow at his feet. We’ve all moved on.

I watch him thrash against the invisible wards, and I have to fist my hands to keep from launching at him. The growing Bond between Raea and me has stripped away my patience. Every insult he hurls at her feels like a physical strike against my own skin. I want him gone—not just for the kingdom’s sake, but because my soul won't settle until she is the only person in my line of sight.

The guard looks between my father and me. “Prince Anders, should I⁠—”

“No,” Raea speaks up, her voice more firm than before. “My father’s wards are here to protect the royal family from anyone who dares to enter with ill intent.”

She steps forward, her voice a sharp, protective blade that cuts through the tension. I can feel her distrust through our Bond—a jagged, electrical hum that mirrors my own. She doesn't just see a king—she sees the man who broke the person she loves.

The invisible wards of the palace shimmer in agreement, a physical barrier between the monster of my past and the future we’re trying to build.

“What are you doing back here?” Raea asks. “And what work did you complete?”

My father’s lips curl. “Just an old score to settle. Get your father. I’ll wait.”

Raea doesn’t budge. She stands there, glowering at my father. A spark ignites within me, and suddenly I can feel every ounce of her confusion, her anger, and her distrust. She doesn’t believe a word my father says. Honestly, I can't blame her. Every word out of his mouth feels like a half-truth.

King Bastian enters, strolling to my side, arms crossed over his chest. “Aki,” he states, his voice clipped. “You’ve returned from the dead just in time for their wedding. How convenient.”

I look to King Bastian, then back to my father, whose face doesn’t hide his rage.

My father’s face turns a mottled shade of red. “You’ve always been full of tricks and secrets, and now you dare to ensnare my son to your schemes. You’ve always been a fool.”

King Bastian stands unmoved at my side.

Raea steps back to my other, taking my hand in hers. “I love your son and I will, even beyond death. So I’ll ask again. Why are you here? Why now?”