Page 122 of Three Dark Kings and the Gilded Serpent

Before I can see more, the serpent dips down the southern side of the mountains and my view is blocked. He soars toward the plain where Miriam and the Mothers are now visible in the moonlight.

They’ve risen to their feet, heads tipped back to the sky, their joyous voices a hum that quickly fades to silence as we rapidly approach and the serpent lands beside their group.

“Thyra!” Miriam races toward me as I dismount and greet her, her smile beaming. “You did it! You woke Aeliana.”

Aeliana? But that’s the name of Antony’s mother who died…

My focus flies to the dunes behind me, where he has landed and now hangs back, Stellen and Nara also coming to a halt beside him.

If the starlit woman back there is Antony’s mother, then it seems I have a lot of catching up to do.

“Did you see the page?” Miriam asks.

I catch her hands. “What page?”

Her face falls. “The page from the⁠—”

“She gave it to me.” Antony’s voice sounds at my right shoulder, the rush of air from his impossibly fast approach buffeting the women’s silken scarves and nearly knocking Miriam over.

My arm swoops around her, keeping her steady.

She trembles. “Iron King.”

Antony immediately takes a step back, his quiet exhale loud in my sensitive ears. “No longer.”

Miriam blinks at him. “Pardon me?”

“I’m no longer the Iron King.”

Miriam takes glances from Antony to me and then to Stellen, who has remained at a distance. “If you have the page and it’s clear Thyra hasn’t seen it yet… You all have a lot to talk about. But…where is Maxim?”

I try not to let my frustration show. “I don’t know where he went.”

“Hmm.” She squeezes my hands. “Well, the Mothers and I will be ready when you need us, Thyra.” Her focus shifts to Stellen, but her voice doesn’t rise, indicating she knows he can hear everything from afar. “Stellen Nas’Lethian, will you take Thyra to the charcoal tower?”

He gives her a silent nod, stepping closer to me.

To me, Miriam continues. “The sun will rise soon and the Mothers and I need to get back to the city while we can use the night as cover. When you’re ready, you will find us in the caves south of the charcoal tower. Follow the old lava trail to the cascading rock. You’ll know it when you see it. We’ll be there from tomorrow night.”

She slips my hold. “Be sure to get indoors well before midday or our sun could burn you badly.”

I let her go, keeping watch as she and the Mothers begin a smooth jog back across the sand dunes.

Meanwhile, I’m conscious of Antony retreating again. This time, he approaches Stellen.

“You may have a truce with the Ember Fae,” Antony says to him, “but I don’t. I can’t travel across the open dunes. I need to keep to the shadows. Tell me where to find this charcoal tower and I’ll meet you there.”

“Fly east to the charcoal cliffs, then find the northernmost point before you would cross into Iron territory. The tower is built from black stone.”

Antony levitates into the air, but Stellen leaps after him, drawing his swords and barreling into Antony before he can get far.

Stellen’s swords are crossed at Antony’s throat.

“If you abandon Thyra,” Stellen says, snarling, “I will hunt you down and cut off your head.”

Antony is frozen, the blades pressing against his armor firmly enough that I’m certain Stellen could slice through the metal with ease.

Antony’s response is far quieter than I expected. “As you should, Stellen.”