Page 128 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

Raiden explained the motion of his movements, how the specific roll of his arms ending in a clap channelled his element, resulting in the lightning. Aerion’s was similar, but much more fluid. Aryn copied the same, his tan shirt hanging loose on his frame as his arms rippled. Kora marvelled at how easily Raiden wielded without a rune, iridweed, or velesma in sight. She followed suit, but instead her arms shot forward, her fingers flexed, and a jet of ocean water rose, meeting Raiden’s lightning perfectly.

“Impressive,” Raiden raised a brow.

They repeated it in sets of four until the sun was low on the horizon. Each rotation followed with lightning, the ocean, wind, and a flash of light from Aryn, from all four points of a compass. They were the four winds, for Iris. Sweat trickled from Kora’s brow and neck from the exertion, and she wiped it away as they stood.

“You didn’t need to do that. You’ve pushed yourself too far.” A concerned scan swept across her.

“Iris would’ve appreciated it,” Aerion answered, taking Aryn’s hand. “Come, let’s head to the bar.” With an aloof wave, Aerion tugged Aryn with him. Kora opened her mouth, wanting to stop him, to spend some time with Aryn and discuss the bond, and why he lied. But Aryn quickly looked away, shaking his head.

He needed to be with Aerion. It was clear.

“I wanted to help,” Kora swayed slightly, turning back to Raiden. “I hope Iris knows you still mourn her. That you still respect her memory.”

Raiden’s jaw tightened as he glanced away. “You know, in the past, you never once did that with me. Always left me to manage my grief. It’s partly why I wanted to come here. I couldn’t face being around the others during the anniversary. I’m surprised Aerion joined me.”

Kora’s mouth soured. “Well, I’m not her. And Skylar and Aerion should realise there was nothing you could’ve done. Iris shouldn’t have been at that prison. Was your mother not around to watch her?”

Raiden shook his head. “She passed when Iris was born. We like to think part of her lived within Iris, which just made her death so much harder.”

The empty throne and lone crown. The Windward family picture clicked together. Her own grief reflected at her, and she realised that her and Raiden were more alike. Two souls wandering the never-ending pits of grief, suffering from the emotional onslaught of their own actions, of reaping those who should never have been plucked from this world.

56

Kora

Ineed you to tell me about the runes in this book.” Kora dropped the flag-wrapped book on the white bar with a grimace. She’d barely touched it, scared of unleashing the dark magic that’d consumed her last time. Thank gods the sail seemed to protect her from whatever was within it. Aerion paused, his navy shirt unbuttoned, his hair ruffled. He’d left his boots beside Aryn, who sat up from the circular deep-set lounge in the centre of the room.

Aerion sniffed once, then twice. “What is that?”

Sat atop a bar stool, Aerion poured himself another glass of grog, swirling the dark liquid around in his crystal glass. Skybell Castle was regal enough to be fitted with its own bar, west of the library. A cosy space, with no windows, and intricate wainscoted oak walls. Every piece of furniture was white, lined with dark blue satin, and in the centre was an indoor firepit; a ring of white cushioned sofas embedded into the stone floor.

“My diary,” Kora replied. “From ten years ago.”

Aryn shot from the firepit, his hazel eyes flashing in the golden candlelight hanging from the high ceiling. Raiden simmered by the bar, leaning casually with heightened interest as he helped himself to a draught of ale. Who knew a prince-turned-barman was so . . . hot.

“Very interesting, K. But I don’t want to read fantasies about Rai.” Aerion sipped his drink. Kora blushed instantly, pressing her cool fingers to her cheeks.

“She was more into war than me, back then,” Raiden murmured quietly, but Kora glanced at him curiously as he shrugged, tipping back his stein. He drank it so smoothly, and Kora painfully tore her gaze away, wondering how Samuel fared under Barron’s oppression. She hoped he still lived.

“Just look at it, please.” Kora shakily unfolded the navy flag, her fingers gliding over the embroidered trident and skulls, careful not to touch the leather covering of the book itself.

“Wait!” Aryn grabbed her wrist. The bond flared and Kora jerked, his power igniting her skin with such a searing spark that she hissed, wrenching her hand away. It shocked her, the new intensity of it, and Aerion bristled, his jaw clenching.

Now she understood how it could force a . . . mating bond. She’d only experienced something similar when she’d been stupidly in love with Blake. Raiden rounded the counter, his diamond shield beating with a promise of violence.

“Don’t touch that.” Aryn carefully continued unwrapping the flag, his deft fingers light and quick. As the flag fell away, Raiden frowned, collecting it from the cool floor. Aryn probed the corner of the ledger, as though it would bite him with one touch, and instantly hissed, backing away.

“My love, what’s wrong?” Aerion leaned away, as if the book might explode any second.

“It’s cursed,” Aryn waved his hand, rubbing his palm. “Fuck, that hurt.”

“A curse? Like an enchantment?” Kora stepped back too. “When I touched it, Kordelia manifested in front of me. It’s how she took control of my body again.”

“Your blood must be in the ink,” Aerion mused, peering closer. He picked up a steel stirrer from the bar and flipped the book open, the pages falling to the drawing of the crevasse, runes spilling from its darkness. “Oh, gods.”

“What is it?” Kora retreated until Raiden’s solid wall of muscle stopped her. He didn’t move, but his heart pounded into her shoulders. Hard, and fast.

“This is dark, and old. I’ve never seen these runes before, but they’re similar to what I’ve read about dark magic. Whatever you’d been up to before the Mist, it wasn’t good.” Aerion spun on the barstool, facing Kora. “This drawing is of a rip in the realm. It’s depicting darkness entering our world and devouring it. I don’t know what these runes mean, but that’s the best I can garner.”