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Unphased by my outburst, Zariah floated toward me, taking my face in her palms and looking deep into my eyes. The rainbow flashes in hers threatened to mesmerize me, and some of the power I’d gathered dissipated.
“If you do not come with us—if we do not try now, there may be nothing left for those you call friends to live for.”
“You said I wasn’t enough.” I couldn’t keep the pleading from my voice. “You needed all of Revka. How am I supposed to help?”
“You will provide us with answers,” Darvol said, and the water swirled around me once again. This time, it rose to my chest, pressing my arms to my sides as it lifted and propelled me forward past Zariah.
“I don’t know anything!” I cried, struggling in vain.
“You may not,” Zariah said, keeping pace at my side, floating gracefully through the water despite our pace. “But your magic does.”
Around us, the ocean rushed by in a flurry of colors and currents, so fast that everything blurred into a kaleidoscope of shapes, impossible to discern one from another. I struggled for a little while longer, then gave up again, resigning myself to the feeling of helplessness…for now.
The further we traveled, the more certain I was that returning to the ship in time to help the others would be nearly impossible. I had to count on the fact that Rivven knew what he was doing when it came to the sea. I trusted him implicitly. He would protect Rune and the others.
After what felt like forever and at the same time a blink of an eye, we slowed, then hurtled up through the waves. We broke the surface in a rush of water, and I gulped for air, despite not having needed it below. Straight ahead lay a horseshoe of tiny islands, a large one in the center, and another directly before us. The sprawling land mass shone with black sand that glittered in the sun and tall trees so green they were hard to look at straight on. White stone structures rose in archways following a path that disappeared into the trunks. The whole scene was set against the backdrop of a sunset like none I’d ever seen—an explosion of purple, pink, and orange that set the clouds ablaze with breathtaking color.
I was set upon the spot where the water swept from the sand, and the magical grip around me melted away. My bare feet sank into the warm ground, tiny grains eroding around each step I took toward the shore. A warm breeze caressed me and tugged at the miraculously dry material of my white gown as well as my hair so that both flowed behind me as I strode forward.
The others flanked me, allowing me an unobstructed view of the glorious isle. Despite the sun now being beyond the horizon, I still felt the kiss of warmth against my skin. I drank in every detail, from the giant drooping leaves of the towering trees to the smooth steppingstones that led beneath the high arches.
Without a word, I began to move toward the structures that led into the jungle beyond. I doubted I could have fought the urge to continue even if I’d wanted to. I could see up close that the bone-colored stone was veined with dark streaks chillingly reminiscent of the fissure in the forest and the poison that Hymer’s wound had been laced with. The structures had begun to crumble in places. Some archways leaned so far over that I feared they’d fall and crush us as we passed beneath.
And as we turned into the thick foliage, I couldn’t help but feel that the jungle had begun to swallow the manmade portions whole. Once we crossed inside the canopy of dappled light from the double moons above, I noted more than just greenery among the brush.
It began as small points of glittering crystal that dotted the ground, then grew the further in we trod to enormous clusters of breathtaking beauty. Not only did they become larger, but also plentiful, crowding out the giant leaves until the world had reversed and it became a field of crystal dotted with occasional plants poking between.
I had to watch my step on the pathway, lest an encroaching cluster of stones scrape my ankles. The further I crept along the twisting and decaying path, the more I became aware of a buzzing in my ears. It grew so insistent I had to shut my eyes and shake my head.
“What is that sound?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“The crystals are speaking to you,” Zariah said. Above land, her voice felt far softer, or perhaps she was speaking in a hushed tone on purpose.
I squinted, glancing around at the stones that were now tall enough to reach my shoulders. While I’d thought they were clear initially, I could now see the throbbing glow of the ether all around us. It was like walking through a sea of flashing threads of color and light. Reaching out, I passed a hand back and forth through the tingling field of magic. As awe inspiring as it was, I couldn’t ignore the tiny threads of black that crept through some of the brilliant color. I repressed a shiver as the hum pitched higher when I focused on those, as though the crystals were crying out in pain.
A building came into view through a break in the forest of crystal. A once-beautiful temple towered before us, though the entire left side had crumbled. Rows of enormous pillars lay broken at odd angles, overgrown with a strange mixture of crystal and plants.
I glanced at my companions as we reached the deteriorated steps. Darvol simply continued onward, and Zariah gestured for me to go next. I picked my way upward, trying to stay as close to the exact path Darvol took as possible, not wanting to misstep and injure myself, or worse, come into contact with any of the dark threads.
When we got to the top, Darvol led the way to the center where a large alter had collapsed to the ground. Three relatively intact statues still surrounded the area. One was clearly the god before me. It would be impossible not to recognize the tentacles rising around his bottom half. Zariah’s likeness was fair as well, though the eyes were empty and her floor length hair continued onward, ringing her feet several times.
The third statue was Revka. The goddess of Centos and the one who I was supposedly a part of. I’d seen her likeness before, depicted on faded murals and books in the library. There was even a similar statue in the entryway to the palace. But I’d never realized before how much she resembled…me.
My entire life, I’d wondered who my mother was, always picturing her as a poor servant Balram had forced into his bed. I didn’t look like him. Of course, that made sense when I found out I was an illusion crafted by Leuruna, or so we’d thought. It also explained why we shared the same startling crystalline eyes so different from Balram’s oil-colored ones. But the idea that I was an elaborate illusion created by my desperate sister never sat right in my gut. I’d dismissed that feeling as simply wishing the truth away. But could an illusion truly have the thoughts and feelings I carried? So much pain and heartache and…love that I’d experienced.
Now, seeing this statue of a woman about my height, with my build, a similar small nose and arched brows—it felt for the first time as though I recognized some familial bond. Despite the lack of color in the blanched marble, I felt an instant connection, and a strange emotion bubbled up in my chest. It cut deep with grief and hope in equal measure.
Without thinking, I reached out and ran my fingers along her cheek before repeating the gesture on myself.
“Remarkable resemblance, isn’t it?” Zariah whispered, breaking the spell. “Come, my darling.”
“Nyah,” I said, facing her. “Neither of you have used my name. It’s Nyah.”
“Come, Nyah,” Zariah corrected with a gentle smile. She took my hand in hers and guided me around the enormous diagonal slab of the broken alter to where an opening had been revealed in the ground.
At one time, there must have been a circular cover over the top, which was now rimmed in broken bits of onyx tile. I could just make out some of the runes carved there that must have been beautiful etchings once, now reduced to faded shadows.
A spiral staircase, intact since it was carved from the ground itself, wound downward into the dark. Small glints of yet more crystal peeked through the dirt, glowing just enough to illuminate the way.
