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How could he stare at her, so confident, while he had an iron dagger on his belt? Did he underestimate her magic that much?
“You’re the vessel, aren’t you?” There. She asked it.
He approached the ice in front of her, pressed a hand against it, and leaned on it. “A vessel is empty. I’m full.” He was so, so close. Naia could feel the energy of the iron in his dagger thrumming, calling to her. It would be as quick as she’d done with Cassius—and yet she hesitated.
He smiled. “Oh, if you could kill me. Wouldn’t it solve everything? Save all your people?” He was taunting her, and it didn’t make sense. The dagger was just there. On his belt, yes, but it would be as easy to cut his throat as if she were physically holding it against his neck. Her hands trembled while she tried to gather the courage to do it, to end it all. Tears dripped down her eyes and still she did not dare do what she had to do. He then added, “Don’t worry. As long as you amplify my magic, you won’t be harmed.”
He then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
Naia almost called his name, but it would be futile. He was gone. How long had he been gone? Had he been controlled before? Could she get River back? Or was he dead? She didn’t know anything.
One thing she knew, though. Only a complete idiot would encase her in a wall of ice, in a room with so much metal. It was almost as if he wanted her to escape.
Unless…
Naia recalled River’s last words, when he had still seemed scared and confused.Part of me… Still…
Then he had leaned so close, telling her that killing him would solve everything, daring her. And yet she had failed. Failed, failed, failed.
No. If Cynon was from another realm and was just using River, how much would it have helped to kill the vessel? Perhaps it would have delayed Cynon, delayed him long enough for her to find a solution, to save her people.
Dizzy and with a bitter taste in her mouth, she was unsure what to do and where to go. She had to find Fel and warn him as soon as possible, but she wouldn’t be able to reach him now. They had to redo their plans, think. And yet it all felt so empty without River. Where was he? What was he doing?
Naia lit a flame on her hand, about to melt that wall of ice, then recalled something else he’d told her. She would have company. Someone who liked to babble. The flame faded.
Never show your true power to your enemies. Her father’s words sounded appropriate now. But then, if Cynon was using River, wouldn’t he know everything? Maybe not. Maybe yes. Questions, questions, so many questions and uncertainty in this horrific reality.
Someone who liked to babble.Hopefully it was true and she would get some answers. Naia was not afraid. Even with the strange ice around her, she felt safe in this room with so much metal—unless she had to fight ironbringers, which wasn’t an impossibility, considering she was in the Iron Citadel.
Naia could try to escape now, while alone, while she had a chance. Or she could trust River’s word and wait. If he still had his magic… he was still a white fae. He couldn’t lie. The wall around her was real ice, truly cold. Was it fae magic? She recalled River telling her about the Dragon Lair and how he had almost been encased in ice, and yet his account had been different. It had not been a barrier, but something that was making him cold, that could kill him quickly. This was just a strange prison, with some magic-blocking property. What kind of magic was this?
What was River thinking or feeling right now? Was he conscious? Was it truly a part of him that had wanted to keep her safe, or was she trying to cling to a comfortable lie just so she could forgive herself for failing to stop him? The moment she’d seen him killing his father, there had been something wrong, and yet she had never suspected anything. She still didn’t know since when River had been a vessel.
The iron dragon.Oh, no. If Cynon could see everything River saw, then he would know where Fel was. Naia had to warn him. But how?
If she left now, what was she going to do? Try to climb the mountains? Naia was so angry. Why hadn’t she taken the time to give Leah a communication mirror? Or perhaps she could wait for this person who was going to come andbabble, wait based on the hope that there was a part of River trying to help her. She had barely learned to trust him. Could she trust a part of him that might have been influenced by Cynon?
24
Alone
Naia was in the Iron Citadel, down in its entrails. So much iron, so much iron magic, more than she had ever thought was possible. Inside her, a cold, hollow space. And some regret. Shehadnoticed River had not been acting like himself,hadnoticed there had been something wrong, and yet had chosen not to see to the truth.
And her truth now was that she felt lost, with no idea what to do. She couldn’t even call her brother or find him, and didn’t even know if she would be able to step into the hollow. The idea of leaving through a hidden door down in the abyss didn’t feel that appealing when she considered the possibility of facing giant spiders and even some Ironhold forces. Well, she did still have her magic, which was quite handy in a place with so much metal. Perhaps she could face a couple of spiders. And then perhaps she could use her other magic—and try to walk in the hollow. It had felt so easy with River. Had it been him? Or something else?Part of me still… What did it mean?
Her heart was pounding in her chest, pumping blood through her body, as she stood and waited, while the truth of what had just transpired washed over her. A bitter feeling, a bitter taste, and so much anger at herself were her companions. She had known something had been wrong in the Ancient City, she had felt that it hadn’t been River, and then… All the evidence had been standing in front of her, while she’d been distracted with his lovely face. Lovely, lovable, sweet—a face she adored—now a vessel for some ancient evil. Would there have been a way to prevent it? Or had they always been doomed? She had failed to kill him—and would keep failing as long as she thought there was a chance to get River back.
She touched the surface of the ice, and realized it didn’t melt even with the heat of her hand. There was something magical about it, unnatural. What if her fire wouldn’t destroy it and she’d been imagining things, imagining River trying to help her? What if she was about to be trapped here? She could still try to slip into the hollow—unless this ice wall had some magic blocking it. And yet she stood and waited, leaning on a foolish hope that she was about to get more information, about to learn something that could make a difference. She trusted the wisp of River that might have been still in that vessel.
A sound from behind her made her turn. There was another door there, a door made of iron, now moving and revealing someone walking in. The image was blurry through the wall of ice, but the steps were feminine, walking in her direction.Someone who liked to babble. It was true. Naia knew who it was: Queen Kara.
“Look at that,” the queen said as she approached her. “The Umbraar princess. A filthy harlot just like Princess Ticiane, opening her legs for any scum who’ll take her.”
Those words about her mother, they would have been infuriating in any other circumstance. As it was, Naia was too numb to feel any anger. “At least they’ll take me. Canyousay the same?”
The queen laughed. “Funny you. I, too, had my prime. And I have a secret to tell you: it fades. Beauty and youth don’t last, silly girl. Only power lasts.”
“And you have power?” Naia was quite curious.
