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Despite everything? Despite what I’ve done?
He swallowed these questions and pulled her close. “I’m so sorry. For everything.” So much to make up for, and such little, empty words. Ancients hated saying they were sorry. What was the point? If there was a debt, they’d rather make a verbal deal, and yet, that was all he could say now.
Naia kissed his cheek, then broke the hug. “So we still have to defeat Cynon?”
He nodded.
“But now we have more information.” She couldn’t hide the sadness in her voice, but now she sounded more determined.
“We do.” Information that should make them all panic, but it was information nonetheless.
She sighed. “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Isn’t mindmelding confined to the Ancient city? How did—”
“Not in my case, it’s not confined. Aluria has very precise magic rules, and the rules for humans are different. Human royals have magic everywhere on our island. I’m human—partly, but I guess it’s enough. And a prince. It’s an odd loophole.”
She stared at him, clear understanding written on her face. “And that was why you could have made a difference in the war.”
“Yes. Add that to my list of regrets. But this magic has a price… To use it against humans… I couldn’t see it having a happy ending, Naia. And then, what ending have we found?”
“Maybe you were wise.” Her tone was so sweet, so soothing.
“I was a fool. Even if I didn’t want to use my mindmelding, I could have at least tried to do something. So many lives were lost. And yet I can’t turn back time, can I?”
“We can make sure we don’t repeat our regrets. We can still try to save some lives, even if we can’t go back and save everyone.” These words sounded heavy with the weight they carried. Of course Naia was thinking about her brother, while he was thinking about Ciara, about so much, so much that had been lost. She then asked, “What’s going to happen? What are Cynon’s plans?”
River held a strand of his hair and stared at it. “So much. And yet I know so little of everything.”
“Tell me what you know. Instead of berating the past, let’s be grateful that we got to have this glimpse into him.”
Such a small glimpse. River was still consumed by guilt, as he doubted her brother could have been that easily killed without his magic, but he didn’t say any of that. Instead, he tried to organize his thoughts, revisit his memories. He wasn’t even sure from where to start. If he could, he would spare Naia the truth, but that would only make everything worse. She had that sheen in her eyes, claiming for a fight, claiming for revenge.
He wished he could be sure that she’d get her revenge, that she’d defeat her enemies. He wished he could assure her that everything would be all right—but he owed her the truth.
“Wait,” she said. “Your sister must be dying with worry. We need to talk to her.”
Anelise worried? He was still trying to get used to that idea. Still, he got up. “Let’s go.”
Naia stared at him, an indecipherable look on her face.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“You’re naked.”
28
The Final Strike
Naia watched as Anelise hugged River, that long hug with so much relief, thankfulness, and love. A part of her wondered if she would ever give Fel that same hug. Had he truly been gone? She couldn’t believe it, couldn’t accept it, but wasn’t sure if it was a hunch or plain old denial.
For now all she wanted to do was try to contact the other kingdoms and warn them. After that, she’d need to plan what to do.
When River and Anelise broke their hug, the girl approached Naia and kneeled. “Gratitude binds me to you. Now and always.”
Naia was embarrassed at such a formality and had a nervous chuckle. “I… wanted him back, too. It was a selfish thing.”
Anelise got up and stared at her, or maybe glared.
River held Naia’s hand, then turned to his sister. “If anyone is worthy of the of the greatest honor an Ancient can give, that is Naia, even if she doesn’t quite yet grasp it.”
