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“Calista.” Cuyler’s voice broke my delirious pull toward Silas. My friend stepped in front of me, a touch of fear on his face. “Are you all right? You . . . you . . . you glowed.”
“I’m fine.” I peered over his shoulder, searching for Silas, but instead caught sight of the shore. “What the hells? Look!”
Threaded between every Rave blade was a brilliant string of golden light, connecting each blade to the next beside it. Warriors didn’t move, but kept hold on their hilts as the light reached one edge of the small Western shoreline to the next.
A blast of golden light split into beams across the sea and tossed great walls of violent waves against the dark streak of the open Chasm of Seas. Monstrous walls of water shot toward the sky, creating another barrier against the ships.
With the water and the light barrier between the Rave swords, the sea folk wouldn’t be able to reach us.
At least, not for now.
Silas had drifted to the side and loomed in the darkness of an alleyway ten paces away. His tension, his need to flee and cover from the sunlight and countless faces was palpable. Still, he remained. Fists clenched, but he stayed.
For me. He didn’t need to speak it. He’d bid me farewell, allowed me to leave when he didn’t want it, and still followed me into a fight that, doubtless, terrified him to the bone.
I made a move to go to him, all at once empty without his nearness, but paused when Cuyler placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Calista, you did this on the shore in the fae isles. The glow.”
“I think . . . it’s part of my seidr. A deeper part.” It was my song.Our song.
I lifted my gaze to my Whisper when he crossed the space in stiff steps. On instinct, I gripped his arm, pulling him closer.
Silas lowered his voice, so only I could hear. “Accept the truth and you will do all of it without writing. Accept the truth and the words will come from your heart.”
“How can—”
I didn’t finish before Olaf shoved his way through the lines of warriors. “We’ve been given more time. Fight with us.”
I blinked. “I . . . I just bleeding did, you big oaf. Didn’t expect damn Rave to show up, mind you, but—”
“There is a final piece, Princess. The captain believed you were ready to return to the beginning? Are you?”
What he was truly asking was if I stood ready to face my fate after all this time.
“She has no choice.” Silas’s deep, damn-near seductive voice brought the answer.
Somewhere inside, I knew he wasn’t wrong. Whatever I’d done, crossing into Hus Rose, commanding hidden Rave warriors, I’d unlocked something in this place. A power I could not deny.
Cuyler lifted his blade until recognition dawned. “The fate king’s ward, yes? That is where I know the name Silas. From Ari’s fae sleep.”
I didn’t answer, merely tugged on Silas’s tunic, drawing his chest to mine. “What happened here, Whisper? My folk were Rave, hidden all this time?”
“How do you suppose the first ice queen of the North got the idea for her own people?”
My heart stuttered. Queen Lilianna Ferus. She’d,gods, she’d hidden her fae army as phantom guardians of that damn tomb where the Cursed King and my Kind Heart ended his suffering, and their heart song took hold.
“Queen Lilianna had the same idea?”
“She was given the twist of fate in her story by one who’d done the same,” Silas told me. His thumb wasn’t gloved anymore, and the rough scrape of his calluses on my cheek sent a shiver down my spine. “No more running, Little Rose,” he hissed through his teeth. “This is your chance to know everything.”
Instinct urged me to flee. His touch urged me to stay. My mind reeled through thoughts of my royals. The flame that ignited meant they were in distress. I thought of Sol’s missive. “Will my fate save them?”
I didn’t need to explain who. Silas lowered his face, his breath was warm against my ear. “To see your truth will finish the tale. A tale of which they are all a part. From there we take what we know and make our own fate.”
I took hold of his wrist, guiding his palm from my neck to my cheek. “You’ll be with me?”
He blinked, stunned. “Always. Let your dreams descend. I’ll be there.”
