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Neia clapped my arm. “Glad you both made it.”
Luz offered Lira a nod from their perch at the top of a tree, and Elisa smiled from where she sat by Ishir.
It was a relief that the team had all made it safely.I sloshed into the river that reflected the moon which slowly turned crimson right as a thrush appeared, its magic glimmering against the night. I peeled open the scroll it delivered and rapidly scanned over it. “Fuck.”
Neia jumped towards me and unsheathed a blade. “What is it?”
I turned to Lira who still looked exhausted as her ivory hair swept across her face in a breeze. “Do you possess your mother’s magic now?”
“What?” she asked. “How is that relevant?”
“Do you?”
“I… yes, I do.”
“Shit.” I scrunched the letter and tossed it. The scroll burst with magic that fell to the ground like sparks from a fire. “Your mother made a deal with King Carrington. She vowed to render her magic under his authority for his patronage.”
“Oh no,” Elisa said.
“What does that mean?”
I dragged my hands through my hair. It meant she couldn’t come into Prasanna lands. She held magic she didn’t have authority over. She could only cross with us if Carrington gave us permission—which he’d never fucking do—or if he returned the authority of her group’s magic back to her which seemed even less likely. I’d vowed to see her safely away from her mother and now we’d hit a snag I didn’t know how to untangle. Orman removed the saddle from the kelpie and patted the creature’s side as he spoke to Lira. “Means your magic is under King Carrington’s authority, mate. You can’t come with us.”
“What?” she gasped. “No. I did my part. I helped.” Her massive eyes that reflected the moon flicked to me like she hoped I’d have answers and I’d never felt so much of a miserable failure as I did in that moment. I had nothing to offer her. Magical vows were deep magic. There was no easy way to break one.
Elisa stepped over, her auburn curls painted dark in the dim light. She gripped Lira’s arm. “You helped so much, Lira. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“She got Shaan’s zevar,” I said. I felt even more desperate over the situation. We never would have succeeded without Lira. I owed her safety if nothing else, yet we were stuck by some vow Lira hadn’t even fucking made.
The entire group gasped over the zevar. We’d all felt miserable over not finding it. Orman thunked Lira on the back. “Well done, you.”
Luz hummed. “Your mother will be very pleased by that. She’d speak on her behalf.”
“It won’t hold,” I growled. “Lira’s magically bound to the King. She can’t even pass into the mountains without his permission; she won’t be able to.”
The entire group seemed to settle under the weight of that realization. Goddess damn me, I’d never left a group member behind no matter the cost. Here I was stuck with no options for Lira of all beings. Perhaps I could send the rest of the group ahead and stay with her to help her evade her mother. I desperately needed to make it back to my court, however. Plus, Prasanna lands would be the safest haven for Lira. She could have the protection of our court and magic there. In the human realm, we’d both be easy targets. We might take to the sea if the vow would allow it, but that added dangers of its own, and my family needed me at home. We hadn’t found all the heart stones yet. I had work to do. However, I couldn’t abandon Lira to her fate.
Neia sucked in a breath and turned to face me. “There’s only one vow more binding than that.”
I stared at her. What was more binding than a vow of magic? Realization dawned on me, and a prickle crept down my spine as I turned to Lira. Her blue eyes glittered like the stars behind her as she waited for me to share whatever solution Neia had thought of. The focus of the entire team rested on me. Some already understood. Luz’s lips thinned, and they watched me as if they were curious to see if I would gothatfar for Lira.
Wind whipped across Lira, and she shuddered before rubbing her arms and hunching against the breeze. I longed to wrap an arm around her shoulders, remove my clothing and offer it to her, do whatever was required to ensure her safety and well-being.
I knew the answer. I didn’t even know why I hesitated.
Perhaps because I never thought I would make that vow with anyone. I cleared my throat and met Lira’s guarded gaze. “Lira, you have to marry me.”
Her lips snapped apart. “What?”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
MARGO
The ballroom was a mess.Trees that had sparkled with candles and strings of icy beads during the gala had caught fire from the dragon. Guards had doused them with water, and they smoldered, filling the space with lingering smoke that blurred my vision.
Palaria trembled, her hands fisted, her feather draping against her forehead but she ignored it. For me, it felt like I saw her for the first time. My entire life I’d thought of this woman as fierce, a leader, someone willing to do the difficult things to care for our family.
Now I realized how wrong I’d been about that.
