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“To kill my brother.”
As I stormed down the hallway, my fury rose with each step. I was going to end Rhazien once and for all. The fear I’d harbored for so long was gone, leaving only a burning certainty that I had to kill him in its wake.
I didn’t pause as I reached the door to his suite, kicking it open. I stopped in my tracks, staring in confusion. Rhazien’s body lay in the middle of the room, surrounded by his dead concubines. Their bodies were contorted as if they had died in pain, and a vicious thrill ran through me. Rhazien’s eyes were wide open in terror, his skin was puckered with dark purple blotches like bruises all over. The room reeked of death, a thick cloying scent that made me want to gag. My stomach churned, and I swallowed hard, trying not to vomit at the scene before me. In one corner, a hookah still simmered, filling me with dread as I realized they’d been poisoned.
My fists clenched at my side as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes from the smell.
“My lord? Your brother—“ A courtier I didn’t recognize stared at me in trepidation. Did they think I killed them? No, no one would ever believe that I’d use poison. Plus, I had just run into the room with my sword. Nobody would accept I had done this. It had been Kael... She’d told me it was her fault. She’d poisoned them somehow, and Rhazien had caught her and tortured her.
It was one thing for me to have killed Rhazien, but another to have her do it. If anyone found out, she would be executed immediately. Varzorn would never stand for a Remnant killing an elf.
I nodded to the courtier and turned on my heel, heading back to the suite. I had to get Kael out of there before anyone figured out what she’d done.
I hurried back, barely registering my surroundings. My mind raced with all the things I had to do to save Kael and get her away from here. This was going to change everything. My mother would find out and want to kill us both in retribution for Rhazien’s death. There was no way around it; we needed to flee as quickly as possible.
“We have to leave,” I said as I ran into the bedroom, already sprinting toward her clothing rack. “Get dressed. We’re leaving. Now.”
Kael blinked at me in surprise, still groggy. “What? Where are we going?” She mumbled, her jaw sore from being broken as she fell back asleep as if the effort of staying conscious was too much for her.
“Fuck.” I growled, running for my armor rack.
“Where are you going?” Mirijana asked, wringing her hands.
“I don’t know yet, but I have to get her out of here. I won’t let anyone hurt her again.”
Mirijana stared at me, her eyes wide. “What did she do?”
I ignored her question. “Hide until Raenisa and Herrath return. They’ll protect you. Tell them I took Kael into the desert to keep her safe and will send a message when I can.”
“Yes, my lord,” Mirijana whispered, her eyes filled with tears.
“Go,” I ordered, and she scampered off, running into the hall on quiet feet.
I dressed Kael quickly, throwing clothes for the both of us into a bag haphazardly before I scooped her up into my arms and ran through the castle, avoiding the chaos that was happening around us. I was casting away everything, but I didn’t care. Kael was the only thing that mattered, and I had to get her out of there.
I ran down the steps, dodging servants and courtiers who were too busy scrambling about to notice us. I swore under my breath, my heart racing as I made our way down the stairs and out into the courtyard.
The Vanira stable was a few hundred meters away, but I could already see it in the darkness of night, lit up by the moonlight. Kael was barely conscious, and I quickened my pace, determined to get her to safety.
A lump lodged itself in my throat when we reached the stable and I rushed over to Vaernix, calling her with a whistle. I carefully placed Kael onto her giant back, not bothering with a saddle, and climbed up after her, positioning her in my arms so she could ride with me as I tied on our pack of clothes.
“Where are the rebels? Where will you be safe?” I asked, her head lolling on my shoulder.
She mumbled, “Sailtown.” Still in a daze and I set off north, galloping through the night on Vaernix’s back, Kael tucked safely against me.
The sky was midnight blue, Ydonja’s stars twinkling above us as the wind whipped around us as we traveled faster than ever before. With Vaernix’s strength, we could make it there within a few hours—if we were lucky enough to avoid any patrols.
We rode swiftly across deserts, our journey lit only by moonlight; a faint glimmer of hope on an otherwise dark night. But soon enough, just as the first rays of sunlight began to appear over the horizon, Sailtown came into view—a small village situated at the base of the mountains.
It was an impressive sight, a trading town built into the sides of a canyon. It looked like a ship in full sail with red cloths covering the vendor stalls built into the stone walls and stairs carved into the canyon on either side. The canyon walls created a kind of amphitheater, allowing people to have conversations from any level within Sailtown without raising their voices.
We rode in further and I could see that there were two main levels; the lower level contained shops, inns, and eateries, while the upper level was where people lived, laundry lines snaking back and forth between the canyon walls. Winding cobblestone paths lined with colorful banners flew in the wind, men and women starting their morning chores before the heat became too intense.
Sailtown had been home to many before us who had sought refuge here, and it seemed like it would be our haven as well—at least for now. We had made it here just in time before anyone else discovered what she’d or could come after us. The morning winds should hide Vaernix’s tracks, making it impossible for any pursuit.
As we rode into the town, Kael started to stir in my arms. She moaned softly and when I looked down at her, she opened her eyes, blinking a few times before looking around us in confusion.
“Where are we?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
