Chapter 27 #2
Smoke filled my nostrils as they raced up to the ceiling, cutting through the boards holding the chained collars in place, too many of them clanking to the ground as my fire burned.
Flames danced behind my eyes as I cut off my power, the controlled blaze eventually fizzling into smoldering embers as I destroyed every single piece of evidence that Cyril ever existed.
Selvina’s long arms crossed in front of her chest as we stared at the orb in the center of the room, waiting for the connection to form with its twin in Lotrennia.
Soot joined the dust and debris still covering my body from the attack of the Embodied at the arch, and I could feel Selvina tracking the line of blood still dripping from the edge of my hand.
She had cleaned up, of course, and donned a dark red gown that matched the smear of blood stretching across my ripped tunic.
Ursa stepped quietly into the room, her short, golden hair bobbing as she looked around.
“Where’s Kresida?” she asked as she scanned the near-empty room.
My jaw clenched, and I shook my head. “Kresida…” I paused, my voice heavy as guilt stabbed me. Kresida’s allegiance had always been to Carina. She’d guarded her with a fierceness I should have. “She’s having a difficult time.”
I expected my fellow War Slayer to rage, to take to the training fields, to funnel her grief into violence, but Kresida’s nature had frozen. Her eyes were glassy when I checked on her, as if a numb shock had choked the life from her.
Selvina tucked a loose strand of blonde-white hair behind her ear before moving to her wife’s side.
Her hand brushed against Ursa’s elbow as the two of them turned to the orb.
The smoky glow in the center of the magical object began to twist, the swirls of white and silver merging into gold before they disappeared entirely, and Bayne’s face appeared in the center.
I reined in the twisting of my stomach as I prepared to tell my brother what had happened…
To tell Queen Antares her daughter was dead.
Bayne’s features were sharp, his cheekbones heightened.
Two creases ran down the sides of his lips as he gazed at the three of us.
The golden light of Lotrennia filtered in from the chamber he stood in, gilding the outline of his dark hair.
His eyes softened as they landed on me, and I reined in the grief.
“What’s happened?” he asked, his brows pinching as he scanned my face.
I schooled my features and opened my mouth, but the words lodged in my throat as Queen Antares appeared by his side.
The queen’s hair glowed golden against the evening sun, and her bare shoulders brushed against my brother’s arm.
Bayne’s brows furrowed as she mouthed something in his ear.
Her petal pink lips twitched as her sky-blue eyes landed on me, and she plastered a look of quiet benevolence on her face.
What I would give to rake my nails across that mask…
Selvina stepped forward and relayed what had happened, her regal composure unwavering as I stood like a godsdamned fish out of water.
Bayne’s eyes shuddered, and he dropped his gaze. Queen Antares stilled when Selvina explained Carina’s death. The queen merely blinked at her daughter’s name before her lips hung open and she let out a sob.
I envisioned myself as a statue as I forced the emotion from my face and fought the urge to shake my head at her in disgust. I pressed my teeth together as her golden brows pinched up in exaggerated grief, and she forced a wail to her throat.
A muscle feathered in Bayne’s jaw as Antares played the part of a grieving mother.
She didn’t give a shit about her daughter. She had dismissed Carina her entire life…
Rage surged. White flames danced behind my eyes, but I kept as still as a rock.
I am a statue. I am a rock.
“We will prepare a tribute to her sacrifice,” the queen said as she wiped the last of her forced tears away. “A grand feast in her honor. The tree singers will erect a monument to—”
“A monument?” I cut. “We are at war. We need to find these goddesses and avenge her—”
Bayne cleared his throat and placed a hand on the queen’s arm as her features softened into the calculated malice I’d grown used to seeing on her.
I am a statue. I am a rock.
“We will pay tribute to her sacrifice,” Bayne said as he schooled his features into calm confidence.
“And we will avenge her. If Ganmira and Renova are in the Realm of Vael, they’ll be coming for us, for the Bellators.
And we have no idea how their power of transformation will manifest,” he murmured, running his thumb over his chin.
“We’ve only seen a glimpse of what Lyvia can do with the Transcindiel power that came from them,” Selvina agreed. “Can they change their own forms? Will they even appear the way we’ve seen them?”
The thought alone was terrifying. What would they transform into to take back what was stolen?
“Someone needs to warn the others, warn Lyvia and those in Sultira,” Ursa cut in, furrowing her brows.
“We don’t have many bodies to spare to guard the gate,” Selvina replied.
I shook my head in agreement, a reluctant resignation forming at the transition to strategy. I replayed my last conversation with my cousin, the last of my flames diminishing as I recalled what Selvina had said.
“No.” I shook my head and straightened. “You were right. We need to stop playing guard dog and take out the threat. We need to destroy the gate. We’ve lost too many good fighters in trying to stop the creatures from entering.
And if another Embodied enters through that gate, there’s no telling if anyone would survive. ”
“Olienna said that the Celestyn Bone was used to destroy the first gate thousands of years ago.” Bayne nodded.
I moved across the room to the large map of Vael spread across the wall.
“She also thought that the Celestyn Bone was still with those creatures in the Lumerian Mountains in Sultira. We’ve been cut off from Sultira for too long. We need to find out if they’ve located it.”
Selvina nodded her agreement as she strode to my side, examining the long mountain range stretching through the center of the human kingdom.
“So, we leave the Vael Lacrima unattended?” Ursa asked, concern drawing her brows together.
Selvina strode across the room and twined her fingers through Ursa’s.
“For now,” she murmured. “We can’t risk any more soldiers.
And we can’t stay here. We need to evacuate Kayj.
Keep to the Crystal Castle and the mountains.
Keep training the soldiers and the bears.
Maybe we can figure out how to take this with us.
” Selvina motioned to the orb with a delicate hand.
Ursa nodded, her eyes going distant.
“Nerissa can take Aquila and find out what’s happening in Sultira and try to locate the Celestyn Bone so we can close the gate on Kayj,” Bayne cut in, drawing our attention back.
“And what of Lyvia?” I asked, an unintended sharpness edging my words as I recalled my last conversation with Bayne regarding her. “Someone needs to warn her about Ganmira and Renova. They’ll no doubt come for her first.”
A muscle feathered in Bayne’s jaw, and he looked as if he would say something when Selvina stepped forward.
“Nishanth and I will find Lyvia,” she said, her back straightening. “It shouldn’t take long to fly to Votruvia, assuming she’s still there.”
Ursa snapped her face at Selvina, her brows rising as she processed the words. I looked away as she began to blink rapidly.
“Then it’s settled,” Bayne announced. “We leave Kayj and the Vael Lacrima unguarded until we can destroy the arch.”