Chapter 26 Devora
Devora
“Come here, honey,” Calyra said, pulling me into a shockingly strong hug for someone of her stature. “We’re sure going to miss you.”
“I’ll come visit, don’t worry,” I said. My heart constricted at the comfort of her hug. I didn’t think I’d ever been hugged like this.
Like from a mother.
She pulled back and cupped my face in her hands, her silver eyes and thin lips lined with wrinkles. “You have Ceres and Malijah’s spirit in you. It felt like we had them back for a few days.” She patted my cheek. “They’d be proud of you, girl.”
“You have to say that. It’s the classic orphan pep talk.”
“I don’t have to say anything. It’s the truth.
Look at all you’ve done in eight days. You’re quick as a whip, but your heart is what makes you a Sephorne.
” She lowered her voice. “I know you have your dark thoughts, girl. We all do. But shadows aren’t just darkness.
They aren’t what’s left when the light goes out.
They’re proof that light was there to begin with, and that it will come back again. ”
I blinked and cleared my throat, not used to this kind of emotion clogging my senses. “Thank you, Calyra,” I whispered, pulling her into another hug. “For everything.”
When she released me, I faced Thecae, who stood with his arms crossed over his large chest. He was an imposing sight, this shadow warrior, but when he smiled down at me, his features softened.
“You’ve done well,” he said.
“All thanks to you.”
He shook his head. “Trust me, I’ve trained plenty of Shadow Wielders who didn’t amount to anything. It’s not just about strength or magic. I think you could be powerful, sure, but there are others like you. The difference is that you’re someone I’d want to stand beside.”
I looked down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze. Nobody had ever said that about me. “You hardly know me, Thecae.”
“You’re a Shadow Wielder. You’re Malijah and Ceres’s daughter. Trust me, I know you.” He tapped a knuckle under my chin to make me look up again. “Chin up, girl. Your father’s watching. Make us proud.”
My eight days were up. This morning, we were heading back to Drakorum. No one had thought I’d be a prodigy, but at least I knew what my shadows could do. I wasn’t heading into the lion’s den unarmed. I’d keep practicing, keep learning, keep getting comfortable with my shadows and my emotions.
But, Fates, I’d miss this place. I’d even gotten used to the cold.
It wasn’t so bad after a little while. These people filled it with a warmth I hadn’t expected to feel in such a short amount of time.
Compassion, cheer, friendliness. A sense of belonging.
All things I hadn’t had in…well, perhaps ever.
And a bit of the ice had thawed between me and the Ashen Order, too. Enough to make me think we could be allies after all.
We packed up our carriage and waved goodbye, heading into the rising sun.
We were nearing the last peak of the Mistwood Mountain range after almost three days of travel. Once we reached the base of the mountain, it would only take two more days to get back to the Keep, and then two more before the ball.
It was all happening so fast.
“You look nervous, oh great and mighty Shadow Wielder,” Everett said with a faint smirk, glancing at me over the top of his book.
The Illusionist had certainly loosened up between the last time we traveled and now.
He was surprisingly funny. A dry, witty sense of humor beneath the stoic outer shell.
“I do not.”
“He’s right; you’re paler than usual. And you keep biting your lip,” Arowyn, who was next to me, pointed out.
I rolled my eyes. “You’d be nervous too, if you were about to have to cozy up with some evil maniac in his evil lair.”
The two of them shared a look. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Arowyn asked.
“I’m fine; I’m just…dramatic.” I waved away their concern. “How does Nox know so much about the way Scarven’s mind works, anyway? He was incredibly specific.”
Everett turned his eyes back to his book. “Trust me, if you had firsthand experience with what Scarven put us through, you’d see it too.”
My elbow slipped, and I jolted forward. “Wait, did you say us?” I blinked back my shock. “Was Nox one of his prisoners?”
Everett glanced up in alarm. “You didn’t know?”
“Smooth, Everett,” Arowyn drawled.
My mouth fell open. “No, I didn’t know. Nobody tells me anything.”
My mind reeled. Both Nox and his sister were part of Scarven’s experiments? No wonder he was so concerned about trust and protecting his people at all costs. The man had been tortured, for Fates’ sake.
I let out a breath as guilt for all the horrible things I’d thought and said washed over me. “Everything makes sense now,” I said. “He—”
The carriage suddenly lurched. We all instinctively braced a hand on the nearest wall, exchanging glances of confusion.
And then it slammed forward, throwing us all to the side.
There was a loud crack as Arowyn’s head hit the far window. She dropped like a rock, crashing into the bench before I could break her fall.
“Arowyn!” I screamed. I put a finger to her pulse, relieved to find it still beating.
The carriage rocked again. I looked out the window to see us hurtling down the mountain at an alarming speed, narrowly avoiding the edge of the cliff as we swerved to the left.
“What’s going on?” I shouted, struggling to regain my footing.
“It felt like a wheel came off,” Everett said with a grunt.
I glanced out the window again, my heart thumping wildly. “We’re going to go straight off the side if we don’t slow down.”
“We’re going downhill,” Everett pointed out, voice clipped. “There’s no slowing down, Devora.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. If Arowyn were conscious, she could easily stride us out of here. The carriage was moving far too quickly to jump out. What was the driver doing? Why hadn’t he noticed?
“Grab my waist,” I instructed Everett as I stepped over Arowyn and leaned into the door.
“Excuse me?”
“Just do it.”
His hands came to my waist, planting me firmly in place. “Devora, what are you—”
I unlatched the door and let it swing open enough for me to stick my head out and get a better look.
Wind whipped my hair in a frenzy. The harness had come undone—the leather appeared faded and worn from overuse. The driver was frantically trying to gain control of the carriage, but with the horses detached, we were left at the mercy of the mountain.
Everett was right. We were going downhill, too fast to slow down.
I looked over and saw the front right wheel had broken. It was still partially affixed to the axle, but the top half was cracked and hanging by a few shards of wood.
Taking a deep breath to center myself, I summoned my shadows and sent them flying to the wheel.
I concentrated on strengthening them, molding them to the cracks and pouring more power into them until they formed a semi-solid curve over the broken half.
A small bead of sweat dripped from my forehead.
It worked. The carriage ceased its jarring motions. Letting out an exhale, my shoulders sagged in relief.
“Devora, watch out!” Everett cried, his hands tightening around my waist.
I looked past the wheel and nearly fell out of the carriage.
We were heading straight for the edge of a cliff.
I barely had enough time to throw out my arms before the front of the carriage careened over the side.
An enormous cloud of black shadows sprang from thin air. It supported the carriage as it dipped further downward, a split second from tumbling off completely.
My breaths came out in short gasps as I felt the carriage shift, but still, the shadows held. It was solid and smoky at the same time, with small wisps that broke off and stroked my arm. Energy poured out of me in droves, strengthening the wall as my heart hammered in my chest.
“Don’t drop us,” Everett whispered. His muscles strained from the effort it took to keep both of us from falling. One arm was wrapped around my waist, while his other clung to the inside of the carriage.
Slowly, painstakingly slowly, I urged the shadows to tilt us back on four wheels. Sweat slicked my clothes, and my arms strained from exertion, but I never loosened my hold. Inch by inch, the carriage righted itself.
With a motion that made my heart jump up my throat, we were yanked backward and onto solid ground. A yelp left my lips before the carriage door was ripped off its hinges and rough hands encompassed my body.
All the fight left me when I saw Nox’s face. Enormous navy wings loomed large behind him, blocking the sunlight while his arms dragged me from the broken carriage.
“Devora—”
“You didn’t leave me,” I mumbled, and my eyes fell shut as I collapsed in his hold.