Chapter 35
My head throbs from the overuse of magic or shock—I’m not sure.
Maines shifted us back to the House of Hedro—I couldn’t due to the utter depletion of magic that hit once I fully took over, and we were clear of immediate danger.
Now that my secret is out, people are looking at me differently.
Fear shows behind their eyes as I pass by, and I can’t help but think of my dreams—the same looks now being my reality.
I now understand that all these years, those dreams were visions of what’s to come if Kalix completely takes over.
If she ruled again with no counterpart, with no other Great Wiitch, none would be equally powerful as her.
There would be no one who could stop her.
“They are both in my quarters,” Maines explains as we make our way through the blinding white hallways, each step making my body scream in pain.
Every floor in the House of Hedro is a maze and it would be easy to get lost in this tower—just like so many souls that have passed here.
As the white walls of the House blur past, my thoughts continue to churn.
My legs feel weighted and each step is a consistent, painful reminder of the battles fought—both outside of these walls and within.
The heaviness that lies here with every decision and every loss feels like it’s pressing down against me.
The suffocation I feel in my chest makes me reflect on every past and future decision I have and will make.
Finally, we make it to Maines’s healing room. When I knock, Eden slowly opens the door, peeking through the crack. Realizing it’s us, she swings the door wide, gesturing for us to hurry inside quickly.
“Gods, Briar, I didn’t think I was going to see you walk out of that arena.”
“You and me both,” I say. “Where are they?”
Eden blinks at me slowly, confusion lacing her brows. “I’m sorry, they? Silas is the only one here.”
Maines steps into the room. “Rohhit was brought here too. Did they move him to another floor?”
I can’t help but feel selfish at the feeling of knowing Silas is here and safe.
“Hm. I don’t think he stayed here more than a few minutes.” Eden continues to look worried. “Guards of the Royal Harte came to take him. Nolan was with them as his mouthpiece. They demanded it was on behalf of the King of Eddris.”
A thick air rises around us, making my senses scream at this news. He wasn’t in critical condition by any means but certainly was not in the right condition to travel back to Eddris. I glance toward Maines, her furrowed brows tell me she feels the same shift wading through the room.
“Patients aren’t to leave the House without my approval, Eden!” Maines replies.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Miss Madden. I wasn’t sure what to do with the guards breathing down my neck.” Eden lowers her head, breaking eye contact.
We make eye contact once more, an unsettling uncertainty hitting us both.
Oak shuffles through the heavy velvet curtain separating the rest of the room.
He races in our direction, embracing Maines first with a quick kiss.
Then he squeezes me tight. “I’m happy to see you.
The Queen of Daramveer before my eyes. The queen of giving everyone a heart attack.
Remind me next time to not piss you off, okay? ”
“I’m so sorry, Oak. I never meant for things to go so wrong—for your life to be in danger because of me.”
“I know Thatcher had suspicions about something going on between his sister and me. He’s the reason that happened, not you. And let’s be honest, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Maines, so I guess she is the one we should blame. I mean, look at her.”
Maines laughs. “No, this happened because you are a persistent pig. That’s why we were in deep shit.”
Oak winks, his eyes longing for her, and the same look budding on her face.
My smile fades. “How did you all already know about my father?”
“Well, when the king doesn’t show up after an epic battle everyone witnessed, news travels fast—he either died or ran away, and my bet is on the former,” he answers.
“Silas. Where is Silas?” I move through the curtain separating half of the room.
He lies on a bed of white sheets of silk. Asleep. He’s pale but stunning. The injury doesn’t take away an ounce of his beauty.
“He’s going to be okay,” Eden whispers behind me. “He’s strong—one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. That type of poison would kill any grown man within minutes, but he held on. I think he held on for you.”
My mind travels back to the night Barlowe was stabbed and how quickly the poison traveled through his veins—killing him immediately. I walk over to the bed and sit, pushing a strand of hair off his face.
Eden hovers only a second longer. “You can wash up in there if you’d like. There are fresh clothes as well,” she says, pointing toward the bathing chambers.
Maines walks up and says, “You should shower, Briar. The blood contrasts with the cleanliness of this bedroom.”
My gut twists, not wanting to leave Silas again, but I know they are right. I’m a mess. The smell and blood will wash away, but the bruises that lie beneath will remain, forever imprinted on my body, and I’ll accept these scars as reminders.
“I’ll stay with him. Oak and I aren’t leaving anytime soon.” Maines smiles, ushering Oak closer as he sits in a chair against the large bay window.
Heading into the room, I look in the mirror.
My braid is still intact but matted toward the end—a thick layer of mud and blood weave into my hair.
Blood splatters across my face—I look utterly horrifying.
As if magic lives in the walls here, the bath is already filled with steaming water as my clothes hit the floor with a heavy thud, and I step inside.
The warm water stings my cuts as I hiss through my teeth at the pain.
Silas is alright. Relax, Briar.
I tip my head back, resting it on the back of the tub. I close my eyes only for a moment. The silence is deafening, although I hear hushed voices behind the closed door. Maines and Oak are right outside with Silas.
Ifling open my eyes and stand outside the castle gates—the kingdom burning around me.
My heart pounds in my chest as I scan the wasteland before me.
I look down at my feet, expecting to see Barlowe lying there as he has so many times before, but only the ashes of a burned body remain.
I cringe and look over my shoulder, expecting Thatcher to be standing there, but I see no one.
Figures stand before me, bloodied and motionless.
For the first time, I can see their faces—Maines, Oak, and Silas—standing unmoving with eyes wide, the last survivors of a horrific battle that has just ended.
I try to speak, but the voice I hear is not my own.
A voice booms out, "You all will follow me or be against me."
I realize I'm not the one speaking—it’s Kalix.
The friends before me widen their stances, entirely still, as if refusing to leave—even though I am no longer myself.
Trapped in my mind, I am a prisoner to the Great Wiitch, who now rules my body.
Black magic shoots from my hands in their direction, and they all jump out of the way.
Oak covers Maines completely with his body to shield her from any blows.
Silas spins, remaining on his feet, his magic bubbling out, ready to strike Kalix and me.
I realize Silas isn’t looking at me but at something behind me.
Slowly, my body turns, and another figure steps onto the battlefield through the smoke rising from the west. Dark magic emits from its body, but it isn't shadows leaking from this unholy presence—it's light. A Lumor Wielder makes its presence known. I hear my name called by Silas, but I don’t turn, as if my body is stopping me from running to him—keeping us apart.
Through the mist and smoke, the figure comes into view as Rohhit steps forward, lightning radiating from his body.
I try to scream but it’s muffled by the entity in control, which at this moment, isn't experiencing fear. Hatred flows through me, mixing with the terror, leaving a coppery taste in my mouth. Kalix moves closer within my body as if ready to fight. That’s when it hits me—this isn’t Rohhit Harte, the Prince of Eddris before me.
It’s Carobon, the Great Lumor Wiitch, himself.
My head dips below the warm water as I snap back into my body in the House of Hedro. I scream, bubbles breaking the surface above me like boiling water.
Rohhit!
I quickly emerge from the water and dress in the clothes Eden provided—a white billowy dress that flows around my ankles, large enough to nearly slip off my shoulders.
I roll my eyes, now understanding that this is clothing given to patients, designed for easy access for testing and healing.
I re-braid my black hair, still dripping wet from the bath, but at least it’s clean.
I open the door and step back into the room with the others.
As I halt, Silas is awake and smiling, propped up in bed with bandages peeking through his white shirt.
Maines, Oak, and Silas talk as if they've known each other for a lifetime. My true friends and family are finally together, and at this moment, they are safe. Maines sits in Oak’s lap, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck in a nearby chair, giving Silas room to stretch out on the small bed if needed.
My heart stops at the sight of him, his beautiful green eyes now staring back.
He tries to sit up higher, only to fall back onto the bed with a groan.
"Nastronde, you will rip your stitches if you do that again!" Maines snaps.
I rush over to him, cupping his face. "Thank Gods you are okay." I press my lips against his forehead, inhaling deeply as I savor his familiar scent.
His eyes pierce my heart as he replies hoarsely, "Hi, Princess."
Oak clears his throat from the corner; I glance at Maines, concerned about his leg.
She understands my look. "I healed his leg. Luckily, it was a clean break! Once we arrived here, it didn’t take long."
Oak grins, wiggling his leg for proof. "We have a few things to catch you up on since you’ve been out, Prince. For starters, you’re now speaking with the Queen of Daramveer."
I slowly shift my eyes back to Silas, his mouth slowly parts. "Queen? Your father? What the hell happened?"
Oak cuts in again, "Well, another thing we should mention first is that Kalix is here as well." Silas springs up at the name, his white shirt slowly turning red from the stitches slicing open.
"Shit! You senseless man! Lay down!" Maines curses, rushing to him, forcing him to lay back down.
He looks me up and down. "It’s you. I can feel it. The Great Wiitch has been inside you all along. Those changes were all from your magic—it was her fueling your rage, your anger. Her eyes showed through when they turned black, didn’t they?"
Maines begins to work once more on his chest, slowly stitching up the wound. "Stay still," she snaps.
"Tell me everything," Silas rasps.
So, I do. I tell him everything that happened after he was shot.
Thatcher was successful in the fourth trial, so there is a chance Kalix could fully make her way into my body.
Barlowe was resurrected using the crystal, I killed my father, and Maines showed up at the last minute.
When I finish the story, Silas remains silent, staring, and ghostly pale. "So where do we go from here?"
"We need to find the resurrection crystal. I know my father had it last. I need to return to the castle to find it and put it somewhere safe until we can destroy it for good. I... I’m also worried for Rohhit. Something doesn’t feel right about him being ordered to leave."
Oak snorts, "I mean, do you blame them for leaving? I’d say I would be more worried if they chose to stay."
He has a point. Silas attempts to lift himself once more off the bed, failing to do so.
"Oh no you don’t, Prince," Maines holds him down. "You are not leaving here until we say so. You almost lost your life. You’re crazy if you think I’m letting you out of here just yet."
He rolls his eyes, slumping back on the bed, "Then you better get to healing Miss Madden. I’ve got shit to do."
I giggle, but inside, my heart beats louder than a raging storm. I know things are far from fine.
"Where is Rose?" I ask, turning to Maines.
She smiles. "Two floors down. She’s going to be sent home tomorrow. She’s doing amazing and has made almost a full recovery."
My gut twists, even though the news overjoys me. She can’t return to the castle—not with what’s coming. "I’m going to go see her for a second. I’ll be back," I reply, leaning down to kiss Silas’ soft lips.
He grabs my hand and squeezes it. "I’ll be here. Don’t you dare leave without coming to get me first. We’re leaving here together!" He glares at Maines, who rolls her eyes in response as she silently works on his wounds.
I step out of the door, hearing whispers of chatter behind me.
He’s safe now, especially here. They all are. However, darkness seems to sweep through these halls like a storm over the mountaintops. It’s heading this way quickly and I can’t shake the feeling of darkness, dread, and doom towering over Daramveer.