51
Kora
The Horrow Mountains loomed before them.
Nature’s pass straight down the centre of Galen, and towered so high it disappeared into the Mist, ascending to the heavens.
The trek had been weirdly silent, Raiden leading the front, guiding Kora through a winding forest, before reaching rope-descended walkways across rivers that intersected the mountains, up to the closest ridge.
Kora believed the rivers were enchanted, as they didn’t flow towards the ocean, but away from it, crawling up the mountains like pulsating veins made of the clearest, sweetest water.
Even now, as she gently touched the flowing current, the life of Galen welcomed her with every step she took towards its centre.
All the while Raiden simmered, his tensity rolling off him in waves, the air between them thinning the longer they hiked in silence. Kora nibbled her cheek, the skin breaking as she mulled over recent events. Kordelia was a clear threat, more so than Barron at this time.
For now, she was subdued—again, Kora’s and Raiden’s magic combined, locking her away temporarily. But would she return? The leech bites itched, and despite applying the salve from Sirona, Kora scratched through the layers of her clothing, cursing about gods-damned magic-sucking leeches.
She’d stopped by the infirmary before they left.
Erick’s hands had been warm, his cheeks less sunken, a healed scar now gracing the back of his head.
Sirona had been trimming his salt and pepper hair, Kora admiring how she’d managed to get it to fall in waves, despite his comatose state.
Kora smiled gently to herself. He was healing, she was sure of it.
She fiercely clung to the hope that he would wake up soon.
And may the gods bless Sirona. Despite their rocky start, the healer was growing on Kora. She was occasionally still cold, her smiles borderline frightening combined with her wild eyes and hair, but Sirona was devout in her care of others.
The Tvinnr Fyr with Aryn was a risk. Despite the stability and comfort it granted Kora, that stone in her chest continually warming her, and knowing she had a protector in this unknown world, Aryn had lied to her.
Again. The blood-bond could force them into a mated couple, and Kora wasn’t even sure if Aryn liked females. He’d never shown an interest in one.
It was either that, or death. Fucking great.
Aerion had decided they would come with, using his power to fly with Aryn straight across the land northwards, whilst Raiden insisted they hiked by the mountains separately.
Skylar remained at Windspire, overseeing the castle and increasing their army’s training, ensuring their navy was ready at a moment’s notice. Being the general she was born to be.
Kora also left a treat for Conan, who’d bounded off into the depths of the castle, causing havoc wherever he went. Circe’s screams and John’s scolding still echoed in Kora’s mind as they’d chased after Conan into the kitchens.
Having Aerion on this journey was a positive to Kora, she could pick his wisdom about the chaotic runed book she discovered that’d unleashed Kordelia.
It felt heavy in her backpack, wrapped tightly in the sail she’d discovered it in.
It also meant she wouldn’t become drained from separation from Aryn.
He’d mentioned the bond strengthened her, advancing her recovery and her connection to her gift.
Even now, Kora could feel a taut pull in her chest, like the bond demanded she should seek out Aryn.
She bit harder on her cheek as the moisture in the air dripped from the rocky ledge, her boots squelching over moss and debris. When they passed over the rivers, Kora had been drawn to the flowing currents of water, reaching out with her heart and soul to connect. But nothing had happened.
Without her elemental gift, she was an easy target. Her divine power hadn’t fully manifested, no one knew what would come of it. How could she face Barron, or Blake, without her power? How could she help the islands? Would her lifespan even last, or would that fade away too?
“Alright, Huntress,” Raiden spoke for the first time in hours. “Hop on.”
Kora raised a brow. “Hop on?”
“I can meet you up there, if you’d like.” He smirked. It was so confusing. Hours of silence, and now he was teasing her.
“Is Skybell up there?” Kora asked, craning her neck so hard it nearly snapped to gauge the mountain peaks.
“No, it’s a two-day flight, or week-long trek, straight north of Windspire Castle. We’re stopping by the Aurora Gap overnight first. Let the lovers have their quarrel in the forest.” Raiden tightened his backpack around his chest, rolling his shoulders.
“We don’t have time for detours. It would’ve been safer to stay together,” Kora ground out. What was he thinking? Her and Erick’s life were at risk. Zephyr could return any day, and if he found out she’d left, she feared he’d send a spear right through Erick’s heart.
“Anywhere in Galen is the safest place to be. You can sleep down here with all the bugs instead.” Raiden shrugged, his muscles poising to take flight, his power crackling around him like diamonds.
“Wait!” Kora hurried over. “I’m surprised you’re not making me hike it, to make me stronger.”
Raiden held out his arms tentatively, his stare sparkling. “You’re already one of the strongest people I know.”
Kora hitched a breath and wrapped an arm around Raiden’s neck.
There was his scent again, coming at her like a cannonball.
His warmth oozed into her skin, keeping the cool, damp air at bay, every touch causing rivers of energy to sizzle her skin, jolting down to her fingertips and toes.
Raiden tucked her into his chest, and Kora resisted the urge to nuzzle into his strong frame.
“Hold your breath,” was all he said as he launched into the sky.
Wind tore at her hair, and thankfully her leathers kept its whipping lash at bay. Her eyes streamed and she caved, nuzzling into Raiden as he soared up and up. The mountain ridge blurred past, too quick to make sense of, and as he flew past the top, Kora released her breath.
She was flying.
Mountain peaks came into view, jagged and sharp, topped with the faintest hints of ice.
The Mist was thin here, allowing Kora to gauge the highest of the peaks within the stretch, a singular line of mountains down the centre of Galen.
Her arms tightened around Raiden’s neck as she craned out to look down.
“Brave of you,” he murmured with a small chuckle.
Kora squeaked as the earth disappeared below, the tops of the tallest trees barely visible through the Mist, lingering like a grey sea, filled with snaking shadows. Raiden swooped, circling around the biggest peak twice as Kora desperately tried to absorb the landscape of Galen.
“This is amazing!” Kora laughed as Raiden slowly descended to the mountain.
“Close your eyes,” Raiden whispered in her ear, his voice sending delicate shivers across her skin. Kora instantly shut them, squeezing tight as Raiden’s feet thudded onto the ground. A breeze picked up, and a sweet aroma filled the air.
“Open up, Huntress.” The purr from Raiden made Kora bite her bottom lip viciously, the tones of his voice dripping like thick honey. She opened her eyes, blinking against the strange light.
Pink, purple, and green tones weaved through the sky.
The Mist was absent here, and Kora spun around as the aurora in the sky flowed, the lights dancing despite the setting sun in the distance.
Raiden reached up, his hand brushing through it, and a current rippled, all the way to beyond the observable sky.
Flowers surrounded them in an ocean of violet.
Petals attached to thick stalks lined with spikes.
Yet, Raiden walked through the field of flowers, his power so visible individual diamonds circled his body, weaving into his thick hair.
As he turned to face Kora, her heart thudded at the aurora sparkling in his reflective irises.
His brown skin shone, imbued with magic, and she faltered, almost collapsing to her knees.
He was truly a prince. A prince of magic.
He laughed at the aurora, his power entwining up into it, phantom currents playing with the lights.
No . . . he was a prince of the phantom sky. Kora couldn’t deny it as his power seamlessly blended with the twirling lights, his body shining from his gods-blessed core. It was how she imagined his essence—vibrant, free, and all the reflections of a diamond in the sun.
“What . . .” Kora breathed, tentatively stepping into the purple meadow. The grey, icy peak was to her back, this small clearing enclosed with ridges and boulders, before dropping ahead, where a clear pass lay in the middle of the Horrow Mountains.
“Welcome to the Aurora Gap.” Raiden raised his arms, his power flaring.
“Our closest point to Haizea. We come once a year to honour her, when spring arrives. But some come to leave her offerings in thanks at any time.” Raiden pointed to a flat boulder in the centre of the meadow.
Words had been carved into it, flowers, ornaments, sketches, and clothing left behind.
But no bits, or coins, nor weapons. Only things of sentimental value.
“I can see your magic,” Kora whispered in awe. She could feel the energy the closer she approached Raiden in the heart of the meadow. The smallest jolt in her core lifted her hopes, and her fingers flexed automatically, seeking her elemental power.
“This is a sacred place. One still connected to the gods. It amplifies our gifts, enough for any elemental to be easily identifiable.” Raiden’s winds curled around Kora’s waist, tugging her closer and her heart practically jumped into her throat, a small smile playing with her lips.
Yet, nothing thrummed from her body. No blue glow, no trails of water, or growls of power.
“My power is lost. Nothing’s happening.”
“There’s another reason I brought you here,” Raiden nodded to the flowers. “This is iridweed, it has intense properties that can be beneficial for a mage.”
“Wait—what!” Kora stooped to the flowers, inspecting them. They had that same purple sheen to them that she’d seen in users’ eyes. The same vibrancy as the powder on Cannon’s ship. This is where it had come from. Someone had smuggled it out of Galen.
“This is a drug,” Kora countered, facing Raiden. “You brought me here to get high?”
He arched a brow. “You know of iridweed?”
“Yes! It’s in Aldara! Humans smoke it in the islands as an opioid.” Kora stepped back.
“No, it’s a magical conduit. Iridweed was one of Haizea’s final blessings before the gods faded.
It’s used in ceremonies to connect to the gods, and can help channel a mage’s power in dire circumstances.
It can be deadly to humans.” He rubbed his jaw, glancing around the meadow with narrowed eyes.
“It only grows here, it’s impossible for it to be anywhere else. ”
“Well, I can tell you, humans have been using it for years. Somehow, someone smuggled some of it out before the Mist. It’s sold as a powder to be smoked . . . or snorted.”
Raiden’s vibrancy shuddered, a shadow lurking within his light, and his jaw ground as he inspected the field. “We’ll save that for later. Right now, we’re going to use it to boost your magic again.” Raiden plucked several petals, and revealed a mortar and pestle from his pack to crush them with.
“I’m not doing drugs!” Kora folded her arms. “Not with you, anyway.”
Raiden paused mid-crush. “Oh? And who would you do this with? Your skildaj?” Bitterness oozed from Aryn’s title. So, it was bothering him, then.
“I’m as mad about that as you are.”
“I was mad the first time,” Raiden muttered. “You knew the consequences to the Tvinnr Fyr and still chose Aryn. This time around, you had no idea about it.”
Something hidden laced Raiden’s words. Had he offered the bond to her in the past?
“I never seem to have any idea. I’m sick of being kept in the dark.”
Raiden met her gaze. “Then stay in the light with me.”
Kora smiled tentatively, nodding as she trailed through the meadow, breathing in the sweet aromas.
In its original form, iridweed was beautiful.
Reflecting the aurora above, surrounded by pearlescent clouds and deepening lavender skies, peace had been imbued into every inch of this place.
The peaks of the mountains glistened, tiny speckles of pyrite within the crusted grey of the rock.
Whenever the aurora rippled, brushing the very tip of the sharp peak, a pink shimmer emitted, reminding Kora of Agatha’s love potions.
“How come you didn’t try iridweed on me the first time?”
Raiden tapped the stoned pestle on the side of the bowl.
“It’s ceremonial, and not a shortcut to power.
It shouldn’t be used as it is in Aldara.
Even for mages, unreasonable consumption can be addicting.
It’s euphoric for us, almost transcendent.
I can’t imagine how humans are managing it.
They must be out of their fucking minds. ”
“Something like that,” Kora murmured as she paced around, observing the Devanian language etched into the large boulder. Its top was polished smooth, and she picked up a parchment with a charcoal drawing, the paper still fresh and clean, and wholly familiar. “Is this me?”
Kora rotated, holding up the small parchment to Raiden.
His cheeks blushed lightly as he took it from her, his thumb gliding over the expert shading.
She’d seen this face once before, Kordelia’s long hair covering half her face within a gust of wind.
She had been all angles, sharp and stern, nothing like her rounded face now.
“Skylar brought this up here for me last spring,” Raiden said. “I wanted to see if I could still remember you clearly. But . . . things were fragmenting. Not your features, but the way you were.”
“You’re very talented,” Kora knelt beside him. “Perhaps you can draw me again another time. As I am now.”
Raiden smiled saccharinely. “A talent my father isn’t impressed by.”
“Well, you have my seal of approval. Even if you’re trying to drug me.”
“It’s ceremonial,” Raiden repeated, pouring the powdered petals into a larger container.
“So, there are runes, iridweed, and velesmas to channel magic. Seems like . . . a lot. Were Devanians not happy with their gifts?” Kora motioned to the Mist, her brows raising.
All this power, the endless history of magic infused into every root, every blade of grass, every drop of the ocean in the Azarian Islands, and yet it wasn’t enough.
Raiden grunted. “Velesmas were made for mankind’s greed. They were never supposed to exist. Runes originated a few hundred years after the gods, and iridweed was a gift. Magic should never be this easily attainable or potent.”
“You’ve got that right.” Kora rubbed her arms. Her magic had been hard to wield and keep. As Raiden set up a firepit, she sighed. If these simple things didn’t exist, perhaps the world would’ve already been in peace.