Chapter 56
Elias rises, his knuckles white on the bars of his cage.
I can’t breathe, can’t form a rational thought as I clamber out of Thea’s cage and scale to the top. Wind batters me, and I crouch low on the edge, hands trembling.
Don’t move a muscle, I say through the bond.
Kressa flinches, and her gaze lands on me, eyes narrowed. Briar?
“Thea!”
She stands at attention. “Yes?”
A smile coats my lips despite the drop below me. The way she stands, with her hands pinned to her side, eyes rapt—my first mate. “Find a boulder heavy enough to replace Kressa’s foot.”
She nods and takes off toward a pile of boulders. Elias’s eyes brighten and, following my thought process, he centers himself in the cage, leveling it out.
Kressa’s eyes shoot wide. This whole time, you’ve been—
I grip the final rung and bring my knees beneath me. I told you. I need that ship.
Her gaze flicks between me and the top of Elias’s cage. Don’t do whatever you’re about to do. You can join Thea and win the competition. I—I can’t lose you.
I made you a promise.
I leap. My stomach bottoms out as I catch a glimpse of the ocean below. A gust of wind flips my hat off, and my hair comes loose from its tie. Gasps explode from the stands as I slam into the side of Elias’s cage and grapple for the bars.
Putting one hand over the other, I circle the edge of the cage to the door. My hands sting, raw and bloodied from the abrasive metal.
Through the rhodium helmet, his brown eyes blink. “You’re her bonded.”
My fingers freeze around the handle as I study the man I was meant to marry. “How do you know?”
The helmet hides his mouth, but his eyes crinkle around the edges. “I see it on her face. The way she looked at you when you leapt from the cage—love doesn’t come close.”
I throw the door open, and it clatters into the bars. “We can discuss your sister’s feelings when we’re on land.”
An amused huff comes from the helmet, and he backs into the cage, holding his arms out for balance. He inhales a deep breath and runs, leaping through the air to the mountaintop.
Thea appears with a large boulder between her hands, but a layer of ice appears under her feet. She slams to the ground, and her head bashes against the rock. She goes limp, and my scream echoes off the mountains.
Scrambling into the cage, I throw myself to the back and turn.
I take a step, ready to run, but the cannon blasts. The cage shoots away from the edge and I grip the bars as it swings wildly, threatening to throw me out the open door.
“Briar!” Kressa screams.
Ice inches closer to her, and a group of guards stride up the side of the arena. A knot forms in my throat. Caelus, flanked by royal guards, and Isolde following at the rear.
“Swing the cage!” Kressa calls, voice trembling.
I step forward and brace myself on the bars, shifting my weight forward and backward. The cage swings, but no matter how hard I throw myself around, it doesn’t get close enough to clear the jump.
Listen to me, Briar.
I pause at the defeat in her voice. The intent in her eyes as she studies the hook holding the cage.
She returns her gaze to me. Jump on my count. There’s a dagger in my boot. Take it and fight your way out.
My limbs go cold, and I shake my head. No. Don’t you dare.
It’s the only way.
If you lift your foot, Kressa, I will never forgive you. I cannot lose you.
A smile crosses her face, pure and genuine. Losing me is impossible, my love. I’ve always been yours. And forever will be.
“Three.”
Tears stream down my face. “No!”
“Two.”
My lungs seize up. “Kressa, no!”
Caelus’s narrowed glare comes into view, and lightning crackles in the storm clouds.
The cage swings, cresting closer to the edge, and Kressa smiles.
I love you, Briar.
“One.”
She lifts her foot.
An arrow shoots from the mountain and plunges into her heart.
A scream wracks my throat, my lungs. Blood blooms beneath her shirt, and she falls to her knees, slumping to the side. My soul cleaves into two as the life pours from her.
The cage reaches its peak, and I fling myself toward the mountain. There’s nothing but the open sea beneath me as solid land shoots closer. I grapple for loose rocks on the edge, and my hands find purchase on a root, holding tight. Grimacing, I heave myself up and throw myself onto the plateau.
I lunge to Kressa and fall to her side, running my hands over her body. I trace the arrow where it meets skin, but it’s burrowed too deep to pull out. My breaths come out in rasps, and my throat constricts. Her chest rises and falls, but her heartbeat slows, chest stutters.
Then it halts.
A scream rips from my throat and reaches the heavens, severs the ocean.
Diving into myself, I scrounge every wisp of power I can and press my hands to Kressa’s chest, willing it into her. It saved her once, and if I have to drain every last drop of my power to do it again, so be it. A blue glow radiates through my chest, down my arms, and straight into Kressa.
Her power flickers in my chest, as if it can sense her fading. I hold my breath until my lungs burn.
She doesn’t move.
“Briar, you are under arrest for treason.”
My hands still on Kressa’s unmoving chest, and my fingers curl into fists. I inch my fingers down her body and slide the dagger from her ankle. My breath catches.
It’s my dagger.
I force myself up and suck in air through my nose, lips pressed into thin line. My eyes harden, and a boiling swell churns within me. Pure, unadulterated rage ripples from me in waves, my hand a vise on the dagger.
Caelus smirks. “Arrest her.”
The pair of royal guards draw their swords and advance. I lunge at the first and dodge his sword. Spinning behind him, I drag the blade across his throat.
He drops, sword clattering to the ground.
The other hesitates, and I slam my boot into his chest. He lands on his back, and I lunge, plunging the dagger into his chest.
“Treason, you say?” I glare at Caelus. “Or perhaps you’re simply embarrassed I fooled you.”
A chunk of ice slams into me and throws me away from the guard.
The dagger flies out of my hand and lands out of reach as another blast hits me across the face.
My vision swims. Rocks dig into my palms, and I come to my knees.
I lift a leg, but before I can stand, a layer of ice freezes me to the ground.
I fight against the ice, bashing it with my fists, but it holds steady. It crawls up my legs, over my hips, and roots me to the spot.
Caelus looms over me. “Do you have any final words?”
“I do, in fact.” My lip curls away from my teeth. “You are many things, Caelus. A murderer, a false king, a tyrant. But there’s one thing you’ll never be—a god. You will never have power of your own.”
He draws his sword. It whines against the scabbard, and he lifts it over his shoulder, early morning sun glinting off the metal.
My limbs grow heavy, and exhaustion overcomes me. This is it. I’ve failed. With no heir to the sea, it will forever be ruled by Caelus. Thea will never see Celia again. And Kressa—
Perhaps I’d rather die than live without her.
A tear splashes to the ground, and I lower my head, waiting for the final blow.
“No!”
A body tackles Caelus to the ground, and they roll in a blur, shards of ice piercing the air.
Kressa.
She wrestles the sword out of Caelus’s hand and flicks it to his chest. The ice melts around my waist, turns to slush, and I rise, my pants soaked with freezing water.
I take a step toward Kressa, my breath catching. “You’re alive.”
I scan her—the hole in her shirt bloodied from where she pulled out the arrow. The open gash now a healed, light pink.
“Impossible,” Caelus breathes.
An arm wraps around my throat from behind, and a dagger presses deep into my skin, right above the artery.
“Drop the sword, or I’ll slit her throat,” Isolde says.
My eyes shoot wide, jaw trembling against the hands that once held me so gently.
Kressa’s hand falters on the sword.
Don’t! I shout through the bond.
I wrap my fingers around Isolde’s forearm and dig my nails into skin. She yanks me against her chest, shoving the blade deeper.
A bead of blood trails down my throat.
She lowers her mouth to my ear. “Or perhaps I’ll slit it anyway.”
I squirm, but she anticipates every move, holding me tight.
A tremor shakes the ground, and the blade drops from my throat. Isolde grunts, and her body disappears from mine. She falls to her knees and clutches at her chest as a blue cloud pours from her.
Her power.
I pluck my dagger from the ground and swallow mouthfuls of air. A shimmer appears at the cliff, thickening, and a woman manifests. Where her feet land, grass grows and flowers bloom. A warm breeze rustles her long, silver hair, and at her fingertips—water.
Terra.
I fall to my knees, and Kressa rolls from Caelus.
The goddess disregards us, turning instead to him. “Caelus.” Her voice is sweet as honey, yet hard as stone. “You know the rules. All who survive the third trial shall be judged.”
Isolde writhes, and the cloud of power around her billows.
“But she disguised herself to enter,” he says.
Terra drags her gaze over me. Her eyes oscillate between shades of blue and hazel and black. She tilts her head. “Interesting.”
A warm breeze sweeps over me, carrying notes of lavender and salty brine. It sinks beneath my skin, and Terra stiffens.
She returns her attention to Caelus. “You will hold a fourth trial for her.”
Elias appears with his arm slung around Thea’s waist, helping her walk, and I swallow a sob. She’s alive. Bloody, but alive.
Terra nods at Elias. “His freedom has been won. Release him.”
Caelus stands. “But his power is too dangerous.”
Isolde screams, and her face loses blood as her power drains.
“Fine,” Caelus bites, digging a thin skeleton key from his pocket.
He approaches Elias, but Terra holds up a hand. “No, not you.” Her head turns to me. “She saved him, she releases him.”
I nod and rise on shaky legs, swallowing as I stride to Caelus. Hesitating, I pull the key from his hands and turn it over. Despite its small size, it’s heavy, and a delicate filigree runs along its base. Elias settles Thea against a boulder and crosses to me.
The man I tried to kill.
“I owe you my life,” he says. Cords of green are woven in his brown irises, the opposite of Kressa’s.
“You don’t owe me anything,” I whisper.
He turns, and I slot the key into the base of the helmet. With a twist, it fractures into two. He reaches behind his head and separates it. Oily blonde hair spills out, falling to his shoulders in ratted curls.
The rhodium helmet drops to the ground.
He turns to me and roams his hands over his face. A smile tugs at his mouth, but when our gazes lock, it disappears.
The green swims in his eyes, and his voice lowers to a whisper. “You’re the Princess of the Sea.”
I flinch back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“We were meant to marry.” His head tilts, and he hums. “Ah, I see. Kressa has no idea who you are. That you tried to kill her, thinking she was me.”
I swallow. “You’re wrong.”
“I’m never wrong.” He clicks his tongue. “Don’t worry, I have no reason to tell my sister who you are. Not yet, at least.”
Terra steps to my side and lifts a weightless hand to my cheek. “Time for your final trial.”
My vision goes black.