Chapter Fifteen #4
As angry as I wanted to be with him... what he said made sense. Curses didn’t play fair. Their sole purpose was to cause misery and pain, and they didn’t want to be lifted, or they wouldn’t silence our tongues when we tried.
“But you knew I was Calli,” I whispered, cupping his cheek. “Not any of a twenty million women, but Callidora. How?”
“It was rather easy to figure out when you looted my coffers and gave the spoils to that Riordan boy to give to your family.”
My brows popped, face heating. “You knew that I—?”
“Was stealing from me? Yes. Pretty much immediately.” He grinned lopsidedly. “A natural thief, you are not.”
Of all things, why did this embarrass me most of all?
“I ordered him to tell me who my jewels were going to, and then I had my spies track down Olene, Meliora, Jaclan, Gisela, and Savia.” He stroked my cheek, catching a stray tear.
“I wasn’t surprised they were a family. I was even less surprised that they were missing their oldest daughter, Callidora, who walked into the Crystal Palace one day, and never came back. ”
“Oh, Alisdair.” I fell against his chest, hugging him tight. “What am I going to do? Riordan said their execution is tomorrow. It takes a fortnight to get to Lyrica. I’ll never make it!”
“I will get you there on time, Calli, I promise.”
“Me?” I dropped my head back, gazing up at him. “Aren’t you coming with me?”
“I’m sorry.” He truly sounded it. “I can’t leave Lumenfell right now. Meallan is still out there—waiting.”
“Right, of course,” I sighed. “How could I forget about that bastard? I’ve been so happy the last few days, I almost convinced myself all was right in our world.”
“And I almost convinced myself Meya would bless us, but some fates she won’t change,” he said softly. “This wedding will end with you fleeing into the night, and me left with a hole in my chest.”
Tears flooded my lids, spilling fast and free down my cheek. “My love, I’m sorry. I never wanted—”
The door burst open. Foalan rushed in with Aeris on his heels. She held a pair of boots and a pretty, but comfortable shift dress.
“Get her dressed,” Foalan told Aeris. “I’ll get her ready.”
I was pulled away from Alisdair as they descended on me—stripping off my beautiful wedding gown, tugging the dress overhead, pulling on my boots, then strapping the myriad of weapons to every free spot on my person.
I didn’t know what I’d be walking into in Lyrica, but they seemed to believe I’d have to fight my way out.
The second they were done, Aeris and Foalan pulled me right back out the door.
“There’s something you need to know,” Alisdair called after me. “The night I found you in the tower, I thought I was speaking to Emiana. When I saw her about to endanger the woman I love by revealing that portrait, I snapped.
“I said horrible things to you, but every word was for her.” His smile—so beautiful. So sad. “I never could’ve loved that spoiled brat. It’s you, Calli. It was always meant to be you.”
“I love you too,” I gasped, straining to keep pace. “I—”
A blast of cold air smacked me, turning my head around.
Bradach waited in the flower garden, standing next to my litter. He wasn’t alone. Seven other raven men and women stood by his side.
I realized immediately what they intended.
This is all happening so fast, I thought as Aeris lifted me onto the litter. But of course, it has to. I have to save Mama and Meli!
I twisted around, reaching for Alisdair. “What do I do? How do I save them? No one’s going to listen to me. No one ever listened to a Gutter girl from the Galley.”
“More the fool them.” He kissed my fingertips. “But you’re not a girl from the Galley, my love. You’re the queen of Wind and Wild.”
The bearers took their place, Bradach leading in front, and lifted the handles. They took off, jolting me flat on my back.
I twisted around as we took to the skies, shouting down at my Alisdair. “I love you! I’ll come back. I promise you!”
Alisdair waved, and walls shot up from the sides—enclosing me in against the cold.
“I promise, my beast, my king, my husband,” I whispered. “I’ll come back for you.”
brADACH AND THE RAVEN faeriken flew all night—not stopping to eat, rest, or make waste.
I prayed to Meya as the snow, clouds, and darkness vanished in the distance, and the sun returned.
Heat beat down on the litter, as blazing as the beaming sunlight penetrating the slats and dazzling my eyes. How was this the world I grew up in? I felt like a stranger embarking on a new land.
“The Crystal Palace,” Bradach bellowed, shouting over the thunderous hum of faeman-sized wings beating the air. “It’s there!”
I wanted to see but Alisdair didn’t make a window. All that mattered was that he could see it. We were close.
“Mama. Meli, I’m coming.”
Despite what Bradach said, we flew for ages more. The light coming through the slats grew duskier and dimmer. Reds, golds, and purples danced before my eyes when I peeked out—Meya’s final parting gift before day left us, and her moon and stars reigned.
“How much longer!”
“Almost there!”
I popped off my butt, thrown against the wood as Bradach and his brethren put on a burst of speed.
“What is that?”
“There!”
“Faeriken! It’s faeriken!”
“They’re attacking!”
Never did I think I’d be happy to hear those words. “Bradach,” I called. “I can’t see anything!”
Suddenly, the entire front wall of the litter blew off. I screamed, throwing myself back as the rush of wind and light blasted my sensitive eyes. Blinking rapidly, the Crystal Palace came into sharp view—as did all of Lyrica.
Little specks moved this way and that way on the streets, scurrying about their day.
From high above, the stark difference between the royal residences and the Galley was impossible to miss.
Trash rolled through broken cobblestone streets, falling off the piles stacked behind ramshackle huts, and homes that were old and falling apart from the day they were built.
We left behind my old home, flying straight over the marketplace and the shouting people below. Fruit and day-old vegetables took to the skies, pelting my litter and its bearers.
I gritted my teeth. “So much for the arranged marriage bringing peace and tolerance to the kingdoms.”
Bradach and the others didn’t let them slow them down. They went straight to the palace gates and carried me over, igniting fires under the feet of the palace guards.
“Back, beasts!” Soldiers flooded the courtyard, their swords aloft. Coudarian crystals embedded right on the hilts. “Leave this place or—”
A blast of wind blew them off their feet—sending them and their weapons scattering. Bradach, the others, and my litter touched down as they clambered up—filthy curses and violent promises pouring from their lips.
“That was your second mistake, beast,” hissed a tall, freckled soldier. He spat blood on the pavement. “Coming here was your first.
“Atta—!”
I jumped out. “Stand down! Everyone, stand down now! Weapons on the ground!”
“Excuse me?” Derisive laughter filled the courtyard. “Who do you think you are, bitch?”
I raised my head, glaring into his eyes. He jerked back so fast his feet tangled, and the stupid fool fell on his ass again. “Queen Emiana, Royal Highness of Wind and Wild, and former princess of Lyrica. That’s who the fuck I think I am.”
“P-Princess? How—?”
“Silence!”
The boy about swallowed his tongue.
“I am a witness for Olene Waterrose and her daughter, Meliora. You’re to take me to them,” I barked. “The execution will not go ahead!”
“But, I can’t—”
Bradach flashed—moving so fast, he was on the soldier before his fallen feather touched the ground. “Is there cotton in your ears, boy?” he growled. Bradach’s dagger pressed to his quivering throat. “My queen has given you an order. The execution is canceled!”
“But, I can’t help you,” he cried, eyes bulging. “It’s too late. The sentence has been carried out. The execution is over.
“The traitors are dead.”