Chapter Sixteen #3
Facing the priestesses, I bowed. “Thank you for allowing me to speak as an ally to Lyrica and to peace. I give all that I’ve said to the judgement of Meya, for she is wisdom and truth. She will make the right decision here today.”
“She will, and she has,” said the priestess. “Meya declares these women innocent—”
“No!”
“—release them at once.”
“NO!”
I stood, rising up beside Kirwan. “I told you,” I whispered. “Everything you do to my mother, I’ll do to you—tenfold.”
Kirwan stilled. Flicking down, he latched immediately on my darkening ends. The ebony had climbed high enough to be unmistakable. “You...”
I brushed past, flashing a smirk that was just for him. “Have fun in the Burning Plains, bitch.”
He shook, face turning an alarming shade of purple. “You!”
Kirwan lunged at me, slamming into my back. We crashed to the floor in a shower of punches, roars, and screams.
“Imposter! It’s her. She’s Callidora!”
“Help me!” I shrieked, covering my face. “He’s gone mad! Help!”
“Get off of her!”
Half a dozen coudarian crystals were whipped out, but none were so quick as Bradach. He grabbed Kirwan under the arms, wrenched him off, and threw him at the stone wall. His bones collided, snapping on impact, then dropped the wretch groaning and broken on the floor.
“Arrest him,” Salman shrieked, showering spittle. “Execute him!”
“Can you stand?” Bradach whispered, dropping next to me. “You must leave.”
I lifted my face and he blinked, jaw slackening. There was something on Emiana’s face that shouldn’t be.
“We must go now!”
I didn’t need to be told again. Shoving up, I bowed my way out of the room—keeping my head lowered. Escaping out into the hall, the peasant queen and the bird man ran. Ran as fast as their feet and wings allowed them.
Bradach shot me a smile. “You never cease to impress me, keva. All of Elva has met their match in you.”
I winked. “You should see what I can do to a man with a brick and a few berries.”
Our laughter rang through the hall.
I ROCKED HER IN MY arms, listening to her giggle, babble, and coo.
“I can’t believe I ever forgot you, sweet girl.”
Savia shrieked, equally outraged by the insult.
The front door swung open, beckoning in a wild-haired, panting Meliora. She landed on me sitting on the couch holding Savia—the real me. The last traces of Emiana faded by the time I stumbled barefoot to my family’s new home.
“Calli!” Racing past the twins, she threw her arms around me, hugging me as tight as our baby sister allowed.
“I can’t believe it’s you. It’s really you.
” She snapped back. “But where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!
We thought you were killed by the faeriken until Riordan brought all those jewels, and we figured they had to be from you. But how could that be possible? You—”
“Meli,” I cried, cutting in. “Slow down. I will tell you everything, I promise, just as soon as Mama comes. I want to tell you together.”
Her face fell.
“What? What is it?” I bolted upright. “Oh no, did they not let her go!”
“No, no, that’s not it. She was released with an apology, just like me, but...” Meliora’s lips trembled. “She only walked as far as the hallway before she collapsed. I needed help to carry her back home, so...”
“Collapsed?” I got to my feet. “Why would she collapse? What’s wrong?”
“You know what’s wrong,” she snapped. “The wasting sickness. It’s only gotten worse since you’ve been gone.”
I put a hand on Meli’s shoulder, stopping her saying anymore when the twins’ round, curious faces turned to us. I gave them a bright, carefree smile like I always used to do, and they smiled back.
When Bradach and I left the castle, I turned left immediately, making for Gutter Galley. He pulled me up short, reminding me my family would’ve moved after coming into wealth.
It took little asking around for us to find out where. It seemed the poor family from the Gutter who suddenly became wealthy and bought a home in the noble district was the talk of the town for weeks.
I knocked on the door and Jaclan threw it open. I barely got out a greeting before he tackled me, throwing himself into my arms. Gisela wasn’t far behind him.
After talking to the twins, it was clear they had no idea their mother and sister were sentenced to be executed that day, and just as well. It haunted me the whole flight to Lyrica thinking of the terror they were going through, believing everyone they loved would leave them and never come back.
On the contrary, they were their happy little selves, giving me the grand tour of our new home, and even showing me my new room.
Even though Mama had the coin to buy the biggest mansion in the district, she didn’t. She bought the home Papa left for her. The one that was always meant to be ours.
It had sweeping, vaulted ceilings; three floors of extra bedrooms, dining rooms, servant quarters we’d never need; a grand dining room with a mile-long table, and huge, four-poster beds in every room, perfect for jumping as Jaclan assured me.
“Children, have you had dinner yet?” I asked. “Why don’t you go into the dining room, and I’ll be along soon with your supper.”
“That’s okay, Haeowen,” Gisela said, pulling Jaclan up on his feet. “Peri makes supper for us now.” She lit on my wrist. “Oooh, I like your charm, Haeowen. It’s so pretty.”
“Thank you, sweet one. I’ll get you one just like it.” I watched them go, chuckling. “I’ve been replaced by Peri. Glad to know they didn’t miss me too much.”
The look Meliora gave me could’ve peeled paint. “They missed you, Calli. They cried every night for three weeks. They were inconsolable. We thought you were dead while the whole time, you were hiding out in Wind and Wild. How could you?”
“That’s not what happened. Just let me explain—”
The guards chose that time to walk in, carrying my mother on a litter. My explanation was on hold while we got her settled in her room, placed baby Savia next to her, and covered them both with soft, downy sheets.
The baby fell asleep almost instantly. My mother stared at me like she’d never seen me before.
“Explain,” she croaked, lips paper dry. “Did you truly overhear Kirwan plotting an assassination? Have you been sheltering in Wind and Wild all this time?”
I perched on the side of her bed with Meli sitting on the other side. She wasn’t going anywhere until she heard my story, so I told them everything.
From the night Kaelan kidnapped me out of my bed and forced me to switch bodies with the princess of Lyrica, to getting word that they were about to be executed and flying across the Wastelands on the back of raven men.
“Speaking of, I asked Bradach and the others to hang back and give us some privacy, but they’re going to need a place to shower and sleep. They haven’t taken a break in over a day.”
“Well, of course they must stay here,” Mama cried. “Sounds to me Meli and I wouldn’t be here without them. And you left them out in the cold, Calli, shame on you.” Even lying in her sickbed, Mama scolded with the best of them. “You go send for them right this minute.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Calli, wait for me.” Meliora jumped out and followed, trailing me out of our home and into the night.
“What is it?” I finally spoke up. “Say what’s on your mind.”
“I’d rather know what’s on your mind. After your faeriken have rested and eaten, what do you plan to do?”
I frowned. “What do you mean? I’m going back home to Alisdair.”
“Home,” she repeated. “You used to call Lyrica home.”
“And I still do.” We skirted a couple walking down the sidewalk. “But Lumenfell is my home too. It’s also where my husband is. Now that I know you both are safe, I have to return.”
“Love has made you blind, Calli.”
“What? Why would you say that?”
She gave me a hard look. “Mama is not safe. She’s dying, Haeowen. She hasn’t kept a single thing down for weeks. We can afford the best healers coin can buy now, and they’re all saying the same thing. She doesn’t have much time left.”
I flinched like she punched me in the gut. “That’s not— That can’t be—”
“It’s true. You saw her yourself. You know it’s true.”
My lips flattened into a thin line. Of course I saw that my mother was thinner than a skeleton with the cracked lips and thin, sluggish skin of a parched soul lost in the Wastelands.
“What will you do, Calli? These are the last days we’ll get to spend with our mother before she... before...” Meliora blinked rapidly, eyes bright. My little sister—never wanting anyone to see her cry. “Are you really going to fly away and leave us to face this alone? Again?”
I balled my fists, mouth clenched tight.
I was furious, but not at Meli or Mama. I was angry at the evil, sick system that stole my mother’s magic in the first place.
I was angry at the power-hungry, bitter witch who gave them the means to do it.
She came here to destroy our way of life, and we played right into her hands.
As a result, my innocent, loving mother was slowly wasting away.
“I’m not going to leave you alone, Meli. I made a promise to you, all of you, that I never would. I’ll stay,” I said softly. “I’ll see Mama through this, and then we’ll all go back to Lumenfell together.
“You’ll be safe and happy there, and”—I took her hand—“we’ll be together again. As a family.”
Meli shook me off. “There’s no family without Mama.”
I didn’t know what to say, because I couldn’t disagree.
We walked the rest of the way in silence—both of us lost in our own sorrow.
Eventually, we arrived at the inn where I sent them to eat and relax. Egan’s Inn and Tavern was owned by a nice man who never had a raised voice or bad word for anyone. I figured even if faeriken weren’t welcomed with open arms, they at least wouldn’t be harassed or chased out by Egan.
“—warned you! You are to leave by order of the king.”
“And I’ve told you.” Bradach faced the palace guard down, wings rising and casting long shadows over them both. “We’re not going anywhere without our queen.”